Former Mudpie pair dip into cupcakes

Sonya Reagor started baking at 12. Her mother didn't bake, so she often was short on the ingredients needed for the recipes she made.

This week, as she opened her downtown cupcake bakery she recalls those times fondly.

"I've been baking all my life," she said. "If I can make someone happy with something I've made, then I'm happy."

She and her husband, Howard, have opened Chattanooga Cupcakes at a time when cupcakes seem to be everywhere. Her bakery in the former Sticky Fingers Catering space on Broad Street is one of three that have opened in the area within the past couple months. Mr. Reagor said he's not too worried about competition, and believes the cupcake business has staying power.

"I think it's been going strong for about five years now," he said.

The Reagors owned the Mudpie Restaurant in North Chattanooga for several years and sold it. The couple declined to say how much they invested in the store. During the years they owned the Mudpie, Mr. Reagor handled the business while Mrs. Reagor made the desserts. She loved making cakes and pies for the store, but she wanted to do more.

"I've always wanted to have my own bake shop, my own little place where we could sell my recipes," she said.

Friends encouraged her dream, and even drove her around to cities with popular cupcake spots. So this time around, Mrs. Reagor will be running the show.

Since deciding to jump in, she has been diligently testing cupcake recipes for months, letting her husband and 7-year-old daughter Alexia give feedback.

"We did taste quite a lot of (cupcakes)," Mr. Reagor said.

Mrs. Reagor will be making all of her cupcakes from scratch, including chopping strawberries and carrots herself. She will charge $2.75 for a single cupcake and $2.50 each when bought by the dozen.

taste test

Sample cupcake flavors at Chattanooga Cupcakes:

* Domino Effect -- Chocolate cake with white chocolate truffle frosting

* Key West -- White cake with key lime filling and key lime buttercream frosting topped with key lime filling

* White chocolate macadamia nut

* Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting