Quirky Names For Cake Flavors? Does It Help Or Not?
Business By AKA_cupcakeshoppe Updated 8 May 2008 , 2:15pm by cakeryluv
I've noticed that a few shops have their own "quirky" name for cake flavors, especially for cupcakes. Personally i find them fun and intriguing.
I'm thinking of doing the same thing. Does it help the business or not? I'm thinking of putting the quirky name and below it write what the cake is all about, what flavor, frosting and filling is.
I wanna know if it's confusing for the customers and yourself or if it attracts buyers and kinda make your shop "interesting".
It think that it is quite interesting...it should help your products stand out against the competition.
Just imagine being known for your "Bam Bam Supa Whoopa" cupcake 
think Ben and Jerrys ice cream...half the fun is reading the names and whats inside.
I also noticed this alot at custon icecream place (cold stone....)
I thinks it fun but make sure you describe it so there is no confusion. I am allergic to nuts so i NEED the description to (literaly) save my life!
If the fun name incorporates what it is, yeah...if not, no. Calling a strawberry marble cupcake "Strawberry Swirlers" is cute, but not "Tiptoe thru the Tulips", for example.
i was actually thinking of using my cousin's names, like describe their personality using cupcakes.
I hate the cute names for cakes. When ordering, it seems more simple and clear to state: Fudge cake with vanilla cream filling, rather then 'Monkey cake with goo-goo gaa-gaa filling', lol.
Ben & Jerrys? Love their stuff and I think their marketing technique is great - I guess I'm just not a fan of seeing it anywhere else.
Wow, I'm no fun at all.... 
"Sharon" = chocolate & vanilla; sweet and bi-polar? Oops, that's MY cousin!! LOL
"Sharon" = chocolate & vanilla; sweet and bi-polar? Oops, that's MY cousin!! LOL
LOL
i was on a bus for 6 hours today and all i did was invent flavors to fit people i know. I have about 20 flavors now. Hopefully they'd taste good.
I had a wedding consult just he other day and the groom said " Finally! real names for cake flavors! You don't know how annoying it is to unscrable a name.!"
Just thought I'd share.
As a customer, I do not appreciate quirky names, but I don't "theme dress" either (halloween aplique sweat shirts, Christmas sweaters, etc). I think the quirky names might have an attraction for some, but I'm more of a "cut to the chase" type gal. (I refuse to order to Starbucks as a vinte, it's a large for heaven's sake).
I don't think it helps. Just think, everytime someone asks a customer what kind of cake that is they have to also describe what's in it. Now if you only do 1 or 2 specialty flavor combinations with unique names then that's probably cool but it will only confuse your customers if they have to order vanilla cake called Simply White or something.
hmmmm thanks for the opinions guys. am second-guessing it now.
it's just that if i gave them their real names they're too long. like pineapple-carrot cake with lemon curd filling and orange-vanilla frosting. 
so i'm torn.
yeah i figured people would find it interesting because i do. LOL i get so caught up by those cute-sy names 
I think if done correctly, it could be cute.
I see your dilemma with long cake names, and understand the struggle with putting the whole thing out there. That being said, I'm not sure where you're planning on using your names, but if you have to put descriptions after each one, are you saving yourself anything at that point?
hmmmm thanks for the opinions guys. am second-guessing it now.
it's just that if i gave them their real names they're too long. like pineapple-carrot cake with lemon curd filling and orange-vanilla frosting.
so i'm torn.
This is EXACTLY why I came up with the names. Start adding "Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream" and people's eyes glaze over. LOL
I don't usually use cute names but I just did an event with cupcakes for a high profile hair salon. they are trendy people so I did a menu card on the table listing the types of cupcakes with funky names and they loved it!
I did list below the name the type of cake frosting and filling.
I would never have done it if I didn't include the description.
It depends on your audience for example if I had done the same cupcakes for a retirement party i wouldn't have included the names.
Maybe do a half-and-half, with the LOOOOONG names getting a descriptor, and the relatively simple ones staying as-is... I was thinking kinda like Pizza Hut: You can order a "pepperoni" or "sausage" or "bacon", but then you order the "Meat Lovers" or "Supreme"...
So maybe "Chocolate with Vanilla Buttercream" but the cake you described could be "Tropical Citrus" with the description below... If they wanna customize, that's their business, like ordering a "Supreme without the mushrooms and with extra cheese". Just a thought!
I have names for my "signature" cakes. These are cakes that I've created that incorporate all different combinations of cake and filling flavors. I try to have the name be descriptive of what the cake is. For example, my "Chocoholics Downfall" is an intensely chocolate cake that has three different chocolate fillings, two chocolate cake layers and a brownie layer. I also have several other signature cakes that have chocolate cake in them. The names just give my customers a way of naming the cake combination they want.
