Sticky Bakery
Sticky Bakery is the latest venture from Jean Blacklock, the former owner of Prairie Girl Bakery.
Growing up in Saskatchewan, Jean loved to bake, but chose to pursue a career in finance instead. It was only in 2011 that she decided to make baking a full time job. Jean chose the name 'Prairie Girl' as a way to remind her of her roots.
At its peak, Prairie Girl had five locations in the GTA and was regularly ranked as one of Toronto's best cake shops. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse effect on their business, forcing the flagship store to close in 2021.
Though saddened by the loss of Prairie Girl, Jean was determined to put the lessons it had taught her to good use.
She launched Sticky Bakery in 2022, with the intention of focusing on "old school" baked goods. Sticky buns, cookie sandwiches and banana puddings are just some of the items on the menu.
From 2022 to 2023, the bakery only fulfilled orders online. Regular service resumed in late 2024, allowing customers to stop by the store and chat with the staff.If you were a fan of Prairie Girl's cupcakes ($4.50), you'll be happy to know that Sticky's cupcakes use the exact same recipe. This means that each one is light and fluffy, regardless of its flavour.Like its predecessor, Sticky serves a wide selection of cake and frosting combinations. I tried a vanilla cupcake with vanilla bean icing and a chocolate cupcake with strawberry icing, but those are far from the only options available.Cookies ($4) come in many different flavours, including chocolate chunk and peppermint. The cookies are quite large and strike the right balance between chewy and firm.Fudgybites ($4) can be best described as brownie-cookie hybrids. Though slightly denser than a cookie, they aren't quite as chewy as a brownie.Like many of the other menu items, fudgybites come in a variety of flavours: I had the Skor flavour, which is made with caramel and chopped Skor bars, as well as the S’mores flavour, topped with marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs.Stickybites ($4) are smaller versions of the bakery's signature sticky buns. Though the full sized versions are only available on weekends, their bite-sized counterparts are available throughout the week.
In terms of texture, these pastries are denser than the average cinnamon, but no less fluffy. This makes it all too easy to pop them in your mouth, with or without a dollop of cream cheese icing.
Full-sized cakes range in price from $45 to $90 and can be customized according to your preferences. Vegan and gluten free options are also available.Be sure to check out the freezer before you leave. This is where Sticky stores its supply of bake-at-home buns and pre-packaged cupcakes.
If you're looking for a last minute treat or something to share with your coworkers, chances are you'll find it in here.Sticky Bakery is located at 621 St. Clair Avenue West.
Fareen Karim