By Kathleen McLean
Desserts and a full bar, it’s a win win.
If you haven’t been to Baby Cakes, you need to get there ASAP. It’s located on 5th Ave in Hillcrest. There’s plenty of outside seating. Even though it’s on 5th, I’ve been able to get parking within two blocks at all times. I’ve taken my daughters and niece here several times, and it never disappoints. Walking up to the front, you have two different door options. You can go to the magical door on the right to the bakery or the darker doorway to the left heading into the bar. Both are good options. However, because I have my girls with me, we enter into the bakery first.
There are so many desserts to choose from. The bakers love what they do, and it shows in their goods. The cupcakes are perfect, and there are at least 20 different flavors with all different frostings. The dessert case features a variety of cookies, tarts, and cheesecakes. We have been four times and hadn’t even put a dent in their options. The cupcakes seem to be their specialty. We haven’t had a bad one yet. Our favorite was red velvet with vanilla frosting our least favorite was the salted caramel. The absolute BEST must have dessert is their Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cinnabon. It’s heaven!! It’s honest to goodness the best dessert I have ever consumed. You must get there rather early to ensure it’s available for purchase. Once it’s gone, you will be left with the Maple Bacon Cinnabon or a Traditional Cinnabon. I was left with those options last week and chose the Maple Bacon; it wasn’t even close to being as good as the Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cinnabon. With that being said, it wasn’t bad… just not what I was expecting.
The shop also features a water decanter for the patrons. Every parent knows this is a good sign. When an establishment like this doesn’t have a water station I end up asking my kids if they want some water, then the water option turns into Sprite, Iced-Tea, or Shirley Temples and my affordable dessert date turns into a rather pricey snack. This is the point when I grab a Bloody Mary, Corona, or glass of wine from the bar. My girls and I take our time eating and people watching. When we are done, we take a stroll down 5th towards University where there are an array of bookstores, record stores, and second-hand clothing shops. It’s the perfect place to go when you have a few hours to burn, and your kids have been hounding you to go out.
