Within a strip mall, at 2403 Battleground Ave. lies Maxie B’s, a locally owned bakery glowing from the fairy lights wrapped around its pink and brown sign.
Upon entering the bakery, customers notice the unique ambience — it resembles a home turned into a bakery.
“Maxie B’s has a very nice, tranquil and homey environment,” said Early College junior Jeyla Savage.
In the background, past the murmured roar of conversation, soft music creates a relaxing atmosphere.
“Maxie B’s has a very unique environment that cannot be found anywhere else,” said café coordinator Abby Brannon. “Aside from the handpicked décor from the owner, Robin, our cakes are made from scratch and in-house with lots of love and passion. It’s a truly magical place, and we are all here because we love what we do.”
Leather couches and fleur de lis patterned fabric armchairs surround white, antique coffee tables, creating comfortable sitting spaces for customers. Black leather chairs circle a tall white table in a corner of the store. Each table is decorated with a flower.
“(Choosing décor for the store) is just based on what I like at the moment,” said Robin Davis, owner of Maxie B’s. “It’s always a work in progress. It’s fun to create spaces for people to relax in.”
The line of customers waiting to place their orders for doggy birthday cakes, Eggnog Pound Cakes and Pink Lemonade Cakes runs from the register to the back of the store, which speaks on the desirability of their treats. Though the line is long, the wait is only around five minutes, depending on the time of day you go.
Cakes are stacked on the counter in glass stands while cupcakes sit on shelves behind a large glass display.
“It’s nice that they have such a large variety of desserts; not only do they have what seems like an endless list of cake choices, but banana pudding, cookies, cupcakes and bars,” said Greensboro resident Zahe Zalal in an email interview. “When I say it’s hard to decide, I’m not kidding.”
A small chalkboard sign sits above the counter. Maxie B’s is a bit pricey at $2.50 for a cupcake and $4.75 for a slice of cake, but they also sell half-priced slices of day-old cake. The prices may be worth it, though, considering the quality of ingredients they use.
“We bake from scratch, and we use the very best ingredients, just like our mothers would use at home,” said Davis. “(That means) real butter, local eggs, pure vanilla and organic carrots.”
I ordered an Oreo Cupcake and a Strawberry Pot Cupcake for around $6. The cupcakes arrived promptly to my table, served on two square paper plates.
The Oreo Cupcake, topped with half an Oreo, had the perfect balance of rich chocolate flavor and buttercream icing. The fluffiness of the cake contrasted with the thickness of icing, creating an overall rich flavor.
The Strawberry Pot Cupcake perfectly combined creaminess and strawberry compote. The strawberry filling brought freshness to the cupcake and added a delicious, refreshing texture without being overwhelming. The cake brought hints of sweetness, but most of the sweetness came from the icing.
The bakery serves over 33 different flavors of cupcakes — some rotating seasonally. The most popular flavor is Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Cake: a layered cake with strawberries and covered in sweet buttercream.
“I cannot find the words to convey the perfection of this cake,” said Whitney Ostercamp, a blogger for The Newlywed Chefs in a blog post. “The buttercream is unlike any other I’ve tasted. It’s super buttery. It has the right amount of sweetness and a smooth, creamy texture.”
It is no wonder WFMY News 2 dubbed Maxie B’s Greensboro’s as “your favorite dessert spot.” Southern Living Magazine has also listed Maxie B’s on their list of the South’s Best Cakes, along with four other bakeries. Though not for the health-conscious, Maxie B’s is a great place to go for a sweet treat.
Maxie B’s charm may come from their commitment to the Greensboro community.
“We know our cakes and our customers and love what we do,” said Davis. “We have staff who have been with us the entire time we have been baking. Our head decorator has been with us 10 years now.”
