Baked – The Unconventional Brooklyn Bakery
Red Hook, Brooklyn is slowly becoming the epicenter of all things cool in New York City. Ikea opened its doors in Red Hook in 2008 and the latest season of MTV’s Real World was filmed there as well. Paving the way for them four years ago, Red Hook saw the arrival of a new storefront bakery called Baked. After hearing/reading about them for some time now and snatching a copy of their new cookbook, I decided visiting the bakery was a must for 2009.
I hopped on the bus and braved the snow this weekend to make my way to Red Hook. Confusion took over me once I walked through the big, orange door. Accustomed to walking into spots like Magnolia Bakery and Buttercup Bakeshop, where you are greeted with an array of pastel colors and rows and rows of cupcakes, I was shocked when I didn’t immediately see any cake at Baked. See Baked is not like the conventional bakery we are used to seeing in NYC. It has more of a coffee shop feel to it, with a good bit of seating for folks to hang and read the paper over a good cup of Joe. I made my way to the counter and was relieved as I entered dessert heaven – bars, brownies, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, marshmallows and the crowned jewel – CAKE. I couldn’t decide on just one thing. So here’s a rundown of all the yummy things I tried:
Don’t worry – I didn’t have them all at once. I had some in the store but took most of it home.
- Coconut Cream Cake: First off, I got a huge hunk for only $4.50 and I enjoyed every last crumb of this cake. It was rich, creamy and full of coconutty goodness. The cake had a lot of body and tons of flavor. While the coconut flavor was very rich, it was not overpowering.
- Sweet and Salty Cake: This is Baked’s most famous creation. The concept behind the cake deserves its own post but let’s just say it was the best chocolate cake I have ever had. There are chocolate cakes that hit you over the head with overwhelming chocolate flavor. But this one was just right. And the French sea salt on top made for an extra special treat. I can’t wait to try the recipe in their book. If you don’t think something sweet and salty is of your liking, try a chocolate covered pretzel and you will be converted. (More on this in a future post)
- Ginger Cookie: AWESOME cookie. With bits of crystallized ginger baked throughout, it makes for a great fall/winter cookie.
- Marshmallows: For those of you that think all marshmallows are created equal think again. These are nothing like what you will get out of a plastic bag at your grocery store. If you don’t live in New York, you can buy them online in either vanilla, chocolate or peppermint. I’m a traditionalist when it comes to marshmallows, so I prefer vanilla, but the chocolate and peppermint ones were exquisite.
- Lemon Blueberry Muffin: Some people think muffins and cupcakes are the same thing but they are not. Among other differences muffins are not as sweet and more dense than cupcakes. Baked muffins fit the measure and are very flavorful.
- Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti: I was surprised by the texture of this biscotti. It was slightly “cakier” than other biscotti’s I have had in the past and really yummy. Great to have with tea or coffee.
Among the many things I did not try are a variety of different brownies. But they are among Oprah’s favorite things – so I’ll take her word for it.
If you are in New York, definitely give Baked a try. If you are not in New York, pick up a copy of their cookbook or try some of the products they sell online. You will not be disappointed.
On a scale of 1-5, I give Baked 5 Chica Stars 
Do you want to hear about more delicious spots both in and outside NYC? Leave me a comment and I’ll make sure to add them to my list of places to visit and maybe they will get my Chica Seal of Approval.
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Manz — January 14, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
I have never been to Red Hook, but an IKEA and this coconut cake is enough to get me there! I have to make this my next Brooklyn field trip.
Laurie — January 14, 2009 @ 5:49 pm
I don’t get to Brooklyn very often but the next time I do, I will be sure to stop by Baked. I love marshmallows and peppermint. I will get this for sure. You rock!
How To Eat A Cupcake — January 16, 2009 @ 3:08 am
Thanks a ton for the encouragement!
OMG I wanna go there so bad! I got their book for Christmas. Their red velvet cake and sweet and salty cake is on my to-bake list! Lucky girl! Glad to hear it was everything it’s hyped up to be!
Ingrid — January 28, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
I just got there book two weeks, I’ve been reading through it torn between many yummies to try my hand at making. ~ingrid