MADE FROM SCRATCH,
BAKED WITH LOVE
Our Story
Known far and wide as “Aunt Mel” – both by those who claim me through biology as well as through my extended family and friends, I believe there’s a magical connection between baking and memory – and I have found that my best baked goods are borne from the space where they intersect. For this reason, all my baking goods are grounded in story, tradition, and history – mixed together with a whole lot of love.
My love for baking earned me a Certificate in Baking and Pastry Arts from the Escoffier International Culinary Academy and over the years, I’ve enjoyed baking not just for my family but friends, co-workers, and neighbors. With encouragement from so many of them, it was time to share my baking gifts with you.
My nephew, Sam, once told me that one of his favorite things to hear when we have a family gathering is “Aunt Mel is baking!”
I invite you to come join my story and make “Aunt Mel’s Baking” one of your favorite things to hear and experience as well.
History
My journey as a baker who explores the connection between baking, history, and story began when my sister and I were making my Mother’s pralines. As we followed her stained, hand-written recipe, we started swapping stories of Mom and how she always proudly said pralines were “her claim to fame.” I realized we were making much more than a sweet confection – we were connecting to our Mom, to our shared history, and to our common story.
I shared this story with others, and they started to tell stories of a grandmother’s pie, a neighbor’s chocolate cake, traditional sugar cookies at Christmas, a lemon pie that was always served at crawfish boils. I loved hearing these stories and knew I had found my path as a baker – a path upon which I could share my love of baking for others while honoring the cherished connection of memory, story, and tradition.
Mission
Aunt Mel’s Baking is a small bakery dedicated to taking the time and care needed to honor the authenticity of the recipes we use. We make our products from scratch with quality ingredients. We take pride in providing our customers with exceptional baked goods made with love and grounded in tradition, story, and history.
Our Menu
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Muffins
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pies
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Specialty Items
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Gluten Free
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Our Ingredients
Jonah’s Blueberry Muffins
My great-nephew Jonah was visiting, and he asked me if I have a superpower. I said, baking. He was very doubtful that baking could be a superpower – until he tasted the blueberry muffins I baked for him! These soft, tender, buttery muffins are bursting with plump blueberries. They have become one of my most favorite and most requested baked goods. All who taste them agree with Jonah – they are galactically super great.
Fruit Muffins - $1.50 each
Chocolate Chip Muffins - $1.75 each
Fruit Muffins with nuts - $1.75 each
Chocolate Chip Muffins with nuts - $2.00 each
Classic Blueberry
Other Muffin Flavors
These are some more muffins my family and friends love. Like Jonah’s Blueberry Muffins, they are soft and tender, and oh so good!
Blueberry/Lemon
A classic combination, topped with crunchy, tangy/sweet lemon and sugar topping.
Blueberry/Banana
Perfect for breakfast or afternoon coffee or tea.
CHERRY/BLUEBERRY
Two of my favorite fruits in one muffin - sweet cherries and blueberries.
BANANA
Moist, tender muffin, with rich banana flavor.
CRANBERRY
Irresistible combination of sweet and tart.
CHOCOLATE CHIP
What’s not to love! Tender muffin bursting with dark chocolate chips!
Topping/Glaze
Cane and Brown sugar
Cane and Brown sugar (with or without cinnamon): Bakes into a sweet, delicate crunchy topping.
Classic Streusel
A classic buttery and sweet coffeehouse-like topping.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
What is not to love about dark chocolate and cream? Delicious on any of the muffins, but it takes the Chocolate Chip muffins to a whole other level!
VANILLA, ORANGE, LEMON, OR ALMOND GLAZES
Adds a subtle, sweet extra level of flavor to the muffin.
You can also have your muffins with either pecans or walnuts.
I love to bake pies, and these are some of my family and friends’ favorites:
9-Inch Pies
John’s Blueberry/Cherry Pie
My brother-in-law John is not a cake or muffin guy, so, for his birthday, he asked me if I could bake him a cherry/blueberry pie. I did, and he loved it! Now, this fruity, naturally sweet double-crusted pie is one of my go-to pies. Delicious served cold or warm (with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!), it’s hard to beat.
$18.00
HEAVEN ON A PLATE - APPLE
One Thanksgiving, my then-young friend Ethan requested apple pie. When he tasted it, I asked him what he thought. With a full mouth, and a smile on his face, he beamed, “It’s like heaven on a plate.” I use a mix of sweet and tart apples, so the filling is, well, divine.
$25.00
PECAN pIE
Every bakery in the South just has to offer a pecan pie! Mine is the perfect combination of sweet and salty with its rich caramel pecan filling on top of a flaky, buttery crust. I also make a version with maple syrup (instead of corn starch) for a more complex flavor that is still gloriously gooey.
$25.00
BHI Blueberry Pie
I spent a magical week with a friend and her extended family on Bald Head Island. One of their traditions is to all gather for supper. One night (as Frank requested), I made blueberry pie. It was such a hit, I got invited back next year!
