JANETTE TAM
FOUNDER, OWNER, BAKER, CAKE ARTIST
Hi! My name is Janette and I am the owner, baker and cake artist of Janette's Cupcakes and I serve the surrounding Philadelphia and Media areas.
I started this little baking business in April 2019 as a way for me to begin my baking career and continue my full-time job, but I was always into baking since I was little. I would watch and copy The Food Network and pretend that I had my own show when I made anything as simple as a PB&J. The kitchen was and is always my favorite room in the house and from there was where I became a self-taught baker.
I am of Chinese descent, born in Australia, and grew up in the states, so as you can see from my menu, I drew inspiration a bit from everywhere. Everywhere I went felt like home and I wanted to keep that feeling (and taste) with me. Those flavors were too good not to be made into cakes and cuppies!
This is my passion and happy place. I want everyone to enjoy what I love and try flavors you've never tried before.
I'm a one woman team so I only take online orders right now but making my way to opening a brick and mortar one day.
Come join me on the journey!
ANATOMY OF JANETTE'S CUPCAKES
AKA - WHAT MAKES IT TASTE SO DAMN GOOD?!
Building a dessert requires a balance of flavor and texture. With each bite, it has to taste better and better and leaving you want more. It isn't about slapping together cake and cream and there you go.
It's about composing each layer with intention and giving a reason as to why it should be there. Below I breakdown what goes into each layer of my cakes & cuppies and why.
1
CAKE
A cake needs very simple ingredients to become a cake but to make it the best cake, requires quality ingredients and precise measurements.
I have spent years testing recipes and finally, I created one that included a secret ingredient, which made the best difference from any other cakes: fluffiness.
My cakes are made to be super fluffy, soft, moist and delicate. To me, a dry crumbly cake does not cut it and ruins the definition of what a cake should be. Cake should melt in your mouth and that's what's done here.
2
AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM
There are many buttercream variations but I specifically chose American because of how well it complimented my cakes.
American buttercream has the firmer texture and substance that helps balance my soft and delicate cakes. It has a slight crust on the outside for that bit of crunch and then the hidden smoothness on the inside.
Imagine eating something soft all around with no bite or chew. There's no chemistry there. You need opposite textures to create that perfect balance.
3
FILLING & TOPPING
You have the cake and the cream. Now you need just that last bit of 'oomph' to really set your taste buds off.
Each of my cake flavors have been paired with fillings and toppings made from scratch to build on that specific flavor. It could be custard, fruit, jam, caramel, chocolate, etc. but it is there with the intention of adding to the flavor profile.
Don't get me wrong - simple cake and cream is still amazing but if you wanted that extra something, my fillings and toppings are it.
Who is Janette and what is a Janette's Cupcakes?
Keep reading to find out how Janette's Cupcakes has become a Philly favorite and what makes it so special!
4
DESIGN
Lastly is the design. I put a lot of effort into making the core of my creations but my designs are equally as important. I have taken the time to perfect my design style and aesthetic. A few words to describe it are modern, whimsical, abstract and feminine. I always want to make cakes that just puts people in awe and know that they paid for quality cakes and cuppies.
I do not use fondant so all my decor are edible (besides real florals though you could eat them if you want). I use dried edible flowers, chocolate, 24k gold flakes, luster dust, rice paper, macarons, sprinkles, meringues, candy, and most importantly, buttercream.
Why don't I use fondant? Though it might be nice to get that perfect smooth outside layer and very realistic characters, I see fondant as the art of sculpting and I'm not a sculptor. I love painting more, which is what buttercream is to me. There's more textures and design varieties that can be done with buttercream that I enjoy way more doing. Plus, it tastes much better.
Excited to try my creations? Fill out an order form!