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MANCHESTER, NH – It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Angela and Jose Mojica. They are ready to celebrate the one-year anniversary of their West Side bakery, Dulces, with a few necessary adjustments.
For one thing, they have a bun in the oven.
“Yes,” says Angela Mojica, placing a hand on her baby bump as her two children, ages 5 and 3, busy themselves inside the family bakery as their parents prepare for what they hope is the morning rush.
Growing the custom cake and sweet shop business at 157 Amory St. will coincide with growing their family – their new edition is due in late August.
On January 30, they announced they were temporarily closing as they took some time to regroup, after the exciting and unexpected baby news, to figure out how to approach the new year. They notified their Facebook followers to stay tuned.
After three weeks, they reopened Feb. 20 with a shorter work week going forward, and more grab-and-go menu options.
They’re also planning ahead for Angela’s maternity leave.
“We’re looking for a part-time cake designer to hopefully move into full time – it won’t be long until Angela can’t do it all anymore,” says Jose. He left his full-time job with Jet Blue in January of 2015 to get the bakery ready and help his wife realize her dream of opening a sweet shop.
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“Yes, anyone with cake design skills should contact us right away,” says Angela.
In their first year they’ve learned the importance of marketing and connecting with the community, says Jose. Between staff changes and adjusting to customer demand, they are looking forward to growing their customer base and partnering with local restaurants and distributors.
“Just last month we had someone come by who said they didn’t know we were here,” he says. “So marketing is going to be my focus.”
Part of that will include a new angle to help promote and distribute what is by far their best seller – individual-sized tres leches cakes (three milk cakes) in a rainbow of flavors, including strawberry, mango, pineapple, coconut, piña colada, pumpkin, chocolate, cinnamon and more, by placing small refrigerated units in local restaurants and stores.
“We’re working on getting these into some downtown restaurants on Elm Street – they’re huge sellers and people just love them,” Jose says.
They are also adding more breakfast items – bringing back bagels and continuing to make breakfast sandwiches, while adding popular Spanish Kikuet “finger food” items including Tacos de Juey and Sorullos de Maiz, to the menu, which are impossible to find in New England, says Jose.
Angela Mojica produces a daily variety of cupcakes and sweet treats, from cookies to whoopie pies, which she announces via Dulces Facebook page. But her true passion is in creating elaborate custom cakes for all occasions.
“We had a lot to figure out when we got the news about the baby coming,” says Angela. “It’s going to be exciting and it’s going to be a challenge, but we’re up for it.”
Dulces Bakery, 157 Amory St., Manchester, NH. Call for custom cakes or large orders, 603-836-1933. Updated hours: Thursday-Saturday, 6 a.m to 6 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @DulcesBakeryNH and Instagram, dulce_bakery
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