Twisted Root Bakery

Twisted Roots

Plant-Based/Vegan Allergy-Friendly Baked Goods

Have you ever indulged in a stack of Oreos? Eaten a PB&J for lunch? Snacked on tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole at your favorite Mexican restaurant? If so, it’s safe to say you’ve eaten vegan food, whether you realized it or not! You may have heard a vegan diet jokingly being referred to as “bunny food” and assume one would only eat a strict diet of fruits and veggies to maintain this lifestyle. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth! In some cases, switching to plant-based or vegan options is a necessary diet change due to severe food allergies or intolerances. Vanessa Smyth-Heim, owner and baker at Twisted Roots Bakery, is here to prove to us that allergenfree, animal-free desserts don’t have to taste bland or contain broccoli! Vanessa and her husband, Dave, moved here about ten years ago when Dave’s job brought them to Florence. While raising two daughters and her son, they started to notice the beginning symptoms of food allergies in their family. They began cooking meals that eliminated dairy, gluten, eggs, casein, meat, and other ingredients that were causing adverse reactions. When her son, Cillian, was turning one, she realized he would need a birthday cake and there were no bakeries in the area that would cater to all those needs. Since ordering him a cake was out of the question, Vanessa took matters into her own hands. This is when she began making treats that her whole family could enjoy together without any allergic reactions. This was her starting inspiration for Twisted Roots Bakery! Vanessa Smyth-Heim

“My main goal is to provide people with plant-based/vegan/allergy-friendly treats from somebody that eats just like them. It matters because there are so many random little things that are animalbased that people don't even realize. People who are plant-based, vegan, or suffer from food allergies, most likely have dissected the label of every product they have ever picked up.”

Cake Jars with Royal icing Hot chocolate Cupcakes with Royal icing

As a cottage baker, Vanessa bakes out of her own kitchen. Being a home baker has strict limitations that have pushed her to become creative with her offerings. To put it mildly, a lot of work goes into her recipes, as well as carefully selected ingredients, to ensure they are safe to eat and meet all state guidelines. She’s mastered using products such as aquafaba (chickpea brine) in her royal icing and flaxseed in place of eggs in her cakes. She has taken all the guesswork out of plant-based baking and perfected her recipes so that you don’t have to go through the frustration of finding new recipes yourself! Her understanding and education of veganism go as far back as college when she made the switch from a vegetarian diet to a plant-based diet. While Twisted Roots can cater to food sensitivities and intolerances, the kitchen is not certified allergen-free. “My main goal is to provide people with plant-based/ vegan/allergy-friendly treats from somebody that eats just like them. It matters because there are so many random little things that are animal-based that people don't even realize. People who are plant-based, vegan, or suffer from food allergies, most likely have dissected the label of every product they have ever picked up.” You might be wondering if there’s a difference between plant-based and vegan foods. Plant-based simply means the ingredient came from a plant and is often used to describe a specific diet. Vegan means planted-based, with no animal products or byproducts (including honey, shellac (confectioner’s glaze), and bee pollen. Veganism is a bit stricter and spills over into lifestyle. A true vegan lifestyle avoids items such as leather, suede, fur, and even certain body products and makeups that contain animal byproducts. While it’s hard to pick a favorite dessert, Vanessa finds the most joy when she bakes cupcakes! She also enjoys decorating sugar cookies even though they are the most time-consuming dessert she makes. She loves the attention to detail that comes with uniquely decorating each cookie. One of the most rewarding parts of Vanessa’s bakery business is when she hears people, including non-vegans, say they can’t tell the difference in her vegan treats! “I like to have samples when I do pop-ups so people can try different treats. Non-vegans will usually say, 'Oh, that's actually good!' It cracks me up. In general, as a society, we have this misconception that plant-based/ vegan food is tasteless, bland, and even dry!? I don't know why, but it definitely doesn't have to be that way!” Vanessa strives to bridge the gap between diet restrictions, whether they are voluntary or by necessity. She enjoys offering desserts that everybody can enjoy without feeling excluded or restricted. Since opening Twisted Roots three years ago, Vanessa has seen tons of support from her community. Between quickly selling out of her products at the City Center Farmers Market and accommodating custom orders, she stays busy keeping the plant-based and non-plant based customers in Florence happy!

Decorate Your Own Sugar Cookie Kit

Vegan Buttercream Options

Vanilla • Chocolate • Cookie Butter Cookies N Cream

Pumpkin Pie Spice • Peanut Butter Mint • Lemon • Lime

Mocha • Almond • Coffee • Snickerdoodle (Cinnamon Sugar) • Marshmallow

Vegan Cakes/Cupcakes (GF available)

Vanilla • Chocolate • Red Velvet Earl Grey • Chai Chamomile • Chocolate Chip

To place your custom orders, contact Vanessa at twistedrootsbakery@yahoo.com!