Where To Get Sweet Treats In Philly’s Suburbs

Our Favorite Bakeries In Conshohocken, West Chester, Malvern And Beyond

by Jamie Joffe, Culture Editor

Lead photo: Cake cups at Chocolate Therapy in Exton.

My love affair with baked goods started at age 8 when I received a much coveted  EZ bake oven as a Christmas gift. For three days straight, I baked (and devoured) mini Duncan Hines vanilla cakes with chocolate icing and sprinkles. On the fourth day, in an unfortunate turn of events, the oven’s lever jammed, resulting in a small fire that caused some minor smoke damage. Soon after, my EZ Bake mysteriously disappeared, leaving me to exist on Tastykakes and Mallomars. 

The EZ bake oven incident was so traumatic that it was pretty much the last time I baked anything. Luckily for me, the alchemy of flour, butter and sugar is readily available at local bakeries. Since it is always the season for baked goods, I’m sharing some of my favorites. 

Bakers of Buffington: Try the chocolate chip cheesecake, red velvet cupcakes and double chocolate brownies as well as the amazing custom cakes made by this bakery, which has been creating sweets for more than 30 years. 131 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown

ButterScotch Pastry Shop: The delicate apple turnovers, mouthwatering carrot cake and banana cakes are some of my favorites. But the real star of the show is the banoffee tart, made of banana, salted caramel and mascarpone whipped cream in a graham cracker crust. 1406 Hollow Road, Birchrunville

Chocolate Therapy: Indian fusion cakes? Yes – and they are scrumptious. Owner Nupur Kundalia combines her love of baking with her degree from the Art Institute of Philadelphia to create one of the most unique bakeries in our area. Try the fig and honey cake. It’s spectacular. 16 Marchwood Road, Exton

Clay’s Bakery: A Main Line favorite for decades, Clay’s specializes in custom cakes for any occasion. Clay’s also offers artisan cupcakes and petit fours, as well as cookies in all shapes and sizes. 700 Lancaster Ave., Berwyn

Collegeville Italian Bakery: This is a new addition to my repertoire which I discovered on Instagram – which knows my shopping habits better than anyone. It’s a little off the beaten path, but well worth it. Partake in the scratch-baked Italian cookies and the custom ice cream cakes. They also make a mean pizza. If you go often enough you could be bestowed the honor of being named “Pizziola of the Day.” 3846 Ridge Pike, Collegeville

IKEA: Now this one may be a surprise, but an IKEA cinnamon bun never disappoints. In fact, I consider it my reward for not crying while trying to configure my BILLIE shelving unit. 400 Alan Wood Rd, Conshohocken

Izenberg’s: Julia Izenberg can transform a cake into anything your heart desires, including a Birkin Bag. And although I’d prefer a real one, her cakes taste so delicious that after one bite, it’s a little easier to accept my Target fate. 401 Fayette St., Conshohocken

La Baguette Magique: Of course the baguettes are amazing, but so are all of the other savory and sweet items in this French-style bakery. The Quiche Lorraine is exceptional, as are the eclairs, tartines and croissants. 202 W. Market St., West Chester

Malvern Buttery: When I’m looking for a more refined “cake-as-breakfast option,”  I visit Malvern Buttery, a super cute bakery and cafe. Get the morning bun – but don’t be fooled by the name. I eat these any time of day. 233 E King St., Malvern

OsoSweet: Go for the sweets, stay for the vibes. OsoSweet serves breakfast and lunch and has outdoor music in the summer so you can dance off the carbs. The savory items are as delicious as the cookies, cakes and other goodies. 1609 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford

Pretty Tasty Cupcakes: Pretty Tasty Cupcakes is so small that if you blink, you could miss it. Use your navigation, because these cupcakes cannot be overlooked. When I’m feeling particularly sophisticated, I pick up the Midnight Carrie Bradshaw cupcake. 1602 Butler Pike, Conshohocken

R. Weinrich German Bakery: The region’s tastiest rye bread, a great raspberry Linzer torte and delicious butter cookies are just a few of the treats at this German-style bakery, which has been a local staple since 1961. 3545 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square

Saint Peter’s Bakery: Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, this sweet spot has delicious breads (like the multigrain sourdough), croissant (try the spinach-feta) and quiche. Call ahead to see if they have the cinnamon crunch cheesecake. You’ll thank me later. 3441 Saint Peters Road, Saint Peters

Strawberry Bakery: The perfect definition of a hidden gem, Strawberry Bakery is an authentic French-style bakery. Everything (and I mean everything) from colorful cakes, cookies, tarts and chocolates is delicious. Want to take a pastry class? They have those, too. 365 Lancaster Ave., Malvern

The Bakery House: Visiting The Bakery House is a permanent item on my weekly to-do list. I even love the lemon cake … and I hate lemons. The coconut layer cake rivals that of NYC’s famed Magnolia Bakery. Conveniently, The Bakery House sells slices of cake to go. I often buy one and eat it in my car.  604 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr

The Happy Mixer: Gluten-free people deserve baked goods, too.  The Happy Mixer rises to the challenge, specializing in gluten-free breads, bagels, doughnuts, cakes, muffins and more. The kiffles are great, and they offer a delicious soft pretzel that will satisfy even the most discerning Philadelphians. Chalfont, Newtown and Wayne locations.

Ultimate Bake Shoppe of Ardmore: Don’t you love cake that’s disguised as breakfast? I mean, no one ever looks at you strangely when you inhale a gigantic muffin at 8 am. IMO, the muffins at The Ultimate Bake Shoppe are astounding. While many people set their alarm early to go to the gym, I set mine so I can get to the Farmer’s Market while the muffins are still warm. Ardmore Farmer’s Market, 120 Coulter Ave., Ardmore

Yori’s Church Street Bakery: A staple of West Chester for more than a decade, Yori’s is a great family-owned bakery right in the middle of the borough. The custom cakes here are spectacular, as are the pies, cannoli, tarts and sticky buns. 15 N. Church St., West Chester

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Where else can you find great food in the Philadelphia suburbs? Read about Amada Radnor, the Insider’s Guide To Conshohocken, and the Insider’s Guide To Bryn Mawr.