From the Bundt Lady's Oven...I mean Desk

Special Hours for August 9, 2009

Kiss My Bundt Bakery Opens at 12pm on Sunday August 9th and Closes at 5pm.

August Baking Classes at Kiss My Bundt Bakery

You asked, and we heard you.  More baking classes, more topics, more fun here at Kiss My Bundt Bakery.  We even added something for kids--the first 2 Sundays in August.

Read here for the full class descriptions:  http://kissmybundt.typepad.com/kiss_my_bundt/kiss-my-bundt-bakery-baking-academy.html

Be well :)

-Chrysta

Curious Case of Benjamin Bundt

A customer came in the other day, and asked to speak to the owner.  I wasn't in, but my manager let the customer know that and she offered to take a message.  He said that he'd just come back another time.  He said, the owner was going to get a "kick" out of seeing his driver's license.

When I returned and got that message, I wondered what was so crazy about that driver's license.  I thought "did we have the same name?"  Which would be CRAZY, given that he was a man!

Later that day, a gentleman came into the bakery and asked if I was the owner.  To which I said "yes".

He said, "I"ve been waiting all day to show you this" and then he pulled out his driver's license.  And then, I read that his name was Benjamin Bundt.  BUNDT.  Could it be? 

Bundt Lore

The reason this was so shocking to me was that I thought David Dalquist created the word "Bundt" after he created this new, fluted aluminum pan with the same name in the 50's.  Legend has it that he created the fluted pan that we know (and love) and named if after the group of women who inspired him to make the pan.  ("Bund" is german for gathering or group).  Then David slapped a "t" on the end of that word and filed for the trademarks. And Bundt was born...or so I thought.

Back to Benjamin Bundt

I told Benjamin about this story, and asked if it was a "new" last name as of the mid-1950's.  He said he comes from generations of Bundts--apparently there are a ton of Bundts (the clan) in the mid-west and in Germany, and they all know each other because it's a small family name. (unlike me and the "Wilson's).  At the end of his visit I hooked him up with a Bundt Cake, and then he asked me one last question.

"I'm a Bundt--where's my kiss?"

He got a kick out of "Kiss My Bundt" and he asked to have a few of our "Kiss My bundt" stickers so that he could have some fun with them.

~Chrysta

Baking Classes

We've launched the new dates for July's Kiss My Bundt Bakery's Baking School. 

Intro To Baking Classes:  We'll be doing two "Intro to Baking" classes where students learn how to not only make cakes from scratch, but they also learn how to create their own flavors (and then create their own flavors in the class!) 

• Dates: Sunday, July 19th and Sunday July 26th from 5:30pm-8pm, and held at Kiss My Bundt Bakery.
• Price:  Class is $60if purchased from Kiss My Bundt Bakery, or reduced to under $40 if purchased on Goldstar.com.

What's on Top? Introduction to Frostings: "This class will focus on learning to prepare and compare various frosting options for cakes. Students will learn about traditional buttercream, Italian buttercream, whipped creams, as well as glazes (chocolate and fruit glazes) and ganache. Students will make frostings, then frost, taste and eat cakes in class to compare the textures of each frosting."

• Dates:  Friday July 31st, 7:15pm-9:30pm
• Price:  Class is $60if purchased from Kiss My Bundt Bakery, or reduced to under $40 if purchased on Goldstar.com.

Bundt Baking and Wine-Tasting:  "Guests at this intimate food and wine class will learn the fundamentals of creating Kiss My Bundt's award-winning cakes as well as how to match sweet cake with dry wines. Hosted by bakery founder Chrysta Wilson and wine critic/cookbook author Amy Reiley, the class will include tastings of four different "wine friendly" cakes served with four premium California wines from Brander Winery and Peju Winery." 

• Dates:  Friday July 24th 7pm-9pm
• Class is $81if purchased from Kiss My Bundt Bakery, or reduced to under $50 if purchased on Goldstar.com.

