Kiss My Bundt

I first heard of Kiss My Bundt when one of my food groups scheduled a visit. My weekends are usually scheduled a month or so in advance, so I knew I would be able to join them. However, my curiosity was piqued. It's like me and my book clubs. I belonged to two book clubs last year. My schedule prevented me from actually ATTENDING the club meetings, but I always read the books. Same with my food groups. If I can't make an event, I make a mental note to check out the place when I have time. I made a mental to note to stop by the bakery the next time I was in the area. Recently, after a late breakfast and a little shopping with my road dog at The Grove, I decided to head over to the bakery. Although, finding a parking space was daunting task, it was well worth the effort.


As we entered, we were warmly greeted by the owner,Chysta Wilson, who freely invited us to try samples of her cute little cakes. As the child of Southern parents, bundts were frequently present at family gathering or an older relative's kitchen table. Growing up, 7-up, lemon, and Million Dollar bundt cakes were staples. As I stared into the case, filled with familiar treats, I was reminded of my childhood.

The store is an explosion of pink and brown. I happen to love the color combination, and was downright giddy to see it applied so liberally throughout the store. My favorite element was the bright pink couch. A pink couch! So girly, and so perfect. While I LOVED the couch, it led me to the one negative thing about the bakery. As far as seating, the couch is it. So, my desire to sit down and chat while eating my cake and drinking a glass of milk was immediately squashed. But, enough about that. Let's get to the cake.

There is a wide array of flavors available at Kiss My Bundt. There are over 30 flavors and 20 different frostings. Wilson has a selection of eight flavors that are available everyday (Daily 8), along with a few flavors from her list. I had the pleasure of tasting six flavors: vanilla with buttercream, red velvet, pumpkin spice with cinnamon sugar glaze, carrot cake, luscious lemon, and banana chocolate. Each cake was firm, as a good bundt cake should be, but still moist. Also, if you are a frosting fiend, you have found your heaven.


The red velvet was one of the best of have tried in Los Angeles. In the past few years, Los Angeles has become OBSESSED with red velvet cake. Wilson stated that it was by far her most popular flavor. Red Velvet cake has been around for a very long time, especially in the South. My best friend's mom, Mrs. B makes the absolute BEST red velvet cake. Hers was the first I had tried and 14 years later, it's still the best. But, as I can't travel back to the South for a piece of Mrs. B's cake whenever the craving hits me, I can travel on over to Kiss My Bundt's for the next best thing.

Her carrot cake, pumpkin spice, and lemon cakes were heavenly. The lemon cake was light and intensely flavored. True to it's name, it was luscious. The lemon cake was a definite throwback to one of those flavors I remembered and loved from my childhood. However, I did not enjoy the chocolate banana cake. I think it had more to do with the combination for me. I love banana. I like chocolate. But never the two shall mix. So, I pretty much confirmed that I do not like the combination.

However, my favorite by far was the pumpkin spice with the cinnamon sugar glaze. I can't even describe how delicious it was. I love the spice cake. The cake was extremely delicious. But, it was the icing that got me. Again, the icing took me back. I remembered my mother and my aunts making bundt cakes. They would prepare these simple glaze icings made from confectioner's sugar. They would drizzle the icing all over the still warm cake letting the icing slowly cascade down the sides. Mmmm. It was so simple, yet it was such a delicious addition to the cake.

My visit to Kiss My Bundt allowed me the chance to recall a lot of really fond memories from my childhood. The cake was not the focal point, but a wonderful centerpiece of times spent with my family. When I asked Wilson why she chose bundts, she also told a story about family. She shared memories of cooking bundt cakes with her aunt. This same aunt would send her care packages, while she was away at college, containing a bundt cake and a little money. I too, remembered receiving similar care packages. So, what's so special about bundt cakes? I mean, it's just cake. It's a little more than that. It's also tradition. I realize as I get older, seemingly unimportant things become more significant.

Also, although, I never thought this would happen, I'm getting tired of cupcakes. I welcome the switch to the cupcakes soulful cousin, the bundt.


Kiss My Bundt Bakery
8104 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Located at Crescent Heights Blvd., near the Grove)
Phone: (323) 655-0559
http://www.kissmybundt.net/