Meet Michelle – the owner of Ava’s Cupcakes and past winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. In our latest blog she discusses all things Ava’s and even talks about being on Cupcake Wars. Read on to learn a little more.

Meet Michelle – Q&A with Owner of Ava’s Cupcakes

Why did you decide to open Ava’s Cupcakes?

There were many varying factors in making the decision to open Ava’s Cupcakes; however, the ultimate decision was made from the overwhelming response from the community. Orders just could not be fulfilled from home any longer because a strong and viable business had clearly been born.

What is your favorite part about owning Ava’s?

I am not sure I can say that there is one favorite part but currently, my favorite part is watching my children take an active role.

Which is your favorite cupcake at Ava’s?

I love the Salted Caramel Mocha, Banana Guava, and the Lime & Basil. How can I choose just one?!

What is your most memorable baking moment?

I’ll never forget baking for days when our episode on Cupcakes Wars aired. We pumped out 1000’s of cupcakes and cookies to the hundreds of guests lined up for hours outside our tiny kitchen in NJ.

What was it like to be on, and win, Cupcake Wars?

Cupcake Wars was a dream for us. We worked very hard to compete and winning made all the difference. It changed the trajectory of Ava’s forever and we will never forget where we started.

Learn More About This Amazing Business Owner

Want to learn more about Michelle and what it’s like to own Ava’s Cupcakes? Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and tune in for our monthly Meet Michelle posts! In our January one, Michelle shared about family traditions to start the new year, such as making bread.

Our name, Ava’s Cupcakes, might indicate we only sell cupcakes but that is far from the truth. We also have beautiful cakes, delicious pastries & confections, tasty macarons, and mouthwatering cookies! Today, we want to share a little more about that last item… cookies. Our latest blog takes a closer look at our cookie menu.

Signature Cookies

We started our cookie line with eight flavors. Today, we still sell every single one of these original flavors every day in our Clemmons and Winston-Salem stores for 3.29 each.

These eight flavors are now known as our Signature Cookies. The flavors are:

• Ava’s Sandwich Cookie with Chocolate
• Classic Chocolate Chip
• Ava’s Sandwich Cookie with Vanilla
• Oatmeal Raisin
• Ava’s Sprinkle Cookie
• Strawberry Chip Cookie
• The Invisible Cookie
• Triple Chocolate Chip

A Sneak Peek Inside our Invisible Cookie

Steve, Michelle Spell’s husband, is the sole creator and inventor of Ava’s Invisible Cookie (pictured below)! It is a perfectly baked cookie with brown sugar and cream, with a fudgy inside, and crisp and chewy on the outside! Ava’s Invisible Cookie is a secret recipe and only two employees, including Michelle are privy to Steve’s masterpiece.

Select Cookies Available Online & Shipping Nationwide

Did you know you can purchase cookie boxes online that will ship nationwide? We sell four of our signature flavors online, which are:

• Ava’s Sprinkle Cookie
• Classic Chocolate Chip
• Strawberry Chip Cookie
• The Invisible Cookie

Every cookie box has a dozen in your selected flavor. You can also purchase a Sampler Set, which has 3 of each of the four flavors listed above.

Ready to purchase these delicious colossal cookies and have them shipped right to your door? Click here to buy them today!!

Deluxe Cookies

Last fall we announced our deluxe cookie line. Our deluxe cookie:

• Lemon Drop – Bright, sweet and zesty lemon cookie with a sweet lemon glaze.
• Cinnamon Bun – Soft, chewy cinnamon chip cookie with a cream cheese icing.
• Birthday Cake – Funfetti chips baked throughout our signature cookie dough, topped with a vanilla buttercream and funfetti sprinkles!
• Ava’s Deluxe Chocolate Chip – Our signature chocolate chip cookie rolled and baked with colorful chocolate candies throughout!
• Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie – Chocolate fudge cookie with chocolate mint chips baked throughout.

Our deluxe cookies costs $3.49 each.

Sugar Cookies

Last, but certainly not least, are our sugar cookies. Every month we have different designs to reflect that month’s holidays, season, or happenings. In January, we have a snowflake to honor winter and a football to celebrate football season and the upcoming big game!