Have questions?  Call us at 323.655.0559 or email us at Info {at} KissMyBundt {dot} net

-Chrysta

4th of July: Make Bundts a part of the festivities!

4th of July Holiday Hours
Friday July 3rd:  9am-7pm

Saturday July 4th:  9am-1pm

Sunday July 5th:  11am-6pm

 

4th of July is in less than two days!  We've got the PERFECT addition to your BBQ, party, picnic, and other celebrations: BUNDTS!

 

Friday, July 3rd you can have your cake order decorated with 4th of July confections.

 

On July 4th we'll be serving up a variety of mini and baby bundt cake flavors (including carrot, lemon drop, mocha cake, and strawberry).  However, we'll also be serving up  Red, White, and Blue Cakes. in the mini and baby bundt sizes. 

• Red Velvet Cake with red, white, and blue decor is perfectly festive.  

• White Vanilla Cake with vanilla buttercream, with red, white and blue decor is simple and perfect.

• BLUEberry cake with vanilla buttercream made with fresh blueberries.   

Want something else from our full menu, like a 7UP Pound Big Ol' Bundt Cake, Bourbon Pound Big Ol' Bundt Cake or Rum Pound Big Ol' Bundt Cake?  Want another flavor of  Big Ol' Bundt to take to your fiesta?  Order whatever your heart desires by simply pre-ordering your Big Ol' Bundts.  All we need is a minimum 4-hour lead-time to bake your Big Ol' Bundt from scratch.

Want to place a large order?  Call in advance and we can guarantee we'll have exactly what you want, and have it boxed and ready for you at your chosen pick up time. 

 

And if you are on our email newsletter list, there was a little coupon in it! (email went out 7/2/09). 

 

Call us today to place your order:  323.655.0559

Red Velvet in Rhode Island

I always dreamed that we'd make customers happy one bundt at a time, in Los Angeles and all over the US.  This story perfectly captures this dream:

I got an email the other day from a customer who wanted to know shipping prices to Rhode Island.  I let her know that the price of shipping depended on the destination for the cake.  She said Rhode Island, and so I gave her a few estimates for cakes and their shipping price.  Pretty standard aspect of the day.

A few days later the customer called to submit her billing information to get these cakes.  In her emails and in this phone call, she was pretty specific that she had to have Red Velvet.  Now Red Velvet is my best selling cake here at Kiss My Bundt Bakery, and in fact I believe it is the best selling cake of nearly every bakery in Los Angeles whether or not Red Velvet is the best cake (in terms of quality, flavor, and overall good eating).  I had a feeling that she's either heard of our amazing Red Velvet, or she's had it before.

I asked her "How did you hear about Kiss My Bundt Bakery and our Red Velvet cake all the way in Rhode Island?.  You seem very intent on having it."  She replied "I am.  It's actually a great story."

Apparently, the woman was on vacation here in Los Angeles with her boyfriend.  After a wonderful day, they made their way to a bar/restauraunt in the Beverly Center Mall called "The Wave."  The Wave is owned and managed by a wonderful couple from Michigan, and they purchase our made-from-scratch Bundt cakes to sell in their establishment.  The woman, while enjoying her cocktail, leaned over and saw that The Wave had Red Velvet cake.  She ordered the Red Velvet cake from the bartender and she and her boyfriend fell in love with the cake.  She asked the bartender where he got the cake from, and he said "Kiss My Bundt Bakery". 

Apparently the cake was one of the highlights of their trip! <3

The customer explained to me that she and her boyfriend were back in Rhode Island, but that her boyfriend's birthday was on Friday June 27th, and that she was going to surprise him with Kiss My Bundt Bakery Red Velvet Cake.  She researched the bakery, found the number and email address, and emailed me about shipping options to Rhode Island.

Now, this is not only a VERY thoughtful girlfriend (a girlfriend who's boyfriend better nail her next birthday, anniversary, or otherwise holiday gift!), but yet another wonderfulway that Kiss My Bundt Bakery has been integrated into people's lives 1 Bundt at a time.  It really warmsthe heart. :) 

We gotta keep this Bundt Biz going and growing!  More people to serve, more cakes to bake, more impressions and impact to make.

