Courtesy Indulgence Bakery
By Susan Elise Campbell
Whoever coined, “Life is Short. Eat desert first,” knew that a little sugar is good for the soul.
That’s a philosophy of Elise Soto, new owner of Indulgence Bakery at 63 Putnam Street in Saratoga Springs.
Members of the Saratoga Chamber, family and friends, former associates from Putnam Market, Mayor John Safford, and Senator James Tedisco all attended the bakery’s grand opening and ribbon cutting on November 6th.
It’s a full-circle moment for Soto. She was a pastry chef at Putnam Market on and off for 10 years, she said. Now her shop occupies the original site of the gourmet deli.
Soto left Putnam Market and started a custom cake business, Yours Truly Cake Designs, in 2021, she said. She had been employed there since 2008 as an intern after culinary school and had been promoted to kitchen manager by the end of the pandemic.
She was working out of commissary kitchens for about a year when she turned her focus to a government career. She administered the emergency food system for New York and in December was hired for the northeast regional office of the USDA, which job was terminated soon thereafter with a change of administration, Soto said.
“This bakery, Indulgence Bakery, had been here for two and a half years in Saratoga and the owner was selling,” said Soto. “We have the same business model so it made sense to transfer ownership.”
The previous owner offered Soto owner financing when she found it difficult to secure a traditional commercial loan. Her only other major challenge in starting the business has been that “orders for custom cakes are coming in better than expected,” she said.
Both business owners specialize in one-of-a-kind cakes for weddings and special occasions and in sculpted cakes. Sculpted cakes can take the form of anything the client would like, such as a guitar or a cartoon character. One client’s son wanted a Godzilla cake for his party, so Soto made the classic monster complete with eyes that lit up.
Indulgence Bakery is described as more like an art studio than a bakery, where clients share their inspiration for custom works of art, Soto said.
“Cake is my art medium,” she said. “I do sketches, design to the customer’s specifications, and even incorporate their photos and ideas.”
The bakery has a boutique pastry counter that is open Fridays and Saturdays and will soon extend through Sundays. Walk-ins can buy from a daily assortment of two or three varieties of cake slices, two kinds of cookies, scones, and breakfast pastries.
“But no cupcakes,” Soto said. “Cake slices stay within the brand.’’
Her most popular flavor is Dos Leches, but with a twist. Soto said she is Puerto Rican and “adds coconut to my recipe, so it’s different.”
Her vision for the retail store is to “eventually be more cooperative, maybe adding another baker, such as bread, as well as small gifts,” she said.
“We are getting artisan vendors to set up shelving inside the space to sell hand-made cards, body butters, soaps, and custom ornaments,” she said. “There is a market for a one-stop shop for gifts at this little gem just off the beaten path.”
For her first year of operation Soto is focusing on custom cakes and classes.
“I was a chef instructor in my government work and love teaching,” said Soto. “Right now there are courses coming up on baking cookies and decorating cakes.”
But she has other ideas. How to make macaroons and paint and sip gatherings, where people paint on slabs of cake instead of a canvas, are just a few.
“We want to use the space for a lot more,” she said.
For information on cakes and classes and to place an order, visit bitesofindulgence.com.