S.A. bakery vying for top spot in dessert truck contest

Saweet Cupcakes owner Dan Bellow is on the quest for victory in this year's Dessert Food Truck of the Year contest held by Mobile Cuisine. Saweet Cupcakes owner Dan Bellow is on the quest for victory in this year's Dessert Food Truck of the Year contest held by Mobile Cuisine. Photo: Courtesy/Saweet Cupcakes Photo: Courtesy/Saweet Cupcakes Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close S.A. bakery vying for top spot in dessert truck contest 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO – Last year's loss in the Dessert Food Truck of the Year contest makes Saweet Cupcakes owner Dan Bellow want revenge.

"From our standpoint, because it's just my wife and I, and this is the second year, and we're in a national contest, we just want to win," he said.

Now, the Bellows and their pink-everything dessert truck have a second chance to take the top spot in the annual contest held by Mobile Cuisine. The truck is just one of 10 left in the finals, along with rivals Custom Confections from Houston, which won top honors last year.

"I think there's this thing between San Antonio and Houston... There's kind of this rivalry," Dan Bellow joked, although with a serious tone, he said they are humbled to just be nominated.

Saweet Cupcakes has surpassed Custom Confections in the poll, and it is now sitting in third place with 12 percent of votes. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on Friday.

Dan Bellow said he owes it to the community, who has shown support on social media.

"We're just an old school, mom and pop (bakery), and I think that helps build excitement for those that know us and know our product," he said.

He and his wife, Sherri, have operated the food truck April 2013, along with a physical bakery at 16652 San Pedro Ave. Their popularity stems from the couple using recipes passed down by relatives, Dan Bellow said.

He added that their most popular cupcakes are tres leches, chocolate turtles, chocolate salted caramel and red velvet.

In the future, he said he would like to purchase another truck because of the growing food truck industry in the city, as well as their flexibility.

"I think that what this contest has done is help us grow the excitement of food trucks," he said.

He is a member of the San Antonio Food Truck Association, a non-profit group of about 45 food truck owners. Although the food truck industry in this city is not as prominent as in other metropolitan areas, such as New York City or Chicago, Dan Bellow said the city is "on the right track."

"It's just exciting to be acknowledged, not only for the city of San Antonio, but in the industry as one of the top trucks," he said.

rsalinas@mysa.com