While most of the city is sleeping, Robyn Selders is stirring in her kitchen, making treats for customers as early as 2 a.m.
As 225 Dine details in a new Q&A with Selders, the 34-year-old Baton Rouge native is a full-time English teacher at Woodlawn Middle School by day. But by night, she’s a baker, whipping up sweets for Cupcake Junkie, a home bakery business she founded in 2014.
Selders started baking back in 2009, after she lost her appetite for store-bought cakes. She eventually created her own top-secret cake recipe, and after a few years of trial and error she launched her business, producing custom orders of cupcakes, brownies and cookies.
Sedlers has since expanded Cupcake Junkie’s offerings, creating a variety of treats including candied strawberries, banana pudding cupcakes, mint chocolate cake and caramel apple pie cupcakes.
With an emphasis on freshness, she makes all of her customer’s orders before the sun rises.
“Making something for a customer two days before would be taboo. There are other people who do cupcakes that have storefronts, so I have to differentiate myself,” she says, adding she hopes to eventually have a storefront of her own. “I try to make everything as natural as possible with a limited amount of dyes.”
Soon, Selder will leave the classroom behind. She plans to complete her final year of teaching and start baking full time in May.
Read the full Q&A with Selders. And be sure to get the scoop on the Baton Rouge area culinary scene each week by signing up for the free 225 Dine e-newsletter.
