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What started as an impromptu charity bake sale to help raise funds for a needy family 1 1/2 years ago has unfolded a new chapter for Singaporean cake artisan, Judy Then.
Judy once passed by Happy Avenue at MacPherson Road and had that road name etched on her memory since then. It gave her the inspiration to start a home bakery in February this year with just one vision – to create sweet treats that make people happy.
Happy Avenue specialises in artisan cupcakes and cookies that are carefully baked from scratch using premium, all-natural ingredients. Each piece is handmade with love so there will never be a two of the same.
I was delighted to have Judy deliver this box of pretty cupcakes personally to my house despite the torrential downpour.
These cupcakes come in 7 flavours:
1) Signature Valrhona Triple Dark *BEST SELLER*
2) Vanilla Lemon Cream
3) Vanilla Strawberry
4) Red Velvet
5) Chocolate Peanut Butter
6) Chocolate Salted Caramel
7) Chocolate Brazilian Coffee
Vanilla Lemon Cream & Valrhona Triple Dark
If you’re a chocolate aficionado, you’d definitely be familiar with French luxury chocolate brand, Valrhona and its intense flavour and aroma. The Valrhona Triple Dark which consists of dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate chips and dark chocolate ganache is truly a luxury. It is not overly sweet so you get this subtle bittersweetness with every bite.
The Vanilla Lemon Cream has a refreshing tinge of sour sweet lemon. The use of freshly squeezed lemon juice imparts a lovely citrus flavour to the cupcake.
Chocolate Peanut Butter & Vanilla Strawberry
It wasn’t the decadent chocolate cuppie or citrusy lemon cuppie that has won me over. I fell in love with the Vanilla Strawberry which is the most unlikely flavour I’d go for given the other more enticing selections. The frosting is sweet, sour and buttery and really whets my appetite. Most of the time, I get sickly easily from consuming too much frosting, so much that I have to scrape the frosting off so I can just eat the cupcake on its own. But, one bite of this strawberry cupcake and I was sold. I love its moist yet fluffy texture with visible bits of fresh strawberries. The pinkish colour of the frosting comes from the real fruit so no artificial colouring or flavouring is used. Kudos to this.
My second favourite has got to be the Chocolate Peanut Butter that is rich, salty and just peanut buttery! Need I say more? It’s good old peanut butter! Yum.
Chocolate Brazilian Coffee, Red Velvet & Chocolate Salted Caramel
I always adore Red Velvet cakes and have very high expectations of them. The cream cheese frosting here is not as cheesy as I would like it to be so its all-buttery flavour is a little cloying for me. Also, I couldn’t taste any faint soury tang of vinegar in the cake which I feel will enliven our taste buds and enhance the overall flavour.
I’m not a big fan of salt + caramel stuffs but I had fun fighting with the husband over that inviting piece of caramel fudge while he was devouring the cupcake. Oh yes, he loves anything salty and everything caramel! It is a nice chewy cube of candy fudge! And for coffee lovers, do not miss out on the Chocolate Brazilian Coffee because you can taste coffee granules in the butter cream. Caffeine boost for sure! 😉
Have these lovely cuppies tantalise your taste buds yet?
Due to current high demand, sales of loose cupcakes will not be available until April 2014. Do give 1-2 months advance notice if you’d like to order an array of flavours. All bulk orders require a minimum order of 50 pieces.
And here is the price list for the cupcakes if you’re wondering how much they are –
Mixed flavours box
9 regulars $33.50
12 regulars $44.00
9 minis $29.00
20 minis $62.00
Single flavour box
9 regulars $30.00
12 regulars $40.00
9 minis $27.00
20 minis $60.00
Customisations
Cream tinting FOC
Toppers $1.00 per piece
Fondant $1.50 per piece
Box + Ribbon + Tag $1.50 per set
Islandwide delivery is available at $20 per location excluding offshore islands and Tuas area.
Whether it’s a wedding, birthday, corporate event and/or other festival/occasion, you can always reach out to Judy for ideas to create delectable bespoke treats for you and your guests based on your proposed theme and budget. Nothing is impossible.
Plain, Prune and Nutella Kueh Lapis
I’m glad to also have the chance to sample Judy’s latest creation of the Nutella Kueh Lapis (layered cake).
Between the 3 flavours I have tried, my favourite is the traditional plain one with its rich buttery and super eggy flavour. Lots of eggs go into this! I love! And the good thing about it is? The kueh lapis doesn’t feel as greasy as most sold elsewhere. I got so addicted to it, I finished all the plain slices in one go. The plain, prune or chocolate chip kueh lapis comes in 1.2kg ($55) and 600g ($30) sizes.
The Signature Nutella kueh lapis is equally good especially if you love your hazelnut spread. Two layers of nutella within the kueh lapis gives it a rich and sweet chocolatey flavour and brings the traditional kueh lapis to a completely different level. The nutella lapis is also available in 2 sizes: 1.4kg ($60) and 700g ($35).
Besides cupcakes and kueh lapis, Happy Avenue also offers whole cakes and festive cookies as follows:
Whole Cakes
Red Velvet or Valrhona Chocolate
800g $44
1.2kg $55
1.5kg $60
Festive Cookies (available only during Christmas and Chinese New Year period)
Valrhona Chocolate Cookies $30
A premium bake, lightly dusted with snow sugar. Chocolatey yet light enough to get you addicted!
Lavender Shortbread $25
Laced with dried lavender flowers and a tinge of lemon essential oil, this fragrant shortbread melts in your mouth and leaves behind a calming therapeutic effect. This is egg free so it’s vegan-friendly.
Cornflake Cookies $25
Each little golden bite is enveloped in crunchy cornflakes and laced with lemon essential oil for that refreshing aftertaste. Perfect for your afternoon tea.
Cranberry Oatmeal Chunk $25
A healthy, less-sweet cookie that you can feast on without guilt. Each morsel is a delicious chunk generously wrapped with cranberries and is crunchy on the outside and a little chewy on the inside.
Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Chip $25
Another healthy, less-sweet buttery crunch that is filled with Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Chips. You won’t stop at one!
Chewy Caramel Nougat Cookies $25
The gentlemen’s favourite! Nibbles of caramel and nougat infused with a light buttery flavour packed with a chewy crunch. This is one of a kind!
Spoilt for choice? You bet!
How to order? See below…
Or visit their Facebook page here.
Judy is constantly researching on new flavours and will be launching wholesome options of sugar-free and egg-less cakes for the health-conscious in the time to come. Guilt-free indulgence coming your way soon! If you’re like me who loves desserts but hates sugar, this is one option to consider.
A happy home bakery that strives to provide quality baked goods that will make us smile. Perfect choice if you need some cheering up so folks, keep calm, eat cupcakes and live happy! Bon appetit!