I’m sure many of you have made and craved them: perfectly personal, beautifully delicious cupcakes. They make wonderful little office gifts or a special surprise that says, “I love you, sweetie!”

Cupcakes have taken the place of the traditional cake at many events, even weddings – imagine, no cake-cutting dilemma or mess! Just know that when planning a big event, your guests probably won’t have just one, so be sure to order plenty!

Like our cake program, our cupcakes are available in as many flavor combinations as you can imagine. We can fill them with our fillings and all butter icings, just for you. For an entirely different look, we dip them in our scrumptious white, chocolate or dark chocolate ganache.

We offer fondant and gum paste flowers and other decorations to match your party theme, as well. Each is charged separately, so you can mix and match. The possibilities are endless. You know how much we love a custom order!

Just think … a white cupcake filled with our amazing lemon burst icing and topped with our delicious buttercream, decorated to your specifications. Beautiful and delicious!

Or maybe … a super moist chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate cream cheese, topped with our dark chocolate ganache. Super rich and fudge!

Do I dare go on? My favorite is a table cupcake filled with peanut butter buttercream, a bit more of the peanut butter buttercream on top and dipped in dark chocolate ganache. Hold me back!

There are three sizes available: mini, table size (medium) or jumbo. We call the medium “table size” because that is the size you will find on our bakery tables. Not because they are as large as a table! Table cupcakes usually come in vanilla or chocolate iced with chocolate or white buttercream. All sizes can be customized to suit your event.

Come into your Market Bakery to place your special order, or enjoy the delicious cupcakes all ready to go.

See you next time!

Wow! Spring has come in with a flood of events: birthdays, weddings and barbecues.

It seems that everyone has been waiting for these warm weekends to arrive. We have so many beautiful additions, here, in your Market Bakery that will make your event grand. It’s hard to choose just one of my favorites, so I’ll tell you about a few of them.

We have incredibly fresh hamburger and hot dog buns, made from scratch and available in wheat or white Shepherd’s Grain flour. Our Bakers really love creating these! We make them from our delicious bun dough, ready to be hand rolled and formed into lovely rolls. The warm, yeasty smell of dough rising brings back memories of holidays past, when, as a team, we roll dough as fast as we can prepare them for our customers’ family dinners. I digress … Once the perfect size is achieved, we pop them into the oven. The smell of warm bread baking is unmatched.

I’m excited to be working with a new group of local farmers, who will soon supply us with 100% whole-wheat flour for baking. As I write this, the wheat is growing about a foot tall in fields near Junction City, just north of Eugene. Basking in the sun and drinking up the spring rains, it is a lovely green right now.

My dad, a horticulturalist, checks in on local crops around there, so I get a report now and then on how “my” wheat is doing. This group of farmers is just starting to grow hard wheat here in the Willamette Valley. Soon, they will have a mill built on their land and will be equipped to prepare the flour for us.

Look for the special “Local Loaves” label on our wheat breads soon. We won’t have much the first few years, but we’ll use what they provide. Until our local wheat flour is ready, we will continue to use the incredible Shepherd’s Grain flour you’ve come to love.

Nothing complements your favorite burgers, hot dogs or sausages like Market Bakery buns!

You can always tell an Oregonian every time the sun peeks out. We pour out of our homes and work, just to feel its rays on our skin. This year, I can’t help but laugh at myself, as I find myself almost in a panic to get home to enjoy it while it lasts.

I longed for the recent time change, much like I used to anxiously await the arrival of my birthday as a child. Finally, I can resume my favorite pastimes: hiking, biking, boating and camping.

As we make more time for outdoor activities, all of our obligations to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and family parties linger. It’s so great to be able to have a place like Market of Choice where you can always get high-quality baked goods and deli foods whenever you need them.

Gone are the days where you grab something off of the table at the store and have to make excuses like “Sorry I didn’t have time to bake.” Go ahead grab the items we have ready to go for you and serve them with pride knowing we are here doing our very best to make your event great, no matter how much pre planning was done on your part.

We love to accommodate custom orders, but when life gets in the way of pre-planning we are here for you. You can buy with confidence knowing we have sourced the best local ingredients. And rest assured knowing that our bakers take great pride in creating your family’s favorite desserts. Just sit back, relax and enjoy every last compliment.

Here are just a few of the great items always available at your Bakery:

• Moist and delectable 8” Single Layer Cakes with all-butter icings (no shortening). We can write anything you’d like in just a few minutes. These cakes come in a variety of flavors and serve 8-10 people. We split and fill every single layer to provide just the perfect balance of cake and filling.

• Delicious and satisfying 8” Double Layer Cakes with three layers of filling. Beautiful inside and out, these cakes feed 10-15 people.

• Thick and creamy, our 8” Market Cheesecakes are made from scratch.

• An all-time favorite, Market Brownies are rich and fudgy and all natural.

• Handmade Pies, made with local fruit, are always available.

• Individual Desserts. These show stoppers are great for small, last-minute gatherings. We love variety.

So grab those boots, go for a hike, get in touch with nature and soak up the sun, knowing you can grab a great dessert on your way to the party and still be a first-class host or guest!

I love spring in Oregon when all of the bulbs are popping up and getting ready to bloom. Looking out my window today, I witnessed some sure signs of spring.

It’s the time of year when I leave my coat in the car because it’s so warm, only to have it downpour in the afternoon, bringing with it a craving for a steamy cup of coffee and a chocolate-dipped cookie. Isn’t it amazing how a sudden downpour can make you want to dive into those comfort foods? I love our chocolate dipped shortbread!

When the weekend rolls around, there's nothing better than a traditional French toast breakfast. I love French toast made with our Apple Cinnamon Bread, filled with big chunks of locally grown Granny Smith apples, as well as cinnamon, eggs and buttermilk.

For a healthy twist on French toast, I use our 100% whole wheat bread – no corn syrup, no preservatives. Just great whole grains dipped in egg whites and cinnamon. Top that with some sugar-free syrup and you have the makings of a delicious, healthy breakfast.

Just the other day, my husband picked up a blueberry coffee cake from the Market Bakery, and every weekend he makes Stumptown coffee for me because he knows how much I love it. I’m so spoiled! That coffee cake was so good he had to hide it from our boys and me, so he would have some for himself Sunday morning. When you have two teenage boys, treats don’t last long.

I am looking forward to more glimpses of the sun, but for now it’s great to cozy up with the family. Those are kids growing up too fast anyway. We have to make each moment as special as we can.