Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice…

As our countdown to Pumpkin Donuts rolls on, we are busy preparing our signature Spice mixture that will go into many of our autumn products. The combination of spices is a tightly held family secret formula and has been dubbed a ‘Pumpkin Spice’ paradise by many of our customers. And while this Pumpkin Spice may be nice, we are often asked why we don’t begin our pumpkin season when the ‘other guys’ start theirs.

The answer is simple.

Tradition.

Pumpkin Spice is our autumn treat

It seems as soon as the school year begins, stores line their shelves with Halloween costumes, Christmas décor, and of course, pumpkin spiced EVERYTHING. And while we love each holiday, we can also appreciate the importance of slowing down to enjoy the final days of summer.

We regard the tradition of decorating for Christmas after Thanksgiving just as much as we favor filling our shelves with pumpkin spice in autumn. This hard held tradition is a major reason we choose to hold off on anything pumpkin related until the end of September.

The traditional start date for our Pumpkin Donuts has always been the last Friday in September. This year, we will roll out the delicious bites of pumpkin goodness September 27.

Pumpkin Donuts

We have spent years perfecting the best flavors to create a one of a kind donut that is unmatched. If you’ve never experienced the taste of our secret spice blend, you are certainly in for a treat on September 27.

You can pre-order them to be rolled in a cinnamon-sugar blend or enjoy the traditional glazed pumpkin donuts.

Pumpkin Donut Premier

If you’re really in a rush to try these tasty bites, join us for our one-hour premier at midnight on September 27. We open our doors from 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. on September 27 to give die-hard Pumpkin Donut fans the opportunity to enjoy the first batch of donuts for the 2019 season.

In recent years, the crowds have grown, the excitement has grown, and the love of pumpkin spice has grown.

If you’re up for a good time at your local neighborhood bakery, we invite you to come on down. Our midnight premier is truly a fun experience for everyone.

Other Pumpkin Spice Products

Pumpkin Donuts aren’t our only pumpkin spice infused item during the autumn months. We produce a variety of products such as Harvest Rings, Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Nut Breads, Spice Cake, Spice Cupcakes, and of course, Pumpkin Pie.

Harvest Rings

Our Harvest Ring is similar to a Bundt Cake. We add our special blend of spices to this pumpkin cake and bake it to perfection. Then we drizzle a thin glaze over the entire cake while it’s still warm to seal all the warm pumpkin flavor inside.

Pumpkin Muffins and Pumpkin Nut Bread

For a quick morning breakfast or a light afternoon snack, our Pumpkin Muffins or Nut Bread can be the perfect item. Each bite of the muffin or nut bread will be bursting with pumpkin and spice flavors.

Spice Cake and Spice Cupcakes

For something a little less pumpkin-y and a little more spice-y, take home a Spice Cake or Spice Cupcake. This is sure to be a flavor you can certainly enjoy all season. We infuse our delicious vanilla cake with ample amounts of our signature spice blend. Our decorators then cover and fill the cake with generous helpings of our homemade cream cheese icing before sprinkling our spice mix around the edges. 

Pumpkin Pie

The pie that started it all…

Our Pumpkin Pie has been around longer than any of the Pumpkin Spice products listed above. We have been making this pie with our signature spice blend that has remained a family favorite for more than 30 years. No matter if you top it with whipped cream or simply grab a fork and eat it straight from the pan, our Pumpkin Pie can be just what you need after a long day.

Pumpkin Spice is worth the wait

We hope you will join us for another amazing pumpkin season. No matter if you’re joining in the Pumpkin Donut fun, grab a Pumpkin Muffin or Nut Bread, bring a smile to someone with a Spice Cupcake, or simply grab a fork and dig into a Pumpkin Pie, we hope you enjoy each and every bite of our homemade goodies.

As always, we make our products on site using the best ingredients. We use non-GMO flour and never add preservatives or chemicals of any kind to our products.

Our philosophy is simple: If we wouldn’t serve it to our family, we won’t serve it to yours.

Thank you for your continued support of our family business.

Birthday Celebrations for Michelle Cinotti Vining!

Would it shock you to realize our family LOVES birthday celebrations? Last week, we celebrated our very own Michelle Cinotti Vining! Her birthday was August 20, and we are so grateful to everyone who celebrated her.  

While some folks enjoy birthday celebrations that include resting and relaxing on the beach or by the pool, Michelle spent her day at her second home…the volleyball court.

Anyone who knows Michelle, knows she never misses a chance to support her children in their sporting events. And while we all spent the evening cheering along with her, we wanted to come up with another way honor Michelle and the work she does.

Michelle’s birthday celebrations

Most of you know Michelle’s daughter was diagnosed with Type I diabetes three years ago.

