The sweetest theory, proven

ARVY Enjambre-Lopez loved playing with clay when she was a kid. She enjoyed molding objects using the malleable material, with a keen focus on crafting the most intricate details to make it look like the real thing.

She admits that she has always been the creative type, always searching for something to tinker, something to touch—something to create. However, she never really thought much about that childhood hobby of hers, not even seeing it as a career, until sometime in 2008 when everything just fell into place.

At that time, Arvy’s husband had just arrived from a trip abroad. One of his pasalubongs was a box of gourmet cupcakes that cost almost $5 a piece. Arvy, who is no stranger to baking thanks to her mom, figured: “I can make something like this!”

Arvy created a batch for her officemates to try, and then after receiving positive feedback, decided to make more. One thing led to the other: from doing short orders for cupcakes within her workplace, to her online shop that had a thriving four-year run, and finally to her very own boutique for what has been named as The Cupcake Theory Gourmet Cupcakes and Hand-Carved Cakes.

Aside from selling cupcakes, Arvy has made a name for herself as one of the city’s go-to cake designers for fondant (which is like edible clay, really).

The boutique, she said, was primarily planned to be only a showroom of her cakes, but eventually she decided to put in a cupcakes display cabinet for walk-in customers. The boutique had its soft opening in November of 2012.

Cupcake fanatics would know that for the longest time, The Cupcake Theory has been synonymous with Arvy’s specialty: the luscious red velvet cupcakes topped with its signature cream cheese frosting. The red velvet was her first product.

Today, The Cupcake Theory offers a total of seven cupcake flavors. There’s “Sultry Sexy Red” (red velvet), “Chocolate Addiction,” “Mint to Be,” “Vanilla Happy,” “Cookies & Cream,” “Choconilla” (chocolate cupcake with butter cream frosting) and “Bitterly Yours” (chocolate cupcake topped with bittersweet ganache).

Her cakes, on the other hand, are made-to-order and are fully customizable depending on the occasion and the concept the customer has in mind. Whether it’s for a debutante, newlyweds, or for someone who just wants to munch on crafty-looking sweets, expect Arvy to come up with a piece—already tested and proven—distinctive and tasty.

The Cupcake Theory Gourmet Cupcakes and Hand-Carved Cakes is on the ground floor of Sonrisa Suites along Juana Osmeña St., Capitol Site, Cebu City. It is open from 1 to 9:30 p.m. daily.