There is something hard to beat about finding a local baker who makes the sort of treats that disappear from the box much faster than planned.
Based in Crosby, Liverpool, Berries and Bakes is run by Dawn Kinsella and specialises in bespoke bakes, sweet treats and chocolate covered strawberries made to order.
Dawn also takes Berries and Bakes out and about to events across Liverpool, giving people the chance to pick up something sweet without needing an excuse to place a full order.
There is a proper homemade feel to what Dawn does. The menu has plenty of familiar favourites, but there are also some combinations that are likely to have people reading the list twice before deciding what they want.
And deciding might be the hardest part.
Alongside the bakes themselves, Berries and Bakes also runs Swirl and Sip cake decorating evenings in Crosby, offering something a little different for anyone who likes cake almost as much as they like a good night out – she also offers postal boxes where you can get these gorgeous sweet treats delivered to your front door.
Here are three reasons why Berries and Bakes is worth knowing about.
1. There is plenty to choose from
Some bakery menus make choosing easy. This is not one of them.
The sweet selection from Berries and Bakes includes everything from triple chocolate brownies and traditional school cake to raspberry blondies, stuffed cookies and gluten free lemon loaf.
Then there is the Nutella cornflake brownie roll, which combines several very good things into one bake and costs £4.
The stuffed cookies come with Biscoff or Bueno fillings, while the raspberry blondies offer another option for anyone who wants something a little different from a standard brownie.
There are chocolate covered strawberries too, which work just as well for a gift or special occasion as they do for someone who simply wants chocolate covered strawberries on a Tuesday evening.
It is not only about sweet food either.
Berries and Bakes also offers homemade savoury options including sausage rolls and Scouse pie. That gives the menu a nice bit of variety and means customers do not necessarily have to choose between lunch and cake. There is room for both.
Dawn can also cater for different dietary needs, with dairy free, gluten free and vegan options available. That matters when ordering for families, parties or groups where not everybody can eat the same things.
And with bespoke bakes available to order, customers are not limited to whatever happens to be on the regular menu.
2. It is a local business with a personal touch
There is a big difference between picking something from a supermarket shelf and ordering directly from the person who is actually making it.
Berries and Bakes is a small Crosby business, run by Dawn, with customers able to get in touch directly to discuss orders.
That personal side is especially useful when buying something for a birthday, celebration, event or gift. Instead of choosing from a fixed range made for thousands of people, customers can speak to Dawn about what they actually need.
The business has also earned a five star food hygiene rating, which offers some extra reassurance when ordering food for yourself, your family or guests.
And Dawn is not hidden away in a kitchen where nobody ever gets to meet her.
Berries and Bakes regularly pops up at events around Liverpool, giving local customers the chance to discover the business in person and try the bakes for themselves.
That is one of the nice things about supporting a local baker. There is an actual person behind the brownies, cookies and cakes.
For people around Crosby and the wider Liverpool area, it also means supporting a business that is part of the local community rather than sending another order to a huge national company.
3. The Swirl and Sip evenings turn cake into a night out
Berries and Bakes is not only selling cakes. Dawn has also found a way to make decorating them part of the fun.
The Swirl and Sip evenings are held at Lullababy, 36 Crosby Road North, and are designed as relaxed cake decorating sessions where guests can enjoy a drink, decorate their own cake and take it home afterwards.
For £35, all of the decorating materials are provided, along with a glass of fizz on arrival. Guests can also bring their own drinks.
It is a simple idea, but a good one.
Instead of another standard trip to the pub or meal out, the evenings give friends, couples and groups something to actually do together. And unlike most nights out, everyone gets to leave carrying a cake.
That is difficult to argue with.
Swirl and Sip dates are being held throughout the final months of the year, including sessions in November and December, making them a good option for catch ups, birthdays, festive get togethers or just an excuse to do something different.
The sessions also show another side to Berries and Bakes. This is not just about taking orders and handing over boxes. Dawn is creating something social around baking too.
Between the bespoke orders, event appearances, chocolate covered strawberries, brownies, stuffed cookies and Swirl and Sip evenings, there is plenty going on.
Anyone in Liverpool looking for their next sweet treat can follow Berries and Bakes on Facebook or Berries and Bakes on Instagram to see the latest bakes, upcoming events and ordering information.