(Photo from Sugaree’s Bakery)
- For a business that began nearly three decades ago, Sugaree’s has accomplished quite a bit. Its desserts have appeared in national publications, traveled thousands of miles, and become part of celebrations in homes across the country.
A Mississippi bakery made Oprah’s O List. Its red velvet cake earned a spot in The New York Times Holiday Gift Guide. And people from one end of the country to the other have ordered its desserts for birthdays, holidays, and just about any occasion that calls for something sweet.
And it all started in New Albany, Mississippi.
Sugaree’s Bakery has been making traditional Southern desserts since 1997, when Mary Jennifer Russell, better known as MJ, started a business built on old-fashioned recipes and a love of baking. Nearly 30 years later, Sugaree’s has become one of Mississippi’s best-known bakeries, with customers stretching far beyond the Magnolia State.
Step inside, and the smell of butter, sugar, and freshly baked goodness is enough to make you forget why you came, but you’ll be glad you did. The cakes are magnificent, stacked high with delicate layers and generous helpings of icing. Pies with golden crusts, rich brownies, cookies, and other sweet temptations make choosing just one nearly impossible.
If you arrive hungry, good luck.
Sugaree’s is particularly famous for its caramel cake, made with thin layers and rich, slow-cooked icing prepared in cast iron. The caramel is buttery and wonderfully rich, with that unmistakable homemade flavor that brings to mind Sunday dinners and family reunions. It’s the kind of dessert that deserves a proper plate and fork, though nobody would blame you for sneaking another bite straight from the box.
Other favorites include strawberry, coconut, red velvet, Italian cream, and cream cheese pound cake. The strawberry cake is especially pretty, with its soft pink color, while the red velvet offers a striking contrast of deep red layers and creamy icing. And the pound cake? Dense, buttery, and delicious without needing much of anything else.
Sugaree’s has built its reputation on baking from scratch, using real butter, premium ingredients, and locally sourced products whenever possible. The recipes are familiar, but the attention given to every batch has helped turn a small-town bakery into a nationally recognized business.
Russell opened the bakery’s retail storefront in 2001, giving New Albany residents a place to purchase the desserts that were steadily gaining a following.
In 2008, Sugaree’s began offering online ordering and nationwide shipping. Suddenly, someone in California or New York could have a Southern dessert delivered directly from Mississippi.
The national attention followed.
In 2015, Oprah’s O List featured Sugaree’s cream cheese pound cake, and The New York Times Holiday Gift Guide highlighted its red velvet cake. Russell was named Mississippi’s Small Business Person of the Year in 2017, and Southern Living recognized Sugaree’s among the South’s Best Bakeries in 2021.
As orders increased, the business expanded its production and warehouse facilities in 2022 to accommodate nationwide shipping and regional wholesale distribution.
Through all that growth, Sugaree’s has remained firmly connected to New Albany.
The bakery is on West Bankhead Street in the city’s historic downtown, an area worth exploring. New Albany, the birthplace of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner, offers a wonderful collection of locally owned shops and restaurants, making it a great place to spend an afternoon.
Sugaree’s has even given visitors another reason to stay awhile with its downtown loft, available for overnight accommodations. The space features exposed brick, a comfortable living area, a kitchen, and colorful furnishings. It’s an appealing option for anyone planning a weekend in New Albany.
For a business that began nearly three decades ago, Sugaree’s has accomplished quite a bit. Its desserts have appeared in national publications, traveled thousands of miles, and become part of celebrations in homes across the country.
But visitors to New Albany can still walk through the bakery’s doors, admire the display case, and experience the place where the business began.
If you’re spending a day in town, add Sugaree’s to your plans. Explore downtown, visit the local shops, and stop by the bakery before heading home.
Just don’t be surprised if you leave with more than you intended to buy.
I promise you, you will.
Plan Your Visit: Sugaree’s Bakery is located at 110 W. Bankhead Street in New Albany, Mississippi. For bakery information, nationwide shipping, or details about booking the downtown loft, visit here.