$18.00
classic lemon
There are few things better than a lemon pie with its classic combination of sweet, tart, and creamy. It has always been one of my favorites, so when I started baking pies, this was one of the first I tried. I am proud to say, I do this ole favorite proud.
$18.00
cREAMY LEMON
This pie is by far my family’s favorite. And why not? It has a luscious sweet, tangy, silky filling with a graham cracker crust made with from-scratch graham crackers. I use fresh-squeezed lemon juice to ensure the ultimate lemon flavor. Topped with either fluffy, toasted meringue or light, billowy Chantilly whipped cream.
$20.00
DR. LACIE'S OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE PIE
When Dr. Lacie (feline Vet extraordinaire) ordered an old fashion chocolate pie for her husband, the first thing I did was I look in my mom’s recipe box. I found a recipe labeled “Aunt Cad’s Choc Pie”, and I knew I had found exactly what Dr. Lacie wanted. The result is pie with a decadent, rich, velvety, deep chocolate pudding-like filling that will take you back in time. Made with either an oreo or regular crust.
$20.00
BHI Blueberry Pie
Pies can be ordered with a double or lattice top crust.
Mini Pies - $5.00
I discovered the joy of baking mini pies when my friend Mim asked me to bake some for her son’s rehearsal dinner (well, crawfish boil). These 5 inch mini pies are baked with a flaky crust filled with a delicious fruity filling. These are perfect for those “I need an individual serving, easy to serve, but still pie, dessert” occasions.
Lemon mini pie
Flaky crust, surrounding a sweet, buttery lemon curd filling, topped with sweet/tart lemon glaze. Available in creamy or classic.
BHI Blueberry Mini Pie
A smaller, but just as delicious version, of the pie that got me invited back to Bald Head Island!
John’s Cherry/Blueberry Mini Pie
John agrees that these may be small in size, but they are huge on taste.
Cherry mini pie
Flaky crust surrounding filling made with sweet cherries. A classic.
Heaven on A Plate Mini Apple Pie
Same heavenly combination of sweet and tart apples in a flaky, buttery crust.
DR. LACIE'S OLD FASHIONED mini CHOCOLATE PIE
Same filling and crust options as 9-inch pie, just in a smaller, 5-inch version. That means you can have your very own!
Martha’s Banana Bread
I bake this for my neighbor Martha, and it is one of her favorites! Given that it is moist, packed with banana flavor, and has a slight, subtle tang of sour cream, I completely understand. If you like nuts in your banana bread, it can be ordered with pecans or walnut.
$10.00 (with Nuts: $12.00)
Flourless Chocolate Cake
This has become one of my go-to “fancy” desserts. This deep chocolate creation is crunchy on the outside and airy light on the inside.
$40.00 (8-Inch)
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
What kind of Aunt would I be if I didn’t bake chocolate chip cookies? Loved by all who taste them, mine have crispy edges, soft centers, and a generous amount of chocolate chips. I add just a bit of expresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor and to add a bit of complexity to the taste. Can be ordered with or without nuts.
$6.00 per dozen ($7.00 with nuts)
I have a dear friend who cannot eat gluten. She once told me she was used to just not eating at parties, and I thought to myself “that simply will not do!” So, I started experimenting with Gluten Free and offer the following (more to come!):
Gluten-Free Blueberry and Banana Muffins
Like the full-gluten version, these muffins are tender, moist, and full of plump blueberries or sweet bananas. My friend has tried both, and she says they rank among the best she has ever had.
martha's banana bread
Like the regular version, this gluten free option is moist, packed with banana flavor, and has a slight, subtle tang of sour cream. If you like nuts in your banana bread, it can be ordered with pecans or walnut.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
This has become one of my go-to “fancy” desserts. This deep chocolate creation is crunchy on the outside and airy light on the inside.
Disclaimer: I am very careful when making gluten-free products. In addition to using a gluten-free flour blend, I use separate measurement tools, bowls, and spoons, and never bake them on the same day I bake full-gluten products. However, they are baked in the same kitchen as my full-gluten products. So, please order with caution if you have a severe intolerance of gluten.
