Ava’s in Rockaway serving beer cupcakes for Super Bowl

ROCKAWAY - Many Super Bowl parties aren’t complete without a plate of wings and a few pints of beer, which is why Ava’s Cupcakes has put those flavors into her treats for a special gameday-inspired menu, using Blue Moon, Corona and Guinness as ingredients.

A football fan, Ava’s pastry chef and owner Michelle Spell has been making Super Bowl cupcakes for the past four years, but this year decided to step it up a notch.

“We’ve done drunken cupcakes before, used Guinness, but this is definitely our best selection,” Spell said. “I was just more inspired this year and had a little fun in the kitchen during these snowy days.”

The results include a Caramel Stout, Corona and Lime, and Beer and Pretzel cupcakes.

For the beer-based cupcakes, Spell said she substituted the stouts and lagers for the liquids like milk that are typically in the recipe.

“The flavor profiles that came out of it are unbelievable,” Spell said. “The Blue Moon and Corona ones we nailed right away. The Guinness took a little more time because the stout was a stronger flavor and we didn’t want to overwhelm the cupcakes.”

Spell also put spins on her traditional cupcakes, adding cayenne to the frosting of her Red Velvet cupcake to resemble a hot wing, and putting crushed potato chips in a Sweet and Salty chocolate one.

The full list of Super Bowl flavors are:

• Root beer Float – Root beer infused cake with swirls of Root beer buttercream
• Red Hot Red Velvet – Spicy red velvet cake with ribbons of cayenne infused cream cheese frosting
• Sweet & Salty – chocolate cake with crushed Ruffles baked inside, topped with milk chocolate ganache, swirls of chocolate buttercream and a chocolate covered Ruffle on top
• Blue Moon – Blue Moon cake, topped with ribbons of citrus infused buttercream
• Caramel Stout – Guinness Stout cake, topped with swirls of caramel cream cheese 
• Corona & Lime – Corona infused cake, fresh lime curd filling, vanilla buttercream, jelly lime slice
• Beer & Pretzels – stout cake, salted vanilla buttercream, topped with pretzels rods and chocolate drizzle
• Ava's Official '50' Cupcake –  classic chocolate cake, vanilla buttercream, dusted with gold glitter and a chocolate '50'
• Omaha, Bronco, Panthers, Newton Cupcakes – classic vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream, topped with edible deal logo

Spell is a Giants fan, but will be rooting for the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning Super Bowl Sunday. Manning has been known to shout “Omaha” at the line of scrimmage during games to audible out of plays, which is why the Bronco’s cupcake is called “Omaha.”

“My eight-year-old picked up on the ‘Omaha’ chant this year, just saying it around the house,” Spell said. “So we’re rooting for them and made the cupcake out of it.”

The Broncos face the Carolina Panthers Sunday, Feb. 7.

The cupcakes will be available Super Bowl weekend, Feb. 6 and 7. Spell said the store will be “fully stocked” but the cupcakes will be in limited supply.

Ava’s Cupcakes is located at 20 Wall Street in Rockaway. Orders can be placed in advance in-store, online at http://avascupcakes.myshopify.com/ or by calling 973-625-7601. Gluten-free cupcakes are also available.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com