Jan NorrisIt took Jupiter baker Nina’s Tomasik three years to engineer South Florida’s first cupcake machine.
Ever have a craving for a fresh cupcake after dark, when bakeries have closed for the day? Or need a gluten-free birthday cupcake at the last minute — as in on the way to the party?
Nina’s Fresh Bakery to the rescue.
A 24/7 cupcake vending machine outside the bakery at 121 Center St. in Jupiter has become the savior for those sugar emergencies. It’s the only one in South Florida.
“We put it in in March,” owner Nina Tomasik said. “We didn’t know it was going to be so popular. It’s like a side gig.”
The refrigerated machine has 37 slots for boxes that can hold single, double and four full-sized cupcakes, as well as minis. There are four of each flavor, about 20 varieties, stocked at one time, she said. Popular flavors include coconut, lemon, cookies and cream and red velvet.
Specialty cupcakes, such as vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free, also are on the menu that appears on the touchpad screen. Buyers choose by numbered photo, insert their credit card and 42 seconds later, a bakery-labeled box securely holding the cupcake appears in the delivery slot.
Prices range from $5 to $20 depending on flavor and size.
“When we started, we stocked it once a day. Now people have found out about it and we have to restock it at least twice, sometimes three times a day,” Tomasik said. “I’ve been here late at night to restock. People think I’m crazy, but we want to serve fresh cupcakes.”
When the bakery is open (9 am to 3 pm, Tuesday-Saturday), buyers can go inside and choose the same cupcakes from the display case or order from the menu and get a custom boxful to take out. The varieties change often and depend on demand.
Three years to build
The machine idea came about during COVID, Tomasik said. “People couldn’t come inside.”
Other customers voiced disappointment at the bakery’s closing time, 3 pm, especially on Fridays and Saturdays.
“I try to explain we’re working, even if the bakery is closed. That’s when we cater parties, and deliver cakes and set up the specialty cakes,” she said. “We’re a small, family-owned business, and can’t stay open all hours. I wanted to find a way for people to get quality, fresh cupcakes even when we were closed.”
So Tomasik began work on a design for the machine, as well as a location that would allow access for customers and restocking by workers.
“It took over three years to create the machine. There are a lot of moving parts. It has a laser inside to see the box size, and there’s weight and balance, the size of the boxes. It became more of an engineering project.”
Finally, the location issue had to be settled. Putting it on the east wall of the shop would require rebuilding. A wall inside the shop would require a security door.
She finally settled on the west side of the shop where a window existed. Taking out the window and putting in security shutters behind it was the most efficient. A shade banner was installed from the eaves to prevent the sun from taxing the refrigeration system.
“We’re replacing that soon with a fake ‘green wall,’ and we’ll have seats outside, so kids can sit and eat their cupcakes,” she said.
‘The cupcake robot’
Through word of mouth, the machine has become a hit. A security camera shows who’s buying and the owners can watch the happy faces of the recipients.
“We hear all the stories from our customers. We’ve had great feedback,” Tomasik said.
On Father’s Day, the daughter of a man who had health issues told her how nice it was to treat her dad to a cupcake. He wasn’t able to get out but they enjoyed the treat from her car.
Another dad told her the mesmerizing machine created a mystery.
“His son kept telling him he wanted to get a cupcake from ‘the robot.’ The dad had no idea what he was talking about. The boy just kept saying ‘the cupcake robot.’ Then they happened to drive by the bakery, and the boy got excited and pointed at the bakery.”
Mystery solved.
Tomasik is changing out flavors for fall this week. Apple pie, maple bacon, and, of course, pumpkin spice are among the new offerings.
Seeing the success of this machine, she’s thinking of putting more in the area.
“They have them at Disney Springs, and the Cake Boss has one at a turnpike rest stop in Orlando,” she said. “I’m looking at a few places around here.”
If you go: Only credit cards or phone app payments are accepted. And, warning: Bring your own milk and napkins.
The spelling of Nina Tomasik’s last name was corrected after publication of this story.
More from Jan Norris: Lessing’s Hospitality chosen for North Palm Beach Country Club.
Jan’s a journalist covering the South Florida dining scene for 30-plus years. (She knows where the bones and onion peels are buried.) She’s a Florida native, remembers the state pre-Disney, and travels frequently to visit family and friends from the Keys to the Panhandle.
