Pittsburgh bakeries welcome spring with fresh fruits, floral ingredients

Indulging in carbs can be a great source of comfort through Pittsburgh’s dreary winter months, but the joy of baked goods doesn’t have to stop come spring. Bakeries throughout the city are adding a new rotation of seasonal items — bright and colorful in both appearance and taste — to their menus. Find fresh fruits and floral accents in everything from cakes to cookies at one of these local bakeries this spring.

Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery

213 North Ave., Millvale. jeanmarcchatellier.com
Love raspberries? This Millvale bakery offers two cakes highlighting the ingredient: a Fresh Raspberry Cake with French buttercream, and a Lemon Raspberry Cake with lemon cream, raspberry mousse that’s iced with French buttercream, and topped with seedless raspberry preserves. If you’re looking for more than one slice, both flavors are available as a 7-inch round cake if you order ahead.

Wild Rise Bakery

wildrisebakery.com
While Wild Rise doesn’t have its own storefront, its vegan and gluten-free treats are available by online order and at local restaurants and marts like the East End Food Co-op, Naturally Soergel’s, Caffe D’amore, and more. They offer multiple floral-centric items throughout the year, including Sage and Sweet Potato Loaves, but for spring, we recommend their Apple Ginger Turnovers with a flaky crust and sweet filling.

Three Fifty Bakery

2427 S. 18th St., South Side. 350bakerypgh.com
This South Side bakery prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients, including fruits that come from area farms. If you love the bakery’s Raspberry or Lemon Shortbread Bars, you'll definitely want to check out their new spring version, a Strawberry Rhubarb Shortbread Bar, which will be available through May.

Allegro Hearth Bakery

2034 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. allegropgh.com
This plant-based bakery and sandwich shop is destined to become a go-to spot for vegans this spring. New on the rotation is a Lemon Hibiscus Shortbread Cookie, dusted with powdered sugar and hibiscus petals, and available through the end of April.

Bethel Bakery

5200 Brightwood Road, Bethel Park. bethelbakery.com
This South Hills bakery has earned its nickname, “the cake place,” with its seasonal addition, a Strawberry Bliss Torte on sale now through May. The three-layered white-battered cake contains one layer of strawberry filling and one layer of vanilla bean buttercream, is iced with buttercream, and topped with fresh-cut strawberries, coated in a strawberry glaze.

Pane é Pronto

2627 Penn Ave., Strip District. paneepronto.com
Fruit is the surprise star in Pane é Pronto’s Raspberry Nutella Bombolinis. The Italian spot from the owners of DiAnoia's Eatery and Pizzeria Davide offers a wide assortment of breads and pastries, including these fried donuts rolled in sugar and filled with raspberry Nutella whipped cream.

Prantl’s Bakery

Multiple locations. prantlsbakery.com
Prantl’s might be known best for its almond tortes, but don’t pass up its other sweet treats. The popular bakery’s Passion Fruit Macarons are made from a batter of egg whites, sugar, and almond flour, surrounded by a passion fruit filling, making them not just beautiful and delicious, but also gluten-free.