Three home bakers in Ahwatukee set a high standard for domestic bakeries. With French-inspired macarons, detailed cake pops and cheesy Bavarian pretzels, they offer goods to please nearly every palate. It’s clear by their careful attention to technique, creativity and recipes, these home bakers infuse love into every bite. And what could be better than a home that smells of warm dough baking?
Alda Stefaníudóttir
Alda’s Confectionary Experiment
Alda Stefaníudóttir recalls the first time she tried a piece of birthday cake from Costco. She appreciated the theme and craftsmanship, but biting into it, she was shocked.
“It was so sweet,” she says, laughing.
At every birthday party her son attended, Stefaníudóttir found the cakes too sugary. She wondered if anyone would enjoy her Icelandic recipes, like the Skuffukaka her mother made growing up, a large chocolate cake made in an oven pan. Experimenting from her Ahwatukee kitchen, she quickly gained the approval of her taste-testers. In 2019, she opened Alda’s Confectionary Experiment. Her recipes are entirely her own, inspired by her Icelandic roots, specifically a favorite childhood buttercream frosting, but with an American twist. For instance, she says one of her favorite recipes is her Oreo cake because it’s not a cookie she had growing up, and who doesn’t love Oreos?
In 2021, she turned her attention to the technical challenge of mastering macarons, what some call the Mount Everest of baking because of the patience, accuracy, and tireless troubleshooting required. Stefaníudóttir, beaming, says, “I did eventually master them.” Her favorite flavor—lemon cheesecake.
Find Stefaníudóttir’s cakes, cupcakes and macarons on Instagram at @Aldas_Confectionary_Experiment.
Suzanna Anderson
Oma’s German Kitchen
Born and raised in Germany, Suzanna Anderson moved to Arizona in 2005, where she was disappointed to find limited offerings of authentic German food. Following a friend’s encouragement, she put her three decades of baking experience to use and opened Oma’s German Kitchen in May 2024. She was pleasantly surprised at the demand of orders from German expats, descendants and enthusiasts wanting a taste of the homeland, even installing a second double oven and outfitting another pantry in her Ahwatukee home kitchen to keep up with her orders.
Anderson embodies the German ethos of “daily bread,” selling only that day’s bakes to ensure freshness. Equally important to Anderson is her commitment to the highest quality ingredients—almost everything is organic and/or grass-fed, often sourced from quality small-scale suppliers. She avoids artificial colors, flavors and preservatives and selects bakeware made from the safest, lead-free materials.
“I want my customers to know and taste that I will only serve food I believe in and would feel good serving my loved ones,” she says.
Anderson specializes in baking authentic German breads, pretzels, Brioche bread, cakes, strudels and more. Find her on Instagram at @OmasGermanKitchen to see her weekly offerings and request special orders.
Maria Aranda
Icha’s Cake Pops
Maria Aranda loved baking with her three daughters when they were little. As they grew, she looked for ways to connect with them. One day her youngest, ten at the time, asked if they could go to Starbucks for a cake pop. Unfamiliar with the treat, Aranda found it too dry. Another time, too oily. So, she began experimenting. But eight years ago, there wasn’t much information available on cake pops. Aranda pressed on, creating Icha’s Cake Pops in 2019. And it’s only gotten better as online education expanded the baking world, helping Aranda to tweak her cake pops to perfection.
Aranda offers flavors like vanilla, German chocolate and coconut, and makes any character—from Minions to Santa Claus. Thanks to her attention to detail, it takes up to two hours to decorate a dozen cake pops.
Aranda doesn’t just bake though; she also teaches cake pop decorating classes, including birthday parties, private parties, camps, and even a class for moms and teens. Moms often text her after, thanking her for offering a way to connect with their kids.
To take a class or order her delectable cake pops and other treats, find Aranda on Instagram at @IchasCakePops.