How Sweet It Is

How Sweet It Is

by Donnita Fisher

Photo of Monica Whitaker by Ethan Good

When it comes to homemade goodies, people in Wylie are living the sweet life.

Bakers, confectioneries and creameries offer residents a variety of desserts, treats and sugary rewards.

Say It With Sugar

Say It With Sugar has been a downtown destination for more than 10 years.

Located at 106 N. Ballard Ave., the specialty cake shop was opened by sisters Monica Whitaker and Melanie Borges in February 2010. “But we have been decorating cakes since 1995,” Monica said.

The storefront offers a wide variety of ready-to-go cupcakes, cookies, brownies and other temptations.

“I love making cakes,” Monica said. “Every cake can be so different – from the flavor on the inside to the details on the outside.”

Monica said the siblings chose Wylie because Melanie lived here. “When we drove down Ballard Street, we fell in love.”

In addition to ready-made goodies, Say It With Sugar specializes in custom cakes. If you can visualize it, they can probably make it. But those cakes that look like puppy dogs or a dream vacation locale can’t be made quickly. Say It With Sugar asks for at least a week’s notice for specialized cakes but advises customers to put in orders as soon as possible. “We love Wylie, the community and fellow businesses – the hometown feeling,” Monica said.

Find them on Instagram @sayitwithsugarcakeshop or the web at www.sayitwithsugar.com.

Ken Swayze

Photo by Greg Scott

OMG Kitchen & Creamery

OMG Creamery is Ken Swayze’s happy place and he hopes it is yours too.

The creamery is known for its fried pies and flavorful ice cream. "Quality desserts make people happy," Ken said.

He also enjoys the creativity that dessert making inspires. "I make ice cream and pies because I love to cook and create new surprises for people to enjoy," Ken said. "I have a high-stress full-time job, and the ice cream shop is my happy place. I hope it shows and that all our customers feel welcome and have a great time while visiting our shop."

OMG Creamery's best-selling flavors are pecan pie ice cream and Snickers ice cream. "Can't keep either in stock," Ken laments.

A Wylie resident since 1974, Ken said he wanted to be part of the community atmosphere. "I want to contribute to the effort being made by all the other downtown merchants in getting downtown Wylie recognized as a destination," he said.

OMG Creamery, which also serves lunch and dinner items, is located at 100-A N. Ballard Ave.

You can follow OMG on Facebook & Instagram, and order online at www.omgcreamery.com.

Erica Green

Photo by Ethan Good

Taste E’s Sweets And Treats

“A little dessert can make the most mundane day happy,” according to Erica Green of Taste E’s Sweets and Treats.

Taste E’s specializes in “decorated sugar cookies to celebrate all of life’s moments. They have a way of just making everything better,” Erica said.

Baking filled a void, she said.

“I’ve always made treats for families and friends, but I found myself unemployed in 2011 and started playing around with decorating techniques. In 2013, my daughter started pre-k, and I found myself lonely while working from home with her gone. I turned my lunch hour into a time of learning new things and starting new projects.”

Erica decided to take the steps to become a licensed cottage bakery “and just to see if anyone would be interested in buying what I offered.”

Well, people were – especially in Taste E’s pumpkin spice latte cookies. “I only offer them one week of the year, but folks talk about them all year long!” So in 2019, Taste E’s became Erica’s full-time job.

A resident of Wylie for four years, Erica said she loves it here. “I love Wylie! I grew up in a small town and I love that Wylie still has that feel about it, even in growth.”

Doing business in Wylie has been encouraging because the residents are so kind, Erica said. “Even folks that have never purchased from me are constantly recommending me based on what they’ve seen of my work. Wylie is just the best little town for having each other’s back.

“I am so thankful that folks love me as much as I love being here. I tell everyone the day I moved from Garlandto Wylie was the day that my daughter, my business and myself finally felt at home.”

Contact Taste E’s Sweets and Treats at 469-855-3883, tasteessweets@gmail.com or visit the Facebook page Taste E’s Sweets and Treats.

“My father taught me how to cook and, as a little girl, I used to take joy in watching my grandmother – who taught my father – work her magic in the kitchen,” Sharonda said.

Sharonda Lawson

Photo by Ethan Good

Bakers D’lite

Bakers D’lite has been providing desserts for Wylie for eight years but Sharonda Lawson has been baking all her life.

Cakes are the most-ordered items but Bakers D’lite doesn’t only do cakes. “Sweet treats are my specialty!” Sharonda exclaims. “I love that there are endless possibilities with desserts; you can be as basic or as elaborate as you'd like.”

Bakers D’lite is a home-based business. “I live in Wylie and love the atmosphere here. I had to decide: do I wait to save up enough for brick and mortar, or do I wish to start a home-based business and be readily accessible?” Sharonda explained. “I chose the latter.”

The cost of custom cakes is often more than some can afford, Sharonda said. “Bakers D'lite has something for almost any budget. I want the community to know that if they need a special Sweet Piece (Sharonda’s word for cakes that take the place of a centerpiece), then they need to come see me.”

To order from Bakers D’lite, email sweettreats@ bakersdlite.com or contact Sharonda via Bakers D’lite’s Facebook or Instagram pages, or at www.bakersdlite.com.

Maddie Mayfield

Photo by Lisa Mayfield

The Mad Mallow

Maddie Mayfield loves marshmallows.

And you’ll love the marshmallows Maddie makes at The Mad Mallow.

Maddie has been in Wylie two years. She chose to open her business here because “my family moved to Wylie and I absolutely loved the quaint style of downtown and Ballard Avenue.”

The Mad Mallow offers handcrafted gourmet marshmallows. “Since I was little I have always loved creating and being in the kitchen,” Maddie said. “I fell in love with making marshmallows because of all of the different combinations and limitless flavor possibilities.”

The confectionery's trademarked signature marshmallow is the OG Mad Mallow. The OG Mad Mallow and the Salted Double Dark Chocolate Mallow are the company’s best sellers. But the flavors don’t stop with the expected. Perhaps you’d like to try a Cookie Monster Mallow or a Lavender & Honey? Toasted coconut?

“With colors and flavors that stretch the imagination, our vision is to transform your concept of marshmallows by introducing you to our magical world,” Maddie said.

The company has been booked for weddings, birthday parties, gender reveals and bachelorette weekends. “We want to help you create more memories,” Maddie said, “and would love to help make your event a little Mad!”

For more information about The Mad Mallow, email themadmallowtx@gmail.com and follow on Instagram @ themadmallow. •