Behind plywood-covered windows, a big surprise has been baking in downtown Redmond.

After some time away, Ida’s Cupcake Cafe is coming back to Redmond bigger than ever.

The bakery, which has two locations in Bend, closed its former Redmond location on SW Highland Avenue when its lease expired at the end of 2018. Since then, Ida’s has been renovating a spot in the 400 block of SW Sixth Street.

“We just had an opportunity to get into a new, larger space being renovated for us right downtown, so we wanted to jump on that,” said Ida’s owner Autumn Lodge Persinger, who bought the cupcake shops in March 2018 from founder Ida Green Gurule.

While the construction has seen some setbacks because of structural and plumbing issues, Persinger said Ida’s new location is now scheduled to open Nov. 1. “It’s good to finally have a date, but it’s a lot later than anticipated,” she said.

The new store will be about three times the size of the former Highland Avenue location, Persinger said. It will have an expanded menu with more coffee options.

“It’s going to be great; we’re going to have more of a dine-in area,” Persinger said.

Most notably, cupcakes at the Redmond store will be baked there, Persinger said. Baking in Redmond will help Ida’s reach northern Deschutes County with delivery and catering for weddings and other events.

The previous Redmond location, like the Ida’s on NW Galveston Avenue in Bend, had its cupcakes delivered from the bakery on Division Street. “It’s definitely a lot more convenient for people who live in Redmond,” said Emily Littledeer, an Ida’s employee who lives in Redmond. “My sister lives in Crooked River Ranch, and she’s been a customer for years.”

And being downtown will also be an advantage, Littledeer said.

“I think it’s such a better location than it was before,” she said. “There are a lot of festivals, the car show, the street fair, trick-or-treating on Halloween. People are starting to mingle down there and realize it’s a great place to go for the day.”

Ida’s has 20 employees in Bend and will hire another 10 to 15 part-time workers for the Redmond store, Persinger said.

Customers at Ida’s choose the size of the cupcake (with a “kidcake” costing $2.65 and a double-size “gourmet” selling for $4), then the cake, which comes in traditional vanilla and chocolate as well as unusual flavors such as key lime and peanut butter chip.

Then the fun begins. Customers choose frosting with flavors like raspberry swirl and mint Oreo available. Finally customers can add sprinkles or other toppings.

“I really like the idea of being able to make something on the spot,” Persinger said. “You know it’s fresh and you know it’s exactly what you’re looking for.”

— Reporter: 541-548-2186, gfolsom@redmondspokesman.com