Scratch Cupcakery Grows Again With West Des Moines Location, Gluten-Free Options

Less than three years after first opening its doors in a tiny location just off Cedar Falls Main Street, Scratch Cupcakery has grown yet again.

The bakery recently opened a West Des Moines location, less than a year after its Waterloo store took off.

By all accounts, the expansion has been a success.

West Des Moines customer Judy Knoblock offered this praise on Facebook:

Wow! Looks like your West Des Moines location is doing AWESOME business! We stopped by last night to pick up a dozen cupcakes to take to a gathering at a friends house last (HUGE hit by the way!) and there was a line of about 30 or more people waiting to purchase. The wait was only about 15 to 20 minutes though and the staff were sooo nice! Great job guys! We will be definitely be back!

On Feb. 23, they even sold out. The store posted on its Facebook page:

Well! West Des Moines is SOLD OUT!! We tried to keep up all day but you all amaze us! Thanks for an awesome weekend at all our locations!

Having the cupcakes sell out is a phenomena Cedar Falls and Waterloo cupcake lovers were already familiar with. Though store manager Natalie Brown says she tries to anticipate demand, sometimes so many people crave cupcakes they literally can't keep up. The store posted about the challenge:

We honestly feel horrible when a store sells out! Managers call me so sad that it's too late to fix it and we didn't realize how many people would come through. Lots of growing pains!! We opened the store in West Des Moines about 5 weeks ago and have stores in Cedar Falls and Waterloo as well. Going from 1 store to 2 stores was crazy but adding West Des Moines we just are overwhelmed at the positive feedback we get!! It's amazing! We're so thankful...just need to work harder at guessing how much traffic each store will have on Saturdays! Also, we love to hear feedback...good or bad! If we stop learning, we'll stop growing!!

The West Des Moines location, at 7450 Bridgewood Blvd., openend Jan. 18. It is open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and can be reached at (515) 954-3662.

A third location isn't the only way the store is growing. The bakery recently began experimenting with offering gluten-free cupcakes, baked by Lisa's Baked2Order of Waterloo.

The cupcakes are baked in Lisa's gluten-free kitchen and individually wrapped to avoid contamination once they enter the Scratch shop.

For now, the gluten-free cupcakes are offered on Fridays and Saturdays in the Cedar Falls and Waterloo stores.

Here are what a few customers on Facebook had to say about the new option:

Mand Martin: Just went to the Waterloo location to get the gluten free ones. For the first time in years my husband got to go into a bakery and order himself something. Bought 6 and two of them are already gone. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!

Travis Hoy: "Please consider keeping the gluten free cupcakes permanently, it is a nice (and appreciated)! treat for us with celiac disease."

Elisabeth Bueghly: "We really appreciate this!! Good cupcakes are something that a lot of celiacs miss!! I hope that this is a success!!"