I was in Frederick, MD for some legendary local pizza and, as any reasonable person would, I wanted…read moredessert before making the 1 1/2-hour drive home. A server at the restaurant recommended Juno Bakery and confidently declared it the place for dessert in Frederick. Spoiler alert: She was right!
I arrived at Juno on a beautiful June Saturday afternoon and the place was PACKED. It was actually hard to get back to the bakery cases because there were so many people happily loading up on sweet treats. While waiting for traffic to clear, I took a look around.
The front of the bakery features several tables right beside huge plate-glass windows overlooking downtown Frederick. I immediately loved the idea of sitting in the sunshine, watching the world go by while shoving cake into my face. My kind of afternoon.
I also appreciated Juno's hours. For a small bakery, they're impressive! 8am - 8pm Monday through Saturday and 9am - 6pm on Sundays. That kind of schedule makes spontaneous dessert side quests much easier.
Eventually I made my way to the display cases and was blown away. Croissants, cookies, pastries, macarons, eclairs, savory items, cakes...so many beautiful things to choose from! Since I'd never been to a Korean bakery before, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. But I knew I was feeling cake.
I posted up in front of the single-slice cake case, evaluated my options, and came to a perfectly rational conclusion.
One slice? No.
Two slices? Also no.
Three slices? Now we're talking.
Look, I didn't know what I'd like. I wasn't about to stand in line all over again if my first choice wasn't "the one." Surely I'd love at least one of them, right?
I ordered a slice of the Carrot Cake ($6.60), a slice of the Blueberry Yogurt Cake ($5.99) and one of the mini Blueberry Cheesecakes ($7.55). My total with tax came to $21.35 and it was worth every penny!
I asked to eat there and was handed paper plates and directed to the utensil station near the trash cans. I also overheard another customer being told that the restroom code was printed on paper receipts. Since I'd opted for an electronic receipt (no thanks to paper receipts!), I had to ask for the code separately. Not a huge deal, just a bit odd given that they offer electronic receipts. There are signs on the restroom doors explaining the process, but it's one of those little quirks worth mentioning.
Armed with my three desserts and zero shame, I claimed a sunny table by the window and settled in.
First up, the Carrot Cake. Dense. Super moist. Not overloaded with frosting, which I actually appreciated, much to my surprise, and absolutely delicious. It let the cake itself do the talking.
Next came the Blueberry Yogurt Cake. This one was lighter and fluffier, with rich frosting and filling layered between. Best of all, it actually tasted like blueberries instead of just generic sweetness. The blueberry flavor screamed, "HEY! I'M A BLUEBERRY!" and I appreciated that.
Then came the Berry Cheesecake. Oh. My. Goodness. This thing was rich, dense, and absolutely fabulous. It felt like eating an entire miniature cheesecake in slice form, which, honestly, is one of life's great joys!
By the end of this little dessert extravaganza, I had consumed every single crumb of all three slices. Every. Single. Crumb.
I had worried I might not love one of them. Turns out I had absolutely nothing to worry about. I still can't pick a favorite!
Would I go back to Juno Bakery? Absolutely.
Would I order three desserts again and demolish them like an absolute champion while sitting in the sun watching downtown Frederick live its life outside the window? Without hesitation.
And now that I've discovered Juno Bakery, any trip close enough to Frederick just might require a mandatory dessert detour!
