Meeting Miss Holly and a Sweet! By Holly

A few months ago Megan and I had the privilege of sitting down with Hollis Wilder, owner and creator of Sweet! By Holly. If you haven’t visited this cupcake and frozen yogurt shop yet, you are certainly missing out.

As the first two-time winner of Cupcake Wars on the Food Network, Sweet! By Holly’s cupcakes are nothing shy of a pure, sugary sweet heaven. If you plan on trying a few of her mini’s, you may as well buy a dozen, because one or two is never, never enough.

Boston Cream, Chocolate Puddin’, Creamsicle, PBJ, Snowball, and Toasted Coconut are just a few of the amazing flavors found in the Town Center’s shop daily. Of course, don’t forget about the specialty flavors offered seasonally, like the current offering of Dipped Strawberry and Lemon Raspberry for Valentine’s Day.

Sweet! By Holly

The Interview

Megan and I had a long chat with Miss Holly. It was my first time ever meeting her and my first impression was that this woman does not just bake cupcakes. Well, she doesn’t.

Her background as a chef from Los Angeles, cooking for TV hits like Will & Grace and Seinfeld, and a culinary artist on the savory side, is what gave her the edge in Cupcakes Wars when she created the first salmon cupcake on the show. It is also one of the inspirations of her new book Savory Bites: Meals You Can Make In Your Cupcake Pan. With portion control in mind, Hollis offers tips on cooking with your kids, as well as some great recipes for your cupcake pan, including Apple-Sausage Breakfast Cakes and Fig and Blue Cheese Tarts.

Hollis Wilder

What I love about Hollis:

  • Her style. Miss Holly is smokin’! She may have even been wearing a hot, black little number that day (who says you have to dress casual to work in a cupcake shop?) Did I ask her how in the world she stays in great shape surrounded by cupcakes? Of course! ALL IN MODERATION PEOPLE! Plus her delicious creations are transfat free! Egg whites and smart balance and made from scratch.
  • She’s a cool MOM. Yes, she is a mom on top of her crazy schedule, managing two locations, and writing, now promoting, her new book. I loved that she admitted struggling with balancing family and work in the beginning. Her solution? Empowering her staff so she could have more time with family. A testament of a great boss, in my opinion.
  • Her motto. “What’s the cupcake in your life?” Um, banana cream? OH, she means philosophically speaking! “What gets you up in the morning??”

Sweet! By Holly Jacksonville

What I love about Sweet! By Holly:

  • Mini Mania Mondays! Mini cupcakes for $1 each! Oh happy day.
  • Community focus. Like Sweet By Holly on Facebook and you’ll see how involved they are in charities and our city. One of my last visits to the shop they were fundraising for Girls on the Run!
  • Her “thoughtfully created” cupcakes. Well obviously these are no ordinary cupcakes. The flavors alone are unique and well-developed. But the artistry is also just amazing. Hats off to her team of amazing chefs!

The Giveaway!

One lucky reader will win a cupcake decorating party for 6 guests at Sweet! By Holly (Value $75)
Enjoy an hour of cupcake decorating at Sweet! By Holly’s St. John’s Town Center location, complete with cupcakes, buttercreams, chef hats, decoration, along with a frozen yogurt treat to finish your event.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vicky Lane
Vicky Lane is the co-owner and co-founder of Jacksonville Mom (formerly Jax Moms Blog). Since 2012, she has been overseeing the content and technical side of Jacksonville Mom. In this role, she manages over 30 writers and works closely with the managing editor to provide the most relevant content for the Jacksonville parenting community. In her previous career, Vicky obtained her Masters in Education and served as University Registrar at the University of North Florida. Wife to adoring husband John, her love for all things “Mom” began in 2010 when their son Brendan was born. Vicky chose to put her full-time career in higher education on hold to spend time with her new baby, giving her a new respect for motherhood and parenting. In June 2012, John and Vicky welcomed sweet Audrey to the family. Vicky has created an amazing circle of Moms who are continuously seeking new ways to enrich their children’s lives in and around Jacksonville. Being part of the creation of an online parenting resource and small business that serves the great Jacksonville area has allowed her to flourish in a successful career while remaining present for her family.

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