OUQUET OF UTTERCREAMB

An Interview With Katherine Of Blooming Kupcakes

BY AMELIA ROSE SMITH

bouquet of buttercream? Say less. Katherine Halbeck, Founder & CEO of Blooming Kupcakes, has been creating cupcakes that are too pretty to eat since its opening in 2020. Before cupcake designing, Katherine worked in the medical and legal fields for nearly thirty years. While working as a legal assistant at a law firm in 2020, the pandemic resulted in a thirty-day furlough for Katherine. “One night when I was restless, I scrolled through Instagram and found a baker piping buttercream on some cupcakes,” Katherine shares. “I was so mesmerized that I clicked on one reel after another from various bakers and found myself ordering a set of piping nozzles and tools the very next morning. Within a few weeks, I realized I had a good grasp of piping and handcrafting beautiful florals on cupcakes.” Just months later, in June 2020, Blooming Kupcakes was born!

In less than two years of receiving business, Katherine designed cupcakes for celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Dolly Parton, Barbara Eden and Miranda Lambert. Keep reading to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Katherine and Blooming Kupcakes!

IS BLOOMING KUPCAKES A ONE-WOMAN SHOW?

The piping aspect of my work is a one-woman show, but I couldn’t do this without my husband, Andy. He has taken over the baking and making of our delicious buttercream to allow more time for me to design and handcraft these beautiful creations.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO DESIGN & DECORATE EACH CUPCAKE?

Each floral design is different. Rosettes can take up to a minute, but some of my more complex multi-flowered cupcakes can take several minutes. I need to consider the additional time required in switching out piping tips or creating a new color palette, color mixing and any other additions to the cupcake like making wafer eucalyptus leaves.

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF CUPCAKE DECORATING?

The most challenging aspect of cupcake decorating is fine-tuning my piping tips to get the desired results. Sometimes I want the buttercream to flow out less to get a more realistic-looking petal. From time to time, I suggest adjusting your buttercream recipe to get the look of a more translucent-looking flower petal.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DECORATING TECHNIQUE YOU USE DAILY?

I love utilizing my flower nail, which allows me more creativity and movement in handcrafting my floral designs. In addition, one of my favorite hacks to share is “what to do when your piping bag bursts?” After months of struggling with this myself, I have found that if you are going to pipe a lot or use stiff buttercream, it is best to use scotch tape around your piping tip to adhere to the piping bag. This provides many hours of use without any complications.

WHY IS USING NATURAL INGREDIENTS AND OFFERING GLUTEN-FREE CUPCAKES VITAL TO YOU?

When we went to a local big box store bakery and saw all the ingredients listed on their cupcake products – some of which you cannot pronounce –, I vowed only to make cupcakes with the finest ingredients available to us. The foods and ingredients we put into our bodies are very important. So, with that in mind, we decided to import our flour from Europe to provide a very finely milled, softer and slightly sweeter flour for all to enjoy.

We also offer gluten-free cupcakes. My daughter and I are both gluten intolerant. For years, we have struggled to find delicious gluten-free desserts. Identifying the right flour combination has been key to the success of our delicious cupcakes, both regular and gluten-free.

WHAT ARE SOME TREASURED MILESTONES THUS FAR FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

The day I quit my full-time day job and became an independent woman-owned business owner. But most importantly, the love and recognition from our community of supporters and local media.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR BEGINNERS WHO WANT TO START DECORATING CUPCAKES?

Anyone who wants to start decorating cupcakes or cakes should purchase a set of basic piping tips and the Americolor Soft Gel Paste Beginner Kit. Wilton sells a beginner’s nine-piece or twenty-two-piece Starter Decorating Piping Tip Set, which you can purchase at places like Target, Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Amazon. In addition, many free tutorials on YouTube can teach you how to make buttercream and pipe some basic flowers. Most importantly, have fun baking and being creative.

To sign up for a cupcake decorating workshop and one-on-one classes or schedule an order, visit bloomingkupcakes.com.