Sweets Bakehouse

M:

This week’s #411Friday features the incredibly delicious custom order bakery, Sweets Bakehouse. Currently located on 13th Street in Downtown Bradenton, Sweets Bakehouse does not offer daily retail sales. The owner, Tara Allison, creates beautiful custom orders for almost any sweet you may have a craving for.

She creates the desserts that celebrate some of life’s most exciting moments: birthdays, weddings, baby showers, anniversaries, promotions, and many others. Recently, Sweets has started to host pop-up shops and sell retail goods through other local businesses including Teller’s in Downtown Bradenton!

E:

Initially when Megan and I were talking about highlighting Sweets as a #411Friday, because of my dietary restrictions, I planned on just being there for moral support– like you even need moral support to taste yummy treats!

However, because Sweets is a custom order business, Tara has worked to experiment with many special dietary requests. She is able to accommodate to vegan, gluten free, and dairy free needs so that no one has to go without! Yay for us!

As we visited with Tara, she spoke about the relationships she’s been able to form with her clients as she is there to celebrate every life moment from baby showers to retirements parties right along with them! Her passion is infectious and her talent is exceptional.

M:

We visited Sweets during a lunch break where we filled our bellies with five delicious sweets (and went back to our days with a major sugar buzz)! Here are our reviews of the tasty treats:

Black and Blue Crimble Crumble

E:

Okay, you guys. I love a good fruit crumble and have even tried to make my own at home that meets all my allergy needs. Keyword in that sentence is “tried” because compared to Tara’s, I utterly fail! She absolutely hit it out of the park for me in this Black and Blue Crimble Crumble.

A mix of fresh and local blackberries and blueberries make up the fruit base. Topped with a delicious and slightly crisp topping made of gluten free rolled oats, pecans, almond flour and dairy free butter, the crumble is served warm and pairs wonderfully with a dollop (or two) of dairy free coconut whipped cream!

We both scraped (and if a camera hadn’t been present would’ve licked) our bowls clean. This is not a desert reserved for Thanksgiving. Order yours today just because you deserve a special treat!

Lemon Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

M:

These lemon cupcakes were perfectly moist, but not dense. Tara makes her vanilla buttercream with pure Madagascar vanilla that is so fresh! The detailed floral frosting would make these cupcakes the spotlight of any event or party.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

M:

This gorgeous chocolate covered strawberry cake tasted just as good as it looked. The cake was more dense than the lemon cupcake to hold the weight of multiple layers and that delicious chocolate ganache! My favorite part about this cake is that the strawberries are sourced locally to ensure freshness & support local business!

Pecan Pie Brittle

E:

Tara’s Pecan Pie Brittle is incredible! Also vegan and gluten free, this sticky and sweet treat is a good option for anyone looking for a fresh option for the candy jar! I was able to bring some home from our tasting and I snacked on it for the next several days. You know, a little here and a little there– just enough to get my sugar fix without sacrificing my tummy’s happiness!

Vegan Pop Tarts

M:

I can remember a middle school phase where all I wanted to eat for breakfast was Pop Tarts! These treats at Sweets Bakehouse are wonderful because they are even more tasty because they don’t contain all of the preservatives that boxed ones do. The best news… these Pop Tarts are going to be making appearances in the retail space at Teller’s Downtown!

While we tasted, we were able to chat with Tara and find out the 411 on her local business!

Q: Introduce yourself! How long have you been baking & how long have you been baking at Sweets Bakehouse?

“My name is Tara Allison and I own Sweets Bakehouse. I have been cooking and baking since elementary school. My dad was always a great cook and that was something I admired. My mom gave my sister and I the choice of taking cooking lessons or sewing lessons, and for me cooking seemed much more fun. I loved those lessons as a kid and it sparked a lifelong passion for creating great food. I’ve been baking professionally since 2010.”

Q: What is the inspiration behind Sweets Bakehouse?

“Sweets Bakehouse was inspired by deep desire to bring great food to our community. I love baking because we as a society celebrate with baked goods. I get to be a small sweet part of other people’s big days. They call me when they are having a birthday or anniversary, when they are surprising someone with a treat, and when they are getting married. How special is that? I get the joy of creating something especially for them. It brings me immense joy.”

Q: How did location play in to account as you decided to start a Bakery?

“Location has been a big part of my story. I started creating delicious treats in my home in Sarasota in 2010, shortly after that I moved to The Village of the Arts where I had a bakery cafe. When my lease was up, I went back to custom baking out of my home and did that for years. That business grew and grew to the point that it had taken over my home, and that’s when I started looking for commercial space. Last fall, I was introduced to Valencia Mitchell who co-owns Sugar Cubed. She was in an awesome space in Downtown Bradenton that was too big for her operation alone, so I moved in. Valencia has a day to day retail business, and from our shared kitchen I run my custom bake shop. It’s a match made in sugar-coated heaven. I’ve made over 100 cakes in this new kitchen in downtown since I moved in, in January!! I could have never done that at home.”

Q: Do you offer gluten free, dairy free, vegan, etc. options for sweet tooth’s with food restrictions?

“I do offer gluten free, dairy free and vegan options! If you can dream it, I can bake it…deliciously!”

Q: What is your favorite sweet to bake? & What is your favorite sweet to eat?

“Picking a favorite bake is so hard! I love baking all kinds of treats. While my business is way more than just cakes, they are probably my favorite thing to make. I love the creative freedom to start with a small white canvas and with a little info about the person getting the cake create a flavor profile and custom design that makes them feel special. The words “that cake is so me” are some of my favorite. I love the art of cake! As for eating, I am a pie girl. My husband and I had a wedding pie, while our guests enjoyed cake. A really good tender flaky crust filled with warm fruit, custard, or nuts is all I need.”

Q: What makes Sweets Bakehouse unique?

“I think there is a lot that makes Sweets unique. We are a small batch and truly scratch bakery. Ingredients matter here! We use whole, organic and local when possible, ingredients. There’s no mystery here, just better baked goods. We do not have a set menu, our orders are custom and customer driven. We are a truly small business. Until very recently it was just me, I’ve been lucky enough to bring on a baker who is awesome, to help in the last few months, and for Andy I am so grateful.”

Q: What is your favorite part living in the 941?

“I was born right here at Manatee Memorial Hospital in 1982. I love this community. Everywhere I go, I know someone. Its home to me. Our city is truly friendly and I am proud to be a part of it!”

The 941 community wouldn’t be the same without the passion provided by local businesses like Sweets Bakehouse. Shop local & contact Sweets Bakehouse the next time you need the perfect sweet for a special (or just casual) occasion!