 

Best Wishes, Dishes, and Kisses,

Chrysta

 

Chrysta Wilson

Owner/Founder

Kiss My Bundt Bakery

Email:  info [at ] kissmybundt [dot] net

Special Hours: Monday, June 21st, 2009

Special Hours for Monday June 21st: We'll be open 10am-7pm 

Sorry for the inconvenience.

KMBB Team

4 years ago today...

It was Saturday June 18th, 2005. 

 

I was working for a nonprofit organization, and was at my office on a Saturday researching economic development strategies.  One of the topics I found myself reading about was entrepreneurship. My mind began to wander and focus on an old hobby that had recently resurfaced:  my love ofbaking and bundt cakes.  It had been about 6 months since I started baking again, and I was really enjoying the creative process.  It was somewhere in this moment that I got the crazy idea that I was going to start a bundt cake bakery, and that I would call it...well...you know.

 

I didn't know in that moment all that would be required of me to achieve this dream, but I fell in love with the name and when I closed my eyes and envisioned my bakery.  I could see every detail.  I could smell the cakes.  And I knew I could do it.  That same afternoon, I sketched out some sassy lips for a logo and I built a little rinky-dink website for what was then "Kiss My Bundt Bakery, a web-based cake-catering."  And I started dreaming.  And I couldn't shake this crazy idea.

 

As I write this, I'm in awe.  It's June 18, 2009, and it's 4 years-to-date.  That's 4 amazing, scary, exhilarating, back-breaking, warming, fantastic bundt-filled years growing Kiss My Bundt Bakery from a girl in her kitchen with homemade cakes and a homemade (ahem...rinky-dink) website into an award-winning retail bakeshop.

 

As we see the economy impacting small businesses across the nation (and down 3rd Street for that matter), I'm humbled that this girl was able to realize her dream, and that I'm writing this email from a computer located in Kiss My Bundt Bakery, the brick-and-mortar bakeshop I could see when I closed my eyes so many years ago.

 

I want to give a special thanks to each of you that receive this email.  You are my guerrilla marketing team.  You are one of the major reasons Kiss My Bundt Bakery has grown over the last 4 years.  And you are certainly one of the major reasons we've made it 9 months at our retail home.  You're support, bundt purchases, reviews, and word-of-mouth marketing are priceless! 

 

This month, in honor of the Kiss My Bundt Bakery brand's 4th Birthday, we're doing lots of classes and other events, which include a Birthday Party/Bundt tasting event this Saturday.

 

Whether we see you in class, at the tasting events, or in the store, I hope to see you soon.

 

Thanks for your support.  I am filled with gratitude.

 

Best Wishes, Dishes, and Kisses!

 

~Chrysta

 

 

Helping Ensure No Child Goes Hungry, 1 bundt at a time.

This was an incredible weekend.  We were able to provide chocolate mini bundt cakes hand-dipped in dark chocolate glaze to Sunday June 14th's "Taste of the Nation:  Los Angeles,"which is a fundraiser event for Share Our Strength, an organization focused on eradicating Childhood Hungry. 

On the same day, we also donated 4 dozen mini bundt cakes and a few baby bundt cakes to "No Cookie Left Behind",a community-based effort that raised money to end Childhood Hunger, and coincidentally, another effort that aims to benefit Share Our Strength.  We proudly believe that no child should go hungry, and so we put our beliefs, our money, and our bundts where our mouth is. It's a very special thing to be able to take your assets (in our case, Bundts) and offer them up in a community effort to make things better for others, especially when it people that we don't even know.

A little bit goes a long way.  I haven't heard final reports of money raised, but I know that it was A LOT.  

Here's to a Happy Tuesday serving up bundts and keepin' true to our vision of being a "Community Bakery".

 

Best Wishes, Dishes, and Kisses,

~Chrysta

Sunday, June 14th

Don't forget today's hours have changed: 10:30am-4:45pm.
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