From Hash Brownies, to Scoffingtons, to a unique shop in Sheffield… the couple behind Baked & Caked have been on quite a journey!
Andy and Wendy Dillon adapted quickly to the UK’s lockdown in March 2020, fearing they would lose enough customers of their wholesale bakery business to potentially shut their growing enterprise down. Having found a great location on Chesterfield Road, the couple opened a brand new cake shop, Baked & Caked, on 1st August in what they admitted was a “scary and risky move” that has happily proved a great success with the locals.
The Meersbrook sweet-tooth haven has gone down a treat (no pun intended).
What really makes the little shop stand out are the unique vegan products that Wendy creates. A pastry chef by trade, she began a brownie business that branched out amidst a crowded market into Scoffingtons. Wendy dreamt up these irresistible sweet treats when Lola, her daughter, asked whether you could get Lamingtons without the coconut; the Scoffington is a square of light sponge cake, dipped in chocolate ganache, coated in biscuit crumb and topped with frosting. Following some experimentation with flavours and techniques, a vegan version joined the product lines of Hash Brownies, and soon found itself a loyal following.
Their tasty vegan products have proven particularly popular.
That was when the coronavirus hit, and the orders ground to a halt. Wendy and Andy have made the most of this new chapter with Baked & Caked though, coming up with new ideas to expand their range from just two products to dozens. “The shop has allowed us to express our creativity again,” explains Andy. “The ability to diversify is important for small businesses like ours, and we want to continue being innovative while catering for our customers here in Meersbrook, not only vegans but anyone who enjoys delicious bakes and cakes!”
A great example of their outside-the-box thinking is the #bronut, another of Wendy’s inventions, which is a baked or fried doughnut made with brioche dough, that also happens to be vegan. Needless to say, it’s one of the bakery’s most popular products, alongside vegan Danish pastries, croissants and savoury treats. Although they supplied baked goods to many local venues, participated in the Sheffield Food Festival and provided dessert for one of Eat Sheffield’s awards events, Andy and Wendy weren’t known directly to their fans as a wholesale business. Now, they enjoy the regular contact with customers in the shop, which has saved eight years of hard work that led up to it, and feel thankful for where they are right now.
“We want to continue being innovative while catering for our customers here in Meersbrook, not only vegans but anyone who enjoys delicious bakes and cake.”
Read about more of Sheffield’s finest independent businesses in ‘The Little Book of Sheffield’, available to purchase online here.
