Nothing Bundt Cakes

A few months ago, a new store opened up in Scripps Ranch, in that little complex with Takhrai Thai, Yanni’s Bistro, Japan House, and a few other stores at the intersection of Scripps Poway Parkway and Pomerado Road. It’s one I was familiar with because I’d been to the one in Las Vegas, where they started. My mom was fascinated with them – so moist, so tasty, so simple. However, their cakes tend to be a little pricey, so after a while we forgot about them and then focused on the cupcake craze that was popping up.

When I saw that Nothing Bundt Cakes was opening here, I really wished them success. I know many people, myself included, who go buy a sheet cake from Costco for parties because it’s fast and cheap and really not that bad. Or I’ll bake up a cake. Why do I need to pay $20 for a bundt cake with cream cheese frosting?

Because their cakes are good. I’ve looked at their ingredient list and tried to figure out what that secret ingredient is that would turn my bundt cakes into that moist, tasty concoction. I can’t figure it out. Nothing Bundt Cakes come in so many flavors plus a flavor of the month. The cream cheese frosting is just piped on but you’ll want to smear it over each bite of cake and then you’ll wonder how you can eat the frosting by itself and still have enough for the cake. Decorations are colorful bows and cutouts – totally simple but tasteful.

T and I stopped in one weekend after eating lunch at Japan House. I just wanted to see how they were doing and check out prices. Of course, we tried the sample sitting out on the table and as soon as it hit my mouth I wanted to buy a cake. But, it’s just the two of us! Buying an 8-inch cake makes no sense and is also just not healthy. Just as I was thinking that maybe I shouldn’t have wolfed down that sample, maybe I should have savored it slowly, maybe I can get T to grab another sample for me… I saw them.

Nothing Bundt Cakes mini cakelets!! In all their flavors, plus the white chocolate raspberry flavor of the month. And they are only $4! Considering that fancy cupcakes can cost $2 (or more), $4 for this 4-inch cake with a generous frosting-to-cake ratio is a splurge I’m willing to make. My mouth couldn’t think of any other flavor besides the white chocolate raspberry, so there was one cake to buy. Now what? The marble cake? Lemon raspberry? Cinnamon Swirl? Banana Nut? So many choices! I asked T, which one should we get: the lemon raspberry or banana nut? Being oh-so-helpful, he said, “Chocolate chocolate chip.” And so we did.

I stretched those cakes out to last us 3 days, a small bite here, a sliver of a slice there, finally taking the last quarter of the cake as an after-lunch treat to work. We don’t eat cake much, so I doubt we’ll be back as often as I’d like, but I would absolutely rather have one of those mini bundt cakes instead of an overrated cupcake.

Scripps Ranch isn’t very centrally-located, so I don’t know if they’d get much traffic like they would in Hillcrest or somewhere closer to downtown. But they are close to the Scripps Ranch farmer’s market, if anyone goes. If you happen to be passing through, I recommend stopping by and at least tasting a sample. And buying a mini cake. Let me know if you get away with two samples.