Local business creates cupcake confections

The sweet smells of frosting, batter and chocolate greet customers as they walk through the doors. Cupcakes sit behind the glass counter. Models of clowns, wedding cakes and Red Wolf cupcakes are scattered around P Ayres Cupcakery.

About five years ago, owners Carol and Bill Copeland decided to open their first cupcakery, Palace Ayres Cakes, in Blytheville after their cake-making hobby outgrew their house.

“It started out as just making cakes for our children and friends, then it escalated to a lot more friends and family,” Carol said. “We decided it was time to open up our own place instead of continuing to run it out of our own home.”

The Copelands decided to open a store in Jonesboro after they went to the Little Bit of Christmas craft show in 2010. P Ayres Cupcakery opened their doors off of East Johnson Avenue on Oct. 6, 2011.

“The people we saw at the show kept asking us where we were located in Jonesboro, and we had to tell them we were actually from Blytheville,” Carol said. “After hearing people’s reactions to our cakes and how much they wanted us to be here, we decided it was time to open another store. With ASU just down the street and all these other businesses around us, it’s the perfect location.”

With ASU being so close to the cupcakery, the Copelands received their license to use the Red Wolf logo on their cakes and cupcakes. As of right now, the flavor of the Red Wolf is either chocolate or vanilla. The Copelands are thinking about letting the fans come up with their own recipes to make the flavor of the Red Wolf official.

“Our customers ask us all the time what the flavor of the Red Wolf cupcake is,” Carol said. “But we don’t think chocolate or vanilla really suits it. So, we are thinking about holding a contest where customers can send in their flavor ideas, and we will officially have a Red Wolf flavor. We haven’t decided when we are going to start the contest, and we still need to brainstorm some more about it. But as soon as we know, we will inform the customers.”

P Ayres Cupcakery has more than 100 different flavors. The cupcake flavors change out every Monday, except for their white wedding cake cupcake which remains in the store throughout the entire year. Some of the flavors include: rocky road, strawberry, BBQ, and a game day cupcake that tastes like cheese and bacon.

The flavors also change for different seasons. In a few weeks, the fall inspired cupcakes will be added into the mix of flavors. Flavors include: pumpkin, cinnamon, Boston cream pie, and maple and walnut.

“Our most popular seller is the white wedding cake,” Carol said. “When we did switch it out, we had so many customers ask for it that we decided we would keep it every day. We do post each week’s flavors on our Facebook page, and we will accept special requests.”

Twelve flavors are switched out each week. For Sara Kinnie, senior exercise science major of Mammoth Spring, she hopes her favorite flavor is in that rotation.

“My favorite is the appletini cupcake,” Kinnie said. “It’s so delicious. It tastes exactly like an appletini.”

While Carol and Bill’s cupcake flavors may be different from other cupcakerys, their cupcake sizes are also different.

“Our cupcakes are actually 8 inches wide. So, they are slightly larger than normal,” Carol said. “We have a midsize cupcake, which is about the size of a normal cupcake. We also have a mini cupcake.”

Besides cupcakes and cakes, the Copelands also make chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate high heels, cake bites, brownies and gooey bars.

“We pretty much will make anything that is sweet,” Bill said. “Now, with the weather not cooperating this summer, we haven’t had very good looking berries. We won’t sell them if they aren’t going to be good. So, we are kind of low on the strawberries.”

As of right now, the Copelands are sticking with the Jonesboro store, but they are hoping to have another store open in Missouri in a few years.

“With our one-year anniversary coming up with this store, we aren’t really thinking about another store just yet,” Carol said. “But we are planning a big celebration for our one-year here. We are thinking about having different specials that day or throughout that whole week and giving out discounts, too. It’s not completely decided on, yet, but we will definitely let the public know.”

Carol and Bill want to thank Jonesboro for awarding them the best bakery in town through Occasions magazine.

“We really appreciate how accepting our Jonesboro customers are. We are so happy and excited to be here,” Bill said.

 ASU students can receive 10 percent off their purchase with a valid student ID. P Ayres Cupcakery also accepts pictures and ideas of cakes and cupcakes for the Copelands to try and duplicate. To get more information, visit www.palaceayrescakes.com or call 870-931-6430.