Passersby are plentiful on Fairhaven’s busy Harris Avenue, especially on a sunny afternoon, and none can resist peeking into Sweet Bellingham’s window to catch a glimpse of their delicious daily offerings. Upon entering the café, you will find a to-go counter and small seating areas for those who want to stay and enjoy. Right in the middle of the open shop is a big, white table for interactive decorating classes.
Along with delicious treats, Sweet Bellingham offers a variety of locally-sourced beverages like kombucha, coffee and wine. Grab a friend, a slice of cake and a glass of cabernet and you’ve got a recipe for a delectable day out.
“You can go and have a nice, elegant, upscale dessert without having to pay a big dinner tab,” says shop owner Nancy Babick. “People can just come in and have a good slice of carrot cake or crème brûlée.”
Sweet Bellingham’s property previously housed businesses like Katie’s Cupcakes and the Mad Batter, two bakeries focused on to-go cupcakes and custom orders. This time around, Sweet Bellingham is bringing something new to the table. Beyond selling treats, the business encourages community involvement.
Nancy Babick is the creative baker behind Sweet Bellingham, which opened its doors in Fairhaven in September 2017. In partnership with her husband, Nancy offers both public and private cake and cookie decorating classes, desserts to-go and custom baked goods made to order.
Nancy discovered her passion for cake decorating while living in Los Angeles, where she took classes at a specialty shop. When she and her family moved out of the city, she no longer had access to quality decorating tools due to the limited selection found at large retailers.
That inspired her to start a business providing interactive classes and top-notch tools to home bakers. She and her husband opened their first bake shop in California nine years ago, which they still own today. With this experience, they knew just what to do when they moved north.
Nancy teaches a few cake or cookie decorating classes at Sweet Bellingham every month, typically following seasonal themes. The shop recently hosted an Easter cake decorating class featuring a three-layer cake frosted to look like a tree stump, complete with fondant butterflies, mushrooms and a bunny.
This was Martha Larson’s fourth class with Nancy. “She’s a great teacher,” Martha says. “I’ve taken other classes and didn’t learn because the teacher was focusing on other people, but she takes the time.”
Private classes can also be scheduled and themed around whatever your heart desires. These are perfect for birthday celebrations, exercises in team-building or just fun learning opportunities.
All ages and skill levels will enjoy Nancy’s interactive lessons as projects can be customized to each individual. No design ever comes out the same, which Nancy prefers, and all show off the decorator’s unique style.
The classes usually last around two hours. Follow Sweet Bellingham on Facebook to learn about upcoming events or give them a call to schedule your own.
The menu at this bakery isn’t just cake, though they can whip up a wide variety. Candied apples, house-fired s’mores and French macarons are among their popular takeaway treats. In fact, Sweet Bellingham is the only bakery in town to serve locally-sourced candied apples.
As proud members of Sustainable Connections, Sweet Bellingham is committed to using quality, sustainable ingredients in their baked goods. Every apple they use, whether for candying or baking into pies, is Washington grown. As Nancy says, “What’s more Washingtonian than that?”
Local flavors play a significant role in Sweet Bellingham’s menu and are often inspired by Nancy’s trips to the farmers market. Both Holmquist Hazelnuts and Bow Hill Blueberries make a tasty appearance in their French macarons and perhaps their most popular flavor, lavender-honey, is made with local ingredients.
Those with dietary restrictions will find solace in Sweet Bellingham’s spread as they carry plenty of gluten-free, vegan and even Paleo treat options. Their dairy-free apple pie is enjoyed by vegans and omnivores alike and the legendary gluten-free triple layer chocolate mousse cake is out of this world.
In addition, the shop is loaded with baking supplies for beginners and experts alike. “What’s the whole point if you only show them?” Nancy says. “Now they can have access to the tools.” Products like pastry boxes, candy flavorings and cookie cutters line the shop’s walls, sure to stop any baking enthusiast in their tracks.
Every item in Sweet Bellingham is chosen carefully – they’re all quality items that Nancy stands behind. Most products stocked here are made in the U.S.A. and often come from small, family-owned businesses.
Whether you’re looking for a new hobby, want to boost your baking skills or are simply craving a top-notch dessert, Sweet Bellingham is on the job.
Sweet Bellingham
1005 Harris Ave.
Bellingham
360-639-7933
