Nantwich’s Cheshire Cupcakes is an institution loved by the locals. Its founder Rosanagh, who lives in the town with partner Hayden and three-month-old son, Leo, started baking for fun at home making custom orders. Today, she runs the Nantwich shop, her own commercial kitchen just outside the town and has opened another perfectly pink shop in Altrincham sharing her brilliant bakes, brownies and cakes topped or flavoured with the best bits from popular biscuits, cakes and desserts with the community. Here, Rosanagh, whose love of cakes first started making desserts in her local pub aged 14, shares her food loves.
First cake you learned to cook?
A Christmas cake in Food Technology at school. With having a big family my Mum wanted a big cake. Little did we realise how long it would take to bake. It took all day and at the end of the school day it still wasn’t fully baked. My teacher, Mrs Hubbard, was so kind she waited an extra hour and a half to take my cake out of the oven so I could go home on time. We still joke about it at Christmas. Now, we only make a 6-inch Christmas cake.
Most vivid childhood food memory?
When I was little, I baked a lot with my Mum and sisters. We used to take each step of the recipe in turns and it always ended with us arguing who’s turn it was to lick the spoons and bowl.
Who are some of the women who have inspired or inspire you?
My mum is my biggest inspiration. She is one of the most selfless and strong women I know, and I really can’t thank her enough for all she has done to support me. I’m so lucky to employ an all-female team of inspiring women who help Cheshire Cupcakes be what it is today.
Most memorable meal out?
The Pheasant Inn, in Tattenhall, the view is stunning. This is where me and my boyfriend, Hayden, were sat on a gorgeous summer night and spontaneously booked one-way flights to Bali to go travelling. If it wasn’t for doing this, I’m not sure I’d ever have taken the leap to open the first shop, the whole experience freed my mind.
Favourite ingredient?
Chocolate - good quality chocolate is the basis of everything we bake.
Your go-to snack?
Brownie and blondie offcuts. We trim the cakey ends off each tray to ensure each slice tastes like that gooey middle piece everyone loves. They’re too hard to resist. This year, we plan on using the offcuts to create a new bake which will help to reduce waste in the bakery.
If you weren't running Cheshire Cupcakes, what would you be doing?
Something creative where I can be on my feet, I can’t stay still for long! I love make-up so I like to think I would have taken the plunge and become a make-up artist.
Your dream dinner guest?
Mary Berry. I have so many questions and dream of collaborating one day.
What's your guilty food pleasure?
I love afternoon tea; you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy it! We have plans to launch our own in our new shop in Altrincham over the next few months.
Who are your Cheshire food and drink heroes?
It’s a fundamental part of the Cheshire Cupcakes brand to utilise Cheshire based businesses and we’ve been proud to work Freshfield Farm Eggs, Mrs Darlington’s jams, Mornflake Oats, Clotton Hall Farm Dairy, Nelstrops Family Flour Millers and Cheshire Farm Ice Cream over the years. Most recently, we’ve started working with Lost Barn Coffee, Peckforton Farm Dairy and Harry’s Hot Chocolate to make our hot drinks in our new Altrincham shop.
A place you love to eat?
Churche’s Mansion in Nantwich has a special place in my heart. I’ve celebrated lots of special occasions with my family here and most recently my baby shower, as well as our first meal out together as a family of three after having Leo. I’ve never had fish and chips like it.
A career highlight?
Opportunities that have allowed me to step out of my comfort zone have been some of my proudest moments. A special highlight was giving back to our community during Covid-19 and fundraising more than £2,000 for Mid-Cheshire MIND charity with our charity bake sale event. I’m so grateful my small business has opened doors and provided opportunities for me I never even dreamed of!
What's next?
There’s lots of plans in the works. I’m focusing on consolidating what everyone knows and loves in the Nantwich shop in Altrincham, as well as developing a cold drinks range for summer and launching a sit-in sweet menu very soon. I started working with Nantwich business, The Little Paper Shop, to build a brand-new website for postal, delivery and collections. For me, I hope to gain a better work/life balance so I can spend more time with my 3-month-old baby and partner, Hayden.
Rosanagh’s favourite bake
Cherry Bakewell blondies have been my favourite for years. I love a white chocolate blondie, they’re a lot lighter in taste and not as rich as a chocolate brownie. I love the almond infused flavour in our signature blondie batter, we then swirl Mrs Darlington’s’ Morello Cherry Compote, produced just up the road from us, through the batter and add a generous slice of Cherry Bakewell and dozens of glace cherries. It’s such a nostalgic flavour. Whenever I bake them, it always reminds me of going round to my grandparents’ house for an after-school Cherry Bakewell treat!
