There’s been a covert craving in Madison for babka — who knew? The yeasted dough bread-cake hybrid comes originally from Eastern Europe and is often associated with Jewish cuisine. It’s not often found here in the upper Midwest.
Susan Kay started Bayk Madison in 2018 to make one item and one item only: babka. After success last season at the Monroe Street Farmers’ Market, Kay has leased a commercial space in the Main Street Industries building at 931 E. Main St. This Common Wealth Development incubator houses expanding small businesses and is home to several other food enterprises including Giant Jones Brewing, Old Sugar Distillery and Quince and Apple preserves.
Kay has been looking for a larger space for a while — her plan was to move from vending at the market to selling wholesale, yet she was still baking out of her house. There “the babka have taken over,” Kay says with a laugh. “It was either the babka or me.”
Her new space, suite 18, is currently “gray floor and four white walls;” she’s working to convert it to a bakery with Kavanaugh Restaurant Supply, and reports that the plumbing and electric are coming along. She hopes to have a grand opening by mid-March or April.
Kay plans on having retail hours as well as online sales. Hours are yet to be determined.
Of the 900 square feet at Main Street, 144 square feet will be the retail counter, which Kay is excited about: “My first purchase was a bakery display case.”
In addition to renovations, Kay is lining up retail grocers to sell Bayk babka. “A couple of bakery cafes have reached out, as has a gift store that sells food,” Kay says. She also plans to continue vending at the Monroe market as well as the Westside Community Market.
She’s grateful to the business community for its support and Madison’s enthusiasm for her product. Next step: hiring a small staff. So far she’s been doing everything alone.
Even though she’s expanding, Kay has no plans to branch out to other baked goods: “I’m going to stick with babka. But I will be offering a broader range of savory babka.” She has a list of 30 different fillings, not all of which will be on the menu at the same time. Some will even be stuffed with meat. “I don’t think there’s a babka baker in the world with as extensive a flavor list,” says Kay.
