IN GOOD TASTE: Keep Calm and eat a Cupcake at Buttercreams

Displayed is the heavenly selection of cupcakes at Buttercreams Cupcakery in San Benito, including the Neapolitan, Red Velvet and other delicious varieties. (Staff photos by Heather Cathleen Cox)

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com 

“It all began in 2006 because someone brought me a chocolate cupcake from Starbuck’s. I thought, ‘I can make a better cupcake than this!’” said Jean Saldaña, owner of Buttercreams Cupcakery in San Benito. And that’s exactly what she set out to do.

Jean is originally from San Benito, but when she first opened her cupcakery doors in May of 2008, Buttercreams was located in Harlingen. “We got a better opportunity here,” said Jean of her August 2012 move to San Benito. “We’ve got a bigger kitchen.”

As Jean gave me the official tour of her facility, she said, “You’re lucky. Not everyone gets this tour.” She laughed. From the big mixing bowls to the sinks for dish washing, the facility was pristine, and everything was tucked neatly into its proper place. A few cupcakes sat naked, in a muffin…er…cupcake pan, waiting to be dressed in frosting, but otherwise there appeared to be nothing left unattended, which is even more impressive when you realize Jean was working in the store alone.

She leaves her home in McAllen at 5 a.m. to be in San Benito at 5:45 a.m. to start baking, but Jean says, “I try not to make more than 500 cupcakes a day.” Jean says she’s been baking since she was a teenager. Baking runs in her family, actually. Her grandmother had a pie shop where she made all her pies from scratch daily. “I don’t have the patience for pie,” said Jean with a giggle.

Though her mother, father, brother and sister help out, Jean says she does most of the baking herself. “It’s mine,” she said of the shop with pride.

Jean doesn’t like to complicate things, so Buttercreams offers two things: cupcakes and coffee. “I feel like cupcakes are recession proof,” Jean said with a smile but a serious tone in her voice when I inquired if economical hardships had affected her business. “I don’t know if it is because cupcakes are a consumable product, but I’ve actually seen an increase in (profit) and interest since we opened in 2008.”

Maybe patrons are loyal because they can taste the love Jean pours into each little cupcake she bakes. Her face lights up when she talks about her little cups of edible artwork. These sweet cupcake concoctions are absolutely gorgeous. From the Strawberry Bliss to the Sweet Lemon and the Very Vanilla to the Chocolate Gem – which was Jean’s first inspiration – not only are they fun to look at, they are delicious, delectable and could possibly come between a woman and her lover (I heard a story not appropriate for In Good Taste, but let’s just say the Chocolate Gem has the capacity to make the insecure man a mite jealous).

From the real sweet cream to the mouth-watering Hershey’s chocolate, Buttercreams uses all natural products. In addition to a great baking facility, a great product and all the love in the world baked into each cupcake, I told Jean it’s obvious to me that she’s baking little bits of integrity into these cupcakes. Although she could easily expand her business, perhaps even franchise it, she says, “I don’t like the idea of expansion. Sometimes, it’s not a good idea. Problems could arise…and quality gets sacrificed. Now that I’m able to do what I love every day, I’m satisfied. I’m happy.”

Jean says she has cupcake baking down to a science. She even attests to something that to me sounds like some kind of superpower. Jean says she can smell a cupcake and know if it was made from scratch or if it came from a dreaded box mix. Impressive, right?

Buttercreams Cupcakery always has at least 14 varieties of cupcakes available each day. Jean bakes a vanilla and chocolate based cupcake, which are iced according to the baker’s choice that day with a variety of frosting choices. Then, there’s the cake flavor of the day. Apparently “people go crazy on Thursdays for the Hummingbird’s Desire,” said Jean. “Everybody loves Hummingbird.” I know I’ll be back on an upcoming Thursday to find out why, but just not this Thursday. From November 22-25, the shop will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Coming into the Christmas season, you can order special seasonal flavors like Gingerlicious or Peppermint Joy which are said to be fan favorites. With cupcake prices starting at $2.25 and cupcake gifts starting at $5, you’ll want to save a special place on your holiday calendar for Buttercreams shopping. And for all of us coffee-a-holics out there, they brew coffee too.

Buttercreams’ hours of operation are Monday thru Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. or until they run out of cupcakes. You can find Buttercreams at 360 E US Highway 77, Suite 6, in San Benito. Their phone number is (956) 361-1820. Jean invites you to visit her website buttercreamscupcakery.com for a list of all her delightful flavors and information on special offers. When you stop by Buttercreams Cupcakery, please tell Jean that Heather says hello.

So until we meet again, everyone, let’s keep it in good taste! Happy Thanksgiving!

Read this story in the Nov. 21 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.