Celebrity News

Battle of the cupcake titans

A sticky three-way cupcake war is swirling among the owners of New York’s famed Magnolia Bakery, one of its founders and Greek socialite Nicole Kotovos, who allegedly opened a knockoff of their sweet spot in Athens.

Magnolia Bakery owners Steve and Tyra Abrams are suing its co-founder, Jennifer Appel — who sold her share of Magnolia in 1999 and opened the rival Buttercup Bake Shop on Second Avenue in Midtown — claiming she deliberately helped Kotovos by handing over Magnolia’s recipes and business secrets, allowing her to open an unauthorized “Magnolia Bakery” in Greece.

The Abramses are suing Appel for alleged trademark infringement, unfair competition and interfering in a contract. The suit in federal court claims that last year, “Appel trained and taught Kotovos the Magnolia concept, know-how and recipes, knowing that Kotovos intended to open Magnolia bakeshop in Athens, Greece.”

But Appel says their case is half-baked and has launched her own suit against Kotovos, claiming the Greek beauty duped her into handing over her sweet secrets. Appel claims neither she nor Buttercup “had any knowledge or warning that Kotovos intended to use the name ‘Magnolia’ in any way.’ ” In fact, she says, she “warned her not to attempt such use.” When she learned of Magnolia’s suit, “Appel immediately terminated her relationship with Kotovos.”

Appel and Allysa Torey opened Magnolia in 1996. Appel left in 1999. Abrams bought Magnolia in 2007, adding more locations.

The Abramses got an injunction to stop Kotovos from using the magnoliacupcakes.gr domain name and say they’re suing her in Greece and New York and trying to get her Athens store shuttered.

Appel couldn’t be reached and her lawyer didn’t get back to us. Kotovos told us her business “has never operated under Magnolia . . . My store in Athens is called Hamptons Cupcakes. I hired Jennifer as a consultant to open the store. Magnolia did not sue me in New York, they tried to sue me unsuccessfully in Greece. I have no comment other than that I am not liable to anyone.”