beyond the FROSTING

Words by ERIN PETERSON

Photography by KENSIE WALLNER PHOTOGRAPHY

Julin is far from green when it comes to the baking industry, having developed a passion for the craft around the time she was eight or nine years old when she received her catalyst to success, an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas. Her talent escalated swiftly in the kitchen alongside such influences as her mother and grandmother who urged her along. Unlike most children during the summertime, she talked about how she “preferred to spend [her] summer vacation indoors in the kitchen, rather than outside playing with the other neighborhood kids.” Her sweet treats were well consumed with glowing feedback which gave her that “aha!” moment, validating her knack for such a talent.

As I sat down at a diner-esque table in a cozy cake shop, more notably known as Fantasies in Frosting, I quickly learned that the owner and head baker, Darla Julin, was as sweet as her decadent desserts. Right in the heart of the bakery that opened nearly 20 years ago out of her very own home, we chatted about how she’s gained traction that’s led to her success as a full-time business owner with multiple awards to date and a namesake in the Fargo-Moorhead community.

Julin is a woman who is sure of herself and knew from the beginning that baking wasn’t just her passion, it was her livelihood. She went on to pursue her dream at what is now Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead where she received even more encouragement from her first year teacher, having been awarded Outstanding Chef Student her first year. There was no question about it; Julin was born a professional, however with her skill set as a given gift, there was plenty to be taught about owning her own business. As a member of Retail Bakers of America, a national organization for retail bakers that offers the opportunity to pose questions and answers regarding the industry, Julin used her resources and reached out with questions regarding owning a business. As fate would have it, a couple out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, having four bakeries underneath their belts themselves, took Julin under their wing. They offered her advice, including where to open her bakery based on statistics such as traffic counts and taking into consideration businesses nearby that complimented her own. Julin explained to me that with her location in the strip mall across from Scheels, she’s in a complimentary neighborhood for Papa Murphy’s customers who want to pick up dessert before heading home, or for family members who aren’t in the mood for Cold Stone Creamery ice cream and prefer a cookie or cupcake.

Initially, Julin had no intentions of doing retail baking, however as the times change, so must businesses. If you’ve attended a wedding or two such as myself over this past summer, you might have noticed that brides and grooms are shying away from traditional wedding cakes and opting for cupcakes instead, which has easily become one of Fantasies in Frostings bestselling desserts. A common wedding theme this last year has been rustic, although Julin did mention that as with any trend, they’re quick to change. Bridal magazines often play a large role as well in what Julin can look to expect. As one might imagine, a bride may look in bridal magazines to read up on this year’s hottest colors (this past year’s being pink and blue), but that also affects the baking industry in what frosting colors to account for.

Now, if you’re anything like me— and by this point craving something sweet—you can expect to see the common five flavors of cupcakes that Fantasies in Frosting offers daily and expect as many as 18 flavors on Saturdays, with gluten-free options available as well.

As mentioned earlier, Julin is a heavily decorated baker having won a prestigious award at a competition held in the Mall of America where she competed against ten other decorators and won first place for best wedding cake and second place for best Halloween cake (as you can guess, the competition was held around the holiday). In another regional competition, this time against 14 decorators, Julin won first place, sending her to the national competition in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she was presented the opportunity to meet Buddy from Cake Boss, a picture of proof for viewing hangs in her store.

It’s safe to say that Julin belongs in the kitchen baking the desserts that put a smile on all of our faces, but what makes her exceptional is her passion and drive for the craft. She gushes to me about her excitement to be able to express her creativity on a daily basis and her enthusiasm for trying new recipes. Her attention to detail is what makes her stand out among the crowd. She plans to one day pay her efforts forward by helping someone else who’s just staring out in the baking industry by sharing her knowledge and wisdom.

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Located inside Scheels Home & Hardware

3203 13th Ave S | Fargo

701-232-8903 scheelshomeandhardware.com