It was a scary time in all our lives but we are ever-reliant on God to guide our walk. There have been many ups and downs over this short time period and some super close calls.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has been instrumental in helping Michelle, her daughter, and the entire family cope, learn, and treat this disease.

In an effort to help other’s managing the effects of Type I, Michelle would like to raise awareness of juvenile diabetes. JDRF is an amazing organization that develops better treatment and testing equipment as well as advocates for government action.

Their mission is to find a cure and end Type I diabetes.

How can you help?

If you have been affected by Type I diabetes, or you know someone who has, you can certainly help. Sometimes, simply listening as a mother airs out her frustrations can be the best thing in the world. You can also learn more about juvenile diabetes to know what to watch for and what to avoid.

You can also help aid in the research for a cure.

If you’d like to learn more about the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or if you’d like to make a donation toward their incredible research, we encourage you to look them up. Even the smallest of donations can help find cure for this disease that affects more than 1.25 million Americans.

Thank you!

We hope you will join us as Michelle celebrates another trip around the sun.

Happy Hour at Cinottis…

Are you aware you can score major deals on our fresh made donuts during Happy Hour?

Yes, you read that right. A bakery can totally have a happy hour.

For an entire summer, you can come in between the hours of 3pm and 5pm Tuesday through Friday and snap up 2 donuts for the price of 1!

This means you can take home more donuts for your family, friends, and neighbors.

Come in during the summer and even get extra helpings of our signature Key Lime flavor too!

Happy Hour Options

All available donuts will be included in our Happy Hour pricing.

That means chocolate, blueberry, fritters, and even the favored chocolate sprinkle can find their way into your donut box.

We never compromise quality for quantity which means during Happy Hour you will have the same, high quality donuts we provide every day.

How long will Happy Hour last?

While we would LOVE to sell out of donuts by noon during the summer, sometimes, that just doesn’t happen. We strive to watch trends and set our production schedule accordingly, however, some days, the gorgeous summer weather just keeps people away.

When the fall school year approaches, our Happy Hour promotion will come to an end. We will still provide the same great flavors and beautiful designs, but the super awesome price will disappear.

So come see us every Tuesday through Friday between 3pm and 5pm to pick up a few BOGO donuts.

Don’t forget to snap up whatever Summer Deal item is featured either.  

That’s a sugar ton of savings!

The Cinotti’s promise

Folks in the Jacksonville Beaches and surrounding areas have been our extended family since 1964. We have strived to provide our community with traditional baked goods made from the best ingredients. Our skilled team of bakers, decorators, and sales staff go above and beyond to continue this tradition.

We are immensely grateful to everyone in our community who continues to support our family dream.

Thank you.

Italian Cream Cake

Making Doodle Cinotti an Italian Cream cake for her birthday has been a longstanding tradition in our family. She loves the flavor combination of moist buttermilk layers filled with our cream cheese icing, pecans, and coconut.

You may not have had the opportunity to try this cake in our bakery before. That’s because in year’s past, making this delicious cake has been reserved for solely for Doodle’s birthday that falls at the end of the year while we’re closed for Christmas.

Reasons for the reluctant production of the Italian Cream cake have varied through the years. At one time, increased time and attention required to make each layer was cited for not wanting to add the cake to our menu. Another time, it was decided that demand for the cake wasn’t high enough to warrant production.

The romantics among us believe, however, that Mike Cinotti was hesitant to create this cake because he wanted to reserve the most special cake for his most special lady.

While the Italian Cream cake is still a must-have in December, we are now offering this family favorite to all of our customers–all year long.

What’s so special about an Italian Cream cake?

Every cake has a special meaning to someone. A chocolate cake may remind them of Sunday dinners at their grandmother’s house while Hummingbird cake may bring back memories of the church potluck dinners. Italian Cream cake has that same magical power.

The buttermilk layers are rich and moist and may transport you to a time when life was simple. Where food was safe from harmful chemicals, families gathered together for dinner, and your mom let you lick the spoon full of cake batter. The pecans and coconut folded into the cream cheese icing drive that wholesome image home.

Our Italian Cream cake combines a delicious dense cake with the light cream cheese icing that can be pleasing to almost any guest at your table. And now that we’re offering this classic cake in our store daily, you can begin to create a new set of memories.

How to get an Italian Cream Cake?

We now offer our Italian Cream cake in an eight-inch cake or as single serving cupcakes. For most families or small gatherings, the store size cake is perfect. It can serve between 12 and 15 guests and is a beautiful centerpiece. If you don’t trust yourself around an entire cake, add a few Italian Cream cupcakes into an assortment.

