Beloved local bakery transitions to online orders after nearly a decade of serving the community
By ALMA CULVERWELL — city@theaggie.org
Local Davis bakery Let Them Eat Cake (LTEC), founded by owner Alyssa Bulfer in 2016, closed its storefront on 310 C St. in late December.
The store, which has been a Davis staple since its opening in 2009 by Paulette Coffman, sells a variety of baked goods ranging from cupcakes to larger cakes that cater to a range of dietary needs including vegan, gluten-free and nut-free options. The bakery also offers online kits for customers to decorate their own cookies or gingerbread houses.
Since its original opening on L Street in 2009, the business has changed hands several times. Once from 2014 to 2016 when it was owned by Melody Steeples and moved to C Street, and then again when it shifted to current owner Bulfer, who has run the business since 2016.
Bulfer explained the factors that led to closing the storefront.
“Unfortunately, it was not our decision to close the storefront,” Bulfer said. “We were trying to sell the business in June of 2024, in which it gave our landlord an opportunity to have one of their friends move into our building. I really wished we could have stayed at our location, it was perfect for us.”
Let Them Eat Cake has been a business beloved by many Davis students and families alike. Delilah Becarra, a fourth-year environmental science and management major, reflected on her years of fond memories at the bakery.
“I frequently went there to study with friends and sometimes by myself because it was a great place,” Becarra said. “I also went there a lot with my friends who graduated a few years ago, and we made the cupcakes a must in all of our hangouts. One of those friends really loved sweets but because she’s vegan, [she] found it hard to find sweets that tasted good and were vegan. Because LTEC had such a wide range of vegan baked goods, there was no other place to go when we were craving sweets.”
Becarra described her thoughts about the recent storefront closure.
“I’m so sad they’re gone,” Becarra said. “I’m going to miss their flavors, their cute interior and going there whenever I needed a sweet treat. Their treats were affordable and their lattes were underrated. They were a Davis jewel and even though I’m graduating this year, I selfishly wish they chose to close after I was gone.”
Emma Nguyen, a third-year community and regional development major, also commented on her positive memories of the local bakery.
“I used to really love going there on Saturdays and I loved the flavors they had,” Nguyen said. “This is actually the way I’m hearing about it closing so it’s a bit surprising to me.”
Recent UC Davis alum Felicia Chico described her memories surrounding Let Them Eat Cake.
“I recall my experiences with Let Them Eat Cake with great fondness,” Chico said. “To me, Let Them Eat Cake was one of the quintessential ‘Davis’ businesses that prided itself on delivering to the local community. I remember going in to buy whole trays of cupcakes to celebrate the end of finals, as gifts for friends or just as a pick-me-up when the quarter got hectic and I felt like a sweet treat.”
Chico further described her appreciation for the bakery.
“I would recommend the shop to all new Aggies I met and was always shocked when someone admitted to never having tried it,” Chico said. “It was definitely one of the places I knew I was going to miss once I graduated, and I am so sad to hear that the storefront will be closing. I wish the owner, Alyssa, nothing but the best in her future endeavors.”
The Let Them Eat Cake business continues to be open for online wedding and custom cakes, but their storefront will surely be missed by many.
Bulfer reflected on her favorite moments and described the focus for the future of the bakery.
“I can’t pick out just one favorite memory or milestone, but I really did enjoy celebrating the bakery’s anniversary year after year,” Bulfer said. “Going forward, Let Them Eat Cake will primarily be a wedding cake business. We are currently working on getting a permit and licenses to be a cottage food facility. We did 88 weddings in 2024, and we can’t wait to serve more 2025 couples.”
Written By Alma Culverwell — city@theaggie.org