SadieCakes opens in Town Center
by Amy Batista, Special Writer
ROBBINSVILLE — A new café specializing in cupcakes at 2346 Route 33 in Town Center hosted a grand opening along with a ribbon cutting ceremony this past Saturday in celebration of the inspiration behind the name.
”It was my grandmother’s birthday,” said owner Cindy Lukenda. “It was Sadie’s (Williams) actual birthday and she would’ve been 107. That’s why we chose that date to wait for our grand opening.”
Owner and resident Cindy Lukenda opened SadieCakes Cafe, a 2,300-square-foot restaurant, on June 25 in Town Center.
It was estimated that approximately 100 people attended the opening.
”We didn’t know what to expect,” Ms. Lukenda said in regards to the number of people who turned out for the ceremony.
On hand for the grand opening were members of the Robbinsville Township Council including Councilwomen Christine Ciaccio and Sheree McGowan, Council Vice President Vince Calcagno and Councilman Dave Boyne.
In addition, Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-14), Sharbell Development Corp. Senior Vice President Tom Troy and Orsola Andersen, of the MidJersey Chamber of Commerce, were also in attendance.
Family and friends also gathered to celebrate the opening and sampled a range of sweets and treats including cupcakes, homemade marshmallows, granola bars, pastries and all of its coffees.
”It was my first time there and I am in love with the place,” said Councilwoman Ciaccio in an email on Monday. “I had a ‘I Am Joy’ latte with chocolate, almond and coconut flavor. They filled two tables with desserts that were great to look at and delicious, too. I loved the granola bars and the carrot cake cupcake.”
Sadie Cake’s was started in April 2011 when Ms. Lukenda would sell her creations at local farmers markets.
The café and bakery was decorated with items collected along her travels throughout the world and serves up everything homemade ranging from one of a kind cupcakes to other baked goods, sandwiches, sweet breads, pastries, Paninis, salads and soups, coffees, seasonal items and dog biscuits (Pup-scuits).
”(People) are pleasantly surprised when we have a full light fare café menu,” Ms. Lukenda said.
The café is also featuring a new homemade hot chocolates with marshmallows made from scratch for the season.
According to Ms. Lukenda, the feedback from most people has been that it feels like “home.”
”When people walk in they just feel very comfortable they feel like they’re home,” Ms. Lukenda said. “Which is what we wanted to have translated. We really wanted to be people’s third destination when they are not at work, or school or at home. We want them here.”
Ms. Lukenda said her grandmother and mother, Delores Lukenda, were the “cooks and bakers” from which she learned her baking skills.
”I’ve always been dabbling in cooking and baking,” she said. “My mother had a catering business when I was a teenager.
”I like to do everything,” she added. “That’s what it is. I think to design, I like to garden, I like to cook, I like to bake, I like to do it all.”
The cafe offers over 40 flavor combinations including some gluten free and the list keeps growing. They are always creating something new and are open to suggestions. Seasonal flavors are also available. Ten flavors are rotated every day.
”As a business person and a council person I am happy that we have ribbon cuttings to showcase our new businesses in town,” Councilwoman Ciaccio said. “It’s in important to shop local, Robbinsville Township has started a ‘Keep It Local Program’ in Robbinsville to help businesses survive in this economy.”
Assemblyman DeAngelo was also impressed.
”Saturday was my first time visiting SadieCakes bakery, but it will not be my last,” he said. “I really enjoyed the innovative use of recycled materials to create an acrylic decor and warm atmosphere. I like how SadieCakes is not just a bakery, but a new local place I can go to lunch with my family.”
In honor of Sadie’s 107th birthday, customers received a $1.07 off their check throughout the whole day, Ms. Lukenda said.
The café is looking to being baking and cooking classes in the near future. Cake decorating parties are available now in addition to other parties.
Its kitchen was created to function as a “co-op” which can be rented for cooking, baking and decorating classes, and is available for starter businesses that are unable to afford its own setup.
”We also created our kitchen to be large enough to also run and rent out space to other bakers,” Ms. Lukenda said. “I was lucky enough to be able to use a friend’s kitchen who had another café and that was hard enough for people to find that space. We wanted to do that as well for those who are looking for that.”
There are around 20 people on staff ranging from high school to college and the Mercer County Community College Culinary School.
For further information, please call 609-228-3057 to place an order or inquiry about your next party, or visit them on the web at www.sadiecakecupcakes.com and www.sadiecakescafe.com.