So it hit me just now as I was reading Lindsay’s blog “Anyone Hungry” that most of my great customers don’t know the story behind my Carolina Cake Truffles. Lindsay and Emily Page taste tested some cake truffles today and, to my delight, loved them (you can read about the experience here). I am always excited to hear reviews after someone tastes them for the first time — it makes all the hard work that goes into them worth every minute!
In 2000 or 2001, I took my first cake decorating class ever. Medical transcription is pretty much the same day in and day out, and I really needed a creative outlet. I had always enjoyed baking, but oddly I had never (yes, never) decorated a cake. I finally bought a shiny new Wilton Blue’s Clues pan and gave it a shot for a family birthday. I followed the directions exactly, and it took HOURS! My kitchen was a wreck, but the final product was great and everyone loved it. The next morning, I signed up for a class.
My sister and I made the trek each week to Southern Pines for our classes and I truly loved it. She made it through the first set of classes, but really had no desire to continue. I went on my own until I had completed everything my instructor had to offer. I spent the next couple of years making A LOT of cake — cake for family, friends, church functions, work functions…anything that required a cake! And with each cake came “cake scraps” (I know it sounds appetizing and glamorous)!! Cake scraps typically would consist of the “dome” on the top of each cake that would have to be cut off to make the cake level. If I made a lot of cake that week, then there were lots of scraps. I just could not bring myself to throw them away, and eventually started stockpiling them in the freezer thinking I would find some purpose for them.
After a couple of years of baking for family and friends, I decided to have my kitchen inspected and have a real business. Things started out slowly at first, but after a while, I was busier and busier — and guess what grew…the cake scraps!! Everytime I threw them away, I felt so guilty that perfectly good cake was going to waste.
OK – if you are still reading after all this blah, blah, blah, this is the birth of the Carolina Cake Truffle – Finally one day I set out to find a use for these Ziploc bags full of cake. I tried several different things, but finally tried mixing them with a secret ingredient (hey, I can’t tell all my secrets!) and rolling them in powdered sugar. This was quite tasty, but something was still missing.
While dipping some chocolate-covered strawberries, I decided I would try to dip the balls of cake also. Oh.my.goodness!! It was delicious. Everyone who would visit my house was forced to try them, and every person said “wow, you should sell these.” I didn’t think too much of it at the time. I would take them to parties and serve them to guests, and that was it.
Fast forward a year or so…boy meets girl, etc., etc., etc., and I married this wonderful man, AKA Mr. Amy now (ha!), who was more supportive than I could have ever imagined! He encouraged me to start selling them. The first “cake balls” were sold in plain white bakery boxes and were really nothing fancy. Kim Pritt mentioned the folks that she works with buying them, and boy did they ever!! Those ladies really got the ball rolling for me. From there, a local gift shop wanted to sell them, which also brought another loyal customer base. It was then that we decided they needed a new name. Cake balls just didn’t get it…so, being Carolina born and bred, they became Carolina Cake Truffles. They were revamped with a new shape and the packaging that we use today.
Fast forward again to 2008…of course, I can no longer use cake scraps to make the truffles. We bake huge cakes that are then transformed the next morning into truffles. At our Shops of Steele Street location, people actually call in the morning to “reserve” their truffles to make sure they get them before they run out that day. I can’t believe there is actually a “Carolina Cake Truffle Waiting List!” A lot of work goes into each little truffle, as they are completely hand-crafted from start to finish, and they are truly a labor of love – love for my product and my customers. I have met so many people and made so many friends thanks to these truffles!
Since opening our online store last year, our Carolina Cake Truffles have been all over the world!! They have actually been to more states and more countries than I have!
An old friend who I hadn’t talked with in years happened to pop in the shop a month or two ago. She then sent the sweetest email about how much she loved the truffles. Since then, she has sent so many new customers my way, and she says her new project is to get the truffles on Oprah! Another long-time truffle customer is also always trying to get me some added press. I have promised them if either one gets us in a major magazine or on Oprah, then they get free truffles for life!!
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