Can you believe it?! It’s officially November, which means we finally get to start talking all things holiday here at Fridge to Fork. Since we’re all about recipes, family, friends, and making memories at the table, the holidays are kind of our thing. We get so excited talking about family gatherings and suggesting dishes for all your upcoming get togethers. This month, we’ll be giving you the scoop on our favorite healthy holiday sides, sharing Thanksgiving leftover ideas, and preparing for holiday parties with lots of great appetizer and cocktail recipes.
But to kick things off, you know we’ve got to talk about holiday desserts. Because let’s be real…when else can we get away with featuring cakes, pies, and cookies with wild abandon.
A few months ago, I met a lovely lady, Tara Powers, and her husband, John, at a Richmond foodie meeting. Turns out, they specialize in a particular type of baked good that caught my attention: booze-y baked goods! I later met Tara at a local farmer’s market and sampled a whole slew of her desserts from Vanilla & Bourbon. All of them were delicious. Which meant, of course, that I had to photograph them and share my findings!
Tara sells mini desserts, like the ones shown below, at the Market at Magnolia Green on Saturdays. Best of all though, she bakes up full-sized desserts for order during the holidays (for info on that, skip to the end). Here’s what the beau and I sampled:
Maple Bourbon French Toast Cake
A beautiful mini bundt cake with cream cheese frosting and candied bacon (two thumbs up for candied bacon). Would be great for gifts!
Maple Bacon Bourbon Blondies
For the super sweet tooth. Blondies with a sweet maple bourbon glaze and candied bacon sprinkled on top.
Chocolate Bourbon Cake
This one was James’ favorite. Absolutely decadent. Silky texture, perfect amount of chocolate. Melts in your mouth. These would be epic to serve as individual desserts at a dinner party.
Pumpkin Pie Bars
My favorite! Not too sweet and extra pumpkin-y. Like a slice of pumpkin pie, but prettier! This would be a perfect addition to your dessert spread for Thanksgiving.
Bread Pudding with Bourbon Soaked Raisins
Close second for me. This was insanely good. Velvety texture and the perfect amount of bourbon flavor. Great heated up with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!
Overall, J and I were really impressed with all of the desserts. I was particularly impressed with the variety she offers. There really is something for everyone.
I was interested in Tara’s story. Has she always baked? Why did she start this business? So I asked her a few questions…
Tell me a bit about your background:
I’m a native Viginian, born and raised in Powhatan where is still live with my three boys, Caleb 19, Gage 14,and Gavin 10, my husband John and our two dogs- Harley and Pepper.
When I was a child My parents worked the evening shift. My older sister stayed at home with me, but being an older sibling, she had more interest in talking to her friends on the phone then playing with her little sister. I remember my Mom had a cookbook that amongst the recipes it showed how to set up tables for dinner parties. I would pretend to have them, setting the dining room table up just as described in the book. When I got old enough to use the stove I began to want to make dinner for my parties, but making a pot roast wasn’t feasible after school, so I began to bake things instead. My first involved recipe was Boston Cream Pie with from scratch sponge, custard and Ganache. It is probably still one of my favorite things to make and eat.
Have you always loved to bake?
My mother made home-cooked meals every day before she left for her evening job, and she always baked up something good on the weekend and especially the holidays. On occasion we would even have cake or pie for breakfast on the weekend. So I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t baking or surrounded by home-baked treats. I would say that I am a self-proclaimed sugar addict, and I refuse to seek treatment. Instead I bake to get it out of my system.
What inspired you to open a cottage bakery?
When the cupcake craze began in the early 2000’s I too became obsessed with the idea of small cake with endless possibilities of flavors. I began to dream of one day opening a cupcake shop, but many people beat me to it, so my ideas stayed just dreams.
My oldest sister, Tammy, even bought me a book years ago about running a bakery from home, but it stayed on a shelf until it was suggested that I try selling at the local farmers markets. I pulled out the book, began google searching the legalities and such, started finding local farmers markets. I stumbled upon The Market at Magnolia Green. It was relatively new and small so I thought it was a great place to start, and in the spring of 2017, I began selling there with the idea that if no one bought my treats then it was a life lesson — no harm, no fowl.
Why bourbon? Why the booze-y desserts?
I had to find my niche, my brand, my story and hone in on it. I realized that I loved the baked goods of my childhood and of the South — pound cakes, pies, puddings. After a trip to the Bahamas where we picked up a rum cake, the idea of baking with liquor stuck with me. Instead of rum, I decided to bake with the liquor of the South, bourbon whisky. What ingredient is in almost all baked goods? Vanilla, and what was going to be the new star of my desserts? Bourbon! So Vanilla & Bourbon Southern Desserts was born.
I considered it a success as a part-time gig. But in summer or 2018, I found that my full-time job was being dissolved, leaving me in the wind after 17 years with the company. I felt that it was the universe telling me to stop dreaming and start doing. So here I am, hoping to grow my small farmers market business into a brick and mortar store. For now, I want to bake deliciousness and share it with others. I want to help others not stress over baking sweets during the holidays, and instead let me do it for them!
Lastly, what’s your favorite restaurant in Richmond?
We love to eat locally, and just love to eat in general! So it’s hard to pin down one favorite local restaurant. We love Toast, and Citizen Buger, Little Nickle, Casa Del Barco and here in Powhatan Mabel’s and El Cero Azul.
How can we order from you?
Contact me at vanillandbourbon@gmail.com. As far as holiday orders, I’d like 7 days advance of Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I know it gets hectic. I will do my best to fill last-minute orders as well.
Our menu changes seasonally and is available on our Facebook page, Facebook.com/vanillandbourbon
We will be adding a Cranberry and Bourbon Cake for Christmas, as well as cookie platters.
We can also be found on Instagram @vanillandbourbon
Upcoming Events:
We’ll be at the Cider Celebration at 17th Street Farmers Market on Saturday, November 10th from 11-5, with a new cake made with local hard cider.
We are also working on a collaboration with @threecrossesdistillery here in Powhatan and hope to soon be available in their tasting room.
If you’re not in the Richmond, VA area, then I hope I’ve at least given you some dessert ideas to ponder for the holidays. If you ARE in the area, you are in luck my friend. Tara makes full sized versions of all of her desserts for the holidays at a very reasonable price. Just contact her at vanillandbourbon@gmail.com at least one week from the date you’ll need your dessert.
Wendy Logan says
By far the best new thing I found this year was Vanilla & Bourbon Maple Bacon Blondies! I can’t wait to see them again!