MNfusion: Nothing Bundt Cakes Opens In Minnetonka
Just past Ridgedale Mall, right off of Interstate 394 and tucked into a string of stores lies Nothing Bundt Cakes, Minnetonka's newest bakery.
"Bundt cake is nostalgic. It's been around for a long time," store owner Kim Cassens said. "It's just a different concept."
Nothing Bundt Cakes is a bakery that sells, you guessed it, bundt cakes. And only bundt cakes.
The franchise began in Las Vegas in 1997. Friends Dena Tripp and Debbie Shwetz started a concept bakery that sold only bundt cakes for their friends. But the concept quickly caught on. Their recipe and flavors are now used at hundreds of stores nationwide.
Including Cassens' location in Minnetonka.
Cassens' store opened its doors on July 9, becoming the third location in Minnesota.
"We live and shop in the area and there really wasn't anything around here like this," Cassens said. "So, that's why we chose [Minnetonka/Wayzata]."
Like the two before it, the Minnetonka location sells tiered, 10 inch and eight inch cakes. They also offer bundtlets, a "personal"sized bundt cake, and bundtinis, cupcake-sized bundt cakes.
Each cake is moist, dense and rich in flavor. The perfectly round deserts are all decorated with a sweet, light and slightly tangy cream cheese frosting.
"There's 10 flavors, and then there's a flavor of the month which changes every other month," Cassens said.
The top sellers are red velvet, chocolate chocolate chip, white chocolate raspberry and lemon.
Other flavors include marble, pecan praline, carrot, white chocolate and cinnamon swirl. The flavor of the month through August is lemon raspberry.
Cassens' favorite?
"Red velvet."
Flavors are driven by the franchise, but Cassens said there may be a chance for new flavors in the future.
Cassens didn't come from a baking background, other than doing some of it at home for her family. So deciding to open a baking business was something completely new.
"Celebrating life's occasions just appeals to me," she said.
So, in celebration of the store's grand opening, Cassens and her team will be hosting a number of grand opening events.
The events will kick off at 4 p.m. Thursday, July 30 with a ribbon cutting. The Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce will come out to the store and officially welcome them to the area.
Then Friday the real fun starts!
All day Friday, July 31 the store will be partnering with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
"My husband was actually diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma," Cassens said. "My husband is in remission, and has been for years, but giving back to something that means so much to us and being able to help in any way is really important."
A representative from the society will visit the store and provide information on how others can help. There will be small games and giveaways, and 20 percent of the proceeds from that day will go back to the society.
The weekend then caps off with the Cake-A-Palooza!
From 12 to 2 p.m. Saturday, August 1 everyone is invited to come and taste samples from the bakery. There will also be games and activities outside of the store.
Additionally, the first 50 customers on Saturday will receive one free a month bundlets for one year!
"It is a great product and it is a great franchise," Cassens said. "And the cakes are just phenomenal. Once you taste them, they sell you."
So, whether you feel like challenging Cassens' remarks, or you just want to enjoy free cake, visit Minnetonka's newest bakery at the end of the month and help support a local business and charity.
As if you needed any incentive to indulge.
Nothing Bundt Cakes is located at 12987 Ridgedale Dr. in Minnetonka, just across the street from Ridgedale Mall. They are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Nothing Bundt Cakes also has locations in Blaine and Eden Prairie.