609. White Wolf Japanese Patisserie – February 15, 2023 – Clawson, MI

White Wolf is a haven for lovers of sweet treats! The Clawson-based bakery features a cornucopia of carefully crafted cakes, breads, and pastries; coffee, tea, and espresso drinks; and even a craft cocktail menu.

White Wolf describes itself as a Japanese patisserie. One of its specialties is Japanese breads, including an pan, a soft bun filled with a sweet red bean paste. There are various breads with sweet and savory fillings, plus all manner of desserts: croissants and cheesecakes; cute little cakes topped with strawberries; shortbreads and Swiss cake rolls. There are vegan ginger cookies, matcha-and-almond-infused blondies, banana bread laden with black sesame seeds. SO much goodness to discover and delight in!

And the ambiance! White Wolf exudes good vibes. The clean, bright space is the perfect place to camp out for a couple of hours, working on your computer or catching up with a friend, as you keep yourself in steady supply of tasty baked goods and caffeinated beverages.

One of my favorite things about hanging out at White Wolf was watching the bakers. “Industrious” is the word that comes to mind when I think of them. Their work area is on display to guests; there’s a row of counter seats just on the other side of them, so you can sit and watch them work. There were at least six bakers working on the day I was there, and they worked tirelessly, with a cheery sense of rapport that I found uplifting.

During my time at White Wolf, I savored a nitro cold brew coffee and a spongy chocolate Swiss roll with a white cream filling. I couldn’t resist trying more treats, so I took a slice of White Wolf’s matcha-infused Mille Crepe Cake and a bacon-and-Gruyère-filled bun to go.

The bacon-and-Gruyère-filled bun was melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Soft bread stuffed with rich cheese and bacon . . . I could’ve eaten a basketful of those buns. And the Mille Crepe Cake was a culinary work of art. Between each of the multiple (at least a dozen) layers of crepe was a subtly sweet matcha cream filling. It was a decadent indulgence.

The trials and tedium of everyday life need to be broken up by decadent indulgences such as that Mille Crepe Cake. That’s why I savor visits to special places such as White Wolf!

31 E. 14 Mile Rd.

Clawson, MI 48017

www.whitewolfbakery.com

606. Dooped Donuts – February 6, 2023 – Detroit, MI

Dooped Donuts is a sweet place to be! Cuddle up with a coffee and a baked delight at this cute vegan donut shop in downtown Detroit.

That’s exactly what I did one Monday morning in early February. Being a remote-based worker is the perfect excuse to try a new place! The ballet-pink-, hunter-green-, and blond-wood-accented interior of Dooped Donuts became my workspace for a couple of hours. Caffeine-and-sugar-fueled focus: what a way to start a work week!

The storefront is the former site of another local business: coffee house Ashe Supply Co. Ashe, in fact, lives on at Dooped Donuts: its roastery still operates within the building, and its coffee is featured on the menu. No wonder the black coffee I ordered at Dooped Donuts was so delicious! It didn’t need to be gussied up with add-ins; it was flavorful on its own.

If I had wanted a fancier drink, I could have ordered my coffee-shop stand-by: a cappuccino. Dooped Donuts offers coffee-, tea-, and espresso-based drinks, including iced coffee, matcha lattes, and pour-over coffee.

And the donuts! Why am I burying the lead and not getting to the donuts already? Dooped Donuts’ are tantalizingly fresh nuggets of fried dough and sweetness. The shop offers an ever-changing array of enticing flavor varieties. Donuts featured this year have included Pecan Toffee, Mulled Rosé, Berry Basil, and two launched in honor of 313 Day: one with a Faygo Red Pop-infused glaze, the other a chocolate glaze topped with crushed Better Made potato chips. The donuts are not only vegan but handmade, crafted by a “small-but-mighty team” that “makes over 1200 donuts fresh each week,” according to Dooped Donuts’ website.

During my visit to Dooped Donuts, I indulged in a lemon-curd filled donut, and it was A-MAZING. Dusted with powdered sugar, it was delectably crispy-fried on the outside but soft on the inside, wherein nestled the luxuriously sweet-yet-sour lemon curd. Yum, yum, and YUM!

Experience the YUM-ness for yourself with a trip to Dooped Donuts. Whatever the time of year, fresh-fried goodness is always in fashion!

