WILLIAMSBURG — Dwan Bryant tells her clients and customers that when they order one of her baked goods, they become part of her family.
Bryant’s home-based bakery, The Maple Pig Cupcakery, provides a range of custom cakes, cupcakes and pastries, all baked from scratch in flavors picked from family recipes.
The business opened June 10, 2020, but, in just a short time following, the bakery temporarily closed after Bryant’s family suffered a loss when her husband died in a tragic and sudden accident.
“From that point forward it caused a huge shift in our family’s priorities,” Bryant said. “When he passed away, it made us stop and think and reevaluate. We had already gained so many supporters.”
However, Bryant remained steadfast in opening again for her clients. After reopening and then temporarily closing again, The Maple Pig Cupcakery officially reopened in May.
After partnering and R&D chief, Ryan Hawley, Bryant decided to go “full-throttle” into the business and offer a wider variety of sweet and savory options on their menu.
While Bryant started her business offering custom-made cakes and cupcakes, the business has recently ventured into other products including Irish Soda Bread and a wider selection of homemade desserts like Bundt cakes.
“Those are things that I grew up with when i was a little girl, eating a good slice of bundt cake in my grandmother’s kitchen,” Bryant said.
In time for the fall season, Bryant also wanted to satisfy the community’s love for apple cider donuts. She created an apple cider donut bundt cake.
“It’s literally like fall on a plate,” Bryant said.
Their latest recipe has become the talk of the town.
The newest item added to the bakery’s menu is the “Sweet Potato Puffin,” which Bryant described as a cross between a sweet potato pie and a muffin.
“When you bite down into the Puffin, you’re going to get the smooth, rich velvety texture of a sweet potato pie, but then you get that crumbly texture of a muffin,” she said. “And then we finish with a brown sugar oat topping and a dollop of our homemade cream cheese.”
Its recent debut at a local market had mouths watering, and people took to community Facebook pages to rave about the new item.
“People were sold,” Bryant said. “It’s definitely become more popular than we expected it to.”
Though based out of West Point, the majority of Maple Pig Cupcakery’s clients are in Williamsburg; a place where Bryant hopes to open a brick and mortar in the near future.
A faith-based business, Bryant said that the bakery has given its business timeline to God and that it motivates them continue to work hard.
She also credits the business’ loyal customers and clients.
“All of my clients have literally been part of my journey, from when my husband passed away to all of the different times that we’ve had to close and reopen,” she said. “We’ve kept them updated on all of the changes going on in our life.”
“We’ve never treated a customer or a client like they were a number or a dollar sign, they’re part of my family,” she added.
The Maple Pig Cupcakery can be found online through their website and social media, baking and taking orders every day.
