Cannabis-Infused Delights at Third Ward’s Sweetly Baked Café

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Cannabis Connection

Sweetly Baked, the pop-up and catering bakery that offers both cannabis-infused and non-infused sweet treats, now has a permanent home on the first floor of the Marshall Building, 207 E. Buffalo St., in Milwaukee’s Third Ward.

Owner Amanda Buhrman elevated her baking skills during the pandemic shutdowns of 2020 by learning how to make French macarons. She also used cannabidiol (CBD) to help relieve stress, so she combined the two, and Sweetly Baked was born in 2021. She sold her CBD and Delta-8-infused chocolate chip cookies, brownies, French macarons, chocolates and shortbread cookies at a shared commercial kitchen space and pick-up window at 770 N. Jefferson St.

Seeking more exposure and a desire to build the brand, Buhrman started doing pop-ups at makers markets and street festivals, along with catering for private events. “It was a grassroots approach to how we wanted to grow,” she says. During that time, she found that her non-infused bakery was just as popular as the items that contained cannabis.

When Buhrman learned that Press waffles was vacating their spot in the Marshall Building, she immediately took action to lease the space. Open since April 19, Sweetly Baked features assorted cookies, brownies and French macarons infused with either CBD, Delta-8 or Delta-9. There are also non-infused versions of those items. Other items include Jell-O shots and house-made mocktails infused with CBD or Delta-9.  

Non-infused morning bakery items include cinnamon rolls and scones, cakesicles—which she describes as larger cake pops—mini-cakes and layered desserts. They have a Class “B” Tavern License, so they offer cocktails, wine and beer, along with mocktails, coffee and tea.

Buhrman affirms a growing interest in non-alcoholic beverages and says cannabis-infused drinks offer a good alternative for those that don’t want alcohol but still want to enjoy a social ambiance.

Locally Sourced

Vegan versions of some infused and non-infused items are also available. Buhrman has always been conscious about accurate dosing. She doesn’t offer infused versions cinnamon rolls or scones because the baking process for those items isn’t conducive to correct dosing. “We want everyone to have a consistent experience with it,” Buhrman shares. She sources cannabis from local companies Goodland Extracts and Cream City Wellness.

Items are dosed at 10 milligrams to keep them approachable; one can micro-dose by breaking an item in half or enjoy an additional brownie or cookie if they want a second dose. “We have a range of different items, something that can be approachable for anyone,” she notes.

The infused items are not mixed with alcoholic beverages. All of the infused treats are packaged and kept separate from the non-infused items so one can’t be mistaken for the other. Every infused item is labeled.

Buhrman observes a growing space for more players offering bakery and infused dining. As the cannabis industry grows, so does the plant’s acceptance. “People are getting more comfortable with cannabis. We’re also surrounded by three states where cannabis is fully legal, and more people are asking and talking about why it’s not legal here.”

Whenever medical or recreational marijuana legalization does occur in Wisconsin, Buhrman hopes legislation will be inclusive of small businesses that have a passion for our state and the cannabis space, rather than implementing a pay-to-play licensure system that favors wealthier companies.