Before becoming the unofficial Queen of Red Velvet in LA, Susan Sarich was on a mission. She’d noticed that neighborhood bakeries had stopped making their products on-site, and she missed homemade goodies from scratch reminiscent of her childhood. So, Susan set out to create a confectionary experience that would bring people together through good, no bullshit baking. And thus, in 2006 SusieCakes was born.
As you might expect, one magical cake haven was not enough to save the cakescape of Los Angeles. Since the opening of the original storefront in Brentwood, Susan has opened 19 SusieCakes bakeries between SoCal, NorCal, and Texas, and each location continues to bake from scratch. Her mantra is: “If you can’t spell it, we don’t bake with it.” It’s no wonder she takes the cake for 2016's EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
Images courtesy of SusieCakes
But let’s talk about those cakes. Susan is renowned for her bewitching Southern red velvet cake, but when the holidays roll around, she’s got all sorts of treats up her sleeve. With Halloween upon us, she’s got pumpkin maple cupcakes, caramel apple cake, Halloween sugar cookies, trick or treat bars and pumpkin pies jostling for space in her display cases.
Susan Sarich. Image courtesy of SusieCakes
So, where does sweet tooth Susan Sarich stock up on sweet treats in LA?
SusieCakes
Multiple locations
SS: Of course Susie Cakes! We have frosted sugar cookies in ghost and pumpkin shapes that are always popular with school and office parties, and we bake pumpkin cupcakes topped with maple buttercream frosting.
Image courtesy of SusieCakes
Bouchon Bakery
Beverly Hills
SS: For pumpkin French macarons!
Image courtesy of @bouchon_bakery
Sugarfina
Pasadena
SS: For pumpkin pie caramels
Image courtesy of @cocoroseboutique
Sugar Paper at Brentwood Country Mart
Brentwood
SS: For Halloween cards. I love any excuse to celebrate with an old-fashioned written greeting card.
Image courtesy of Sugar Paper
Sweet Rose Creamery
Fairfax and various
SS: For pumpkin ice cream
Image courtesy of @sweetrosecreamery
Pottery Barn
Sherman Oaks and various
SS: For festive home décor (Halloween pillows, plates, candles). It helps to make it feel more like fall when it’s 80 degrees here in October!
Image courtesy of Pottery Barn
Trader Joe's
Hollywood and various
SS: For their seasonal “harvest salsa” and pumpkin tortilla chips—a popular snack in our office!
Image courtesy of @traderjoesvegan
Williams-Sonoma
Santa Monica and various
SS: For my annual Halloween apron and their spiced pumpkin seed brittle.
Image courtesy of Williams Sonoma
Header image courtesy of SusieCakes
Belinda Gosbee is an Aussie writer, actress and coffee snob based in Los Angeles. Follow her jaunts on twitter @belindagosbee or instagram @gos22
