Interview with San Diego Cake Pop Shop

Our Spring Xposure event drew a large collection of local restaurants and eateries. One of our standout booths at the 5th annual Spring Xposure fashion show event was The Cake Pop Shop, a San Diego business that creates delicious cake pops to make your mouth water. Serving decadent red velvet, chocolate, and vanilla cake pops to our guests, The Cake Pop Shop was everybody's favorite spot for a quick, sweet nibble. We interviewed Laura Dorsey, one of the owners and founders of The Cake Pop Shop, about her business, her cake pop philosophy, and her can't-miss cake pop flavors!

How did you first get into the cake pop business? 

I used to teach Kindergarten back in Illinois and would make [cake pops] for student parties and family get-togethers. Then, I had parents asking to do birthday parties on the side. It was always just a fun hobby until my husband and brother [encouraged] me to start selling them. It wasn't until then that I thought, wow, I could really make a business of this! So when we moved to San Diego a year and a half ago I went for it! My business really took off, and here we are a little over a year later barely keeping up with the demand! 

What is the creative process behind designing your cake pop flavors? 

I love seeing what my customers' requests are for their parties and events. People are so creative with their themes these days. I brainstorm designs that can go with the theme and that can be translated into a cake pop. Seeing the finished product and the excitement of my customer is always my favorite part!

What flavors do you offer? What is your personal favorite? Most popular? 

We offer pretty much every cake flavor under the sun. My personal favorite is our peanut butter cake pop. It's made with a chocolate-peanut butter cake dipped in more peanut butter. Yum! Our most popular flavor (and my hubby's favorite!) is our birthday-cake cake pop. It's a vanilla cake with icing mixed into the cake after it's been baked with sprinkles on top for that extra little crunch!

Your cake pops all look so neat and clean! How do you create such a put-together and professional looking product? 

I believe this is what sets our product apart from other bakeries. Since we only do cake pops we have to make sure each one is done perfectly. By focusing in on one type of product, I feel that we are able to perfect it. People always ask me why I don't do cakes and cupcakes as well, and there's simply not enough hours in the day to take all that on! I'm a perfectionist, so if I don't have the time to do a project or order perfectly, I won't take it on.

Where are your cake pops available? 

We do pop-up markets all around San Diego! You can find us at the North Park Festival of Arts coming up in May, the Blvd Market on the 3rd Friday of each month in North Park as well, the North Park farmer's market on Thursdays, [and] the Little Italy Mercato on Saturdays. Customers can also place a custom order at any time via our website or by calling in. We love catering any and all occasions!

You participated in our 5th annual Spring Xposure event. Why do you think cake pops are the perfect sweet treat? 

Cake pops are the perfect amount of sweet and rich, and [they] fulfill that craving of your sweet tooth without the guilt of indulging in a giant piece of cake! And no mess! Plus they are just the cutest little creations! 

What can cake pop fans expect from you in the future? 

Right now we operate in our own commercial kitchen, but do not have a retail location. Maybe in the near future we will have a little "cake pop cafe" complete with pops on stand-by ready for any last minute celebration or dessert craving. 

Is there anything else you wish to discuss? 

[I] just wanted to thank Fine Magazine again for having us and letting The Cake Pop Shop be a part of it all!