Growing up, Alannah Williams watched her younger brother Joshua struggle with many food allergies that prevented him from eating certain foods her family and friends enjoyed. This devastated her — having to constantly watch her brother being left out.
Now, Alannah has her very own business, Dance Like a Cupcake, which provides her customers with sweet treats, including her popular gourmet cookies, that don’t contain eggs, dairy, sesame oil, or nuts for those with food sensitivities — or those who are living a healthier lifestyle.
And she’s doing it all at the age of 18.
Alannah comes from a military family, and for a while they lived in Seoul, South Korea. In Korea, they make most of their food with sesame and peanut oil, two of her brother’s allergens. So, at 10, she was determined to bake something allergen-free, and that is how Dance Like a Cupcake originated overseas. Once her family moved back to the States, specifically to Memphis, she revived her business.
Though Joshua is the biggest motivation behind Alannah’s business, its quirky and catchy name was inspired by her childhood friend. “I started when I was 10 and one of my friends came to an event that I was selling at. She had food allergies, too. She asked for a cupcake, and I gave her one. She was so happy because it didn’t have any allergens that she started dancing,” Alannah says. “So, anytime anyone eats my dessert, I tell them to dance like a cupcake because of how good it tastes.”
Alannah’s bakery has been in business since 2016, but she faced a few hardships in the beginning. “I think the biggest [challenge] would be my age because people don’t take me seriously, or they didn’t take me seriously when I started,” says Alannah. “And the second [challenge] would be the stigma around vegan desserts. They think it doesn’t taste as good or it’s too healthy.”
She did not let the criticism stop her because Dance Like a Cupcake has made a huge impact in her customers’ lives — especially those who have food allergies. “Just listening to her story about her little brother, I think that there’s definitely a population of individuals who would like to enjoy those type of sweets, but not have to worry about this type of ingredient that [they] can’t eat,” says Brian Ford, a loyal Dance Like a Cupcake customer who lives in Colorado. “My wife and daughter have food allergies, so that’s another thing that kind of drew me to her because they can’t eat certain things with different ingredients in them.”
Most of Alannah’s customers see her business as not only providing people with healthier treats, but also educating and making more individuals aware of people who have food sensitivities. “When businesses like this come and bring things to the table that we aren’t used to, we should embrace that. We should embrace the information, the knowledge that businesses like Alannah’s have because they are willing to share,” says Jasmen Richmond, a Dance Like a Cupcake customer and nutrition educator. “Not only is she selling a product, but she’s also giving back and supporting the growth of our community.”
For young bakers, ages 8 to 22, wanting to learn how to master vegan desserts, Alannah even offers an internship program. “It’s really [about] being creative, helping out Dance Like a Cupcake, and getting to know other people in the community,” says Alannah.
Right now, Alannah does not have a physical location, so she sells her desserts at events and several restaurants around Memphis, like City Silo and Cxffeeblack. And she ships her gourmet cookies nationwide through her website (dancelikeacupcake.org). She plans to branch out soon.
Alannah’s most supportive customer is, of course, her brother Joshua, the one who inspired it all. “I really like the fact that my older sister created a business in my image, thinking about me and my allergies. And about all the other kids around the world who can’t really eat desserts like me,” says Joshua.
His favorite cookie, he says, “has to be oatmeal raisin. I love the oatmeal raisin cookie, especially with the glaze on it.”
