There is a lot of excitement and fanfare pleasantly circling Windmill Lane Bakery. Located at 17 Windmill Lane in Southampton, in the same spot that was home to Ye Olde Bake Shoppe for thirty years, people are discovering something new and special. The bakery now offers a whole new wave of energy brought by proprietor, holistic chef, and certified Ayurvedic nutritionist Karoline Cerqueira. One must visit just to see her talent and gift for creating amazing cakes and pastries, including vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free varieties. She shared her vision of Windmill Lane Bakery during an exclusive chat with Hamptons.com.
Windmill Lane Bakery is a restaurant, café, juice bar, and bakery all under one roof in Southampton Village. The menu changes often, specifically to highlight seasonal ingredients and “bold, crowd-pleasing flavors.” Many feel the bakery is a welcoming escape for locals and visitors alike. It’s the perfect spot to grab a morning coffee, settle in for brunch, or indulge in an afternoon treat. They specialize in handcrafted food, specialty beverages, and thoughtful catering made with care.
Karoline Cerqueira said her biggest and most gratifying surprise since opening Wind Mill Bakery has been, “The support of the local moms in the community. It’s been incredible.” She added, “People are traveling from far away for all of my gluten-free and dairy-free baked goods, because a lot of folks have celiac or all sorts of dietary restrictions, and there is no place around here that really caters to that population.”
It is incredibly important to have a professional vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free baker like Karoline Cerqueira in Southampton Village.
She reiterated the joy she feels: “All the moms coming here and ordering cakes—you know, for special birthdays and celebrations.” She explained that what makes baking these cakes so meaningful is that, from her kitchen and with her celebrated baking skills, she is “…bringing people together. It’s making memories with all the families around here.” By the way, guests can sit and enjoy the freshly baked goods right on the premises!
When asked about her most successful creation—something she’s especially proud of and that instantly grabs attention—Karoline Cerqueira didn’t hesitate: “My most successful creation has to be my orange cake. It was instantly a huge hit, and some people have even compared it to Ina Garten’s. Some say it’s even better.”
And how did that come about? “Well, I wanted to come out with something really flavorful for the spring and summer seasons, and I wanted something that didn’t involve any sort of oils. We don’t add any oils to the cake. I just boil the oranges for 40 minutes, then grind them together with eggs and sugar. So when I create this beautiful, moist cake, it’s without using any sort of oils. So it’s actually a little bit healthier.”
Karoline Cerqueira is optimistic about the bakery’s future: “I think we are here, and we’re looking to stay for the longest time. We want people to discover us. Not a lot of people know about this location, even though it was a bakery for many years.”
It would be a wonderful thing for Southampton Village to have the talents of Karoline Cerqueira available for decades to come.
Check out everything Windmill Lane Bakery has to offer at Windmilllncafe.com.
