‘Dessert’s Dunn’

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Growing up in Thibodeaux, Louisiana, Susan Dunn remembered that many of the wonderful moments in her life happened in her family’s kitchen. Her mother and father loved to cook, and the whole family joined in.

Family recipes favorites

They used older, traditional family recipes passed down for generations from both families. Her parents loved to experiment, so they adapted older family favorites to fit the occasions they were celebrating.

“I can remember mama and daddy playing with one recipe until they got it right,” she laughed. “Now, I do the same thing!”

When Susan married Ted Dunn and later moved to Pine Hill, in 2015, she continued cooking for her own family and friends. Baking was actually a part-time hobby, because she worked in inventory control and training for Truckworx Kenworth.

Cakes for a cakewalk

Things changed for Susan in 2018, when her son’s school needed cakes for a cakewalk. Susan donated three. It didn’t take long, however, before the winners of those cakes were seeking her out, asking her to make more. Shortly after that, she made a Facebook page, posting some of her baked items. She even asked her followers to help to name her new home business. From their suggestions came the name, Dessert’s Dunn, a play on her specialty and her last name. (The dessert is done)

Bundt cakes evolved into something more

At first, Susan made mostly Bundt cakes and pies for family and friends, but word soon got out about the quality of her baked goods. After she was asked to make a custom-designed birthday cake, she went to YouTube and watched videos that taught her to decorate a cake.

“Fondant terrified me at first,” she explained. “I tried it, and now, I enjoy using it to decorate.”

When Susan was asked to do custom-decorated cookies for her sister’s baby shower, she again watched videos to learn the new techniques.

“I had to work to get better,” she said. “I have to keep up with the latest trends, and the videos helped so much!”

Now, her customers declare that her cakes are works of art. Many jokingly say they are too beautiful to eat. Susan is self-taught, but it’s very evident that she has a gift for baking and decorating.

King Cakes added

In 2022, Susan added King Cakes to her repertoire. Having grown up in Louisiana, she was familiar with Mardi Gras, where the popular cakes are always made from scratch. Here, in this part of Alabama, the cakes can be found in grocery stores, but they are mass-produced.

“King Cakes are actually bread,” she stated. “I had never made them before, but when I made one, my family taste-tested it first. When they approved, I put it on Facebook.“

She sold 28 in two days, and the iconic cakes have continued to be very popular. Even though custom cakes and cookies keep Susan very busy, she also sells traditional pies, such as pecan, pumpkin and sweet potato, all made from her family’s triedand true recipes. “My family bakes by using old-fashioned, traditional recipes,” she said. “I take them and make them my own, by trying new flavors or spices.”

Pretty, but taste is it

For those who have eaten any of the goodies from Dessert’s Dunn, the taste is the real treat!

One customer wrote, “It’s one thing to make beautiful cakes, but for them to taste better than they look is mind-blowing!”

For Susan, taste is the most important part.

“People may not remember how a cake looked,” she explained, “ but they will definitely remember how it tasted!”

Susan Dunn has turned her hobby into a thriving home business.

“There are no mass-produced products from here,” she smiled. “Instead, customers get small batches that taste good and come directly from my stove in my home!”

Look for Susan on Facebook at Dessert’s Dunn. She will also deliver to Thomasville.