Minneapolis' Dulceria Bakery creates perfect recipe for success
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - When Dulce Monterrubio swapped her living room for prep tables and kitchen mixers, she hoped the sacrifice would brown into the perfect recipe for an authentic Mexican bakery in the heart of Minneapolis that makes everyone feel at home.
“When I moved here, to Minnesota, almost 20 years ago I really couldn’t find pastries that really brought back the memories from my childhood in Mexico,” Dulce said.
After serving as a college advisor for 13 years at her alma mater, Augsburg College, Dulce’s taste for a new way to make dough and build community took over.
“I started playing with ideas as to what are the things that people like myself or like my children who are Mexican American don’t have to compromise on, either being American or Mexican, so I started making conchas,” she said.
Conchas are traditional Mexican breakfast rolls. Dulce considers them cousins to the American cinnamon roll.
“I started shaping them as a cupcake and filling them with different Mexican and American fillings like cajeta (Mexican caramel), Nutella, pastry cream, so you can have an American cupcake and a Mexican concha in one,” Dulce explained.
Dulce’s bakery has always been focused on creating sweet treats that blend Mexican and Minnesotan cultures together. Her pastries are also each a handmade labor and lesson of amor.
“We’re preparing to feature our pastries and introduce to people concepts and flavors that are truly authentic Mexican, but without maracas, sombreros, without using images that seem to perpetuate the stereotype,” she said.
In less than two years, Dulce’s wide array of Mexican pastries, cakes, and pies became a hit at farmers’ markets–each and every treat fresh from Dulce’s home-based business, Dulceria Bakery.
“Suddenly our followers have been so supportive that we got to the point where making things out of a home oven is not feasible anymore and we found a space right here in the neighborhood, 10 blocks from my home,” she nodded.
Dulceria Bakery will celebrate a sweet milestone as it moves to Cedar and 42nd Street—Dulce’s first storefront.
“I am elated, really emocionada, I can’t believe it,” she said. “This is truly a dream come true. To be able to give back to our community, to own my business, it’s the first time I will own a business, and in my family I’m one of the first ones to have her own business, it’s very exciting.”
Dulceria Bakery will even offer vegan and gluten free options daily, Mexican coffee, horchata and more. It will be primarily family operated, but Dulce said they’ll be hiring staff from the community as well.
“This seemed just a natural way to share my culture in a way that’s authentic, genuine and loving, just to say I’m proud to be Mexican and this is what I want you to know about us: we’re hard working, we make delicious foods, we’re part of the community and we want to uplift it,” Dulce smiled.
To learn more about Dulceria Bakery click here.