Our talented cake decorators work hard to ensure you have a fresh Italian Cream cake each morning. While we strive to have a fully stocked case each day, we strongly urge everyone to order their cake prior to arrival. If you can’t decide what cake is best, we have friendly staff that can help guide you in finding the best dessert for any occasion.

The Cinotti Promise

Since 1936, the Cinotti name has been associated with quality baked goods. For five generations, we have worked diligently to continue the legacy and create premium products for our community. We pride ourselves on using non-GMO flours, local produce (where available), and sustainably milled ingredients.   

Our entire product line rests on one universal principal:

If we won’t feed it to our family, we will never serve it to yours.

Which Chocolate Cake is Right For You?

Chocolate cake has been a favored dessert item for many generations. It has been served for birthdays, graduations, weddings, and after dinner treats. We’ve even heard tale of chocolate cake for breakfast!

With the popularity of chocolate cake over the years, many different flavor combinations have emerged. In fact, we offer six different chocolate cakes on a daily basis. From triple chocolate goodness to something on the lighter side it can be hard knowing what type of cake to bring home.

Here are five of our most popular chocolate cakes to help you decide which chocolate cake is best for you and your guests.

Six Layer Chocolate

Our Six Layer Chocolate Cake has been a family favorite since 1964. It is created with six luscious layers of our homemade chocolate cake and our Cinotti Family Fudge icing. Our decorators fill each layer with an ample amount of fudge icing before completely covering the entire cake with more fudge icing. We then garnish the cake with milk-chocolate curls. The Six Layer is also available in our moist vanilla cake.

Sacher Torte

What’s not to love about the Sacher Torte? Our Sacher Torte (pronounced ‘Soccer Torte’) takes a slight twist from the original Austrian version. This four-layer chocolate cake features delicious raspberry filling and our homemade chocolate buttercream icing. We then pour a warm chocolate ganache over the cake and allow the thin layers of raspberries to absorb into the chocolate cake layers. The tart raspberries combined with the sweet chocolate create a truly magical flavor combination that will please almost any palate.

Chocolate Buttercream

The chocolate buttercream is on the top of the list of favorite chocolate cakes. The combination of thick chocolate icing folded into our homemade buttercream creates a milk chocolate confection suitable for all levels of chocolate lovers. The cake is iced with this chocolate buttercream before being liberally covered with milk chocolate curls and drizzled with warm chocolate ganache.

Sawgrass

The name of our decadent chocolate cake was inspired by the hotel we created it for in the ‘90’s, the Sawgrass Marriott. Our Sawgrass cake is a chocolate lover’s dream. Each of the four layers of dense chocolate cake is covered in a rich, creamy chocolate icing. The cake is completely covered in the Sawgrass icing before being rolled in semi-sweet chocolate pieces. We’ve heard tale of some customers challenging each other to see just how much of this rich chocolate cake can be eaten in one sitting… will you take on this challenge?

Fudge Top

Our Fudge Top cake is the perfect blend of vanilla and chocolate. We sandwich a thick layer of buttercream between two full layers of chocolate cake. The top of the cake is iced with our family’s fudge icing and the sides are covered in our buttercream icing. We then drizzle warm chocolate ganache down the sides to create a truly beautiful cake. The Fudge Top is the perfect cake for events where you’re not sure what everyone likes.  

So, which chocolate cake is right for you?

Deciding on what cake to bring to an event is hard, especially if you’re not sure what everybody likes. That’s why we maintain a few ‘crowd pleaser’ cakes on our menu such as the Fudge Top and Six Layers. Both offer a balance of vanilla and chocolate and are ‘safe bets’ for workplaces and pot lucks.

Now that you know a little more about some of the popular chocolate cakes we offer, you may be at a loss as to which one you and your family should try first. We completely understand this conundrum and we have a solution…

You can take home one chocolate cake each night and let the whole family decide which one they like best!

This is the fun and tasty way to solve any problem… right?

New Year’s Resolutions You’ll LOVE!

If your New Year’s resolutions include eating better, spending more time with your family, or simply living each day to the fullest, you’re not alone. The new year is a great time to set goals for yourself and your family and we are here to help you stick with your goals.

Eating Healthy

Yes, we are aware the word ‘BAKERY’ is in our name, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be healthy.  We offer a host of healthy breakfast and lunch choices.

In the morning, join us for a plate of freshly prepared grits and scrambled eggs. Or, if you have a sweet tooth, order a cup of oatmeal served with brown sugar and cinnamon. If your New Year’s resolutions include limiting your carb intake, you can order any of our breakfast sandwiches to be made without bread. Pair any of these with a cup of our signature coffee and you’ll be off to a great start.

