As business names go, it doesn’t get more on the nose than Puffy Cakes. Recently opened in West Town, the bakery and coffee shop specializes in Japanese cheesecake, which features a fluffy texture that’s a cross between a souffle and brioche French toast.
Chicago, like other major cities, has been experiencing a major bakery renaissance. From favorites like Mindy’s Bakery, Kasama, Publican Quality Bread, Good Ambler, Justice of the Pies, and Loaf Lounge to upstarts like Swadesi, Umaga Bakehouse, Sugar Moon, and Loba Pastry, satisfying a sweet tooth in Chicago has never been easier or more delicious. And the trend shows no signs of slowing down.
When Julian Coltea and his Puffy Cakes partners began delving into a dessert-focused business, they knew they had to do something different.
“There are so many places in Chicago that make great cookies, pies, and classic American desserts,” says Coltea. “We wanted to go beyond that and expand to something else.”
That something else turned out to be Japanese cheesecake, which is lighter and less sweet than its American counterpart. “We really wanted to make it our primary focus and bring the dessert, which I think is delicious, to the masses,” he adds.
Prior to opening in June, the Puffy Cakes baking team went through rounds of experiments to perfect the recipe and achieve the desired jiggly texture. (Turns out, folding in the egg white meringue by hand is crucial, says Coltea.) The airy cream cheese batter is placed in ramekins that are then baked low and slow in a water bath.
Available in three flavors — traditional, matcha, and ube — the 4-inch cheesecakes are designed for one to two people. Additionally, 6- and 8-inch versions are available via advance ordering. Housemade sauces are available for those who want to add a touch more sweetness. Signature sauces include caramel drizzle, dark chocolate, matcha, Nutella, and strawberry with additional flavors in the works. Look for candy toppings to be offered soon.
Beyond the Japanese cheesecakes, which are baked fresh daily, Puffy Cakes also features a handful of other desserts. Petite Japanese cheese tarts include a mixture of three cheeses (cream cheese, mascarpone, and Parmesan), housemade seasonal fruit jams, and fresh fruit toppings. The menu also features traditional baked tarts, including a recent lemon blackberry meringue tart with a bruléed Italian meringue dome. A curated list of macarons will soon be joined by a selection of Asian-inspired cookies.
To ensure none of its leftover cheesecakes goes to waste, Puffy Cakes crafted a bread pudding. Cut-up pieces of a mix of their cakes are baked like a traditional bread pudding before being topped with different garnishes that might include pecans, white chocolate, and walnuts.
A partnership with La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Puffy Cakes offers specialty coffee drinks, including cold brew on tap.
The interior design of Puffy Cakes includes a few couches, round tables, and a banquette on one side of the cozy 950-square-foot space, accented with hues of red, yellow, and black. Lantern-like light fixtures hang overhead. A fireplace will keep things toasty when winter arrives.
“We’re a dessert shop first,” says Coltea, “but from the beginning, we knew we wanted to serve high-quality coffee and make this a really warm, inviting place for people to come and hang out or work.”
Puffy Cakes, 1651 W Chicago Avenue, open 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and closed Mondays.