contents 06 08 39 42 44 58 FEATURES 12 REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT In Nashville, the city's bakeries are making their mark with the tangy flavor of a beautifully made sourdough, or the fusion of tradition and innovation in a sweet and dense cupcake. DEPARTMENTS 06 Management 07 Technical Corner 08 Practical Marketing 10 Equipment Innovations 38 Chocolate & Decorating 39 Sweet Goods 04 < JAN-FEB 2025 | bakemag.com 40 Cakes 42 Breads 44 Pastries 52 Beverages 59 Formula of the Month 24 EFFICIENCY MATTERS Not connecting with shoppers in some individual fashion during their visits to your bakery is like skipping the closing argument of a jury trial. You won't win loyalty. 32 AUDIENCE BUILDING The Bread Bakers Guild of America launches the Bakery Leadership Circle, which provides bakery owners and operators with the tools to improve their leadership skills. COVER EFFICIENT MIXERS / CROISSANTS / FLAVORED COFFEE The Cupcake Collection made its name on classic flavors, and the star of the show is its mainstay, the sweet potato cupcake. Mignon Francois likes to give customers something familiar, but with a twist. Her story and others from Nashville are reshaping the landscape. Photo courtesy of Kept Frozen. the voice of bakery and pastry All eyes on Nashville BAKERY LEADERSHIP CIRCLE BBGA program offers key tools EFFICIENCY MATTERS How to win shopper loyalty SPRING TO ACTION Cake designs for 2025 Cakenomics TEXT smaller text 49 CAKENOMICS As cold weather yields to warm, and the flowers begin to bloom, the first signs of spring usher in brand new opportunities for retail cake and pastry shops, JAN/FEB 2025 bakemag.comhttp://www.bakemag.com http://www.bakemag.com