Treat Yourself with One – or More – of Ava’s Amazing Cookies!

Cookies are the perfect treat for a hard day, reward, or just because. Click here to see all our in-stock cookies and the ones available for special order. Better yet, stop in at our Clemmons or Winston-Salem store to buy any of these warm, freshly-baked desserts.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on our cookies, contests, promotions, and much more!

Are you looking for a sweet treat that is unique? Or, maybe one that is ideal for so many occasions and events? Then, you will not want to miss our cakecups!

Luckily, Ava’s Cakecups are a fun and delicious spin on our cupcakes. Consequently, each cakecup is filled to the brim with components of our award-winning cupcakes.

Each cakecup includes:

• Six ounces of perfectly baked cakes
• Fresh fillings
• Hand-whipped buttercreams
• Fun garnishes (where applicable)

Therefore, they are perfect treat for on the go, holiday parties, football games, or family gatherings! Also, you can easily put them in a cooler if the weather turns warm!

Shippable Nationwide!

Luckily, you can purchase and receive this product anywhere in the continental U.S. Simply, visit our e-store. Then, order which cakecup package you prefer. Finally, simply wait for the tasty desserts to arrive!

Orders are accepted 7 days per week. However, due to the delicate nature of the products, we only ship Monday through Wednesday. This ensures a Wednesday through Friday delivery. Therefore, please plan accordingly when placing your orders.

Numerous Cakecups Sampler Packages!

In November, we have two great samplers!

Signature Cakecup Sampler

First, don’t miss our Signature Cakecup Sampler. Our Signature Cakecup Sampler includes 12 amazing flavors.

• Ava’s Chocolate
• Classic Vanilla
• Vanilla with Chocolate
• Chocolate with Vanilla
• Lemon Drop
• Carrot
• Red Velvet
• Banana Guava
• Apple Pie
• Cookies & Cream
• Peanut Butter Cup
• Chocolate Salted Caramel

Price: $49

Fall Cakecup Sampler

Secondly, say hello to Ava’s Fall Cakecup Sampler. This special cakecup sampler is a delicious way to celebrate Fall! Consequently, flavors include some fall favorites, such as:

• Apple Pie (3)
• Cinnamon Pumpkin (3)
• Creme Brulee (3)
• Chocolate Salted Caramel (3)

Price: $49

Build Your Own (BYO) Cakecup Sampler

However, are you wanting to create your own sampler pack with a variety of delicious flavors? We can do that also!

Flavor options available for the BYO Cakecup Sampler are listed below.

• Ava’s Chocolate
• Classic Vanilla
• Vanilla with Chocolate
• Chocolate with Vanilla
• Lemon Drop
• Carrot
• Red Velvet
• Banana Guava
• Apple Pie
• Cookies & Cream
• Peanut Butter Cup
• Chocolate Salted Caramel
• Cinnamon Pumpkin
• Creme Brulee
• Chocolate Cannoli
• Cookie Dough
• Ava’s Hostette
• Toasted Coconut
• Blueberry Cobbler
• S’mores
• Chocolate Truffle
• Pink Champagne & Strawberries
• Confetti

Creme Brulee Cakecup

We can’t wait to release our holiday-inspired cakecup sampler pack next month! Also, we feature different cakecup samplers for almost every holiday or season.

Vegan & Gluten-Free Options Also Available!

Additionally, do you need to eat gluten-free or vegan? Then, don’t worry we have cakecup samplers for that too!

Gluten-Free Cakecup Sampler

Our gluten-free cakecup sampler includes the flavors listed below.

• Ava’s Chocolate (2)
• Classic Vanilla (2)
• Vanilla with Chocolate (2)
• Chocolate with Vanilla (2)
• Lemon Drop (2)
• Banana Guava (2)

Price: $59

Vegan Cakecup Sampler

Our vegan cakecup sampler includes the following flavors listed below.

• Ava’s Chocolate (2)
• Classic Vanilla (2)
• Vanilla with Chocolate (2)
• Chocolate with Vanilla (2)
• Cookies & Cream (2)
• Peanut Butter Cup (2)

Price: $59

Available In-Store, too!

