may | june 2019 102PRANTL’S BAKERY
5525 Walnut St., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
prantlsbakery.comIt’s not often that a neighborhood bakery is the birthplace of a
nationwide sensation, but that’s just what happened for Prantl’s
Bakery. In 1970, Henry Prantl opened his namesake bakery and
invented the Burnt Almond Torte. Made up of yellow cake layered
with custard, covered in vanilla buttercream, and coated in toasted
almonds, this cake turned Henry’s small bakery into a Pittsburgh
landmark. Today, the cake is so popular that it’s carried on
goldbelly.com, and it’s often used as a wedding cake by couples
across the country. Due to the cake’s success, Prantl’s now has two
locations in Pittsburgh and another in nearby Greensburg, but the
bakery still turns out homey, comforting, and artisanal baked goods.CROWD FAVORITE: peanut butter thumbprint cookie, a
shortbread cookie topped with a 2-inch-thick dollop of peanut butter
frosting. Tip from the locals: if you’re really in the thumbprint mood,
try the chocolate fudge and cherry almond thumbprints, too.BIT OF SWISS
4333 Ridge Rd., Stevensville, Michigan
bitofswiss.comNothing says comfort baked from scratch like a
bakery housed in a chalet-style cabin tucked away in
a forested corner less than a mile from the shores of
Lake Michigan, and that’s exactly what you’ll fi nd at
Bit of Swiss. This bakery has been serving Western
European-inspired treats since 1967 after hiring the
pastry chef from the famed Whitcomb Hotel that had
recently closed. Inspired by the chef’s Swiss heritage,
owners Tim and Pat Foley serve up homey, feel-good
fare that ranges from golden Danish to Finnish Rye to
Bavarian Cream Cake.
CROWD FAVORITE: Michigan blueberry coff ee
cake that’s packed with sour cream in the batter and
locally grown berries.