1555 Broadway St.

Detroit, MI 48226

www.getdooped.com

601. Roses Fine Food and Wine – January 29, 2023 – Detroit, MI

Roses left me absolutely charmed!

The Detroit-based café and bakery serves up sweet vibes along with its sweet treats. It’s a place where you can get a delicious baked good; a great cup of coffee; a fresh-made loaf of bread; an artfully crafted panini, soup, or salad; or a bottle of natural wine. Or take a class on topics such as cake decorating and bread-making. You can even join one of Roses’ monthly wine clubs, opting for one of two subscriptions: one of which offers a fresh-baked loaf of sourdough bread along with the featured bottle of wine (Wine and Bread club? Yes, please!).

I came to Roses as a Sunday afternoon treat: a caffeine-and-dessert-fueled journaling session. I sat at the long counter facing the food-prep area and ordered a rose latte and a raspberry oat bar.

The rose latte was wonderful with its rich espresso flavors, delicate foam, and sprinkling of crushed dried rose petals. And the raspberry oat bar was absolutely delicious. I expected it to be dry and crumbly in texture, but it was oh-so-soft, with lusciously sweet raspberry jelly and a delectably moist oat crumble. WOW, do I want another one of those oat bars!

I topped off my time at Roses with an espresso, which was such a wonderful treat, rich and flavorful.

I savored the ambiance of Roses much as I savored that espresso. The café is incredibly cute. It’s housed in this charming old building whose exterior is painted mint green; roses and other flowers in shades of pink, peach, red, and yellow garland the doorway.

The interior is small but cozy. Chandeliers crafted from faux flowers hang from the tin-paneled ceiling, and little round marble-topped tables hold vases of flowers on their gleaming surfaces. Blackboard signs showcase the shop’s fares in colorfully chalked script, and a rack near the back houses Roses’ carefully curated selection of natural wines.

Custom-made cakes are a big part of what Roses offers. Check the Custom Cakes section of its website to see pictures of its gorgeous cakes with their elaborate designs done in buttercream frosting.

Roses’ website is also where you can view its current class offerings. Check it out and daydream about a visit to Roses. Then make that visit happen and experience the charm for yourself!

10551 E. Jefferson Ave.

Detroit, MI 48214

www.rosesfinefoodandwine.com

595. Sweet Potato Sensations – December 11, 2022 – Detroit, MI

A repeat visit to the Redford Theatre meant an excuse to check out Sweet Potato Sensations!

The Detroit-based bakery is located across the street from the iconic movie theater. An icon itself, it’s been in operation since 1987, crafting cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, pies, and other sweet treats.

Of course Sweet Potato Sensations sells sweet potato pie! And sweet potato cheesecake, sweet potato cookies, sweet potato cobbler, three-layer sweet potato cake – even sweet potato ice cream. It’s a cornucopia of sweet-spudded goodness!

And if sweet potatoes aren’t your thing, Sweet Potato Sensations offers baked goodies in other flavor varieties, as well. Try the decadent 3-Layer German Chocolate Cake or Cream Cheese Pound Cake.

Need something savory to wash down all that sweetness? Sweet Potato Sensations also offers meal-centric items such as the Salmon Croquette Sandwich, Black Eye Pea & Collard Green Soup, and The Chop Meal, a dish consisting of a fried turkey chop, sweet potato pancakes, and regular or sweet potato-infused grits.

The bakery’s interior is a cozy café, done in rich earth tones (or perhaps, sweet-potato tones?). Seating allows guests to enjoy Sweet Potato Sensations’ wares right then and there, and clothing and other goods by local vendors are for sale, as well.

I enjoyed my purchase from the bakery on the go, devouring a mini sweet potato pie in my friend’s car before I could even remember to take a picture of it. It was delicious, with creamy sweet potato filling and a buttery crust. I can’t wait to find another reason to be on Sweet Potato Sensations’ side of town so I can try more of its treats!

17337 Lahser Rd.

Detroit, MI 48219

www.sweetpotatosensations.com

579. Lebon Sweets – September 10, 2022 – Dearborn, MI

Sweet Lebon Sweets! The Dearborn-based bakery sells kanafa, which I sampled during a stop on the Yalla Eat! food tour offered by the Arab American National Museum. Lebon’s iteration of the sweet-cheese dessert was rich and creamy.

