Buttercup Bake Shop
Buttercup Bake Shop is a New York City bakery founded in 1999 that sells handcrafted cupcakes, cakes, cheesecakes, and desserts through four Manhattan retail locations, an e-commerce site, in-house delivery, and third-party platforms, serving individual consumers and corporate gift clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Buttercup Bake Shop does
Buttercup Bake Shop is a privately held, New York City-based specialty bakery founded in August 1999 by Jennifer Appel, a former clinical psychologist who previously opened Magnolia Bakery in 1996. The company operates four Manhattan retail storefronts (Midtown East, Murray Hill, Financial District, and Upper West Side) and sells handcrafted American desserts — cupcakes, layered celebration cakes, NY-style cheesecakes, bars and brownies, cookies including French macarons, puddings, mini pies, and bundt breakfast items — across roughly 100 SKUs. The menu is 100% buttercream-based, certified Kosher by IKC, and includes a gluten-free line made with tapioca starch and rice flour.
The commercial model is omnichannel direct-to-consumer. Retail walk-in sales are complemented by a WooCommerce-powered e-commerce site (buttercupbakeshop.com) for online ordering, an in-house delivery service covering Manhattan below 125th Street (with a $36 minimum and $20 fee), and third-party delivery through UberEats, Seamless, and Grubhub. Pricing is unit-based: single cupcakes from $3.75, dozen assortments at $20-$45, and layer cakes from $34 to $175 depending on size. A secondary B2B vertical supplies corporate gifting (logo-customizable cookies and bulk orders) and event catering. The company has built brand recognition through 25 years of operations, celebrity-customer associations (Martha Stewart, Al Roker, Hillary Clinton), and media coverage in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time Out New York, People Magazine, Today Show, CNN, and others.
The business is small and independent — 11-50 employees, no disclosed outside investment, no parent company, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Operations are bounded to Manhattan, with the legal entity registered as Cupcake Butter and the operating trade name Buttercup Bake Shop.
Buttercup Bake Shop firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Buttercup Bake Shop
- Legal name
- Cupcake Butter
- Website
- https://buttercupbakeshop.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Buttercup Bake Shop is a New York City bakery founded in 1999 that sells handcrafted cupcakes, cakes, cheesecakes, and desserts through four Manhattan retail locations, an e-commerce site, in-house delivery, and third-party platforms, serving individual consumers and corporate gift clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Buttercup Bake Shop industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Bakery
- NAICS
- Baked Goods Retailers (445291), Retail Bakeries (311811)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Food Stores (5400)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cupcake Shops (THAFAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes (THAFAFAC), Cookie & Brownie Shops (THAFAGAF), Dessert-First Bakeries (Cupcakes, Cookies, Brownies) (THAFAFAH)
Keywords
Where Buttercup Bake Shop is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Buttercup Bake Shop business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Retail baked goods sales: One-time purchases of cupcakes, cakes, cheesecakes, bars, cookies, puddings, pies, and macarons through retail locations and online ordering with pickup or delivery.
- Delivery fees: Standard delivery charge of $20 for Manhattan deliveries below 125th Street, in addition to product orders.
- Specialty beverages: Sale of specialty coffees, teas, espressos, and lattes alongside baked goods.
- Corporate gifts and catering: Custom branded cookies and corporate gift orders for businesses, including logo customization services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual cupcakes from $3.75 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cupcake dozens from $20.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Layer cakes from $34.00 to $175.00 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual mini cheesecakes $7.50 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Delivery minimum $36 with $20 charge |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gluten-free cupcakes $4.00-$48.00 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Buttercup Bake Shop product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Buttercup Bake Shop handcrafts and sells American-style cupcakes, layered celebration cakes, NY-style cheesecakes, bars, cookies, puddings, pies, and bundt/breakfast items across four Manhattan retail locations and an online store. The bakery also offers a corporate gifting service with logo-customized cookies and bulk orders, plus Manhattan delivery below 125th Street.
Product overview
Buttercup Bake Shop is a New York City-based bakery specializing in handcrafted cupcakes, celebration cakes, and assorted baked goods. The product portfolio centers on cupcakes (offered in standard, mini, and themed assortment boxes), layered celebration cakes (available in multiple sizes with customizable inscriptions), NY-style cheesecakes, bars and brownies, cookies including French macarons, puddings, and pies. The bakery also offers gluten-free options made with tapioca starch and rice flour. Additional services include corporate gift ordering with logo customization and Manhattan delivery for orders over $36.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cupcakes Handcrafted signature cupcakes sold individually, including Buttercup Golden, Classic Chocolate, Red Velvet, Lemon, Strawberry, and seasonal flavors with buttercream frostings. Sold via retail and online ordering.
- Cupcake Assortments Pre-curated multi-cupcake boxes including Assortment of 6-Classic, Assortment of 12-Classic, Assortment of 12-Premium, Assorted Mini Cupcakes (12-pack), and themed boxes for occasions such as Valentine's Day and baby showers.
- Layered Cakes Multi-layer celebration cakes in 7-inch, 9-inch, and half-sheet sizes with customizable inscriptions and decorations. Flavors include Classic Chocolate, Buttercup Golden, Red Velvet, Lemon, Carrot, Coconut, Mochaccino, Ube, German Chocolate, Hummingbird, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Apple Walnut, Color Blast, and Strawberry.
- NY Style Cheesecakes Individual single-serving mini cheesecakes in 12+ flavors, including Chocolate Swirl, Oreo, Raspberry Fruit, Strawberry, Caramel Pecan, Chocolate Almond, Coconut, Funfetti, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin Spice, Red Velvet, and Triple Chocolate.
