Leesburg’s Batter Up Bakery a staple of the community
By Sarah Allen
In the village of Leesburg, the local bakery isn’t just a place for sweet treats — it’s a place where interactions are a grand slam for community and camaraderie.
Batter Up Bakery has been a part of Leesburg since 2000, when it moved to the village from nearby Washington Court House. Since then, it has had different names as several owners have helmed the business. In 2013, Casey McIntosh and her mother Sue Priest became the current owners. The two brought back many recipes from previous owners, while also adding their own — as well as a unique spin.
McIntosh said that her sister came up with the bakery’s name. “We’re big baseball fans,” she added.
Loyal Reds fans, McIntosh said that “the whole family has played baseball and softball.”
“We love baseball, and we love baking,” she added.
Combining the two into this one-of-a-kind bakery simply made sense.
Their love of the game finds its way into the bakery’s many and varied treats. One example is the Belgian Triple Play specialty cupcake. Chocolate cake, chocolate icing and chocolate filling, made from imported Belgian chocolate, makes this a “fan” favorite.
“We call our customers fans,” McIntosh said. “We truly, truly have the greatest fans.” She added that the bakery is incredibly grateful to the community for their support in making their baking dream come true. “We have a love for the community, for sure,” she said, adding that the bakery is “really focused on local sourcing.”
She said that that 85 percent of the eggs they use come from local farmers. The bakery also strives to use fruit and vegetables from area farms.
As an example, she said that, during strawberry season, Batter Up Bakery picks strawberries from the nearby Barrett’s Strawberries. They pick the berries themselves and then incorporate them into special treats, such as strawberry long johns and strawberry shortcake doughnuts.
They also use locally grown blueberries, peaches, and pumpkins — during each respective season.
McIntosh added that the bakery also freezes much of the produce so that they can be used outside of each season as well. She said that, four to five times a year, the bakery will host a “Fritter Friday,” during which all the different season fritters will be available for one day.
In addition to the popularity of the “really, really short” strawberry season treats, the bakery’s blueberry fritters and pumpkin cake doughnuts are two other seasonal favorites.
Homemade rolls are another popular choice, especially around the holidays.
In addition to these special items, Batter Up Bakery also features a wide array of other fan favorites.
“Our chocolate chip cookie is the bomb,” McIntosh said.
Mini cakes are another popular option, McIntosh said. These are made from the pieces of larger cakes that are cut away while decorating. Batter Up Bakery, she added, strives to not waste anything.
“They’re very popular,” she added. Mini cakes come in a variety of flavors and feed two to four people.
The butter cream icing on these cakes — which is also featured on their cookies and their larger cakes — “is what they love,” McIntosh added.
And everything that the bakery sells — whether seasonal, specialty or a beloved daily treat — is made from “all-scratch recipes,” McIntosh said.
“We’re really dedicated scratch bakers,” she added. “That’s pretty unique.”
All of the treats are also cut by hand. One long john may look a little different from the next, McIntosh said. “It’s a lot of time and labor, but it’s worth it,” she added.
Batter Up Bakery also sells cookie kits and lunch. In addition, the bakery also offers classes. Topics have ranged from the basics of cake decorating to the more advanced cake art/sculpting. Patrons have even attended classes on sewing.
Whether fans come to Batter Up Bakery to learn something new, or to just enjoy a homemade treat, the end result is always the same: a home run.
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Batter Up Bakery
40 E. Main St., Leesburg
For hours, search “Batter Up Bakery” on Facebook.
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