Ingredients: Muffins
Jonah’s Blueberry Muffins Ingredients
Unbleached flour (organic unbleached flour, organic malted barley flour), blueberries, sour cream (cultured cream- contains milk), unsalted butter (cream, natural flavorings), eggs, cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), almond extract (alcohol, oil of bitter almond, water), baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamon
Cranberry Muffins
Unbleached flour (organic unbleached flour, organic malted barley flour), cranberries, unsalted butter (cream, natural flavorings), cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), sour cream (cultured cream – contains milk), eggs, pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), baking powder, salt, orange zest, cinnamon, cardamon
Banana Muffins
Bananas, unbleached flour (organic unbleached flour, organic malted barley flour), buttermilk (Cultured Grade A milk, Non-Fat Dry Milk, salt, corn starch, mono and diglycerides, locust bean gum, natural flavor), canola oil, unsalted butter (cream, natural flavorings), cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), eggs, pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), whole milk (milk, vitamin D), baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Unbleached flour (organic unbleached flour, organic malted barley flour), cane sugar, milk chocolate chips (cane sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, non-fat milk, soy lecithin, natural flavor), dark chocolate chips (unsweetened chocolate, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla extract, soy lecithin), sour cream (cultured cream- contains milk), milk (milk, vitamin D), unsalted butter (cream, natural flavorings), eggs, pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon
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Toppings
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Glazes
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Stuffings
Toppings
Crunchy Cane sugar: Cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), cinnamon
Streusel: Unbleached flour (organic unbleached flour, organic malted barley flour), cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), unsalted butter (cream, natural flavoring)
Chocolate Ganache: Dark chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla extract, soy lecithin), heavy whipping cream (heavy cream, skim milk, mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 80, carrageenan), vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean)
Glazes
Vanilla: Powdered cane sugar, milk, pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), salt
Orange: Powdered cane sugar, orange juice, salt
Lemon: Powdered cane sugar, lemon juice, salt
Stuffings
Lemon Curd: Eggs, cane sugar, unsalted butter (cream, natural flavoring), fresh lemon juice
Blueberry Compote: Blueberries, water, cane sugar, lemon juice
Cherry Compote: Blueberries, water, cane sugar, lemon juice
Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients: Pies
Fillings:
Heaven on A Plate Apple
Apples, unsalted butter, unbleached flour (organic unbleached flour, organic malted barley flour), brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), lemon juice, water, cinnamon, nutmeg
BHI Blueberry
Blueberries, cane sugar, unbleached flour (organic unbleached flour, organic malted barley flour), unsalted butter (cream, natural flavoring), lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, lemon zest
John’s Blueberry/Cherry
Sweet and sour cherries, blueberries, cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), almond extract, cornstarch, unbleached flour
Creamy Lemon
Condensed milk (sugar, milk), lemon juice, eggs, vanilla extract.
chocolate
Dark chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk fat), whole milk, eggs, cane sugar, corn starch, unsalted butter, vanilla, salt.
Glazes
Vanilla: Powdered sugar, milk, pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), salt
Orange: Powdered sugar, orange juice, salt
Lemon: Powdered sugar, lemon juice, salt
Vanilla Almond: Powdered sugar, milk, pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), almond extract (alcohol, oil of bitter almond, water), salt
Chocolate Ganache: Dark chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, cane sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla extract, soy lecithin), heavy whipping cream (heavy cream, skim milk, mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 80, carrageenan), pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean)
pecan
Classic: Pecans, dark corn syrup (corn syrup, molasses, salt), light corn syrup (corn syrup, salt, vanilla extract (vanilla bean, water, ethyl alcohol)), light brown sugar, eggs, unsalted butter, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt
Maple Syrup: Pecans, pure maple syrup, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, eggs, pure vanilla extract (vanilla bean, water, potassium sorbate), unbleached flour, salt
Pie Crusts
Unbleached flour, unsalted butter, shortening (soybean oil, fully hydrogenated palm oil, palm oil, mono and diglycerides, citric acid), water, cane sugar, salt
Graham cracker crust: Graham crackers (whole wheat flour, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, honey, whole milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking soda, salt), unsalted butter, cinnamon, salt.
Oreo crust: Oreos: sugar, unbleached flour [wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine, mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid], palm and/or canola oil, cocoa [processed with alkali], high fructose corn syrup, leavening [baking soda and/or calcium phosphate], salt, soy lecithin, chocolate artificial flavor; unsalted butter, salt.
Ingredients: Gluten Free
Blueberry Muffins
Gluten-free flour (pearled sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, psyllium husk, potato flour), blueberries, sour cream (cultured cream- contains milk), unsalted butter (cream, natural flavorings), eggs, cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), gluten free baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamon. Topping: cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), cinnamon
Banana Muffins
Bananas, gluten-free flour (pearled sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, psyllium husk, potato flour), buttermilk (Cultured Grade A milk, Non-Fat Dry Milk, salt, corn starch, mono and diglycerides, locust bean gum, natural flavor), canola oil, unsalted butter (cream, natural flavorings), cane sugar, brown sugar (cane sugar, molasses), eggs, pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), whole milk (milk, vitamin D), baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Bittersweet chocolate (chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin), vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), semi-sweet chocolate (cane sugar, unsweetened chocolate, soy lecithin), pure vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean), unsalted butter (cream, natural flavorings), eggs, cane sugar, powdered sugar
Ingredients: Specialty Items
Martha’s Banana Bread:
Bananas, unbleached flour (organic unbleached flour, organic malted barley flour), cane sugar, eggs, sour cream (cultured cream – contains milk), almond extract (alcohol, oil of bitter almond, water), baking soda, salt, pecans, or walnuts (optional)
Aunt Mel's Bakery
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