JANUARY 2019 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM 31
confections and expressed
artistic talents through
the creation of unique
and beautifully decorated
cakes and cupcakes. Not
surprisingly, Claudia dreamed
of one day opening her own
cupcake shop. Although she
has a full time “day job”,
her dream came true when
she opened The Crowned
Cupcake, the grand opening
for which was on October
2, 2016. Since that time,
Claudia and her staff have
built a thriving business,
striving always to provide
high quality customer
service and achieve customer
satisfaction with every order
they fulfill.
The Crowned Cupcake
Birthday Cake
is located somewhat “off the
beaten path” in a small strip
mall on Belmont Avenue
in Pinole. Although their signage is
visible from San Pablo Avenue, the
shop itself does not face the street so
it can be easy to miss. As reference
points, the business is located almost
directly across the street from The
Embers Restaurant and next to the
Pinole Big O Tires business. Many of
you have likely driven by the location
many times but didn’t realize that the
Crowned Cupcake was there. It will
be well worth your time to seek out
this delightful hidden gem the next
time you are seeking to appease your
sweet tooth or seeking cupcakes or
cakes for birthdays or other special
occasions.
The Crowned Cupcake shop
exudes a very comfortable and familylike
atmosphere. The customer area of
the shop is arranged into three distinct
areas—a seating area for those who
opt to sit and enjoy their purchases
in-house; a play area for children, filled
with toys and even a child’s kitchen
set to keep the little ones occupied
while parents place their orders; and
finally, a large table and multi-purpose
area near the back of the shop which
is often used to host parties, meetings,
and other casual gatherings. Large
glass windows create the front wall
of the business and afford plenty of
natural lighting, which is supplemented
by suspended lamps hanging over the
customer service and display areas.
The pink, yellow and blue pastel
walls and the cupcake etchings in the
concrete floor add to the cheeriness
and themed décor. Cupcake-themed
wall hangings and decorations are
displayed throughout the shop.
Perhaps the most heartwarming of
the wall décor are several beautifully
stenciled bible verses on the walls that
depict Claudia’s faith in God and are
a testament to her thankfulness for the
talents and opportunities that she has
been given. Large glass display cases
tempt customers with the “cupcakes
of the day” and other special treats
currently being offered. There is
also a reach-in freezer stocked with
miscellaneous ice cream bars for those
who are looking for a frozen grab-ngo
treat, and another display case that
houses six different flavors of authentic
Italian gelato—YUM!
The Crowned Cupcake’s
everyday menu includes six
different varieties of cupcakes:
•Chocolate with ganache
fudge frosting
•Vanilla with vanilla or
chocolate buttercream frosting
•Red Velvet with cream
cheese frosting
•Lemon with lemon filling and
lemon buttercream frosting
•Strawberry with strawberry
filling and strawberry whipped
frosting
•The shop’s signature cupcake,
the Crownie, a yellow (vanilla)
cake, baked with a chocolate
chip cookie and a brownie
in the center, topped with
chocolate whipped frosting,
and adorned with a gold
(paper) crown atop the frosting
The Crownie is a
Claudia’s unique recipe created
to be the featured cupcake for
her business and is another testament
to her religious beliefs. When asked
how she came up with the idea for the
Crownie, Claudia shared:
“I thought how perfect it would
be to have a cupcake that represents
the holy trinity—Father, Son, and the
Holy Spirit! It’s a 3 in 1. The father
is the vanilla cupcake that envelops
us in his love; the cookie is the Son
because he’s in between, and the
brownie is the Holy Spirit which is
within all the layers. The Crown
topper represents the one who awaits
us when we get to heaven.”
In addition to the everyday
assortment of cupcakes, resident baker,
Gaby Loaiza (Claudia’s sister) bakes
one or more daily cupcake specials.
When I visited, the featured specials
were Churro, which included an
actual piece of churro on top, and
Cookies with Cream. The previous
day’s specials had been Tres Leches
cupcakes and Marbled (vanilla &
chocolate) cupcakes. Gaby graciously
prepared take-home samples for me
which included one of each of the
featured specials and one each of the
Tuesdays through Saturdays 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM | Closed Sundays & Mondays