- Bars and Brownies Assorted brownies and bar desserts including Campfire Bar, Lemon Square, Chocolate Chip, Fudge Brownie, Magic Cookie, Pecan Pie Bar, and Golden Butter Cake Bar, sold individually or in assorted platters.
- Cookies Baked cookies including White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Triple Chocolate Pudding, "Bestest" Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cinnamon, Chocolate Chunk, Raspberry Thumbprints, Valentine's Day Cookies, and French Buttercream Macarons.
- Puddings Traditional American puddings including Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers, Chocolate Pudding Trifle, and Oreo Pudding, offered in 32oz Tub, 64oz Tub, and 128oz Serving Bowl sizes.
- Pies Mini pies and pie-based desserts including apple pie varieties.
- Bundts and Breakfast Pastries Bundt cakes and breakfast pastries sold via the bakery's storefront and online ordering.
- Gluten-Free Cupcakes Gluten-free cupcake line made with tapioca starch and rice flour, available in Chocolate, Vanilla, and Red Velvet with vanilla or chocolate buttercream.
- Corporate Gifting Service Corporate gift ordering service for businesses featuring custom branded cookies with logo customization, plus bulk cupcake, pie, cake, and brownie orders for client gifting, employee appreciation, and corporate events.
- Manhattan Delivery Service In-house delivery covering Manhattan below 125th Street, with a $36 minimum order and $20 standard delivery charge, available Monday-Friday 9AM-7PM and Saturday-Sunday 10AM-7PM. Orders also fulfilled via UberEats and Seamless/Grubhub.
Companies that use Buttercup Bake Shop
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Buttercup Bake Shop technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Buttercup Bake Shop partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Buttercup Bake Shop competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Magnolia Bakery: Iconic NYC bakery specializing in cupcakes and American desserts with multiple Manhattan locations; founded by the same founder (Jennifer Appel) in 1996, making it the closest direct peer and historical antecedent to Buttercup Bake Shop.
- Carlo's Bake Shop: Celebrity Hoboken-based bakery (Cake Boss) known for custom celebration cakes, cupcakes, and Italian pastries with multiple retail locations and nationwide shipping; comparable in custom cake and brand-driven bakery model.
- Georgetown Cupcake: Cupcake-focused bakery with retail storefronts, e-commerce, and nationwide shipping built around TV-show brand visibility; directly comparable positioning as a celebrity-driven cupcake specialist.
- Billy's Bakery: Manhattan-based bakery offering cupcakes, layer cakes, pies, and classic American desserts from multiple storefronts; comparable neighborhood footprint and product mix to Buttercup Bake Shop.
- Crumbs Bake Shop: Specialty cupcake and dessert retailer historically known for oversized gourmet cupcakes with multiple U.S. retail locations; directly comparable in product category, gifting, and celebratory positioning.
- Lady M: Upscale New York confectionery known for signature cakes and desserts with multiple Manhattan locations and nationwide shipping; competes with Buttercup in premium celebration cakes and gift occasions.
- Baked by Melissa: New York-based bite-size cupcake specialist with strong direct-to-consumer e-commerce, nationwide shipping, and a multi-location retail presence; competes directly with Buttercup on cupcake assortments and gifting.
- Sprinkles Cupcakes: Pioneering cupcake chain offering premium cupcakes, layer cakes, and cookies through owned retail locations and online ordering; comparable product mix, gifting focus, and direct-to-consumer bakery model.
Regional players
- Sweet Lady Jane: Los Angeles-based premium bakery specializing in cakes, cupcakes, and tri-layer cakes; comparable product portfolio and gifting focus, but serves the West Coast rather than the NYC market.
Broad incumbents
- Nothing Bundt Cakes: Large U.S. franchise chain focused on bundt cakes and dessert catering with hundreds of locations; comparable in celebration cake and catering categories but at significantly broader scale and via franchise model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Buttercup Bake Shop social profiles
Digital presenceButtercup Bake Shop compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Buttercup Bake Shop financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Buttercup Bake Shop leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Buttercup Bake Shop funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Buttercup Bake Shop M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Buttercup Bake Shop
What does Buttercup Bake Shop do?
Buttercup Bake Shop handcrafts and sells American-style cupcakes, layered celebration cakes, NY-style cheesecakes, bars, cookies, puddings, pies, and bundt/breakfast items across four Manhattan retail locations and an online store. The bakery also offers a corporate gifting service with logo-customized cookies and bulk orders, plus Manhattan delivery below 125th Street.
Is Buttercup Bake Shop a public or private company?
Buttercup Bake Shop is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Buttercup Bake Shop founded?
Buttercup Bake Shop was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Buttercup Bake Shop based?
Buttercup Bake Shop is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Buttercup Bake Shop make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retail baked goods sales are the primary driver. The others are delivery fees, specialty beverages and corporate gifts and catering.
Who are Buttercup Bake Shop's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Magnolia Bakery, Carlo's Bake Shop, Georgetown Cupcake, Billy's Bakery, Crumbs Bake Shop, Lady M, Baked by Melissa and Sprinkles Cupcakes. Sweet Lady Jane is listed as a regional player. Nothing Bundt Cakes is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Buttercup Bake Shop have an API?
No public API is recorded for Buttercup Bake Shop.
What industry is Buttercup Bake Shop in?
Buttercup Bake Shop's product category is Specialty Bakery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAGAG, Cupcake Shops, with a secondary code of THAFAFAC, Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes. Its NAICS code is 445291 and its SIC code is 5810.