These amazing cakecups are available in-store at Winston-Salem or Clemmons also. However, please note sampler packs must be pre-ordered by calling ahead!

Stop in or order online today to enjoy these one-of-a-kind desserts!

While we are known for our cupcakes, we also have some amazing cakes on our menu every single month. Plus, we make custom ones as well for birthdays, weddings, events, or any other celebration you can think up. An important thing to note is our cakes are only available in our Clemmons location.

In our latest blog, we are going to dive into our current and some past cakes. This will give you a sampling of the cake art we are capable of at Ava’s!

November Cake Options

Every month we feature several cake options related to the holiday, season, or just ones that are fan favorites! This November we have four delicious and beautiful choices!

Chocolate Cannoli Creampunk

This cake features Ava’s vanilla or chocolate cake with layers of our cannoli cream. It’s covered in vanilla or chocolate buttercream and topped with dark chocolate ganache and chocolate dipped cannolis.

Maple Bourbon Butter Pecan

Everyone loves this maple cake with layers of Maple Bourbon buttercream.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cake

Our Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cake features vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream filling.

Turkey Cake

This cake features pumpkin cake, cinnamon buttercream filling, and chocolate buttercream outside with chocolate feathers.

Don’t miss our festive holiday cakes next month!

Food Art Any Celebration

With our custom cakes, you can get any type of cake you desire for any occasion. A few events we often get cake requests for include:

• Birthdays
• Anniversaries
• Family Reunions
• Weddings
• Holiday Parties
• Corporate Events

Let Ava’s Help You Make a Memorable Celebration!

We love helping people have the perfect cake to celebrate their special moments! Click here to see all our in-stock cakes and cakes available for special order. You can also call our Clemmons store at 336-283-9021 for questions or to place orders. Our monthly cakes are available in-store at 1483 River Ridge Drive, Clemmons, NC 27012.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for contests, menu changes, promotions, and more!

Whether you need the perfect wedding cake or quick sweets fix with a cupcake, it’s important to find a bakery near me that you love and trust to satisfy all your dessert needs! Ava’s Cupcakes has so many delicious dessert options and is sure to be a hit for any sweets need.

Wide Variety of Desserts

While our name might make you think we only deal with cupcakes, we have so many other scrumptious desserts in our cases! Here is a list of all the products and services we offer at Ava’s Cupcakes.

• Cupcakes
• Mini Cupcake Samplers
• Cakecups – Also, available for shipping nationwide!
• Cakes – Available in our Clemmons location only!
• Cookies
• Cheesecakes
• Handpies
• Cannoli’s
• Macarons
• Dessert Bars – for weddings or events!

Head over to our Clemmons or Winston-Salem pages to see availability and current menus!

Beyond Cupcakes

Our cupcakes, mini cupcake samplers, and unique cakecups are our specialty, but as you can see above, we offer so much more than that! We wanted to highlight some of favorites below!

Cakes

From festive holiday cakes to a custom birthday cake, you can get about any type of cake you desire. Here is our spooky Halloween cake collection available this month!

Cookies

We recently announced our new deluxe cookie line! So, now we have double the flavors! Our Deluxe Cookies include:

• Lemon Drop
• Cinnamon Bun
• Caramel Coconut Fudge
• Pumpkin Chip
• Birthday Cake
• Ava’s Deluxe Chocolate Chip

Whereas our Signature Cookies include:

• Ava’s Sandwich Cookie with Vanilla
• Classic Chocolate Chip
• Ava’s Sandwich Cookie with Chocolate
• Oatmeal Raisin
• Strawberry Chip Cookie
• Ava’s Sprinkle Cookie
• The Invisible Cookie
• Triple Chocolate Chip

Macarons

We love these fluffy, sweet bites of pure heaven! Every month we feature different flavors. Our October flavors are:

• Pumpkin
• Chocolate Salt Caramel
• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Blueberry
• Strawberry
• Lemon

Discover A Timeless Favorite Bakery Near Me by Visiting Ava’s Cupcakes!

