October wouldn't be National Cupcake Month, would it? Sure seems that way around here. Two weeks ago, longtime Sacramento chef and culinary instructor Teresa Urkofsky confirmed plans to open Babycakes Bakery in east Sacramento in October. Now, Christee Owens, a longtime resident of the Rocklin/Loomis area, has announced plans to open a cupcake shop, Icing on the Cupcake, in Rocklin, also in October.

For Owens, whose professional background involves working in human resources, advertising and marketing, commercial cooking will be a new venture. But baking always has been her first love, starting with an Easy-Bake Oven when she was a youngster.

Icing on the Cupcake will be at 5065 Pacific St. in a section of Rocklin undergoing redevelopment. She's planning for it to be the prototype of an anticipated group of cupcake bakeries. Her partners are her mother, Shirley Nagasawa, also a longtime home baker, and a friend, Chuck Meridith, a graphics designer and marketing specialist.

"We will be a boutique-style cupcakery specializing in gourmet cupcakes," says Owens. "We'll use select ingredients such as locally grown seasonal produce, Madagascar bourbon vanilla and imported Belgian chocolate." Flavors will include creamsicle, red velvet, chai spcie, lavender and honey, chocolate espresso, and bananas Foster.

Like Urkofsky, Owens is aiming to have the shop open by mid-October. When it does open, hours will be 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. More information is available at Icing on the Cupcake's developing Web site.