Billy's Bakery.
History:
Billy's Bakery is a chain of bakeries in New York City. After working at Magnolia Bakery for two years, in 2003, NYU Stern graduate Billy Reece partnered with classmates Wayne Dovan and Marc Lino to launch the first location of Billy's Bakery. Located on 9th Avenue in New York's Chelsea, the shop was "founded with the goal of providing [its] customers with classic American baked goods in a warm, friendly atmosphere." Since the opening of its first store, all Billy's Bakery products have been baked on-site daily and are sold in stores decorated with a retro-1940s family kitchen style motif. The first store saw immediate financial success, and has led to the opening of two more locations in New York City.
Founder:
Lauren Reese, formerly Billy Reece, is the founder of Billy’s Bakery. After graduating from NYU Stern in 2001, Billy began his baking career working at Magnolia’s Bakery in New York City. Two years later, he decided to start his own bakery and recruited two former classmates to join him. Shortly after he launched his first bakery, Billy underwent a male-to-female sex change procedure and changed his name to "Lauren", prompting ongoing confusion among customers about the chain's namesake.
Menu:
Reviews:
CBS:
"The frosting has just the right ratio of butter to sugar, and the crumb is dense and moist without being dreary."
“ The frosting…..
Our favorite? The banana cake with cream cheese frosting.”
Village Voice
Yellow Daisy from Billy’s Bakery” It’s pale-yellow-colored frosting is sweet, for sure, but amply proportioned with the amount of cake. It leaves a creamy, buttery, vanilla feeling in your mouth, while the cake itself has a lovely crumb.”
Martha Stewart
“A double-dose of vanilla extract—in the cake and in the buttercream frosting—gives these cupcakes from famed baker Billy Reece of Billy’s Bakery in New York City great vanilla taste that’s just the right amount of sweetness ( and more than irresistible).”
"The frosting has just the right ratio of butter to sugar, and the crumb is dense and moist without being dreary."
“ The frosting…..
Our favorite? The banana cake with cream cheese frosting.”
Village Voice
Yellow Daisy from Billy’s Bakery” It’s pale-yellow-colored frosting is sweet, for sure, but amply proportioned with the amount of cake. It leaves a creamy, buttery, vanilla feeling in your mouth, while the cake itself has a lovely crumb.”
Martha Stewart
“A double-dose of vanilla extract—in the cake and in the buttercream frosting—gives these cupcakes from famed baker Billy Reece of Billy’s Bakery in New York City great vanilla taste that’s just the right amount of sweetness ( and more than irresistible).”
Locations:
Billy’s Bakery’s flagship location, opened in 2003, is located in Chelsea at 184 9th Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets. The Tribeca location opened shortly thereafter at 75 Franklin Street between Broadway & Church. As of 2011, Billy’s Bakery is also located in the Plaza Food Hall at One West 59th Street, Concourse Level. Billy’s Bakery had opened an additional location at 268 Elizabeth Street, which has subsequently closed.
Chelsea
184 9th Avenue
b/w 21st and 22nd
New York, NY 10011
Phone - 212.647.9956
Hours - Monday to Thursday 8:30am-11pm
Friday 8:30am-12am
Saturday 9am-12am
Sunday 9am-9pm
Tribeca
75 Franklin Street
b/w Broadway & Church
New York, NY 10013
Phone - 212.647.9958
Hours - Monday to Friday 8am-8pm
Saturday & Sunday 12pm- 5pm
The Plaza Food Hall
One West 59th Street, Concourse Level
New York, NY 10019
Phone - 646.755.3237
Hours - Sunday-Thursday 11am-8pm
Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm
Chelsea
184 9th Avenue
b/w 21st and 22nd
New York, NY 10011
Phone - 212.647.9956
Hours - Monday to Thursday 8:30am-11pm
Friday 8:30am-12am
Saturday 9am-12am
Sunday 9am-9pm
Tribeca
75 Franklin Street
b/w Broadway & Church
New York, NY 10013
Phone - 212.647.9958
Hours - Monday to Friday 8am-8pm
Saturday & Sunday 12pm- 5pm
The Plaza Food Hall
One West 59th Street, Concourse Level
New York, NY 10019
Phone - 646.755.3237
Hours - Sunday-Thursday 11am-8pm
Friday-Saturday 11am-9pm
Recommendations:
Billy's bakery is famous for its icebox cake. The cake is made of Alternating layers of chocolate wafer cookies and sweetened whipped cream. The cake sits overnight until the crunchy wafers become soft and cake-like.
A simple staple of Billy's Bakery are it's cupcakes. They come in all different flavors and have the perfect ratio of frosting to moist cake!
A Billy's employee gives me the scoop on the items in the bakery that are necessary to try!
Make it yourself!
Martha Stewart's Version of Billy's Cupcakes:
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Basic Vanilla Buttercream
Colored Sprinkles
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
3.Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Basic Vanilla Buttercream
Colored Sprinkles
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
3.Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.