Man does not live by Bread Alone.....He needs Cake Too!
The caliber of Connecticut's bakeries and places for sweet treats is getting hotter. We have the standard Italian style pastry shops and in the past decade, the artisan pastry and cupcake shops have sprouted. Hungry for these delectable and irresistable sweets? Your choices are a plenty.
1.Sugar Bakery and Sweet Shop, 422 Main Street, East Haven 203-469-0815
Winner of Cupcake Wars on Food Network, check out their assortment of traditional flavors and seasonal specialties.
2. Judie's European Bakery, 63 Grove Street, New Haven 203-777-6300
Well known for their French Peasant Bread, Judie's ever evolving daily sweet treats are well worth the calories. The Aztec brownies, with just the right amout of spice uses quality chocolate, by far the best brownie I have savored.
3. Atticus Bookstore Cafe, 1082 Chapel Street, New Haven 203-776-4040
Located in the heart of Yale University, Atticus has become a standard for Yale students and the downtown New Haven community. Try the homemade poundcakes; lemon, blueberry, banana walnut or carrot with cream cheese frosting. On a recent visit I tried the cranberry pecan French Toast layered with warm cream cheese.Â
4. Take the Cake, 2458 Boston Post Road, Guilford 203-453-1896
Voted best bakery and best dessert in the Advocate's Best of New Haven 2002-2010, all of the cakes are decorated with fresh flowers.The best seller, is white chocolate mousse.
5. The SONO Baking Company & Cafe, 101 Water Street, South Norwalk, 203-847-7666
The cakes and pastries are elegant works of art. The tangy key lime tart brings a bit of Key West to South Norwalk.
6. Marjolaine Pastry Shop, 961 State Street, New Haven, 203-789-8589
This European-style bakery has been in the historic upper State Street area since the early 1980's. The Marjolaine, their signature dessert is everything you could want in a French dessert.
7. Bantam Bread Company, 853 Bantam Road, Bantam, 860-567-2737
It is worth the trip to this tiny bakery in this charming tiny town. Known for the "dirt bomb," a muffin size sweet cake coated with cinnamon sugar, you won't be able to eat just one!
8. Julia's Bakery, 220 Indian River Road, Orange 203-799-7106
 9. Petonito's Pastry Shop, 190 Main Street, East Haven 203-469-1817
One of the few traditional Italian pastry shops left in greater New Haven. Over 25,000 wedding cakes have been created since 1954. Stop in for a decadent canoli or Napoleon. Order a giant canoli for your next party.
 10. The Cupcake Truck, www.followthatcupcake.com  Â
Check the website to find out where the truck is each day. Two Southern favorites, Hummingbird, a mixture of bananas, pineapple, pecans and coconut or sweet potato pecan and raisins soaked in brandy.Â