Supporting Decadent Delight's 'Have a Heart' benefit

Anyone who spends even a few moments with me - and even people who've never met me, but who read my posts here on AnnArbor.com - know that I have a sweet tooth.

A variety of Valentine's Day treats from Decadent Delight.

Thomas Boulan, Photographer

So naturally, I am a fan of bakeries and pastries ... and despite having many fabulous options in town, my heart belongs to Decadent Delight. (Well, my heart actually belongs to Tom, but I know he'll share in honor of the bakery's upcoming fundraiser for a good cause!)

Bryant Stuckey, Decadent Delight's owner and pastry chef, and his remarkably talented assistants Lindsey and Erin, make the most amazing treats! Not only are the baked goods beautiful, but they are rich and delicious too - a very difficult combination to achieve. Jeremy has told me repeatedly that he wants to order a container of the passion fruit pastry filling and simply devour it with a spoon; why let cake get in the way of the purity and depth of flavor?

Erin, Bryant and Lindsey - the talented bakers/artists at Decadent Delight.

Thomas Boulan, Photographer

But in addition to their giftedness with butter and sugar, the Decadent Delight staff members also possess generous hearts and dedication to loved ones and to charity.

In honor of Valentine's Day - "as that’s when you honor the people that you love," as Bryant so nicely puts it - on Friday, February 5, Decadent Delight is sponsoring the "Have a Heart" benefit, donating 10% of all profits from sales and orders placed that day to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Very sadly, the 5-year-old nephew of one of the bakery's staff has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and Bryant wanted to do something to help find a cure for this awful disease by helping to raise money for research.

The shop will offer hand-decorated sugar cookies and special heart-shaped cakes in addition to the luscious treats that are regularly featured: cheesecakes, custard-filled fruit tarts, a flourless chocolate torte, carrot cake, and cinnamon rolls (place an order for a special Valentine's Day breakfast in bed!). And if you know you have an event coming up that you'll need a beautiful cake or large order of cookies for (Easter, wedding, graduation, baby or bridal showers, any random Saturday ... whatever occasion you can think of!), make sure to order it on February 5 so that you can contribute to this exceptionally good cause.

Adorable and delicous Luv Bugs.

Thomas Boulan, Photographer

If I may make a recommendation (and it's really hard to choose just one!), let me tell you that a particular favorite of Tom's, Jeremy's and mine are the Luv Bugs -- sophisticated and luscious Twinkie-like pastries finished with a variety of frostings and coatings ... sigh. Decadent Delight is located at 416 W. Huron St. in Ann Arbor, across Huron from the new YMCA; go to the back of the parking lot, and you'll find the entry to the shop. The bakery is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Please, please join me there on Friday, February 5 to not only buy some treats, but to support The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as well.

The sign to look for as you drive down Huron.

The doorway to Decadent Delight.

Mary Bilyeu has won or placed in more than 60 cooking contests and writes about her adventures as she tries to win prizes, feeds hungry teenagers and other loved ones, and generally just has fun in the kitchen. The phrase "You Should Only Be Happy" (written in Hebrew on the stone pictured next to the blog's title) comes from Deuteronomy 16:15, and is a wish for all her readers as they cook along with her ... may you always be happy here!

You can contact Mary at yentamary@gmail.com.