OKLA. CITY — Not long ago, the term “cupcakeries” might be met with a vacant stare.

Today that is no longer the case as cupcakeries, or cupcake shops, can be found in almost every metropolitan city, and Cuppies & Joe in Oklahoma City has added its name to the list.

The Diefenderfer family, Bob Peggy, 28-year-old twins Elizabeth and Megan and younger sister Katie decided to open a cupcake and drink shop two years ago. Bob is the athletic director for the Deer Creek School District.

Although Peggy and Elizabeth work full-time at the bakery with Katie’s help, Megan has returned to teaching art at Putnam City North High School.

“In 2005 the twins took Katie to Chicago, and they visited a lot of cupcakeries there,” Peggy said. “On their return we did a lot of researching and it just made sense to open one.”

Peggy, known for her pie-making skills, worked for 25 years in the oil business and said she loved what she did, but the family dream had always been to open a restaurant.

“I always loved baking, and I had dreamed of opening a dessert place one day,” Peggy said, “although I had never really thought about specializing in cupcakes.”

When the family started dreaming they put “find an old house” at the top of their list so anyone that came in would feel at home, Peggy said.

Cuppies & Joe found its home in a converted arts and crafts style bungalow built in 1915 on 23rd Street in Uptown Oklahoma City. It is one of four homes being converted to commercial use in the 23rd Street Courts.

Painting the house was a family project for the Diefenderfers.

“We are do-it-yourselfers, which equates to being cheap,” Peggy said.

The brightly painted walls are a perfect backdrop to the eclectic furnishings which include garage sale and antique mall finds.

“We tried to keep as many of the original fixtures as we could,” Peggy said.

Instead of one large dining space, the coziness of the shop is in part due to having several rooms where visitors can take their cupcakes and choice of beverages. “The Book Nook” is one of the coziest places to curl up with a book or magazine, and the front area is complete with a fireplace.

Known for their coffee, espressos and lattes, their gourmet coffee is roasted by local roasters. Frozen hot chocolate and other beverages rank high with teens, college students and adults alike.  

Cuppies & Joe is a good meeting place to get together with friends, read a book, play a board game or use the free WiFi. Street parking is limited, but a large parking area can be found in the back.

The cupcakes are the big draw for those who like their sugar fix in the form of cake. From the original names (many taken from movies) to the ingredients (many from family recipes), cupcakes can be found to hit the taste buds of the most discriminating tester.

All of the desserts including the variety of cupcakes, pies and cookies at Cuppies & Joe are made on site and from scratch daily using Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla, sweet cream butter and Ghirardelli chocolate.

Flavors of cupcakes will vary day to day, but there will be no guesswork if one follows the Twitter feed found on the Web site.

From the best-seller at the moment, Boom Boom Pow, a vanilla cupcake with a ring of chocolate buttercream frosting surrounding a smooth caramel center accented with grains of fleur de sel (French sea salt), to the Donnie Darko, a chocolate Italian Creme cuppie boasting pecans and coconut in both the cake and the cream cheese icing, the creative cupcake names and flavors are sure to please.

If cupcakes and coffee aren’t enough, live music is available on most weekend evenings, and a back room can be reserved for meetings and parties.

The family supports community fundraisers, and in the past has made donations to Swine Week at Memorial High School and worked with the Children’s Miracle Network last May.

Daughter Katie will be getting married Labor Day weekend to Matt Floyd, and their reception will feature what else but Pink Champagne cupcakes. Some of her mom’s assorted pies including French Chocolate, Apple Praline and Blackberry Creme are also on the list.

“We love to accommodate large orders of cupcakes,” Peggy said. “Because we bake from scratch in smaller batches, we ask that you order a dozen or more cupcakes or a whole pie at least a day in advance.”

Cuppies are $2 each, slices of pie are $4 and whole pies range in price from $16 to $25. For a complete list of items available including brownies and cookies, to view the offerings for the day, or to check the times the store will be open, go to www.cuppiesandjoe.com and click on Twitter.

The hours are subject to change but Cuppies & Joe at 727 N.W. 23rd St. is open from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. To place orders e-mail info@cuppiesandjoe.com or call 528-2122.



pmiller@edmondsun.com |341-2121, ext. 171