Firecakes Donuts

Karen's family history provided the inspiration for Firecakes. In the 1930s, her grandfather, William "Billy" Hobbs, worked as a baker in logging camps in northern Wisconsin. Billy, who was in charge of feeding big groups of men, used his limited resources to bake delectable baked delicacies that would keep the employees going throughout their long and difficult workdays. Billy was known across the region for his superb bread, and after purchasing a circular dough cutter (the original of which can be found at our Hubbard Street shop), he began manufacturing "firecakes," a backwaters version of the modern-day donut. His first fried delights were cooked in a huge cast iron pot over an open fire and dusted with a pinch of sugar. Our recipe is based on Billy's original, which is kept in the family. We produce our own "firecakes" with locally sourced ingredients and unique ingredients, and, like Billy, we serve our donuts early in the morning and late into the night. Because we believe that everyone, not simply early twentieth-century loggers, may benefit from a sweet treat.