Maple Grove Cupcake Shop Owner Pens Romance Novel
In today’s health-conscious world, people still manage to make room for the tasty treats offered at Nadia Cakes in Maple Grove.
With a talented group of pastry chefs, it’s no surprise that the shop Abby Jimenez founded does so well.
“Well I think it’s pretty fun to work for someone who’s that funny,” said Kelly Reinhardt, a Nadia Cakes pastry chef. “People will come in and mention how they follow her on social media and how they find her hilarious, which she really is.”
On a recent Tuesday, Reinhardt was hard at work frosting a new batch of cupcakes.
These particular cupcakes — along with the elaborately designed chocolate version of Jimenez’s dog, Stuntman Mike — directly tie into her next big endeavor.
Releasing “The Friend Zone”
“Welcome to the launch of ‘’The Friend Zone’ by Abby Jimenez,” announced a woman at a big event in downtown Minneapolis.
Jimenez is now a published author, and Tuesday night at Open Book more than 200 people came out to celebrate the launch of her romance novel, “The Friend Zone.”
“I honestly am so humbled by it and so overwhelmed by it,” Jimenez said. “I can’t really believe it’s happening.”
We first met Abby Jimenez in 2012 shortly after she and her husband relocated from California to open Nadia Cakes in Maple Grove. In the years since, the business thrived by staying trendy.
“For example, geode cakes were super hot last year,” Jimenez said. “Our staff is empowered and encouraged to make things that are consistent with trends, so I think for that reason we tend to stay very current.”
Geode Post Goes Viral
The aforementioned geode cake became quite the online sensation.
“We made this really beautiful geode cake, and the world was like, ‘that looks like a vagina,’” Jimenez said. “You know, and I don’t get offended by that. I just kind of let it roll off me and laugh about it.”
Her playful banter with people on social media helped the geode cake post go viral. She applied that same snarky writing style to her romance novel.
“I knew that my mom was gonna be a writer. ‘Cause she is a writer,” said Nadia Jimenez, Abby’s 13-year-old daughter. “And she kept writing and writing and I’m really proud of her cause not everybody can do that.”
It’s especially remarkable considering that Jimenez is a mother of three, a pastry chef, and an entrepreneur.
“It’s starting to hit. I actually feel more like an author than I feel like a pastry chef at this point,” Jimenez said. “Because the book has been such a large part of what I’ve been doing the past few years.”
She’s an author who now has a growing legion of fans.
Not bad for someone who hasn’t even hit age 40.
Jimenez’s book, “The Friend Zone” is available at book stores everywhere. The sequel comes out in April of 2020.
Jimenez will participate in an “author talk” and book signing at the Maple Grove Public Library on Monday, Aug. 12 from 7-9 p.m.
