Last December, Alberta “Abby” Keen sent word by her PR person that she’d opened AbbyCakes in Virginia Beach. I added it to my list and forgot about it.
Later, as I drove down Indian River Road near Regent University, it dawned on me that I hadn’t visited.
I entered the take-out spot on a Thursday afternoon with one thing on my mind: dessert. The bakery offers cakes, cookies, pies and other treats. (Their most popular are the cinnamon rolls, German chocolate cookies and the strawberry millionaire pie, according to Keen’s husband.) I ordered what appealed to my mood and headed home.
That evening, I indulged in a slice of the two-layer almond cake ($5.25). It had the consistency of a pound cake with the delightfulness of a wedding cake. The thin layer of frosting added a right amount of sweetness that made it even more remarkable.
The next morning, I heated my cinnamon roll ($4.50) in the microwave for 20 seconds. Gobs of cream cheese icing sat on top and the ribbons of cinnamon-sugar had caramelized on the inside. Two words: Gooey and scrumpdillyicious.