Blue Aces Bake Shoppe

Blue Aces Bake Shoppe’s space may be small and narrow, but it compensates in character per square foot. There’s a midget Star Wars stormtrooper figure standing about 18 inches tall on a cabinet. Colorful bags with comic book characters by Salinas-based Sew Geeked Out hang below. Vintage magazine cover-style art prints of female comic book superheroes hang on the wall. The nearest one depicts Wonder Woman dressed like Rosie the Riveter, declaring, “She Can Do It!”

Given the underdog story behind this little bakery that could, Wonder Woman might be talking about owner-operator Adrian Jimenez-Saldaña.

Jimenez worked as a pastry sous chef at Chukchansi Casino and later at Whole Foods as head decorator, then left over a decade ago for an office job. She did her baking biz on the side. Last year, she says, an epiphany arrived.

“I realized I was exhausted,” she says. “I wanted to do something to empower myself, set a better example for my family and allow me to be more present.”

The epiphany was followed by an opportunity. This January, Terri Madrid, owner of Gold Leaf Spice & Teas, was moving from the narrow shop to a bigger space next door and thought about Jimenez. Madrid was enthralled when Jimenez catered desserts for a party at Gold Leaf, with treats like bite-sized watermelon cubes with bowl-like indentations in the middle filled with balsamic vinegars from Madrid’s store.

“I knew she had a dream of opening up her own space and I thought, ‘What would be a better time than now?’” Madrid says. She enlisted the help of her fellow Gabilan Girls, the network of women business owners on Gabilan Street, to talk Jimenez into it.

“She’s a food artist, not just a baker,” Madrid says.

Jimenez put up a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to cover startup costs, and Madrid started advertising the campaign on Facebook and with her customers. Most of them already knew Jimenez and were happy to pitch in.

Supporters raised more than $10,000 in 30 days. Jimenez was floored.

“It was an emotional rollercoaster,” she says. “The enthusiasm’s been great.”

Many people knew about her side baking business, which contributed to the rush when she soft-opened June 9.

Now she offers an array of cake slices ($3.50), cream-filled éclair puffs in fruit and chocolate flavors ($1.75 each), pretty French macarons ($2 or $20 per dozen), danishes and cinnamon rolls (starting at $1.75) and other treats. A new flavor of cheesecake ($4) appears each week.

She calls herself a kitchen mad scientist, mixing unusual flavors like peach and basil and working with specialty and organic ingredients. Her gluten free options, including fruit and nut bars ($2.50) and different tortes ($3.75), became more popular than she expected. Residents tell her they used to drive to the Peninsula to find pastries for their dietary needs.

On the savory side, Blue Aces’ scones – on the day of my visit, 1) a jalapeño popper and 2) a sundried tomato-artichoke heart-Colby jack ($1.50 each or $4 a bag) – are cheesy without feeling either greasy or heavy. The strong flavors of the jalapeño and sundried tomato are deliciously balanced and subtle.

Jimenez’s gourmet cupcakes ($2.50 each or $24 a dozen) come in rotating flavors like caramel corn, rocky road and lemon meringue, and standby favorites like chocolate. She prefers using less sugar in the dough, leading to a cake that’s less sweet than most. They come topped with Italian or Swiss buttercream, which Jimenez cooks over a double boiler for a lighter consistency. I appreciate the flavor contrast on my chocolate cupcake – sweet and creamy on top to drier and more like dark cocoa underneath.

This week’s cheesecake, a coconut lime, emerges as a clear favorite. First I taste the robust citrus glaze on top, then the tangy middle, lastly the graham cracker crust crumbling easily on the tongue. Jimenez finds a good balance between light and decadent – the cake is fluffy but not too airy, rich but not heavy. A bit of shredded coconut mixes up the texture.

Jimenez aims to install another display case, a bigger counter and self-serve coffee. She is also adding gluten free cookies soon, as well as fresh-baked bread.

Beyond that, she is focused on giving back to the community that got her started. She greets newcomers like old friends and sends them to other Oldtown shops after they’re done. She buys ingredients from the local farmers market. She plans to host baking and decorating workshops and teach kitchen skills to the community, like sugar skull decorating around Dia de los Muertos. Her 8-year-old son Antonio Blue – who makes up half of the shop’s name with brother Acen – wants to lead kids’ classes as well.

“Right now, people are craving a change and are being part of it, supporting growth,” Jimenez says. “I’m doing this to make people happy. I love Salinas. It’s my home.”

BLUE ACES BAKE SHOPPE • 8 W. Gabilan St., Salinas. 8am-3:30pm Tue-Sat. • 975-4714.