I’ve had a vendetta against baked donuts for years. I have such strong opinions about how baked donuts are a scourge on our society that I’m 99% sure that if I didn’t censor myself a bit in this post, I’d get canceled.
I loathe baked donuts. For the record, I do know that most baked donuts aren’t horrid. They’re FINE. I hate them on principle. Realistically, what I might hate is misleading marketing in the form of a baked donut. We’ve gone too far though, so the opinion is going to have to hold.
Everything That’s Wrong with Baked Donuts
A baked donut is a cupcake with the center scooped out and replaced with misery. If there’s a book that featured poor, mistreated orphans they’d be forced to eat baked donuts and it would rank lower than their usual grey gruel. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a seagull spit out a baked donut in favor of garbage and I completely understand why.
Baked donuts are deceptive. I’ve been bamboozled by so many shops that post perfectly angled photos that make their baked donuts look like fried cake donuts and it pisses me off every time. By definition, donuts are fried. So either fry them up like an adult or tell me they’re donuts baked in sadness, cowards!
If you’re a sadistic prick, I do have a baked donut tag on our Raleigh Donut Map. You can be wrong and even like them. I’m not here to stop you, but I am going to tell you that if you must get a baked donut, at least do yourself the favor of going somewhere worthwhile.
B’Donuts at Big Dom’s Bagel Shop
The only place (so far) from which I have ever enjoyed a baked donut is Big Dom’s Bagel Shop in downtown Cary, NC. Big Dom’s set up shop in a former Little Caesars Pizza. One thing that makes this spot unique is that it bakes its bagels in the conveyor belt pizza oven that Little Caesars left behind. They also allow you to order online the day before and grab your order at the Drive Thru window, which is my preferred method. This weekend was our first time going inside the shop itself. The inside is decorated beautifully with standing room by the order counter, there is a small seating area outside with benches (no tables) where you can hang out too.
Big Dom’s has fantastic bagels and bagel sandwiches, but what I appreciate most is that they don’t pretend to have donuts. They have b’donuts (baked donuts). They’re rich and buttery and covered in powdered sugar that gets everywhere. They have an indentation in the center, but not a donut hole, because baked donuts don’t need them. You get all joy and no sadness because this pastry is a masterpiece.
We ordered 2 vanilla b’donuts and a cold brew, for a whopping total of $14 and booked it over to the Page Walker Arts Center garden. If you’re looking for somewhere peaceful to promenade (like a proper Bridgerton) and enjoy your Big Dom’s b’donuts, Page Walker is it. They have a beautiful garden that they put a lot of care into. The building itself is lovely and, if you explore a bit and go towards Cary Town Hall, you’ll even find some benches and tables too.
Big Dom’s Bagel Shop has a sister shop named Faulisi Caffè & Enoteca. They make creations just as lovely as b’donuts, maybe even a little classier. They open just as Big Dom’s is closing and have pizzas, sandwiches, and a little wine shop. The service is exceptional, the space is lovely, and the food is divine. I’m honestly shocked that I don’t see it featured on influencer channels more often. If you are going to be influenced to go anywhere from our accounts, these two spots are solid picks.