Bittersweet Bakery’s Pumpkin Bar Cake- gluten free August 23
This amazing pumpkin cake/bar is brought to you by a local gluten-free bakery in my hometown of Eagan, Minnesota. The Bittersweet Bakery is located at 2105 Cliff Road. My family told me about this small bakery when I was visiting in June. I just had to stop in and explore, since I have never been in GF bakery before, and I was excited to see what they offered. It was wonderful to walk in the door with greetings of breads, rolls, hamburger buns, cakes, cookies, and sweet rolls. They even have pancake and cornbread mixes! It was a pleasure to buy just one hamburger bun for my family’s cookout that evening. No bun o’ lettuce for me that night! Along with my bun, I just had to get the pumpkin bar to try. I love most anything pumpkin when it comes to baking, so this was an easy one to say “yes” to.
The pumpkin bar is generously proportioned ( pictures above is only half!), and at $2.25 a bar, you get your money’s worth. The pumpkin cake is super moist and doesn’t taste anything like a gluten free product. The cake is also soft and full of flavor without too much sweetness or crumbling. The frosting on top was a thick cream cheese/vanilla concoction that was really sweet. So sweet, that I scraped a portion of it off my pumpkin bar. Just a little was perfect for me.
Unfortunately, they do not ship at this time ( plans for nationwide shipping are in progress for this fall, according to store employees), but I hope anyone passing through or local will stop in and give their products a try. There is nothing I like better than to support a local business that has quality products. In the upcoming weeks I will have reviews for their other products as well.
Becky, I know you are in Minnesota, you’ll have to let us know if you have been here, and what you thought of their products.
PROS: moist and delicious, does not taste gluten free, great value
CONS: frosting is too too sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Visit Bittersweet Gluten Free Bakery’s website for more information!
Sharon Smith Aug 26
I am a regular to the Bittersweet bakery, even though it’s about 30 miles out of my way. Their bread is great — the best GF bread I’ve come across. And I can’t leave the store without one of their monster cookies. They’re loaded with goodies — including pure oats — but I’ve never had a negative reaction to them. Trust me, they are delicious.
Remember if you plan on buying bread to call ahead. You can sometimes get their sandwich bread without reserving it, but the others need to be ordered in advance.
Neena Aug 26
It is encouraging to see an actual gluten free bakery. This indicates that people are becoming more aware of others with special diets and that there is a need for these type of specialized businesses.
gopherfan Nov 3
I have to disagree with the great reviews of this bakery, I am not happy with any of the products I have purchased there (3 visits). Dry, tasteless, PLUS poor service!!!
Karen Nov 3
Hi gopherfan- welcome! Can you share with us what products you have tried?
bluesh4rk Sep 20
I have been to Bittersweet as well and have only tried a pumpkin bar and a lemon bar. They were both good but the pumpkin bar was a definite standout. It was very moist. I think they go a little lighter on the frosting now as I didn’t think it was too much and I am not a huge frosting fan either.
I would like to try other items from them sometime. I have heard their sandwhich bread is excellent. My only gripe so far is there is no nutritional information available. I am trying to lose weight so this would be really helpful to me. The guy behind the counter said they had it but it was misplaced.
Celiac Wife Oct 4
I was thrilled when I heard there would be a gluten-free bakery just miles from my home - so I’ve stopped in many times since Bittersweet Bakery opened their doors. Frankly, that initial thrill is gone. I’ve tried and tried to like Bittersweet since I drive past their shop daily - but I have given up. While I really like their muffins (cranberry-pumpkin is my top favorite), I’d concur with the reviews about the lemon bars (bitter frosting, odd flavor of the cake), rather dry cookies, and the lack of bread selections. Their sandwich bread is just ok, a bit too sweet for my family’s tastes, and the other options must all be pre-ordered.
Pre-ordering a special event cake, I understand that - but having to pre-order basic items like bread and pizza crust? Makes no sense to me. I’d think they’d have these on hand all the time (whether fresh or frozen), but customers are required to call in advance to order. My guess is either they sell them too infrequently (which I’d expect, given the pre-order requirement) or they sell them all to the local co-ops and have none left for in-store sales.
I’ve actually tried talking with several different staff members, including the owner, on multiple occasions, but I got the impression that they were so focused on production for the local co-ops who stock their baked goods that my vist and purchase was viewed as an interruption. Any requests for nutritional information have been answered with a pat “it’s all gluten free” reply in a rather defensive tone, as if they were worried I was going for their trade secrets. No ma’am - just wanting to make sure I can eat what I buy without getting sick.
Maybe counter service isn’t their thing, and that’s OK - but then they might want to re-think their options in the gluten-free market - maybe direct sales just isn’t where it’s at for them.
Trust me - if I get great product and great service, I am a customer for life and will be the first to tell everybody, especially when it comes to independently owned businesses. In the case of Bittersweet Bakery, it is bittersweet indeed that I cannot recommend them to my gluten-free friends, many of whom have told me the same thing: skip Bittersweet and make the drive across the river to St Paul to COOQI, where you’re greeted with a smile, great samples, and some of the best gluten-free baked goods you’ll ever taste.
Karen Oct 4
I agree- their customer service service is pretty bad. When I spoke with the owner about their products, I also felt like i was a bother and that she really didn’t want to talk to me. Pretty sad.