A Scarborough couple makes little treats that have a big difference.
Johnder and Ronalyn Perez built so into cupcakes near the intersection of Markham Road and Ellesmere Road in 2011.
“Most of the cupcake shops are downtown so people up here, unfortunately, would have to go downtown to fulfill their cupcake craving,” Perez said. “So that was one of the reasons why we wanted to open here, to offer cupcakes where nobody else was doing it.”
so into cupcakes emphasizes the idea that “less is more.” The casual interior and simple cupcake designs are the trademarks of the bakery.
“We wanted the emphasis to be on the cupcake,” Perez said. “So when you walk in, everything is very simple. And the focus goes into the collection of different flavours we have displayed.”
But the cupcake store’s focus branches beyond just flavours. The couple hopes to make a difference in the Scarborough community through fundraisers, charity events and providing opportunities for co-op students to explore the world of baking.
Myrtle Jurado, 23, works at so into cupcakes. She recalls participating in a toy drive for the Danzig community. So into cupcakes donated about six dozen cupcakes to the community that suffered greatly after the worst street shootings in July 2012.
“Since it was the Danzig community and it was close to home, we wanted to do something for them,” Jurado said.
The co-op program offers high school and college students the experience needed in the baking business. The students assist with the baking, decorating and overall operation in the kitchen. Students gain valuable experience and are able to explore the field.
“We strongly believe in helping out our community and giving them an opportunity [in] a very challenging field,” Perez said. “We want to give them an opportunity to get a sense of what’s involved in the business of baking.”
so into cupcakes is slowly growing within Scarborough. Not only do they want to be the “best at making cupcakes” but they also want to support their community.