Scratch Bakeshop

Scratch Bakeshop is a woman-owned boutique bakery at 41 Russell St in Rochester, NY's Neighborhood of the Arts. Co-founded by Molly Hartley and Kate Cassels, the business grew out of custom orders the pair filled from their apartment kitchens starting around 2012. After a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $10,000 for commercial-grade equipment, they opened their first storefront in January 2015 in a converted hair salon on Park Avenue near Meigs Street. The bakery has since moved to its current Russell Street location, where it operates Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hartley, who previously served as lead pastry chef at the Village Bakery and Café in Pittsford, brought professional training to the venture. Everything sold at Scratch Bakeshop is made from scratch without preservatives, using quality local ingredients.

The rotating pastry case features a range of items baked fresh daily, including:

• Cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and muffins
• Macarons and 6-inch layer cakes
• 9-inch deep dish pies in traditional, vegan, and gluten-free varieties, with flavors from classic apple crumb to bourbon chocolate pecan
• Custom tiered wedding cakes with floral decoration
• The "Scratch Plate," a dessert riff on Rochester's signature garbage plate

Custom orders start at $200 and require at least one week's advance notice. The bakery also offers cake decorating classes and hosts occasional events. Vegan and gluten-free options are available across most product categories.

Scratch Bakeshop has built its identity around made-from-scratch baking with dietary-inclusive options that span traditional, vegan, and gluten-free recipes. The bakery established itself early on as a wedding cake provider, handling dozens of weddings in its first year of operation. Its deep dish pies and the playful Scratch Plate — a dessert take on the Rochester garbage plate — reflect the shop's mix of craft technique and local personality.

The bakery sits on Russell Street in Rochester's Neighborhood of the Arts, a walkable district anchored by nearby Park Avenue's corridor of independent shops and restaurants. The area is one of Rochester's liveliest residential neighborhoods, with galleries, cafés, and seasonal street festivals within a short walk. Free street parking is available directly outside the shop. The bakery partners with Impact Earth Rochester for composting, reflecting ties to the local sustainability community.