North Dallas bakery adds DK certification

By Deb Silverthorn
A pinch of spirit and a dash of faith are the basis of the recipe of success for Smallcakes Cupcakery at Preston Road and Alexis Drive. Annie Deubner and her brother Kevin, whose North Dallas sweetery is now under the supervision of Dallas Kosher, are selling delicious bites out of life.
Smallcakes was opened in 2017, but it was just this summer that, after many requests from prospective clients, the Deubners decided to register with Dallas Kosher (DK). Theirs is the only Smallcakes of more than 200 storefronts to provide kosher dairy and pareve products.
“We’ve had many customers thank us for another kosher option and I’m sure our business has increased by 20 percent,” Annie Deubner said. “It’s different from what we’ve done, but it’s not hard or unreasonable. We’re glad to serve in a way that broadens our clientele.”
The dairy goods are baked on-site; a mashgiach (supervisor) from DK visits the property two to three times a week. Their pareve items are baked through a new partnership with The Market on Preston Road. When The Market closes its doors at 3:30 p.m., Deubner sets up the kitchen under The Market’s DK supervision, and gets to work.
“We’re happy to help bring more kosher choices to the community and it’s the pareve desserts that set them apart,” said Jordona Kohn, co-owner of The Market. “It’s also great to have a partnership in referring each other. They’ll have a client needing catering for us to follow, and we’ll be happy to refer her for specialty desserts.”
Certifying with Dallas Kosher required purchasing new baking sheets and pans, and submitting a list of every ingredient, with each manufacturer’s hechsher, or rabbinical certification. A few hundred clearances, new-item updates and a lot of hard work were involved, but the certification was well worth it.
Mixing things up, literally, with Annie and Kevin, are their great-niece Savannah, niece Sara and Annie’s son Ian. For Savannah, who has wanted to own a cupcake shop since she was a child, creating tasty treasures is a dream come true.
“I’ve just always loved to cook and to be creative and now I get to do both all of the time,” she said. “I can take almost any design or photo and recreate it.”
The shop’s 15 daily flavors of cupcakes include Chocoholic, Carrot Cake, Caramel Crunch, Strawberry, Peanut Butter Cup and Cookies and Cream. The Cupcakery’s recipe files include another 200 or more choices, with Blackberry Bourbon, Blueberry Pancake, Boston Cream Pie, Chocolate Cookie Cheesecake, Fluffernutter, Mudslide, Mexican Espresso and Tequila Sunrise. A two-week lead time on custom cake and cupcake orders, and three weeks for wedding cakes, is recommended.
“They are masters of art and great taste and to open their work up to the community is very special,” said Meira Naor, first introduced to the eatery in her role as Dallas Kosher’s executive director. “I ordered a pareve specialty cake for my husband’s birthday. It was an absolutely incredible mix of chocolate and whip and marshmallow and cookies — absolute goodness.”
In addition to full-size and bite-size cupcakes, Smallcakes Cupcakery offers brownies, chocolate chip cookies, macarons, birthday, wedding, and any-occasion cakes, as well as dog treats.
From customer Shani Romick, the raves continue. “Everything is delicious, and the people who work there are very friendly. We’ve ordered cupcakes and specialty cakes, and are very excited they have signed on with Dallas Kosher.”
The shop also sells cupcake infused ice cream, milkshakes and a “cupcake smash.” Imagine a cupcake split in half, served layers with ice cream and toppings. Most items (not ice cream) are available as dairy or pareve. They also offer a considerable variety of gluten-free and vegan choices.
“There’s really no end to our creativity,” said Annie. “Almost anything a customer wants, we can now create,” she added.
Smallcakes Cupcakery is at 14856 Preston Road, Dallas. For more information, call 469-248-0031, visit smallcakesdallastx.com, or email smallcakesacupcakery@yahoo.com.