Sweet Tweets Cakery Comes to Carrollwood

One thought came to mind as I bit into an oversized, moist, fluffy vanilla and strawberry-laden cupcake overflowing with a delicious butter cream frosting and filled with luscious strawberry preserve:

I have reached dessert nirvana.

The creators of my filled cupcake utopia at Sweet Tweets Cakery have only been opened in Carrollwood for six weeks at 11127 N. Dale Mabry Highway.

Life has been a whirlwind for owners Scott and Leticia Stovern. They met in 2008, got married in 2010, blended two families, moved from Orlando to Tampa, set up a home and opened their business in Carrollwood.

The family, which includes son Nathan, 12, and daughter Laurie, 14, have been way too busy setting up their lives to do formal advertising.

Yet, those in the know are happy to provide word-of-mouth to anyone who has yet to discover the business.

Three hundred and fifty-two likes on Facebook prove the power of a delicious product in such a short time.

Customer Angie Snow posted, “… You have created an ADDICTION!”

Customer Laurie Mojica wrote, “These are the best cupcakes I have EVER HAD and your cakes are OUTSTANDING!”

The bilingual family-owned bakery is operated by an unlikely source: Leticia Stovern is a physician’s assistant, and Scott Stovern has a degree in economics, with a background in software implementation and consulting. 

Neither has pastry training or an education in decorating or baking, but to see the tiny details in Leticia’s design or to taste the incredible flavor in Scott’s baked items, customers can tell this business is their passion.

“I started out making cakes for my daughter’s birthday," said Leticia Stovern. "That turned into friends ordering cakes and their friends and family ordering cakes. I began to get busy and to get wedding orders. We started looking just for a little place just to do wedding cakes.”

Scott Stovern said they were initially going to open a cake shop, but decided to expand their idea.

“Ultimately," he said, "we decided if we did cupcakes, that would go hand in hand.”

When asked if she planned to give up her career for her shop, Leticia Stovern was optimistic about not having to do so.

“I hope to keep my feet in my career because I don’t want to lose my credentials,” she said. “I worked really hard for that. But, hopefully, things will get busy enough that I could limit my hours in regards to my physician’s assistant career.”

Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., the Stovern’s display case is full of customer favorite large, filled cupcakes, selling for $3. Flavors include red velvet, carrot cake, vanilla bean, guava, chocolate kiss among others.

Fillings range from vanilla, chocolate and fan-favorite peanut butter mousse to European seedless raspberry and amaretto custard.

Cupcakes range from mini, large to jumbo party size.

“We’ve had a very good response to our products,” said Scott. “We’re different not only because the size, flavor and consistency of our products, but because we approach the market from a cake side.”

Sweet Tweets Cakery custom filled cakes range from a simple round birthday cake to an elegant and ornate tiered wedding cake.

If a customer has a particular flavor combination that isn’t part of the Cakery’s existing menu, with a minimum quantity of a dozen special ordered, the Stoverns can make a wish a reality.  

A specialty order like a maple cupcake with bacon or a custom cake that mimics a Nike sneaker down to the shoelaces, the creases and the famous swoosh is not out of the realm of possibility.

For diabetics, flavorful sugar-free options are available. 

“If you can dream it, Leticia can make it,” Scott Stovern said. “She’s very creative, and I’m very task-oriented. I do basic decorating up to crumb coat. The less she has to prepare the better it is for her. It’s my job to support her. She’s the face of the company.”

Besides custom designing each cake, Leticia Stovern handcrafts each sugar figurine and intricate flower on the cakes and cupcakes.

“We are also in the process of expanding our editable printing capabilities. We will be able to do licensed images including sports teams, Disney, Marvel and other popular characters,” said Scott Stovern.

For businesses, Sweet Tweets Cakery can add an edible corporate logo or business card to any baked item.

“I don’t like sweets,” said customer Susan Madix, “but it’s all about pleasing my clients. I hand these out to clients. I’ve been here four different times. They’re all good.”

For families looking for a new birthday party idea or schools seeking a fun field trip, the Stoverns offer a party package that teaches children step-by-step how to make fondant sugar pieces based on the theme and how to decorate personalized cupcakes.

“We are very happy to be in Carrollwood,” said Scott. “People have been warm and receptive to us. They’ve actually come in and said, 'Welcome to Carrollwood.'"

Learn more about Sweet Tweets Cakery at www.sweettweetscakery.com or call 813-WOW-CAKE.