My name is Alison Riede, and I was inspired to create Sugar Cat Studio because it combined my interests in baking and design. As an Art major at Syracuse University, I focused on creating surface pattern designs for textiles and paper products. It wasn't until a few years after graduation that I discovered my love for baking, and realized that cupcakes were my new canvas. I moved to California and began pairing my cupcakes with wine at a few local tasting rooms in Santa Barbara. After competing (and winning!) an episode of Cupcake Wars on The Food Network, I wrote a cookbook and launched my line of gourmet cupcake mixes.

 

Working in the wine industry has made me realize that given the right flavors, wine and cupcakes can pair quite well. Many of my cupcakes and cupcake mixes include the addition or beer, wine, and other spirits. Cupcakes are becoming more elevated and sophisticated, and my recipes are perfect for a refined dinner party or get-together.

Any cupcake on my menu can be baked gluten-free. Baking delicious, gluten-free cupcakes is especially important to me, because my sister, Catherine, was recently diagnosed with celiac disease. If she has even a trace of gluten, she becomes ill, so I am extremely careful in my baking to make sure each cupcake is completely gluten-free, but tastes amazing as well. Catherine and I have tested out different flour varieties and mixtures to create the best gluten-free cupcakes possible. I've been told you would never know they were gluten-free!

Please contact me with any questions (or just to say hello!) at alison@sugarcatstudio.com. Feel free to share and tag your Sugar Cat Studio moments on our Instagram: @sugarcatstudio.

Thanks for stopping by!

Alison