For lunch, we have a selection of salads that are filling and delicious. Our Salad Plate is a tasty twist on conventional salads. We pile three scoops of your favorite salads on top of shredded lettuce and tomatoes. Our chef salad includes a balanced blend of romaine lettuce and spring mix. The fresh vegetables combined with protein rich boiled eggs, ham, and turkey make this a filling and nutritious lunch choice.

Spending time with family

Family ties are important in so many ways which is why so many people include spending more time with family in their New Year’s resolutions. We support that idea BIG TIME. No matter who you call family, spending time together is healthy for everyone.

We love seeing our extended ‘family’ of regulars who come in on a daily or weekly basis. They bring their children, friends, grand-children, neighbors, and sometimes strangers in to share a tasty treat or meal. Their laughter fills the room and spreads positivity across the bakery.

Swing in the bakery after work and pick up a box of cookies to surprise the family, or grab a ‘just because’ cake for an after dinner treat. In any case, we are here to help your family time be a little sweeter.

Live each day to the fullest

Eating healthy and spending time with others is important, but sometimes, having a bit of ‘me’ time is just as important. If that ‘me’ time comes with a sweet tooth, we can certainly help. Grab a decorated cookie…or two, to sate your craving. The buttery cookie base is covered in our homemade buttercream icing before being beautifully decorated by our skilled artisan.

For a little less icing, try our iced cutouts. These buttery cookies are iced in a thinner, fondant-like vanilla icing. Each cookie is meticulously decorated by a skilled artist before making its way to you. Come in and fill up on these delicious works of art.

 Love your New Year’s resolutions

Eating healthy, spending time with family, and living life to the fullest are admirable goals for anyone. Make this the year to do what makes you happy and enjoy every moment.  We are here to add a little sweetness and love to your day.

Come in…taste and see…

Yuletide Greetings and Happy Eatings!

Each year, we have a beautiful yule log on display in our showcase. It’s a delicious combination of traditional sponge cake, homemade buttercream icing, creamy chocolate icing, and gumpaste poinsettias.  The yuletide treat has been a staple December product for more than 60 years in our bakery and remains a Christmas tradition for many families.

While we continue to produce the tasty tradition, we invite those who’ve never experienced the flavor, to come in to taste and see what this yuletide tradition is all about.

History of the Yule log

The yule log was originally a large tree cut from a family’s yard before being pulled by a mule or horse through the street. Families would march the yule log around their house three times before bringing it in.  Yuletide songs of blessings were sung as in hopes for good fortune in the new year.

Only a fraction of the oversized log would fit into the fireplace, leaving the rest of it to hang in the common room of the house. Families decorated the remaining length of the log and blessed it with ceremonial spirits until the entire log fit into the fireplace. It was believed anything evil from the year could be left on the log and once burned, the bad luck accompanying it would disappear as well. 

Some cultures would burn their yule log for twelve hours but it’s the Scandinavian’s who are credited with burning the log for the twelve days. This is the span between Christmas Eve until the end of Winter Solstice known as “The 12 Days of Christmas.”. Hence the popularity of the “Twelve Days of Christmas.” No matter what tradition called for on the duration of the yule log burn, one common belief remained; if the log went out too soon, bad luck would ensue. 

The ashes were also used as part of the ritual.  When planting day came, ashes from the yule log were sprinkled onto the fields in hopes of spreading good luck even further. 

As years passed, the length of yule logs dwindled. Families chose logs that fit the entire girth of their fireplace rather than have the log stick out into their homes.  The decorations and ceremony, however, did not change. In many cultures today, the yule log is still very much celebrated today.

Who celebrates with Yule Logs today?

In America and some European cultures today, yule logs are offered in a much tastier form.   In Provencal, France, the tradition of burning an oversized log transferred to a celebratory eating of a delicacy on Christmas Eve.  Leave it to the French to reinvent the wheel with something tasty- right? 

The ‘buche de noel’, as commonly referred to, is a tightly rolled sponge cake iced in chocolate cake made to look like a log.  With knobs, roots, and some sort of winter flower such as poinsettias, this sweet cake is designed to mimic the yule log tradition.  With many versions of the classic cake around today-including those soaked in ‘ceremonial spirits’ like the old days, it’s clear this is a popular winter treat.

Yuletide Blessings

The Christmas season is full of wonderful family traditions such as decorating gingerbread houses, singing carols, and spending evenings by the fireplace…that is, when Florida remembers that it’s winter! If your yuletide traditions include a stop at your favorite family bakery, we invite you to come in and share a memory, eat a cookie, and simply enjoy the season.

As always, we thank you for being a part of our family’s dream and wish you all a very merry Christmas season.