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LIKE finding the one you love, there are some partnerships that are just meant to be.

That’s probably what entrepreneurs Verity Smith and Helene Carroll, of the Suffolk Cupcake Company, would say.

The duo met by chance three years ago and discovered they shared a passion for baking. They put their heads together and created a business that enables them to combine work with their busy family schedules.

At the time they met, both women were taking a break from their careers – Verity as a veterinary nurse and Helene as a senior buyer for Mothercare – for the impending birth of their boys, Albie and Austin, who were born within a week of one another.

Verity and Helene became close friends, meeting at a local baby group and at friends’ houses, where bringing baked goods was much appreciated – particularly cupcakes.

As new mothers, both women were looking to return to locally-based jobs. That’s when they had a brainwave – maybe there was a future in their own mini cupcake patisserie.

Verity said: “I read an article in Country Living Magazine in March or April time about a lady in Devon with a young son, who wanted to work from home and had started to produce cupcakes, and it seemed ideal.”

After this flash of inspiration Verity set about making cupcakes to sell at her mother’s pub, The Bell in Walberswick. When these went down a treat, she knew she and Helene were onto a winner.

Last October the duo donned aprons and wooden spoons and set out to create the perfect cupcake.

“We’ve got inspiration from different books and have adapted them, coming up with recipes and designs together,” said Helene. “Once we established the flavours, the decorations are what set them apart. They really are the icing on the cake and we’ve had lots of comments about them.”

Already Verity and Helene are selling hundreds of cakes a month at farmers’ markets on Jimmy’s Farm (on the first Saturday of the month) and at Easton Farm Park (on the fourth Saturday of the month).

And they are being flooded with orders for bespoke cupcakes for dinner parties, party favours and more.

“It’s great – it’s nice to do it together,” said Helene. “It’s been fantastic coming up with ideas together and we both get really excited when we think of a new design.”

This year the culinary goddesses hope to bring their cupcakes to weddings across the county.

Ideal for shoestring wedding budgets, cupcakes are an inexpensive way to bring a touch of fun and flair to your big day without skimping on style. In fact, says Verity, cupcakes are very ‘now’.

“A lot of people don’t like fruitcake,” said Helene. “I think cupcakes look really effective and when you get a mountain of them together it looks great.”

Not only can cupcakes be served as your wedding cake in a beautifully tiered arrangement, they can also double as pudding (saving you further expense) and can even be individually packaged as wedding favours, making them a three-in-one investment. Starting at just £1 for a standard glazed cake, they’re a snip.

When it comes to wedding cupcakes, Verity and Helene try to accommodate all preferences with regards to size, flavour and decorations.

Typical flavours include the standard glazed vanilla cupcake with lemon icing, carrot cake with a cream cheese and honey icing, chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream, banana and seasonal flavours, which have included apple and cinnamon and Christmas spice.

Any colour or flavour of icing can be swirled on top, with Verity and Helene even able to match the colour of the icing to your bridesmaid dresses or perhaps your flowers.

And then there is the decoration of your choice – for an extra cost – such as your initials or names piped on each cake, little love hearts, sweeties, edible flowers and more.

If you wish to save your cakes as favours, then the Suffolk Cupcake Company can package each cupcake individually in your choice of coloured box with handle, or in a pretty cellophane bag tied with coloured ribbon – a much more exciting treat for your guests to take home than a piece of fruitcake wrapped in a napkin.

For ideas and inspiration for your wedding cupcakes visit www.suffolkcupcakes.co.uk or call Verity on 07760111932, or Helene on 07796352162, e-mail info@suffolkcupcakes.co.uk

Boxed bespoke cupcakes start at £1 for standard glazed vanilla, £1.40 for a flavoured cupcake, and 60p for mini cupcakes. Delivery charges depend on your location.