A new Cupcake shop opened in the South Puget Sound over the weekend and I’ve been so excited to check them out! So today, I drove the 15 minutes from my house down to Parkland to meet Amber at her new shop, Yummers 2 the 3rd Power Cupcake Factory!
Located just a couple blocks from Pacific Lutheran University (317 Garfield St #A, Parkland, WA 98444), Yummers is in a perfect location for lots of foot traffic, high school and college students and even some late night bar business. And with no other cupcake shops in the south end of Tacoma, Amber has the monopoly on cupcakes!
Meet Amber. She’s a mother, daughter, and bakery shop owner! Inspired by her love of baking and from making it the second round of the application process for the FOX tv show, Master Chef, Amber and her family opened up this shop on Feb. 12, 2011. Her father, mother and son all help out in the shop, making this cute little bakery a family business.
I asked Amber how her shop got it’s name… Yummers 2 the 3rd Power is definitely unique and I had to know where it came from. “It’s silly,” she said, “I would always say that something tasted ‘yummers to the third power’ and the name just fit!” And alas, Yummers 2 the 3rd Power Cupcake Factory was born!
The cupcakes were definitely the focus of this little shop with the cupcakes displayed beautifully in the case. I noticed right away the selection of cupcakes. Not only were they unique in appearance, but I could tell her flavor combinations were not your typical cupcake shop flavors. Or… not your same ole’ grocery store flavors. The frostings were piled high and the cupcakes were topped with everything from whipped cream and cherries to peanut butter chips and a raspberry glaze.
Amber serves all her flavors everyday, but some of them are in the mornings and others in the afternoon. While I was in her shop, she had some red velvet cupcakes going in the kitchen, almost ready to be served to customers! Also, a plantain cupcake… really, I must have one of those!!!
Need a specialty flavor, Amber will custom make you any flavor you want. She told me of a cake she made out of “Slim Jims”. She said you could taste the essence of the jerky, but it was so good people didn’t believe what they were eating!
Amber was sweet enough to pack me up a box of each of the flavors she had out to take home and taste! I really can’t wait to sink my teeth into them. They look and smell so delicious! Here are a few, closer up!
Peanut butter cake topped with a peanut butter frosting and a raspberry drizzle.
Coconut cupcakes topped with a coconut frosting. These are their signature cupcakes!
Chocolate. Do I need to say more?
French toast cupcake topped with maple buttercream and candied bacon. Uhm, yum!
German chocolate cake topped with German chocolate frosting, whipped cream and a cherry. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cupcake quite like this one before… EVER… in a shop. Totally impressed with this cupcake!
Now, I will say… there were a couple of things I think Amber could change to make things better as she’s perfecting her shop and recipes. First, I did not like the boxes Amber used to send cupcakes home with her customers. They did not have any inserts in them so my cupcakes slid around and a few fell over by the time I got home. Secondly, none of the cupcakes had labels or signs telling me what they were. Although Amber was happy to tell me about all of them, signs in her display case would have made things easier.
Prices at Yummers are very reasonable too. $2.25 for a cupcake, including tax and $22.00 for a dozen. $22 is a great price for cupcakes like these too!!
So hop in your car and head over to Amber’s shop. You won’t be disappointed.
If you want more information, check out Yummers 2 the 3rd Power on their website or on Facebook.
Valerie
Friday 30th of August 2013
I had heard about this shop from a friend who read online reviews about this shop, and decided to place a order for two dozen cupcakes for the following week at the shop with Amber. i showed up to pick up the cupcakes only to find they werent even baked! i was told to come back later that day and they would be ready. when I tried to explain that they were for a function at work and I had ordered them for a specific date and time. The owner Amber got nasty and told me to buy individual ones that were ready. no offer of apology, no offer of a discount for a large order. nothing. I bought one cupcake and found the cupcakes very heavy and tasting almost like a muffin texture. I also find the service to be lacking and the shop owner and husband rude. Dont waste your time and money going to this shop. There are too many others out there who not only have better tasting cupcakes, they have better service. In the end I went to Safeway and got better service with cupcakes that were ready to go.
Kirsten
Monday 27th of June 2011
Where do I start. I ordered 18 dozen cupcakes from this bakery, and received excuse after excuse from the owner as to why I had not received my order confirmation. I had left numerous voicemails and sent several emails with no response. At the time of order, the owner Amber said that we could come in for a tasting on June 5th. My fiance and I drove an hour to get to the bakery, only to be greeted by Amber's parents telling us to "Get out". Apparently they were only giving someone their order and then closing the doors. After telling them that I had a tasting appointment, they informed me that Amber wouldn't be at the shop all day, there were no cupcakes made, and I could leave a message. Let's not forget the gross shop. I can't believe that they pass health code standards. I stewed over it for a while and called and canceled my order. I received an email from Amber with all sorts of excuses and said she would return my money and email me the confirmation the following day... that was June 6th... today is June 27 and she continues to ignore emails and phone calls. It's sad, because I thought I had found a unique bakery to do something fun for my wedding. I had looked Yummers up on Yelp before, and I just thought some of the reviewers were persnickety, but they were absolutely right. Terrible customer service, unreliable and disgusting shop. I couldn't tell you how the cupcakes taste, but the owner sure needs a lesson in business and some manners.
connie munoz
Thursday 16th of June 2011
well i had to stop by and try the new shop, I had to say this is the 3rd cupcake shop in tacoma i have tryed, and again i am disappointed,but now know why everyone at my job call me the cupcake queen. I also am disappointed that the cupcakes arent labeled. I thought the cupcakes were dry, even the french toast with bacon that was right out of the oven. The frostings were too sweet and did not match the frostings flavor that advertised. I dont like sugar sprinkles on cupcakes, crunch unless its nuts just doesnt belong on cupcakes, i make a peanut butter and jelly cupcake from a box cake and just replace peanut butter for the oil and my cupcake turned out way better than their peanut butter cupcake. but out of the other two cupcakes places in tacoma, i would choose their cupcake shop over the other two. Im a fussy cupcake eater, since i love to bake my own and so i guess im just a little spoiled. but so far if you arent in the mood for baking this cupcake place is tops over the others in tacoma. moisten up your cupcakes and decrease the sweetness and add more flavor of what your advertising and you have it made...They did look very pretty on a positive note.
Melissa Gladden
Friday 18th of February 2011
I consider myself an expert cupcake tester and Yummers' cupcakes are fabulous! Not only are the traditional recipes very well done, but she has some alternative recipes that are to die for. All of the cupcakes present beautifully and are the perfect blend of cake and frosting - don't miss out on Yummers!
Cupcake Activist
Friday 18th of February 2011
That French Toast cupcake sounds great!
JavaCupcake
Friday 18th of February 2011
The French Toast was my FAVORITE!!!