Owner Tammy Worthy-Jones stands behind some of her baked goods at Just Baked Cakes & Pies.
If you don’t have young kids, you may not have had a reason to venture into the children’s section of Midtown Scholar Bookstore.
But what if you knew there was a bakery tucked back there?
Recently, Just Baked Cakes & Pies debuted in space long occupied by P&R Bakery. The sweet shop boasts “desserts that remind you of grandma,” according to their tagline. But if you give them a try, they might even beat out grandma.
“Everything here is baked from scratch,” said Owner Tammy Worthy-Jones. “Everything is made with real ingredients.”
Worthy-Jones makes cookies, cakes, pudding and sweet potato pies, but the fan-favorite is her cheesecake—strawberry, sweet potato, plain, it doesn’t matter which. Most items come in a full-size pie or cake, as well as a smaller, single-serve size.
“We’ve been famous for cheesecakes for like forever,” she said. “Even people in Texas are asking for our cheesecakes.”
In addition to the sweets, Just Baked Cakes & Pies serves breakfast and lunch. Some options are the “Big Daddy” or the “Lil’ Mama” breakfast sandwiches, depending on your appetite.
“We are delighted that Just Baked Cakes has opened,” said Midtown Scholar co-owner Catherine Lawrence. “I recommend the homemade chicken corn chowder, along with the classic banana pudding, just like my grandmother used to make!”
Worthy-Jones, a New York native, grew up baking cakes for friends and family members. As she got older, she worked in bakeries and restaurants, tallying up over 30 years of experience. When she moved to Harrisburg 11 years ago, she sold her goods through word of mouth and at local restaurants like Crawdaddy’s in Midtown.
“I like making different things all the time,” she said. “I like the creativity of it all.”
Most importantly, Worthy-Jones values customer service. She enjoys interacting with customers, having conversations, laughing and joking.
“When you come, I want you to have great service,” she said. “A lot of times, to me, great customer service is better than the food at some places. But let’s not get it twisted. You come here and you get a really good meal.”
Just Baked Cakes & Pies can be accessed directly from the side entrance of Midtown Scholar Bookstore, 270 Verbeke St., Harrisburg. Hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 717-236-3626 or visit their Facebook page.