If you are ready to try out some delicious treats at a bakery near me, then look no further than Ava’s Cupcakes. Click here for all the details about our Clemmons location and here for all the details about our Winston-Salem location! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for contests, menu changes, promotions, and more!

Many couples are getting away from the traditional wedding cake for all wedding guests and trying out cupcake bars. Cupcake bars are fun and provide so many benefits! At Ava’s Cupcakes, we offer completely customizable cupcake bars for newly engaged couples. The sky is the limit when it comes to flavors and icing colors!

Cupcake Bars – Numerous Benefits

When a couple chooses a cupcake bar for their wedding, they receive so many benefits. Here are a few advantages to choosing a cupcake bar:

• Multiple flavors
• Accommodate various diet needs – some cupcakes can be gluten-free or vegan, if necessary, but others can be regular.
• Easier to serve
• No utensils needed for guests
• Icing colors can match wedding colors, or whatever you want!

These are merely a few of the benefits of choosing to use a cupcake bar for your wedding.

Ava’s Cupcakes – Stunning Cupcake Bars

As you can see from our name we love and are experts in all things related to cupcakes… this includes cupcake bars! While we love wedding cakes, we love how we can try out so many different flavors and icing styles/colors with cupcake bars.

For icing, couples can choose to do one color for all the cupcakes, a mix of colors (as seen in the photographs), or different icing colors on different cupcakes. It is really up to you and what fits with your wedding colors, scheme, and vision!

Regarding flavors, we have an extensive list of flavors. As long as it is something in season, we can usually make almost any flavor happen from our flavor list.

You are not in the planning alone. Our wedding dessert specialist will meet with you to discuss what you need and want. We work closely with you to plan out your cupcake bar vision so you will absolutely love it on your big day!

Best of Both Worlds

If you always envisioned that cake cutting moment, then even with a cupcake bar it is possible. Many of our wedding dessert guests that choose a cupcake bar will also get a small cake for just the newlyweds to cut and enjoy!

Discuss Your Wedding Dessert Needs with Ava’s Cupcakes Today!

Ready to create the wedding cupcake bar of your dreams? Ava’s Cupcakes bars are always a huge hit with guests and leave them talking about your wedding desserts even after the wedding! Click here to see our photo gallery of our wedding desserts! Give us a call today at 336.283.9021 or email us at clemmons@avascupcakes.com to get started!

Your exciting day is afoot and it’s time to plan a culinary delight to celebrate your sweet moment! Not only does Ava’s Cupcakes specialize in celebrating sweet moments, we are honored to guide you through the process. Undoubtedly, sorting through custom wedding cakes can be thrilling but also daunting.

Fortunately, our award-winning owner and pastry chef, Michelle Spell, recognizes all the emotions that come into play. An expert at cake design, she is also skilled at understanding people. After all, you are unique. Your relationship is extraordinary. Therefore, the custom design of your cake should be nothing less.

Custom Wedding Cakes 101

Before we delve into Michelle’s outstanding accolades and process of designing a beautiful custom cake for you, let’s tackle questions. Often, our customers wonder: How do I determine the size of my wedding cake based on the number of people?

While this seems like a simple, straightforward query, multiple factors come into play. For instance, will you be offering your guests seconds? Moreover, do you wish to save and freeze a tier of the cake for an anniversary celebration? Instead of focusing exclusively on size and the amount of people attending, consider the design of your cake first. Essentially, a professional baker can determine the width, height, and amounts of tiers necessary.

Ultimately, at Ava’s Cupcakes, we like to get to know you and your needs first. Consequently, we can determine a design that fits you best. Then, we will decide on how many tiers you require and how large they must be.

Plus, we get to another supremely fun part, cake flavors inside and out! Whether you prefer vanilla, red velvet or a more exotic taste, Michelle excitedly explores them all with you. Next, we have fun with choosing the covering on your masterpiece. Literally, the icing on the cake!

