Marion's New Cupcakery 'Like Nothing I Have Had'

During Megan Knatz’ first day of her new business, she sold out. 

Twice.

In an hour.

Knatz, the owner of Take the Cake Gourmet Cupcakery, sold 55 dozen cupcakes — many of which she sold individually — on her opening day last week. And demand hasn't slowed down since.

It’s a triumph that she thinks stems directly from the long, trial and error process that lead to her final recipe. 

Last year, Knatz was an administrator with the . She would bake cupcakes for work and would have fun trying out different flavors and getting her frosting to the perfect consistency.

She later sold her cupcakes to The Kettel House Bakery and Cafe in Marion, which opened earlier this summer, after she received rave reviews from many who tried them.

During this time, she spent her mornings and afternoons at the school, and time with her family immediately after work. Then, she'd stay up baking, often past midnight.

"I would go to bed exhausted," she said.

In June, she officially started pursuing the opening of her own bakery and quit her job at the school.

Knatz said she quit due to the high demand of her cupcakes and the joy that comes with having customers. Complete strangers lavish her with compliments about cupcakes made by her own hand, late at night, with no formal culinary training. 

"It’s like a high," she said. "That was just fuel for me when people want to come in here. It’s not like they are trying to buy tires."

Knatz said her terrific opening day and the high volume of traffic she's received since is due to word of mouth and her social media activity, in addition to her perfected recipe. She started her Facebook page in December of 2011 and has 524 likes already. 

And let’s not forget how the cupcakes taste, oh those cupcakes!

My journalstic integrity compels me to tell you that I have bought three and eaten two in the last week. A salted carmel chocolate cupcake is defrosting on my work desk right now (freezing is apparently the best way for them to keep) and I have turned the air conditions off so it will thaw quicker. 

But taste is, after all, a subjective, personal concept.

Still, Knatz said she has further evidence that her cupcakes are delicious: those who come in looking for a flavor that has sold out will rarely walk out empty handed.

Sue Kosek, 64, was in the store while I was talking with Knatz. The Cedar Rapids woman said her first time to the bakery was well worth the trip.

"They are delicious," she said. "They are like nothing I have had in Cedar Rapids."