It’s baking season! We could all use a little sweetness right now, and local bakeshops have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Here are some artisanal Black-owned bakeries and kitchens to check out around the United States.
Lou, the French on the Block
In 2014, Lou, the French on the Block, started making pastries for the French School of Les Lila. But it was only in 2016 that they opened their own French patisserie and coffee shop in Burbank.
“Bringing our French touch to your block, one pastry, one coffee, one sandwich at a time,” said founders Chef Laurent ‘Lou’ and his wife, Karima.
Apple Butter Bakery
Apple Butter Bakery was started by three Black women: Shellane Brown, Veronica Pickett, and Erica Houston-Pickett. Erica is the head baker while Shellane is a sugar artist. They are the duo behind the imaginative and inventive custom cakes at this Georgia-based bakery. Their key lime cake is a best seller, and they’ve got buche de noels and five-flavor pound cakes that are perfect for holiday baking.
27th Street Bakery
For the past 63 years, this landmark bakery in South LA’s specialty has been sweet potato pie. Harry Patterson and his wife, founded the business in the 1930s. The 27th Street Bakery was originally a restaurant that converted into a specialty Bakery in 1956, manufacturing homemade sweet potato pies, fruit pies, and a variety of cakes. Today the 27th Street Bakery is an Eastside Landmark and has grown into the largest manufacturer of sweet potato pies on the west coast.
SweetArt Bake Shop
Cake artist Sierra Nething has been creating custom cakes and dessert bars since 2013. At Sweet Art Bake Shop, we are consistently recognized for our unique designs which not only look beautiful but taste delicious too. “We are passionate about what we do and this is reflected in our incredible attention to detail. We offer a highly professional and personal service from the initial consultation to the delivery and set up of your unforgettable cake,” said Nething on her website. No celebration is complete without sweets and this bakery does amazing sculpted showpieces, branded treats for a corporate event, or a decadent sweets table.
Lenox Cupcakes
Lenox Cupcakes started out of owner Marianne Simpson’s apartment on Lenox Rd and has since grown to be a true Atlanta, GA favorite with a brick-and-mortar location on Chamblee’s Antique Row. All their treats are moist and delicious, and there are always some yummy seasonal specials being whisked up. Their interior space is also cute as a button and perfect to enjoy a sweet treat in non-COVID-19 times!
Southern Girl Desserts
Florida-natives Catarah Coleman and Shoneji Robison founded their bakery in 2007 to bring the Southern hospitality they grew up with to the West Coast. Combining family recipes with their own culinary instincts, these two bakers infuse the flavors of the South into each bite of their desserts. If you can’t decide what to try first, start with the now-famous sweet potato cupcake that won Coleman and Robison the grand prize on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars.
Sweet Red Peach
This family-owned and operated sweet shop offers some of the most inventive cakes, cookies, and other mouth-watering confections in the city. With a daily rotating menu of specials, you might try their chocolate chip cookies with homemade toffee one day and their lemon pie the next. Their peach cobbler cupcakes are a force to be reckoned with. A limited menu of desserts is available for same-day pickup, or you can place larger orders at least seven days in advance for curbside pickup, every day except Monday.
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Boitumelo Masihleho is a South African digital content creator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes University in Journalism and Media Studies and Politics and International Studies. She’s an experienced multimedia journalist who is committed to writing balanced, informative and interesting stories on a number of topics. Boitumelo has her own YouTube channel where she shares her love for affordable beauty and lifestyle content.
