It’s something about the words ‘bang bang,’ it’s so fun to say. It’s so easy to remember. And people always remember our name. Cake with a bang. We wanted [our] name to reflect what you’re feeling when you’re eating our cake. - Raquel Figueroa It’s a bang in every bite, in every jar, or plate waiting for the next customer to encounter the onomatopoeia of it all. One part idea, one part cake, one part icing, one part rum. And not the essence of rum … or rum extract … or rum fl

Vampire Penguin: Polk County’s Enchanted Parlor of Impossible Flavors This is the story of a magical shaved snow shop where each spoonful transports customers into the world the flavor was inspired by, a feast for the eyes and even better for your soul. When I walked into Vampire Penguin on a steamy Saturday afternoon, the dark brownish brick walls enveloped me in a cool, celestial, adventurous hug. I had stopped by the shop before it opened earlier in the year, so it was a d

Andrew Logans Artisan Chocolates & Confections began as a dream rooted in a lifelong passion for baking and a newfound love for chocolate-making. “I’ve had a passion for cooking and baking since middle school, and that passion has only grown over the years,” Mark Sutton, the founder of Andrew Logans explains. “I always knew I wanted to start a business but wasn’t sure what direction to take. About six years ago, I began experimenting with chocolate-making and quickly discover

Here’s the scoop on Winter Haven’s newest ice cream shop: Ripples Handcrafted Ice Cream is the brainchild of Honeycomb Bread Bakers owner Benjamin Vickers and partner Ethos Coffee Roasters owner Lisbeth Pacheco. The elevated ice cream shop will feature a coffee bar with Ethos Coffee and 13 flavors of ice cream to choose from. Having had formal culinary training at CIA in New York as a pastry chef, much of Vickers’ early career was in resorts and fine dining restaurants compos

The couple behind Lakeland’s favorite popup café is opening a bake shop! Gio and Gabriella Favilli-Vigoreaux have dreamed of opening a bakery since they were kids. What started as two separate culinary ventures operating out of the Catapult Kitchen Incubator, Vicky G’s and Casita Verde, combined to create Bandidas. A Central Florida native and first-generation American, Gio would travel to Nicaragua several times a year to visit family growing up. She delighted in meals made

“The fudge, there is so much touch and feel that goes into that,” said RJ Webb. “If you put it into the trough just a little too soon or a little too late, that batch is a throwaway.” Fudge and employees-turned-family keep this Davenport candy shop running strong. Paul Webb courted Nadine Henderson since the first grade. They married in 1942. That’s when they purchased their first business, the Fountainette, in Mayville, New York. One month later, Paul was drafted into the Ar

As a child, Mike & Mike’s Desserts Co-owner and CGO Mike Mitchell spent his time measuring and mixing with his mother in the kitchen – making her signature red velvet cupcakes. “He saw the love that his mom was passing along in every bite,” according to his story online. From helping his mother early on, “I understood this from a deep level,” Mitchell said. He launched Mike & Mike’s Desserts in Miami while attending school for his Bachelor of Arts degree. He initially used hi

“I think between December and January, that’s when the berries taste the best,” according to Fancy Farms Market co-owner Kristi Grooms-Barnes. Hailing from the Winter Strawberry Capital of the nation, growing from Thanksgiving through Easter, Fancy Farms is approaching the height of its season – Valentine’s Day. What’s better than gifting your Valentine fresh chocolate covered strawberries? Each season, thousands of people travel to their acres and acres of green dotted with

In an unassuming strip mall off Highway 17 in Winter Haven is a magical little donut shop with a frosting pink sign beckoning passersby to indulge in fresh donuts. It’s the kind of place where they know their regulars’ names, which says a lot because of how many patrons they have. Once you’ve tried a warm donut from Baking Donuts Plus, you can’t just go back to the other guys. Whether you’re a blueberry babe or a breakfast croissant coinsurer, this Winter Haven bake shop has

When pondering the grassroots potential of the bake sale, it’s hard not to think of Georgia Gilmore, the woman who fed and funded the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. Gilmore formed The Club From Nowhere, a secret civil rights kitchen where she sold pies and pound cakes to raise funds for the 381-day resistance. It’s also hard to not think of Paola Velez, the DC chef who co-founded Bakers Against Racism, a massive bake sale movement that began as a pop-up in 2020 and has raise

