Good mood through flavour
From an inconspicuous alley off Main Street, a neat, little café is spreading its flavour all over town and beyond. “Iren D Cake” has only been open for a few months, but its signature cake has left people wanting more.
To pastry chef and owner Iryna Shcherbakova, the best compliment she can get is “when people smile” after their first bite. Three layers of caramel, three layers of cream and thinly sliced, honey flavoured sponge make a scrumptious treat. When she arrived in 2022, Iryna had only packed one small mixer, but a huge passion for baking. “I didn’t want to lose my skills, so I kept on baking.”
Soon she realised, people in Ireland really appreciated her sweet offerings and she started a collaboration with ‘Latte Da’ in town.
The popularity of the honey-caramel-cake prompted her to open her own pastry boutique with a variety of cakes and muffins. Soft pink walls, white rose lamps and soothing jazz create a cosy environment for guests to relax. The café’s brand embraces the Irish touch of her own name and honours the origin of Dzirochka_Cake when Iryna sold pastries in her hometown in South Ukraine.
“Some people even recognise me from there or from Instagram,” she says proudly. Her ‘Merenga Roll’ was an award winning local pastry that she is delighted to share with the Irish and other sweet teeth in town. The ‘Guinness Cupcakes’ is doing well, but Iryna ensures it is an alcohol-free treat: “There is only the unique taste of dark stout,” she says. “During the baking process the alcohol evaporates.”
Iryna is grateful to have found Anna Matsyskyna, a professional barista with expert knowledge of coffees and espresso specialties complementing the colourful pastry section. The way Anna prepares Irish coffee is a spectacle in itself - worth watching on instagram or live.
Currently, Iryna is waiting for her signature liquor to be bottled: Cherry and dark chocolate. “Not too strong,” she promises, but it will make a nice gift with a selection of cookies.
She is also taking orders for petite boxes with four different, beautifully decorated tree-shaped cakes. Creating a “good mood” is all she hopes for her guests.