With the establishment of Larry’s Cakes, a revolutionary phenomenon has taken the local cupcake industry by storm: using the humble cupcake as a unique and creative art form, a showcase of the creator’s talent and ingenuity.
Larry’s Cakes, located at 66 N. Pioneer St. in the heart of Ashland, offers over 50 flavors of cupcakes, wedding cakes, and custom cakes, all of which are of original design and locally made.
Walking down the short flight of stairs into the underground shop, one is immediately confronted with a gorgeous and breathtaking array of cupcakes of every flavor, shape, design and color.
From elaborate flavors such as Maple and Bacon, Chocolate Ginger Chai, and Grasshopper Mint, to more classic tastes such as Mountain Marionberry and Lavender Meadow, every cupcake is designed and filled by hand by Larry Oswald, owner and bona-fide masterpiece-maker.
Exotic mouthwatering flavors are inserted into the middle of the cupcake to create the aptly called “special cupcakes,” which are then topped off with a touch of butter cream, rich chocolate ganache, and finally an image designed to enhance the cupcake experience. Shakespeare, for example, adorns the top of the Bill’s English Toffee cupcake flavor, in following with the town’s Shakespeare theme.
“Our flavor variety represents our pride in our work,” says Lisa Oswald, Larry’s wife and co-owner of the shop. “We want people to be happy and enjoy them.”
Larry’s Cakes have defied anything ordinary or classic, with inventions like the cake push-up poppers, much like those of ice cream, but jam-packed with designs and bursting flavor, which have captured the heart and taste buds of Southern Oregon residents.
In an attempt to appeal to crowds of all ages, tastes, and interests, the shop has expanded their cake flavors to include more adult-oriented flavors, such as Kahlua Mudslide, Pina Colada, Pink Champagne, and Beer and Pretzels. Although these cupcakes do include small doses of alcohol to reach the desired flavor and twist, the Oswalds clarified that they should by no means be considered “alcoholic,” but rather a broader extension of their creative capabilities. For example, the Beer and Pretzels flavor features a pretzel on top, and the Kahlua boasts a bubbly, warm and creamy appearance. Special cupcakes such as these cost a mere $3.50, and can be given as great gifts for the holidays and basically any occasion.
Clearly the shop sees no limits in its artistic inventions, evidenced by the wide variety of options for their larger 8-inch cakes, everything from your own business logo or self-portrait to vibrant depictions of Monet artwork. The shop also offers wedding cakes of all styles, tiers and shapes, fitted accordingly to the style and size of the wedding. Larry’s recent collaboration with Judy’s Flowers and Gifts gives Southern Oregon residents just another reason to order in and indulge in the “world’s largest selection,” of creative, intricate, and above all edible artwork.