If there’s anything that transcends age and occasion, it’s ice cream. Nine to 99, birthdays to ‘just because’ there’s nothing like premium hand-dipped ice cream dripping down a homemade waffle cone on a sunny day. Owners of the former Good Buddies BBQ, Joel and Melissa Vann, implemented a magical combination – barbecue and ice cream. Melissa formerly worked in marketing, and Joel is a BBQ competition pitmaster. “He’s a BBQ competition cook, and we both really love ice cream,

The couple behind Bandidas pop-up café, Gio and Gabriella Favilli-Vigoreaux, could teach a masterclass in self-expression. Everything about the brand they’ve created together is intentional, inimitable, and just plain good. The two-woman team operating out of the Catapult Kitchen Incubator started as Vicky G’s and Casita Verde. A Central Florida native and first-generation American, Gio would travel to Nicaragua several times a year to visit family growing up. She delighted i

A flour-covered five-year-old making it ‘snow’ in the kitchen turned Food Network champion is making your favorite farmers market macarons – in case you didn’t know. Chef Briea Lowe is a trained pastry chef with an impressive career, a thriving Central Florida confection business, and a passion for making culinary education accessible to aspiring chefs. The GLAZE Confections owner has loved playing with food her entire life. “My first memory of baking was with my grandmother.

Happy Holidays, Haven readers! You bring us so much joy throughout the year – you’re the milk to our cookie. So, we thought we’d send some cheer your way…in baked form. Put on your most festive apron and play some seasonal tunes, (grab a cocktail), and start whipping up these favorite cookie recipes from each decade. These recipes are great for keeping on hand as ‘coping cookies’ when the holiday stress sets in, or box them up with a cute bow and give them away as gifts. Wish

Put on your finest Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops – Cabana Boy Ice Cream is open for business, baby! Well, they’ve actually been open for two months and have quickly become a sweet tooth fixture in Winter Haven. A bright spot of manicured landscaping, tiki décor, and Hawaiian music on Avenue G NW, Cabana Boy Ice Cream is the brain (freeze) child of self-described “ice cream addicts” Gina and Chuck Erickson. Chuck is in the business of skateboard manufacturing and started Sabot

It’s that time of year again and what better way to celebrate the delicious decadence of spooky season than by combining two of our favorite things: candy and cocktails! This Halloween, I set out to do just this with fellow cocktail lover and owner of Confection candy store, Ivy Horn. Trust me, when you get the chance to work with a candy guru conjuring the perfect cocktails to compliment the trickiest of treats, you step up to the cauldron with mad delight. No matter your ta

You’ve had their warm bagels at N+1 and lined up for their country sourdough at the farmers market, but soon you will have more opportunities to enjoy Honeycomb Bread Bakers. The bee brand bakeshop is expected to open in Winter Haven later this month. Benjamin Vickers thought he’d go to college for English Lit and become a “bookish academic” type. His hobby of home baking for his friends and family slowly took center stage. He called his parents one day and said, “I’m going t

It is finally the time of year for sugar and spice and everything nice. For Head Baker at Craft + Kitchen, Meg Magliano, it’s time for beer and baking and boozy sweets making. “I’ve always had a passion for baking,” said Magliano. After eight years working in tech support, Lakeland resident Meg Magliano decided to make a career change and indulge that sweet tooth passion. She baked goodies as a side gig for a bit, baking for weddings, showers, and events. “I decided that I wa

A snowball with a side of nostalgia, please! Cain’s Snowballs, a Sixth Street shaved ice spot, turned a year old at the beginning of this year. The eatery – or should I say treatery – was opened on January 5, 2019, by husband and wife, Ron and Dean Cain. The Cains, both born and raised in the Sunshine State, grew up in Orlando. Dean moved to the area in 2012, met her husband, and moved him to Lake Alfred with her and their two older pups, Jake and Jessie. “We love the area. I

It’s a sweet little gesture – get a box for someone you love today, or get one for yourself, or do both! Charlie’s mini donuts are mini, so eating an entire dozen is really only like three or four regular donuts. Right? The first time Charlie’s Mini Donuts & Coffee owner Carlo Bashoura came across the mini donut concept was in Seattle, where he used to live. At the local farmers market was a man with a single machine, serving up piping hot mini donuts. People would grab a cup

Lakeland’s Benjamin Vickers thought he’d go to college for English Lit and become a “bookish academic” type. His hobby for home baking for his friends and family slowly took center stage. He called his parents one day and said, “I’m going to New York for culinary school, guys.” He was accepted into the Culinary Institute of America in upstate New York for a slot opening three weeks later. “It was a whirlwind starting out, but I haven’t looked back since,” said Vickers. Benjam