Our Cake Design Details

Another query our customers wonder about custom wedding cakes and design: How far in advance should I order my cake? Generally, this depends on the time of year and the scope of your desires. In the end, the more time that we have to plan, the better. However, we work diligently to help you meet your goals in all cases. Sometimes, you simply don’t have the luxury of months of planning. With our years of experience and expertise, we can expedite the process as much as possible, when necessary.

Likewise, the best way to begin…is to begin! Leave your contact information on the form at the bottom of our custom wedding cake designs page. Within 8 hours, we will get back to you. Then, we can determine what works best. Distinctively, as every masterpiece is unique, so are their timelines!

Correspondingly, Michelle would like to meet as soon as possible. During this time, she will guide you towards your perfect day. Artistically, she strives to combine the personalities of your union and reflect that in your beautiful cake. Notably, she doesn’t simply create spectacular cakes. As the winner of season 4 “Food Network Cupcake Wars: I Love Lucy 60^th Anniversary,” she is a talented pastry chef. At Ava’s Cupcakes, we have a reputation for offering exotic flavors and designs.

Of course, if you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 336-283-9021. Moreover, stop by any of our locations to explore our tasty collections!

There’s a lot of stress on parents when planning their child’s birthday party. Each is an important milestone on the way to adulthood, with a chance to create everlasting memories. So, parents work hard to get every detail right from the decorations right down to the birthday cake. Often, the party revolves around a particular theme. Having a special cake match the theme is essential to the overall success of the party. When searching for custom made birthday cakes for your child’s party, choose Ava’s Cupcakes.

Ava’s Cupcakes began in 2011 when Michelle Spell opened her first bakery to offer gourmet, fresh-baked cookies, cakes, and pastries. In 2012, Michelle competed and won season 4 of the “Food Network Cupcake Wars: I Love Lucy 60th Anniversary.” Additionally, The Daily Meal recently voted Ava’s Cupcakes as one of the best cupcakes in America.

With more than two decades of culinary experience, Michelle loves introducing consumers to new and exotic flavor combinations. Of course, she bakes up signature nostalgic flavors as well. Not only do the cakes look beautiful, but they taste delicious too. Making cakes for any occasion, including custom wedding cakes and kids birthday party cakes, there’s no limit to the exciting and unique options. Whatever the theme or idea, Ava’s Cupcakes can create a stunning custom cake with a delightful flavor to match.

Popular Theme Parties

Notably, to make the birthday memorable, many people like to throw a theme-based party. With an idea or concept at the core, all the decorations, games/activities and cake reflect the theme. Today, among girls, unicorn-themed parties are very popular. And princess or spa parties are those timeless classic themes that girls always love.  Among boys, popular themes are superheroes, Lego, or Pokemon. Additionally, the latest popular movie is always a good choice as well.

While getting decorations and paper goods to match the theme is easy, making a special themed cake is more difficult. That’s where Ava’s Cupcakes excels. As a mom of 4 children, Michelle understands the importance of getting the cake just right. Moreover, as an experienced pastry chef, she can create a stunning cake unique to your party theme.

Cost of Custom Cakes

Chiefly, bakers charge based on their experience and the difficulty of the cake. Typically, exotic flavors, as well as special dietary cakes such as vegan or gluten free cost more. In addition, the more ornate and challenging the design, the higher the cost. Lastly, the taller the cake or the more layers a cake has, the more expensive it is too. When you speak with Michelle, she will design exactly the cake you have in mind and give you a quote.

Of course, it’s important to order your cake as early as possible. Some bakeries recommend placing your custom cake order at least 2 months in advance. Michelle requests a minimum of 7 to 10 days in order to design and create a delectable, unique cake for your celebration.

Where to Buy Custom Made Birthday Cakes

If you have that all-important child’s birthday approaching, don’t stress over the cake. When you’re looking for custom made birthday cakes for that special event, choose Ava’s Cupcakes. A true artist, Michelle can take your vision and transform it into a beautiful, stunning and of course delicious confection.  There’s no limit to the exciting and unique options with a birthday cake from Ava’s Cupcakes.

So, contact us today to place an order for a cake for your upcoming event. In New Jersey, call 973-625-7601 and in North Carolina 336-283-9021. Because your child’s birthday is too important to celebrate with an ordinary cake!