Beautiful dessert case inside the bakery filled with wonderfully decorated treats.
Eli Casey |Marlin Chronicle
Just off of Northampton Boulevard, 10 minutes away from Virginia Wesleyan’s campus, sits the Flour Child Bakery. Self-described by its owners, mother-daughter team Cathy and Cassie Baker as, “your favorite old-fashioned neighborhood bakery.” The Flour Child Bakery is more than just a bakery. Every item is made from scratch and almost all ingredients are locally sourced, reflecting the Bakers’ commitment to not only serving the best product, but also their community.
Founded in 2010, the Flour Child Bakery has an interesting family backstory. Cathy worked as a waiter for 31 years in addition to decorating cakes on the side for 14 years before founding Flour Child Bakery. Her daughter, Cassie, was studying Sociology when she realized that her dream was to open up a bakery. The two teamed up and the result is a delicious family owned bakery.
The family feel isn’t just in the story, as their bakery is decorated floor to ceiling in a fun, family friendly decor style that can only be described as hippy meets chic. Laidback music playing in the background, walls filled with tie dye decor, peace signs and baking related posters bring the bakery to life.
If the feel of Flour Child Bakery doesn’t sell itself, then the flavor will. According to customer Maryann Shreck, “the carrot cake explodes with flavor, and it’s a really pleasant dish all together.” The carrot cake was well presented. Additionally the carrot flavor balanced out the sugary sweetness of the frosting.
“Though you can’t just try the carrot cake, you gotta have the scones too!” Schreck said.
Among the plethora of delicious treats stacked in the multiple glass viewing cases sits the most popular item. According to Naya, a staff member who has been there for 3 months, the homemade apple cake is by far the favorite, with at least 3-4 cakes sold per day. Naya’s personal recommendations are the key lime pie and banana pudding.
“The best part about working here is the environment,” Naya said. “Being away from a big corporation because this is a mother-daughter owned thing” is her favorite part about working at Flour Child.
Fresh and fun wall decorations hanging in the entryway of the bakery.
Eli Casey |Marlin Chronicle
In an industry that is increasingly dominated by corporations and chains, the Bakers have managed to differentiate themselves as a family owned business, one that more than makes up for its potential competitors’ lack of character.
“The bakery definitely has a family feel. … Not like when a business or corporation says we’re all a big family, here they actually mean it and you definitely get that impression,” Naya said. She also was a big fan of being able to express herself and not having to worry about a dress code, which keeps in line with the free style and vibe of the bakery.
While proclaiming yourself as a “neighborhood bakery” is easy, it takes actual effort to achieve that title. The Flour Child Bakery unequivocally deserves it. The bakery strives to always use local ingredients and participate in local community events and outings. One of their latest community ventures is at the East Beach Farmers Market every Saturday from 9 AM until noon, May 4 to Nov. 23.
Bakery treats aren’t the only thing that Flour Child Bakery specializes in, they offer everything from made to order cupcakes, pies, cookies and even wedding cakes.
In addition to their lengthy normal menu and their flexible dietary customization options, they also offer a variety of specialty holiday treats. In the coming fall and winter months, the bakery offers its very own homemade hot chocolate and a plethora of cider recipes. They even offer a special menu for Thanksgiving, their most popular holiday of the year.
“Around Thanksgiving this place turns into a pie factory, so keep your eyes peeled” is what Naya had to say on the exciting holiday menu options that include Sweet Potato, Key-Lime, Maple Bourbon and many others.
Especially with all the exciting additions to their menu, the Flour Child Bakery is a great spot for a sweet treat year round.
By: Eli Casey
