Memorable | One of the Best
Prantl’s Bakery
Review by: Ralph Melton
Prantl’s is a full-service bakery, offering everything from donuts to wedding cakes. Of special note are apple strudel, iced cinnamon rolls, and coffee cakes of every type. We’re particularly fond of what’s known as a Danish cruller: a braided donut with a fine, fragile sugar skin and tender insides. In the fall, look for the apple-cinnamon cupcake. It is moist and faintly fruity with a creamy top worthy of a Viennese bake shop. Prantl’s also makes a zesty lemon tea cake that has legions of devoted fans.
The house specialty is a burnt almond torte: a soft, almond-flavored, vanilla custard-filled butter cake, topped with buttercream frosting and toasted sugared almonds. Despite the pastry’s name, its almonds aren’t really burnt, but they are very toasty. The stealth ingredient is that moist, fresh, butter cake at its core. It is available whole or in smaller sizes for takeaway snacks; and the same toasted almonds are featured atop Prantl’s wonderful butter cookies.
It is possible to mail-order Prantl’s cake, for which the bakery makes a version of custard that requires no refrigeration.
Directions & Hours
7:30am - 5:30pm
- Monday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Tuesday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Thursday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Friday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Information
| Price | $$ |
| Seasons | All |
| Meals Served | Dessert |
| Credit Cards Accepted | Yes |
| Alcohol Served | No |
| Outdoor Seating | No |
What To Eat
Prantl’s Bakery Recipes
Discuss
What do you think of Prantl’s Bakery?
One Response to “Prantl’s Bakery”
Ralph Melton
November 1st, 2010
In Pittsburgh’s East End, there’s one distinctive bakery that has become a true local tradition. Prantl’s Bakery has been in the upscale neighborhood of Shadyside for over forty years, and its site has held a bakery for over a century.
Prantl’s specialty is the burnt almond torte, which is so popular that it represents half the birthday cake that we eat in the East End. This misnamed cake has a base of soft butter cake, a filling of creamy custard, and a topping of icing and sugared almonds. The torte is flavored with almonds, butter, and vanilla, always an excellent combination. The cake is moist and dense, and would be delicious on its own. Together with the vanilla custard filling, Prantl’s light, not-too-sweet buttercream frosting, and the toasted sugared almonds, it really lives up to its reputation as Prantl’s signature cake.
If you visit Prantl’s, they will sell you a bite-sized version of the torte for about a dollar, which leaves plenty of room for other delights. We’ve enjoyed the elegant petit fours, the rich chocolate Maryanns, buttery shortbread sugar cookies, and the light, savory pepperoni rolls.
For out-of-towners, Prantl’s will also mail-order their cake, using a version of the custard that requires no refrigeration.