Brazilian Native Luciane Teles Bakes Up Success With Her Business Cupcakes by Lu
By KYLIE HAMMACK
Contributing Writer
For many, baking is a hobby or fun activity but for local business owner Luciane Teles it is a lifelong passion. Teles was born and raised in a coastal town in Brazil and fell in love with baking at a young age while helping in the kitchen. This childhood dream grew when Teles moved to Tulsa in 2009 so that a family member could study at Oral Roberts University. After seeing the wide variety of flavors and designs in American bakeries, Teles was inspired to begin experimenting with recipes of her own. However, out of all the unfamiliar American baked goods that Teles saw, one stood out the most: the cupcake.
Although very popular in Brazil now, cupcakes were not a widely known Brazilian dessert when Teles immigrated to Green Country. The Brazilian native took a liking to cupcakes because their single-serving approach allowed for a variety of flavors to be served at one event. Always trying to bring flavor to the forefront, Teles got to work adapting American recipes and aimed to create a frosting that was much less sweet than traditional American buttercream. Teles’s frosting recipe along with others became instant successes within the Oral Roberts community and soon her online business Cupcakes by Lu was born.
Cupcakes by Lu was a hit and Teles was flooded with positive reviews and suggestions to open a physical bakery. Teles operated a brick-and-mortar location for a short time but unfortunately was not able to keep it open permanently. However, she has always dreamed of owning a bakery and hopes to find a permanent home for her business in the future. Until then, Teles sells all her products online through her website cupcakesbylu.com.
Teles may be known for her cupcakes, but by the popular demand of her customers, she now offers cupcakes, cakes, sugar cookies, cake pops, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and a variety of Brazilian treats such as brigadeiro. Her most popular cupcake flavor fuses a Latin classic with an American sensation and includes a vanilla cupcake filled with dulce de leche, topped with vanilla frosting, drizzled with caramel, and sprinkled with salt. Teles is committed to working with clients to bring their vision to life and loves innovating with many different themes, shapes, and designs.
Ultimately, Teles says she “likes to focus on all the little details” and strives to make sure her clients are happy with every aspect of their order from the flavors to the packaging. Always thankful for her loyal customers, Teles notes that the Latino community of Tulsa has played a large role in her success. Despite the uncertainty of the last year, Teles has managed to grow her business and makes many sacrifices to keep up with the constant stream of orders. Through many hours of hard work and determination, Teles has been able to accomplish many of her childhood dreams and has turned a passion into a way of life.
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