Angel Food Bakery + Donut Bar
Bourbon Pecan Donut Bread Pudding – Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Lil’ Porkers – Brioche Monkey Bread, Maple Bacon, Cream Cheese Frosting
Classic French Cruller – Vanilla Icing
Harvest Moon Donut – Yeast Donut, Orange Zest Icing, Pumpkin Spice Drizzle, Candied Spiced Pecans
New School Fritter – Cherries, Walnuts, Vanilla Glaze
Nutella Crunch Bismark – Nutella Filling, Chocolate Glaze, Cocoa Pebbles
Although Angel Food Bakery and Donut Bar has apparently performed well enough launch a second location inside MSP’s Lindbergh Terminal the original is certainly not easy to locate for first timers, an indoor storefront next to Hell’s Kitchen creating clever naming dynamics but its lack of exterior signage frustrating enough to necessitate a phone call in order to pay a visit before the Vikings game on Sunday.
Owned by Cynthia and Katy Gerdes and feeding The Twin Cities since 2012, a time predating Glam Doll’s debut leading one to assume a combination of location and lack of branding has held back the shop promising “Real people. Real ingredients. Real bakery,” it is quickly after entering doors that patrons will see Angel Food cares little about decor or being ‘Instagram-worthy’ itself, the workers all covered in Flour and doing hard work while the products themselves are left to stand in spotlights.
Small in standing room as the kitchen takes precedence, a few tables in the corridor outside constantly filled with enough seating for perhaps sixteen, it was after placing an order which required several items being rearranged that the reasonable tab was paid, a table suddenly departed offering plenty of room to spread out and enjoy six unique items beginning with Bread Pudding made of day-old Glazed Donuts saturated by Bourbon Custard with chopped Pecans and Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting.
Wishing the sticky slice of Bread had been served warm even though it was delicious at room temperature, similar sentiments applicable to an item called “Lil’ Porkers” which studs golden nuggets of Brioche with Bacon, it was from here that Donuts took center stage, a world-class Cruller somehow lighter than Glam Doll’s despite being nearly 2-fold larger while a puffy Brioche ring offered its yeasty blank canvas to Fall flavors including Pumpkin, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.
Never one to pass up a Fritter, both the crisp shell and springy interior earning high marks though “New School” additions of Cherries and Walnuts were hard to find, it was last but certainly not least that a Nutella Crunch Bismark was enjoyed, the “Real Ingredients” quote questionable as relates to both Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread as well as Cocoa Pebbles but the taste rich and indulgent just the same.
www.angelfoodmn.com
