by Lori Baltazar
Cupcakes by Sonja: Soaring @ 7 from DessertComes1st on Vimeo.
Cupcakes by Sonja is soaring at seven.
When Sonja Ocampo opened her cupcake store in 2006, she couldn’t have imagined the tidal wave effect that would ensue. She, quite literally, ignited what was to become Manila’s love affair with these little cakes. In addition, I do believe that Sonja’s the one who introduced Filipinos to red velvet, a flavor that was greeted with much skepticism (too red! so sweet!) but is now fully incorporated into our collective psyche of sweet.
For a long time, Sonja only had her store in Serendra, but on her seventh year, she’s spreading her wings and soaring. Her second store opened not too long ago at Glorietta 2 and by year’s end, she’ll have five stores to her name. Impressive! Sonja and I have been friends for the past few years but we don’t get to see each other often, which is why shooting this podcast was so much fun. She toured me around her store while we got to catch up and frost cupcakes.
Thanks very much to Sonja and props as usual, to my videographer, Bong Fernandez, who’s starting to like dessert almost as much as I do. (Succumbing to sweets is inevitable for anyone who works with me).
The episode will stream in HD on this website. My previous podcasts can be seen here.
Enjoy, everyone! Now go and have yourself a cupcake, or three.
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I soo love their store !! I think her inspiration was magnolias? Im not sure 😉 oh lori have u tried magnolia’s already? I follow their page i wanna go there when i get to visit the states ;D
I love your top!!!! Where did you get it?
i was just here earlier today! 🙂 had to try their salted caramel cupcake!yumyum! 🙂 and i learned something new today from your podcast,lori! 🙂 so it’s son-ja and not son-ya! 🙂 been pronouncing it as son-ya all this time! 🙂
I love the outtake part of the video clip! 🙂
Hey, Lori! Your podcasts are always so delightful to watch. Speaking of cupcakes, I hope you could try the ones from Cupcake Lab. They have a stall at the Podium and at the Promenade. Their cupcakes are just amazing!
I don’t know what they put in their red velvet cupcakes but Sonja’s version is still my favorite.
Love this podcast. Now I have to try frosting my cupcakes the Sonja way. 🙂
And Lory, you gotta take note of your mannerisms. You just can’t keep still. It’s a bit distracting at times.
Love your podcasts, Lori!!! 🙂 I enjoy them very much.
The nice thing about Sonja’s is that the shop in Serendra is small–cozy but not cramped–and you can while away a few minutes watching the staff artfully frost each cupcake. For a non-pro baker like me, it’s calming to watch. 🙂 I gotta take a look at those whisk chandeliers…
Oh, and the promo Ms. Ocampo had some months back (a portion of red velvet cupcake sales benefiting the Red Cross) –that was generous of her. 🙂 Hope she collaborates with other charities again.
Coffee & cupcake at Sonja’s…must try O.0
OMG! Those cupcakes look soooo delectable! It’s amazing how the 2 of you can stay slim despite your love for sweet things! I am green with envy! But for now, I am already bribing my friend to go with me to Glorietta just to have a bite of that red velvet cupcake again!
I agree with Anonymous Paul – Sonia’s red velvet cupcakes are the best!
I have tried Magnolia Bakery and it’s pretty good in New York. It does taste just like Sonja’s vanilla sunshine cupcake but lighter and more intense vanilla flavor. I truly admire Sonja for following her dreams just like I am following mine in being a chef! I love making pastries and Sonja is very admiring!
i’ve tasted sonja’s. ive tasted magnolia in new york.
hands down, still sonja’s. 🙂 especially the strawberries and cream.. it’s like heaven in every bite. perfect blend of sweetness and tart from the cream, strawberries and cupcake itself.
red velvet’s pretty smooth too 😉