This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Vegans may shun baked goods that contain eggs and dairy products, but that doesn't mean they don't crave a good cupcake, cookie or Twinkie, says Kelly Colobella.
She owns Salt Lake City's Cakewalk Baking Co., Utah's only all-vegan bakery, already a regular stop for vegans, vegetarians and compassionate carnivores craving something sweet.
Cooking and baking — sans animal products — is second nature for the single mother and longtime animal-rights activist. She became a vegetarian when she was 12, then began eating vegan after graduating from East High School.
"I was always the one who made birthday cakes for my vegan friends," she said.
About three years ago, Colobella began selling her baked goods to friends and acquaintances, hoping to cover some unexpected veterinary bills for her German shepherd. The bills were paid, but the orders kept coming in. That's when she realized there was a market for her niche product.
Her bakery on 900 East opened about five months ago, selling cookies, cakes, muffins, breads and pies made with 100 percent vegan ingredients. It also offers soft-serve ice cream and has a vegan grocery section.
The most popular baked good? The Dillo — a vegan version of a Hostess Twinkie.
"Even vegans love Twinkies," she says, "we just can't eat them." Her Dillo is a yellow cream-filled snack cake — named after an armadillo, Colobella's favorite animal — available plain or covered in chocolate. Dillos cost between $2 and $2.50 each.
She also makes Ding Dillos, chocolate cream-filled cakes that resemble Ding Dongs; and Raz Dillos, raspberry cream-filled cakes covered with coconut, like a Zinger.
Dillos may already be popular among Utah's vegan and vegetarian community, but they're also gaining a national following. Cakewalk ships Dillos to vegan bakeries in Seattle, Portland and Austin, and they're sold online.
Kelly Colobella, 34,is the owner of Cakewalk Baking Co., Utah's only all-vegan bakery. Next Up? To get her vegan Twinkies — called Dillos — in more stores across the country. —
Vegans R Us
Find Kelly Colobella's Cakewalk Baking Co. at 434 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City, 801-953-0804, or order her Dillo, a vegan version of the ubiquitous Hostess Twinkie, at http://www.veganessential.com. For price list and more information, visit http://www.cakewalkbakingcompany.com.