Kid-Friendly Café Conjures up Classic Cupcakes

Designer cupcakes are all the rage in major cities across the country. When the owners of a popular wholesale bakery in Charlestown were looking into a retail operation, they decided to ride the wave.

When Biga Breads owners Deana and Keith Martin opened …Cakes Café and Bakery, 95 Eliot Street, about two months ago they put a twist on the growing trend. With most trendy cupcakerys appealing to adult palates, Cakes brings a family-friendly atmosphere and menu to the family-oriented town.

"The way I look at it, cupcakes are a fad, but for kids, they'll never be a fad," said Deana.

Bright colors and simple flavors make up the cupcake offerings for kids. For adults, the menu has a rotating list of more mature cupcake flavors. Specials include: grasshopper, Boston cream, coconut, mocha latte, hot fudge sundae, Oreo, s'mores, peanut butter cup and lemon meringue.

Outside of cupcakes, the Martins whip up cakes that range in size from six to 10 inches, along with custom cakes for weddings and parties.

Aside from sweets, Cakes also offers lunch with pre-made sandwiches, a daily hot special and, of course, Biga Bread.

The corner, café also offers a nice environment to meet and relax with the children. Couches and a coloring table are the center of the dining area, which is accented by soft lighting.

Deana also believes the café fills a void in Milton. "Milton was really lacking a fun place to drop in and grab something to eat," she said, adding a few groups of moms have already become loyal customers.

Sticking with their community-oriented inspiration, the Martins also offer a product to help local charity groups. The community cake is a custom cupcake based on the logo of a Milton-based or connected charity group. All the proceeds from the community cake go directly to the organization. Through June 15, the Milton Public Library was the featured beneficiary.

On Tuesday, Cakes will unveil the Milton Little League American League cupcake. Deana said all the cupcakes coincide with an event or need for the organization. The library cupcake was created in anticipation of the Sixth Annual Literary Gala, which took place last week. The American League cupcake will be available for the next month during the baseball season to raise money for a trip to the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown NY.

With the last two charity products, Deana has designed the cupcake. She said she'd eventually like to see each organization hold a design contest.

More than a year's worth of groups have already approached Cakes about the community cake program. Deana believes the popularity of the items show how charity-driven Milton residents are.

"It's a commentary on the town that so many people are involved in philanthropic work," she said.

Cakes is open weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on the weekends from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.