By Anna Skinner
Sandra Newkirk said her secret to the bakery still staying successful after the first year of business is slow growth.
The owner of Bite Me Bakery, 9613 N. College Ave., began with just cupcakes. Now, she has expanded her line to include cookies, doughnuts, French desserts such as eclairs and Napoleons, brownies, lemon bars and sometimes lunches.
“We are trying to grow slowly so we know what people really want and work around their needs instead of what we want,” Newkirk said.
Another secret she revealed is baking fresh.
“Everything is baked fresh every day. Things I don’t sell I donate to local churches and food pantries. I do not resell anything,” she said. “We don’t use anything artificial. People like that I make everything – caramel sauce, frosting, everything from scratch.”
Although the bakery has begun to test the waters of other desserts, cupcakes are still the biggest line. There are 10 to 15 different flavors every day, including items such as banana pudding, Oreo, strawberry, Italian buttercream and champagne cupcakes. In addition to the diverse flavors, Newkirk offers a staple of more common flavors such as vanilla and chocolate.
The bakery took part in Taste of Carmel and is looking for ways to help the community.
“We were so thankful to be there and help out a local community, a lot of times we have people asking us to donate cupcakes for events, we did Susan G. Coleman, the art museum, Diabetes for Kids … we are just open to helping the community really and staying here,” Newkirk said. “I think people appreciate that.”
Newkirk will offer milkshakes once spring and summer hits and is looking into opening a few hours earlier because of doughnut sales. Bite Me Bakery is currently open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. but will extend hours from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
