If there is one thing Washington, D.C. doesn’t need, it’s another cupcake shop. You can currently walk down M Street in Georgetown and find approximately six different versions of a red velvet cupcake. Depending on whether you want to stand in line at Georgetown Cupcake, cozy up with the students at Baked & Wired or pretend you are on the west coast at Sprinkles, each shop makes it clear that cupcakes are here for a while.
But, what happens when you take the resilient cupcake and remove all that delicious butter and dairy? At Sticky Fingers Bakery in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, owner and baker Doron Petersan is crafting vegan cupcakes and other delicious treats that not only stand up to other cupcake contenders but blow many of them out of the water.
Sticky Fingers is a bakery straight out of the 60s, the faux 60s at least, with its vintage furniture, retro style and old-fashioned baked goods including sticky buns, cakes, brownies and doughnuts. You can also find delicious savory vegan dishes like mac and cheese, veggie burgers and pancakes.
Sticky Fingers’ simple, yet elegant decor. Photo by Lauren Staehle/The Eagle
Healthy eating is something she knows a lot about, given her Food and Nutrition degree from the University of Maryland. The former Terrapin's decision to take health one step further and cut out all animal products didn’t start by jumping on a bandwagon. Petersan’s interest peaked after her first surgery as an animal technician.
“The incision into the abdomen exposed the muscles of the dog and looked just like the chicken I cooked for dinner the night before,” Petersan said in an email. “I realized then that I couldn't eat the animals.”
Petersan said she developed her signature recipes for heavenly vegan sweets because she had no other choice.
“I found the secret to vegan baking; it's about the science behind the ingredients,” Petersan said.
There’s one thing Petersan wants to set straight though: vegan treats can be absolutely as scrumptious as their butter-laden counterparts. Even for those who are not familiar with vegan ingredients, and shudder at the thought of tofu and chocolate in the same sentence, you really won’t be able to detect any difference from the sweets you already enjoy.
“Our treats don't taste like health food,” Petersan said. “Our mission is to show you that it's tasty to make plant-based foods the center of your diet. And yes, an egg and dairy free cookie or cupcake is way more convincing than a tofu-seitan tahini-sprouted wrap. People come back for the food, period.”
The Review
I will certainly be one of those repeat customers, after being pleasantly surprised by the treats I tasted.The banana chocolate chip muffin, cookies ‘n’ cake cupcake, chocolate espresso doughnut and fudge brownie were my indulgent choices. The cupcake was rich, chocolate-y and moist, and lacked that off-putting, bitter taste that vegan sweets can sometimes have. Even the frosting was delightfully creamy and not too sweet, mystifying me as to how it could be made without butter or cream.
Though the cupcake was definitely the star of my plate, the muffin was addictive with its crunchy outside and fluffy inside, and the doughnut was on par with the yeast doughnuts you can find at coffee shops. The brownie was a bit chewy for my taste, but still super delicious and chock full of chocolate chunks.
“We are working on our production kitchen and diner-style restaurant 'Fare Well' to open this summer. After that the plan is to post a few Sticky Outlets around the metro-area and expand our reach. Then, the pie is the limit.”
Petersan is a testament to what hard work and commitment can produce, and she offers some wise advice for future entrepreneurs.
“Take business classes,” Petersan said. “Know the ropes. Learn the financial side of the industry you are looking to get into. We are here but for the grace of all those who stepped in to save us in our time of desperation. Admit when you don't know something, be willing to make changes, but stay true to your mission.”
Address: 1370 Park Road NW
Metro Stop: Columbia Heights on the Green line
