Martino's Bakery

Martino's Bakery is known for their signature tea cakes. They are small square cupcake like confections and are made with buttermilk and have a hard glaze on top flavored with vanilla.

Martino's is located in Burbank and apparently distributes their tea cakes to other restaurants/locations in addition to selling them at their retail bakery. I was turned onto these delicious treats by family members who fondly remembered similar tea cakes from Grace's Pastries, which went out of business many years ago.

A variety of pastries were available but the tea cakes come in boxes of half a dozen or a dozen. I was on a mission so purchased a box of half a dozen ($4.50) of the classic buttermilk variety. Blueberry and cranberry were also available but were not as good as the plain buttermilk.

The tea cakes are lighter, fluffier and moister than cupcakes. The cake portion is light brown and the glaze is sweet but not in that sickly sugar rush kinda ways that so many cupcake frostings are. The size of the tea cakes are also smaller than most cupcakes are these days. (Is it me or have cupcakes been supersized since we were kids?)

Apparently this latest incarnation of Martino's does not share history/ownership with prior versions but has the rights to the name and acquired the recipe. I make no judgments about the people behind the operation - just about the six pack of square tea cakes, and they were indeed delicious. Rich, one was perfect for dessert, and they also make a nice component to breakfast, not that I would know anything about eating dessert as my breakfast...

Martino's is located at 335 N Victory Blvd. near the intersection with Magnolia Blvd, in Burbank. Just a few minutes drive Northeast of the Walt Disney Studios lot. Phone: (818) 842-0715. Website: www.martinosbakery.com Closed on Sundays.