This article originally appeared in the Food print issue, in stands February 2025. It has not been updated and some information may be out of date.

In the heart of Salt Lake City stands a cherished institution that has withstood the test of time, Mrs. Backer’s Pastry Shop.

For 83 years, this bakery has been more than just a place to purchase sweets. It is a cornerstone of tradition, warmth and community. With its award-winning buttercream and traditional recipes, Mrs. Backer’s continues to bring generations of families together, offering flavors that encapsulate memories and experiences.

Renee Backer, the wife of Marty Backer, the eldest son in the Backer family, emphasized the significance of tradition in the pastry shop.

“I’m saying their mom or grandma would get things here, and we stay the same. I mean, we change somewhat, but we stay with a lot of the products that we’ve made for 83 years,” Backer said. “Sometimes you go to a store, and you want to get something again and you hear that the store doesn’t make it anymore, but we do.”

This dedication to preserving beloved recipes while maintaining a touch of evolution is one of the defining features of Mrs. Backer’s.

One of the shop’s signatures is its intricate buttercream flower decorations, which change with the seasons. Customers return for the shifting designs, though the flavor remains unchanged.

“Our cakes in the spring will have daffodils on them; in the summer, they’re chrysanthemums; in the fall, they’ll be sunflowers; and at Christmas, they’ll be poinsettias,” Backer said. “On Valentine’s Day, the soft sugar cookies, when you get them year-round, are just round cookies, but you can get the same cookie on Valentine’s Day in the shape of a heart. It stays the same, but it also changes with the season.”

While some seasonal items and designs are temporary, Mrs. Backer’s ensures that its best-selling items, such as apple fritters and chocolate fudge bears, are available year-round. 

“If you’re craving something and you go, ‘Oh, I don’t want to wait till Christmas,’ the top sellers we make all year long,” Backer said.

In addition to tradition, the shop’s success also relies on its dedication to quality and the relationships it builds with customers. The Backer family understands that no matter how pleasing a pastry might look, it must also deliver in taste.

“You have to have a good product,” Backer said. “It doesn’t matter how pretty something looks if it doesn’t taste good.”

Maintaining the signature flavors of the bakery while adapting to modern-day ingredient availability presents its own set of challenges.

“I’ve been here 52 years, and some ingredients we used to get are no longer available. It’s a constant journey of testing and adjusting to ensure our pastries taste just as good as they did decades ago,” Backer said.

This commitment to quality extends beyond just the recipes. This is evident in the bakery’s exceptional customer service. Mrs. Backer’s prioritizes personal connections. For instance, the only time customers will be met with an answering machine is when the shop is closed for weekends or holidays.

“There’s always a human being that you talk to,” Backer said. “Customer service is very important because sometimes you just want to talk to a human because you have questions that a robot can’t answer.” 

The ability to build lasting relationships with customers is part of what makes Mrs. Backer’s so special. Many of its customers have been loyal for decades, returning not only for the baked goods but also for the warmth and familiarity that the shop provides. 

The bakery has become a fixture in the lives of many Salt Lake City residents, serving as a gathering place for families, a stop for sweet indulgences and a tangible connection to the past.

The charm of Mrs. Backer’s Pastry Shop comes not only from its products but also from the sense of community it provides. It is a place where grandparents bring their grandchildren, just as their parents once brought them. The sight of decorated cakes, the scent of freshly baked pastries and the sound of conversation create an atmosphere of comfort and belonging.

As the shop looks toward the future, it remains devoted to its mission of valuing the past while embracing the present. Tradition will always be at the heart of Mrs. Backer’s, but it is also a place that understands the importance of adapting to changing times while staying true to its core values.

Whether it’s a birthday cake with buttercream flowers, a tray of holiday cookies or a simple treat picked up on a whim, every purchase from Mrs. Backer’s carries with it a piece of history.

[email protected]

@_katekeith