Nothing Bundt Cakes Opens on Fruitville Road
Heading to the Fruitville Road Target for a little retail therapy anytime soon? You can now grab a sweet treat from a new bakery—one that's singularly dedicated to the humble bundt cake.
Nothing Bundt Cakes is owned by Kelly Erdmann, who fell so in love with the Las Vegas-based franchise's cakes that she decided to open an outpost of her own. After living in the Midwest for years, Erdmann, who's been visiting Southwest Florida since she was a child, thought Sarasota would make the perfect spot for a Nothing Bundt Cakes location.
"I was living in Naperville, Illinois, about eight years ago, and I fell in love with the cake and the concept," Erdmann says. "My husband and I moved to Naples, and one day, I was talking to my husband and said, 'What do you think about opening a Nothing Bundt Cakes?' We have friends and family in Sarasota and we've always loved the area—so we moved here in January, and we're loving it. With this being the main corridor going into downtown and the islands, we thought this was a nice, central hub; it's a major intersection with major anchor stores here to support us. I think this is the best location right now."
The bakery is located between Five Guys and Chipotle on Fruitville Road. Inside it's bright and airy, decorated in shades of blue and yellow. Bundt cakes of all sizes and flavors—from full-size 8- to 10-inch cakes to mini-bundts to bite-size "bundtinis"—fill the bakery case, and the store showcases the various ways the cakes can be used (options include tiered wedding cakes, bundtlet bundles and even gender reveal cakes). Every cake is topped with thick white ribbons of Nothing Bundt Cakes' signature cream cheese frosting.
"There's really nothing like this in the area," Erdmann says. "We bring something different, something homestyle that reminds you of your childhood. And we have so many options for every celebration, from the smallest to the biggest."
Bundts come in nine standard flavors, including red velvet, chocolate, vanilla and lemon, with a rotating special flavor (currently lemon-raspberry). Cakes are baked on-site, and the result is a fluffy, moist cake that's nicely complemented by the tang of the cream cheese frosting. And emphasizing the focus on celebration, Nothing Bundt Cakes sells a variety of accoutrements to go with its cakes, from colorful candles to birthday cards to cheeky coffee cups and flatware. The staff is friendly and helpful, and samples are readily available.
Nothing Bundt Cakes' official grand opening and ribbon-cutting is August 3 at 10 a.m. On Friday, August 4, the shop will donate 20 percent of its sales to Girls Inc., and on Saturday, August 5, the first 50 guests who come into the store will receive one free bundtlet per month for a year (there'll also be face-painting and a photo booth).
"The response from the community has been amazing," Erdmann says. "It's been a wonderful welcoming."
Nothing Bundt Cakes is located at 5354 Fruitville Road. Hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, call (941) 552-8078 or visit nothingbundtcakes.com.