FOOD PROFILE A New Place to 'Eat More Cake'

Amy Christiansen-Schoefmann knows her customer — someone who will eagerly travel to a place where they can enjoy the tastes of their childhood. &emsp;"(My products) are not only visually appealing — the flavor can bring you back," says Christiansen-Schoefmann, owner of Eat More Cake in downtown Keene. "It's a destination." &emsp;The bakery, which Christiansen-Schoeffmann started in her home in 2016, opened in its new location in late March (on Easter weekend) at 35 Main St. The space had most recently housed Soul Emporium, which moved (along with twin store Shadow Emporium) to 20 Main St. last fall. &emsp;Having her own space in the heart of downtown Keene is the culmination of years of hard work. She began baking confections for friends and colleagues before renting space at Life is Sweet on Keene's Central Square in 2019 and selling her products from the shop. &emsp;"I wanted to see the draw of a brick-and-mortar store and what customers would want," she says. "I found out they wanted the ability to grab and go instead of ordering a dozen or more." &emsp;After a short stint renting space in the building that housed The Piazza's downtown location next to Athens Pizza, she rented space at its current location in West Keene. The shop wanted to expand, prompting Eat More Cake to move to its new location in the heart of downtown. &emsp;"I'm looking forward to the foot traffic of Main Street," she said. &emsp;Christiansen-Schoefmann installed tile flooring, a commercial kitchen, custom cabinets and glass shelves and redid the ceilings in the space. She also crafted a lush, eye-catching wall of fabric flowers with a neon bakery sign at the entrance. &emsp;Next, she'll add a couch, a table, and chairs fit for a cafe, and she would like to add some outdoor seating along with extended in-season hours. &emsp;"It has curb appeal," she notes of the bakery. &emsp;The boutique bakery sells sweets created from scratch, meaning all items are made in-house with as many local ingredients as possible. &emsp;Products include cupcakes, cookies, brownies, French macarons, and boutique party supplies. &emsp;"I make my macarons fresh every day, and all the fillings (for my products) are made in-house," says Christiansen-Schoefmann. &emsp;The bakery also has a commercial kitchen and will offer baking classes with an emphasis on young students. &emsp;"I enjoy teaching kids; we've lost the art of home cooking," says Christiansen-Schoefmann, a Keene resident with four children (some of whom she says will work at the bakery). She also enjoys helping home bakers grow their businesses. &emsp;One business she's offering visibility is Frisky Cow Gelato, which has a scoop shop inside the bakery — it's the business's second location (the original space on Krif Road also contains a scoop shop and its production facility). The difference in the location at Eat More Cake is it will serve gelato year-round. &emsp;Christiansen-Schoeffmann purchased an espresso machine to serve affogato, a gelato dessert topped with a hot beverage shot. &emsp;She enjoys being creative by playing with different flavors—among her macaron varieties are lavender Earl Grey and fruity pebbles, for instance—and some of her cupcakes are Girl Scout cookie-inspired (and topped with real Girl Scout cookies). &emsp;Other products she offers that stretch her creative boundaries include themed cake pops (such as the ones she sells during Wizarding Week in Keene) and hand-made and painted chocolates air-brushed with cocoa butter. &emsp;"I want to be unique," she says. "My customer base is somebody who wants quality." BOXEat More Cake35 Main StreetKeene, NH 03431603-762-4285Eatmorecake.org