Success is sweet

By Ed Merrison
JENNIFER Graham makes running a successful business look like a piece of cake, but the truth is even sweeter.
A pinch of luck, great vision, a supportive family and an ability to trigger an emotional response have been key ingredients in her story.
Now people cannot get enough of the comely confections dreamed up by Jennifer’s Crabapple Cupcake Bakery.
She admits the whole thing began with a sprinkling of serendipity.
Jennifer was selling old-fashioned cake stands at country fairs when she realised she could show off her wares more effectively with some display items.
The humble cupcake was awoken from gastronomic hibernation for this very purpose and Jennifer found people climbing over the stands to get at her cakes.
“A couple of ladies bought everything in the back of the car,” she recalls. “All of a sudden, the penny dropped.”
Six weeks later she was on her way into the cupcake business, taking some big ideas with her.
“I decided if I was going to do it they had to be the best cupcakes in the world because it would be a lot of work and very time consuming,” she said.
Jennifer, husband John, and daughters Natalie, Hayley and Laura – now 24, 19 and 18 respectively – set to work at home and moved into a small shop in Tecoma 18 months later.
The store churned out up to 5000 cupcakes a day in the following three years and the product’s popularity forced a move to larger premises on Burwood Highway last Easter.
Jennifer is still overwhelmed by the response she gets – what amounts to fan mail flows through her letterbox – but understands very well the appeal of the cupcake.
“It’s definitely that connection to childhood memories and the fact each individual cupcake has its own identity and personality,” she said.
“It’s more than just a piece of cake; it’s an emotional thing.”
Jennifer credits customers with bringing in fresh ideas and her own flair for design means she can tailor the cakes for all kinds of occasions – weddings, christenings, promotions, festival days and corporate events.
Then there are the varieties.
Vanilla buttercream, mud cake, fudge, blossom, coconut, cream cheese and gluten-free flourless are among the styles, while each style comes in a range of flavours.
The wedding and festive season will barely give Jennifer time to lift her head out of the mixing bowl but she still loves the job, particularly for the chance to put smiles on faces and share her story with other people.
“If it didn’t bring this much joy I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning,” she said.
“There’s nothing like talking to people and encouraging or inspiring them.
“It’s a real story and I love selling the idea of cupcakes.”