ELLINGTON, Conn. (WWLP) – This year’s Big E will feature a variety of foods and one of these is the pickle cupcake, but what makes this dish to die for?
The pickle cupcake is a unique spin on a classic treat. It starts with a moist and flavorful vanilla cupcake, topped with a tangy pickle buttercream frosting and a crunchy pickle garnish. This savory-sweet combination of flavors is sure to make your taste buds dance!
This tasty treat can be found at the Big E’s Front Porch prepared by Luanne’s Bakery and Cafe. The bakery talked to 22News about presenting this dish at the Big E for the first time, “We’ve made this dish a few years for Superbowl weekend, but last month during our local farmers market pickle festival, we realized it was an ideal opportunity for pickle cupcakes, and they sold out in just about five minutes, and when that happened, I was like we need to take these to the Big E,” said the owner of the bakery, Josh Virkler.
Virkler, was born and raised in Ellington, Connecticut. Having founded a successful Tea Room in Illinois, he returned to Ellington with his wife and five children to work as an employee of LuAnn’s Bakery, a popular Farmer’s Market staple. However, in March 2017, Virkler’s vision for LuAnn’s was brought to life by the opening of their first brick-and-mortar location at 238 Somers Road in Ellington. Its second location, LuAnn’s Coffee and Good Eats Drive Thru, opened in 2020 and is located on West Rd in Ellington, next to the Big Y Express. In January 2022, LuAnn’s Bakery Hub opened in Ellington at 420 Somers Road, and is proud to be home to LuAnn’s Gluten Free Marketplace kitchen as well.
And now Virkler is excited to take this business to the Big E. He hopes that the exposure will bring more business to LuAnn’s Bakery and give him the opportunity to show off his unique creations to a larger crowd. With this opportunity, Virkler feels he can reach a whole new level of success.
Be sure to keep your eye out for other homemade cupcakes at their stand, such as chocolate, caramel apple, and chocolate pumpkin marvel cupcakes.
We’ll continue to highlight the businesses behind this year’s Big E treats in stories to follow.
Kayleigh Thomas is a digital reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Kayleigh on Twitter @kayleighcthomas and view her bio to see more of her work.