The locally-owned Lebanese bakery also sells bread and other baked goods, including multiple varieties of baklava and maamoul cookies filled with date, pistachio, or walnut paste. Its sesame-studded bread stuffed with kanafa cheese and drizzled with sugar syrup is exquisite! Get yourself down to Lebon’s to try some – or order it online and get it shipped to you.

13743 W. Warren Ave.

Dearborn, MI 48126

(With an additional location in Dearborn Heights)

www.lebonsweets.com

560. Clementine’s Pastries – May 6, 2022 – Mount Clemens, MI

Clementine’s Pastries, a beacon of sweet deliciousness, right in downtown Mount Clemens!

I first stepped into the adorable bakery on a rainy Friday morning, after a repeat visit to Black Cat Coffee (conveniently located next door). The interior was a cheerful sight to behold coming in from the rain. It reminded of a French café, with its mauve accent walls and little tables bedecked with vases of flowers.

I knew I couldn’t miss out on Clementine’s macarons! Every month, the bakery features select macaron varieties. During my visit in May, Snickers and cookie dough were two of the featured flavors, so I snatched one of each variety up. I also purchased a blueberry cream-cheese croissant, based on the recommendation of the staff member helping me.

All of these treats were SO good! I savored the blueberry croissant’s luscious cream cheese filling. And the macarons! They were delightful iterations of this classic confection, with their perfectly crisp-yet-pillowy meringue cookies sandwiching rich and creamy ganache. YUM and YUM!

Clementine’s offers so much more than cookies and croissants. Other featured goods include bundt cakes, cupcakes, cannolis, tarts, bear claws, cheesecakes, muffins, and even house-made dog bones. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. The next time you’re craving a sweet treat, look no further than this local gem!

57 Macomb Pl.

Mt. Clemens, MI 48043

www.clementinespastries.com

556. Cake Mitten Bake Shop – April 22, 2022 – Clinton Township, MI

You don’t need an excuse to visit Cake Mitten Bake Shop!

I felt like I needed an excuse to visit the Clinton Township-based bakery back in April – and a friend’s birthday celebration was the perfect one. I got her – and myself – some cupcakes. The two I chose for myself, a chocolate bumpy cake and a carrot cake, were delicious! The cupcakes were moist, and the cream cheese frosting on the carrot cake was especially decadent. I could eat a vat of that cream cheese frosting!

Special occasions such as a birthday are an excellent reason to visit Cake Mitten. Check its website and Yelp page for photos of its work. Cake Mitten’s bakers are TALENTED! The intricately decorated cookies and cakes are works of art. Favorites of mine include the wedding cakes festooned with fresh flowers, cookies decorated like mini pizzas (and cut into mini pizza slices!), and a cake shaped like a giant cheeseburger.

Besides cupcakes and custom cakes and cookies, Cake Mitten offers cake pops, cake jars, chocolate-covered strawberries, and pretzels dipped in chocolate and caramel. Look to this bakery to celebrate your next special occasion – or your next everyday Tuesday. Because life is hard, but places such as Cake Mitten remind us that every day is an occasion to celebrate – especially when chocolate and cream-cheese frosting are involved!

40750 Garfield Rd.

Clinton Twp., MI 48038

www.cakemitten.com

547. Donut Cutter – February 7, 2022 – Berkley, MI

Donut Cutter for the win on a Monday morning! Or any morning . . . because the Berkley-based donut shop’s wares are definitively delicious any day of the week!

During my visit to Donut Cutter, I ordered the donuts pictured above: the sour cream glaze, the cruller, and the frosted chocolate cake with sprinkles. All three were fresh and tasty, with perfectly crispy deep-fried exteriors and soft, cakey (or airy, in the case of the cruller) interiors. All three were answers to the question of why Donut Cutter is so beloved by Metro-Detroiters!

28173 Woodward Ave.

Berkley, MI 48072

539. A Serendipity Cakery – December 19, 2021 – Riverview, MI

A Serendipity Cakery and its exquisite Cake Drops! With their chocolatey outer shells and rich, truffle-like interiors, they were more than worth the trip.

The bakery was one of the earliest entries on my to-do list for 100 Places in the D. I’d read about A Serendipity Cakery years ago, when it was based in Wyandotte. It’s since moved, to a strip-mall storefront in Riverview flanked with pink signage and hanging baskets of brightly-hued artificial flowers.

