But one thing we’ve lacked for a while now has been a really good bakery.
That void was filled in May 2021 by Ebony Turner when she realized a life-long dream and opened Richfield’s newest bakery: Dessertopia!
We had a chance to catch up with Ebony recently and ask her a few questions about her wonderful new bakery, located in the Hub Shopping Mall off 66th and Nicollet.
What was the inspiration behind your bakery?
It’s always been a dream of mine to open my own bakery, to showcase my flavors. I grew up baking with my grandma, so my love of baking has been there since I was a little kid. And now I get to work in my own bakery with my son, Issac (pictured above).
Is there a story behind the name “Dessertopia”?
I just kinda love the idea of a utopia. And I’ve always been a big fan of the book The Giver. And, of course, I’ve always loved desserts. Seemed like the perfect match!
For those who haven’t been to the bakery yet, what kinds of goodies are you offering?
Cupcakes are our best sellers—and we have all kinds of flavors from strawberry shortcake crunch to chocolate caramel delight. Cake cups are also popular. They used to be cake jars, but jars are insanely hard to find right now! Peaches and cream, caramel cinnamon apple, and I Love Lemon are popular flavors. We also offer my spin on a cannoli, with flavors like strawberries and cream, peaches and cream, and caramel apple.
When did you start baking and creating desserts?
Oh, I was very young—maybe 8 years old or so. I baked with my grandma so I learned all her recipes. I became the family baker! When I was younger, I had plans to go to school for nursing. But I had a change of heart. I guess things worked out for the best!
What’s the most unique cake you’ve ever made?
Oh, the Daniel Tiger cake, no doubt. It was a 3D cake I made for my son’s first birthday. It looked like a toy!
Why did you choose Richfield and The Hub for your bakery?
I grew up in south Minneapolis, so I knew the Richfield area fairly well. I always shopped at the Hub as a kid. And I saw that the spot had been open before COVID. I knew it would have the workings for a kitchen. Then I saw the “This space is yours” sign on the door one day, I took a pic of that, and I saved that in my phone as motivation. Earlier this year, I signed the lease. The Richfield people have been beyond welcoming. I live in Lakeville and I’ve never felt as welcomed there as I feel here at the bakery.
How have the first few weeks gone since the opening?
Much busier than we anticipated! We’ve been selling out a lot!
What’s been the customer feedback so far? Any specific compliments that stick out?
We’ve had amazing feedback so far—I’m not sure I’ve heard any bad reviews! We had someone from New York stop in the other day and said this was their first stop after getting off the plane! And, we just had a great review from the Star Tribune’s Rick Nelson last week.
