Delights at Delilah Bakery, Echo Park

Delilah's motto: Come in bitter, leave sweet. Three berry, chocolate and lemon ricotta cupcakes without frosting (aka "muffins")

A few years ago, after creating a particularly delicious chocolate cake, I mused to J, "Maybe I should open a bakery." I was merely indulging in an idle fantasy--I recognize that I'm more likely to succeed at achieving nuclear disarmament in my current career than developing a thriving bake shop. J, my left-brained husband, assumed I was already on the way to the bank for a small business loan, and started listing all the potential pitfalls. Now, "I'm not really opening a bakery" has become code for us that he needs to chill out and bite his dream-crushing tongue.

Here in LA, many career-changing ladies must not have received J's "bakery pitfall" memo. As the New York Times highlighted a few weeks ago, bake shops run by former agents/publicists/investment bankers are proliferating even faster than weapons of mass destruction in rogue nations. In the past week I've driven by the almost-open Vanilla Bake Shop in Santa Monica, walked by the almost-open Lark Cake Shop in Silver Lake, and stopped in the recently-opened Delilah Bakery in Echo Park.


Delilah has kept a low profile--I only discovered it when I drove by a few weeks ago. According to LA.com, it's the brainchild of a former publicist and sells sweets with a Southern bent. I stopped in for muffins for my coworkers; the cheery staff and the outside sign--today's a great day!--put a smile on my uncaffeinated face. The moist, cupcake-like muffins (chocolate, three berry, and lemon ricotta with a pronounced almond flavor) ensured that smile lasted most of the morning, and I'd like to make a return trip to try the whiskey soaked bread pudding, whose top was studded with banana slices.

In addition to the required cupcakes and other baked goods, Delilah serves savory sandwiches and dishes like mac'n'cheese. They also make a good, fresh cup of coffee to go with your muffins when you swing by at 8 am (they open at 7:30).

Delilah Bakery

1665 Echo Park Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 975-9400