This was my first trip to Riverview! It admittedly felt like the other side of the world from where I live. I’m fascinated by how large the tri-county Detroit area is – how you can drive for an hour and be somewhere you’ve never been and still be in Metro Detroit. That’s how I felt when I went to Riverview and A Serendipity Cakery.

I was thrilled to make an acquaintance of this bakery! How could I not be, with the variety of sweets that A Serendipity Cakery sells? Those include custom cakes, cupcakes, macarons, cookies, cannolis, ice cream, and various items dipped in chocolate. The latter category includes pretzel rods, potato chips, and something called Bacon Crack (I’m intrigued).

And of course, there are the Cake Drops, which I’d argue are the pièce de résistance of A Serendipity Cakery’s offerings (I believe A Serendipity Cakery would agree; its website is www.cakedropsgalore.com). I couldn’t help but order a dozen. How could I not, with compelling flavor varieties such as chocolate-peanut butter, chocolate-banana, chocolate-caramel, and mint-chocolate chip?

As you can see, I went pretty chocolate-heavy in my flavor pickings. A Serendipity Cakery is happy to accommodate chocolate lovers like me! Many of the shop’s 50 flavors of Cake Drops incorporate dark chocolate. But there are varieties that feature white chocolate shells and non-chocolatey fillings such as key lime, piña colada, and cotton candy. The carrot cake Cake Drop I bought was one of my absolute favorites. Its moist spiced-cake filling was oh-so-delicious!

The chocolate-banana was another standout favorite. Every Cake Drop I purchased from A Serendipity Cakery was a delight in its own way. How could I not love this bakery?

18100 Fort St.

Riverview, MI 48193

www.cakedropsgalore.com

521. Bakehouse 46 – August 14, 2021 – Rochester, MI

Here’s Bakehouse 46, offering up a sweet serving of collaboration! And cupcakes, and donuts, and cider . . ..

Located in downtown Rochester, Bakehouse 46 marries Blake Farms (of cider mill and hard cider fame) and Cupcake Station (whose eponymous treats have been delighting Metro Detroiters since 2006) with a sleek style that’s all its own. If you’re familiar with these beloved local businesses, you already know this is one EPIC mash-up!

I visited Bakehouse 46 during a jaunt in mid-August that had me bustling around downtown Rochester: to Catching Fireflies, The Home Bakery, and the farmer’s market. All that shopping worked up a hunger in me. Enter the Bakehouse Club: a delightfully soft Everything bagel sandwiching layers of bacon, ham, turkey, arugula, tomato, cheese, and scallion cream cheese.

WOW, was that sandwich delicious! What a melding of flavors: rich cheeses, smoky meats, juicy tomato, and zesty seasonings. And arugula! Bakehouse 46, you had me at the Everything-bagel sandwich – but add fresh, peppery arugula to the mix, and my taste buds are kvelling!

Bakehouse 46’s menu showcases several breakfast- and lunch-oriented bagel sandwiches. It also sells bagels sans the sandwich filling, plus coffee and the previously mentioned cupcakes, donuts, and cider. Check the shop’s online menu for its enticing – and numerous! – cupcake offerings, which include Snickers, Chai Latte, and Bump-a-licious (Bakehouse 46’s riff on Bumpy cake).

As someone whose grew up on Blake’s donuts (donuts so fresh as to make you cry tears of joy when you bite into them!) – I know Bakehouse 46’s are bound to be special. Blake’s cider (the best of the best!) is served there, too. There are also caramel apples made from Blake’s apples, and Blake’s jams and maple syrups. Other baked goods such as cheesecake bars, cookies, and brownies are sold at the shop, as well.

Let’s talk about the shop itself. Bakehouse 46’s interior is an ultra-modern, ultra-gorgeous amalgamation of glistening white tile, slate-blue walls, wood floors and furnishings, and buttery leather furniture. Potted plants, accent pillows, and a red Oriental rug provide pops of color. It’s a feast for the eyes – the perfect counterpart to the culinary feasting facilitated by Bakehouse 46’s menu. Here’s to harmonious collaboration!

205 S. Main St.

Rochester, MI 48307

(With an additional location in Birmingham)

www.bakehouse46.com