What was once totally unknown to us has now become one of our favourite daily treats: Cupcakes. And who do we have to thank for that pleasure: Dawn Nelson from Cupcake Berlin, whom we fondly refer to as The Cupcake Lady. Her sinful cupcakes are in great demand. Not only do the inhabitants of Friedrichshain love them, she also made celebrities like Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise addicted while they were filming at Babelsberg. But Dawn has not always been a cupcake baker. She was born and raised in Florida, but moved around the states a lot working as a makeup artist for MAC cosmetics and as a freelancer. That’s probably the reason why her cupcakes look tres chic. The pink creams and purple sprinkles must be the remnants of her days of rouge and eyeshadows. We had a little chat with her about Berlin and cupcakes for our feature series “The Makers”. Read the interview and see some photos after the jump.
Why Berlin?
I always said that one day I wanted to live in Berlin. My mom is from Frankfurt so I was always curious what Germany was like. I think Berlin, in general, is such a fascinating city with so much history & intrigue. About 5 years ago I took my first trip here and fell in love… and I guess the rest is history!
What is your favourite place in Berlin and why?
When the weather is good I love exploring the city on bike… Day trips to Babelsberg & Potsdam are always nice. Feeding the swans on the spree or eating ice cream and people watching in Görlitzer Park are also fun ways to pass the time. I really love checking out all the abandoned buildings here in Berlin… A bike trip out to the old Spreepark Plänterwald and a beer at the local beach bar afterwards is my ideal afternoon! I think my favorite shop still has to be the MAC store in Mitte… I can never get enough makeup! As far as restaurants go, I like several places in Kreuzberg… Hakata for sushi, Hasir for Turkish and the Tiki Heart for a good cocktail & kitschy atmosphere. We just moved to Friedrichshain and so far I like Proviant for their wonderful deli treats, anything at Papaya, and Smart Deli for lunch.
Would you like to live in another city?
I love to travel and could definitely see myself in another city in Europe at some point. For now I have my roots planted here in Berlin… but maybe one day when I’m tired of making cupcakes I’ll sell the shop and buy a little shack off the coast of Corsica or in the middle of the woods somewhere!
What is a cupcake?
A cupcake is a small, hand-held cake made in a paper cup… similar to a muffin in appearance, the taste is sweeter like a large cake. Cupcakes are topped with frosting and various types of decorations such as sprinkles, candy, nuts, berries, and just about anything you can dream up. The best thing about cupcakes is the variety… you can mix & match so many different flavors. This way everyone has the chance to find their one particular favorite!
What is your personal favourite cupcake?
That’s a trick question, right? Well, I guess if I had to pick one it would be the Sugar n’ Spice (Carrot Cake)… I’m also a big fan of the vegan Very Vanilla topped with coconut.
What are your plans for the future? Conquer the world with cupcakes?
Haha… Well, one step at a time! Right now we are currently working with a team of creative people and local artists who will produce cupcake-themed merchandise to sell in the shop. The Perlerei Werkstatt has already created some fantastic jewellery for us.
Cupcake is located near Boxhagener Platz at Krossener Str. 12. Besides cupcakes they also have American Cheesecake and other typical American sweets. For a salty snack they offer a daily soup and baked beans. Custom-made cupcakes are also available for catering. Above you’ll find a photo of our Halloween cupcakes that Dawn decorated with blood, spiders and tombstones. If you want to participate in creating cupcake merchandise please feel free to email Dawn at makecupcakes@yahoo.com. Also check out their brand new website. Below you can watch a little feature from TV Berlin.
Cupcake
Krossener Str. 12
10245 Berlin
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