I don't think it's any different than using the name "spaghetti carbonara" to describe a very specific pasta dish.
Of course, if a customer just wants a simple chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream no special name is needed.
I think it is a fun way to make your menu more interesting, and personally love it when a bakery has cool names for their flavor combinations. I would think that a menu of combinations would be best suited for a cupcakes shop, though. Maybe though for celebration cakes people would want to select their own flavor and fillings, because it is something more personal.
Just my opinion!
I think it depends definately on how it is done. If the cute name clearly has something to do with the flavor I'm all for it, or if it has something to do with the specifc theme of the shop, but not something that makes you go, "Huh?" There's nothing worse than some kind of private joke or some unexpained, unobvious name for something that the general public won't get. Names like Ben and Jerry's are definately fun. There is a sub shop in my town that names each sub after a different town in our area. Something like that is interesting. Triple Chocolate Cake becomes even more decadent when it's called Death by Chocolate or something sinful like that. But I'm not sure about naming flavors for people that not everyone knows. It kinda seems like most people will be left out of getting the meaning of the name. Just my opinion.
As a customer, I do not appreciate quirky names, but I don't "theme dress" either (halloween aplique sweat shirts, Christmas sweaters, etc). I think the quirky names might have an attraction for some, but I'm more of a "cut to the chase" type gal. (I refuse to order to Starbucks as a vinte, it's a large for heaven's sake).
I so freakin' agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I go in starbucks, hold my hands about 6" apart and order "Cappacino ... vanilla ... about this big." One time they ask me "dry or wet?" I stared at her and said, "I have no idea what the hell that means. My coffee is usually in liquid form."
I REFUSE to order the small cinnamon rolls at Burger King because the name is stupid. I refuse to be forced to say (insert twangy redneck voice here) "CINNY-MINI'S PLEASE!" Just call them cinnamon rolls!!
My husband called the 800# of a popular fast food chain when he ordered a medium fry and got a small. Corporate called him back and explained they don't have small so the small is medium (don't EVEN get me started on this crap!). She asked if he could read the menu ok and he told her, "Lady, it's a burger and fries. I shouldn't have to learn a second language to order a burger and fries!"
I hate cutesy. I hate names that make me HAVE to ask "what is it?" I hate names that force me to feel degraded and humiliated when I say it. I would hate to own a shop where I have to repeat over and over what it is.
If the name of your business doesn't tell people what it is you do, then you've named your business wrong. Same with the menus.
I've actually rec'd a number of comments from my brides of "We read your menus and we know what the food is!" I can name it the fanciest-danciest french name in the world and many people would only respond, "Sounds nice, but what the heck is it?"
(I realize I'm ranting, but understand that I'm in the middle of my 5-day fraternity catering this week and the sleep deprivation is getting to me already. My alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m. and I don't get home until 8:30 p.m. .... So why am I on CC instead of getting to bed? 
)
I would agree that I'm in the "cutesy-avoiding" group, but I also understand that some clientele will LOVE it, and others will HATE it. However, in the case of LOOOOONG descriptions, I'd probably prefer a shorter name as a choice... And yes, your plan to add the descriptions under the "name" is a MUST! YOU don't want to be repeating all the ingredients any more than your customers!
Also, I'm wondering... Do you HAVE to put prices for ALL your cake combinations? Why not just list "list of cakes" "list of fillings" and "list of icings/fondants"? Or maybe you do that, and are just wanting to list some popular/favorite combos?
For me personally, I'd do a FEW combo flavors with names, and just have a list of other flavors available... But it's your business and customers, so I'm sure you'll come up with what's best!
indydebi i hope you got to bed and are resting by now. your "rant" made me LOL btw hehe.
well since i'm making cupcakes, i think "cute-sy" names can be appropriate. i decided to use names of people i care about because i can't for the life of me think of any creative names. the first name i thought of was "enchanting ella" and it will be a pink cupcake, pink velvet cake, white chocolate ganache filling and pink bc with sprinkles. it's for my cousin who is 8 years old who loves pink and disney princesses.
The one time I found the cutsy name most valuable was when I kept telling the brides and moms (at a bridal show) that the cake flavor was orange. Their reply was -"We know the cake is orange in color but what flavor is it." I kept telling them orange and the response was - they still did not want to take that for the answer. So I began telling them the flavor was dreamsicle - Then they said "Oh yeah - it tastes just like the dreamsicles we used to eat". Go figure.
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