Move over cupcakes, you’ve got some sweet competition. The bundt cake is an oldie but a goodie, having gained popularity after the 1966 Pillsbury Bake Off. According to foodtimeline.org, “Until Ella Helfrich’s recipe for her tunnel of fudge cake won second place, the bundt cake was virtually unknown.”
Of course, after Helfrich’s win, everyone who wanted to replicate her recipe went out searching for a bundt pan. Fast forward to 2013, we don’t need to find bundt pans to enjoy a luscious bundt cake.
Nothing Bundt Cakes, located in the One Pacific Place shopping center, offers ten flavors of bundt cakes at any one time, nine are standard and offered year round. The other is a featured flavor that changes every 1-2 months. And the frosting is made with cream cheese and real butter.
Co-owner Melissa Hagerty opened the franchise with friend and former co-worker Sharon Hansen.
The franchise is based out of Las Vegas, which is where Sharon found out about it, having lived there for seven years. Melissa described it as “THE cake to give and get out there.”
After some discussion, Sharon and Melissa, who worked together at Sheppard’s Business Interiors selling furniture, decided the bundt shop would be a good fit for Omaha and was something that was needed.
Melissa decided she was in as soon as she sampled the bundt cakes.
“I think cupcakes are a fad and are a lot drier than bundt cakes, plus the frosting can be over the top sugary. Bundt cakes have been around for years and have more staying power,” Melissa said.
She said Nothing Bundt Cakes caters anywhere from three to four weddings a weekend. They create everything from bundtinis, which are three to four bites to an 8-inch cake for each table that guests can cut into and share.
For those who don’t know, a bundt cake is simply a cake with a hole in the middle. At Nothing Bundt Cakes, the hole is filled with frosting and decorations.
The standard flavors (in order of popularity) are: Red Velvet, Chocolate Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Raspberry, Lemon, Marble, Cinnamon Swirl, White White Chocolate, Carrot and Pecan Praline.
Melissa said the featured flavor this month is White Chocolate Blueberry. She said one of the most popular featured flavors is the Pumpkin Spice, which will be back again in September. The other most popular of the featured flavors is Lemon Raspberry, which will return in the spring.
“Gingerbread will be December’s featured flavor,” said Melissa.
In addition to their bundtinis and full-sized bundt cakes, the shop also offers an individual cake called a bundtlet that comes in its own container.
Nothing Bundt Cakes doesn’t offer in-store seating but Melissa explained that all of the standard flavors are usually available and ready to be picked up at anytime. She does recommend calling ahead if you want a larger cake. For instance, she said an 8-inch carrot cake would take about 20 minutes to be frosted and boxed, so it may be best to call ahead to ensure your order is ready when you get there.
Sharon and Melissa are working on opening a Nothing Bundt Cakes location in Lincoln. Though the two haven’t finalized when and where the shop will open, Melissa anticipates the store being open before the end of the year.
“We want to support the community that supports us. We want to be at events, whether it’s weddings or local charities. We just want to be a part of people’s lives,” Melissa said.
Nothing Bundt Cakes, One Pacific Place, Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., visit nothingbundtcakes.com or call 402.933.9305.