Disappointment at Duke’s

During our short visit to Bob’s hometown we drove the streets of his old neighborhood and shared memories. As we headed down Henry Street we point out Aunt Helen’s house, where the funeral home was a decade ago, churches family members attended. And, there’s Duke’s Bakery in the same location since 1951.

We reminisce about how Grandma Mary used to always bring a couple of gooey butter cakes when she came for a visit. One would be consumed immediately and one frozen for a future indulgence. No where in Denver could we find a coffee cake quite like Duke’s.

Deciding we could share one with Aunt Eleanor and family we doubled back to the bakery. The cases were filled with sweet treats including a couple of gooey butter cakes. My selection was easy; Judy chose large iced sugar cookies for each of us.

With the first cookie bite we knew these were going to have to be dunkers. We’d assumed the pumpkin shapes were in honor of Thanksgiving but now think they might have been left from Halloween.

When I cut into the cake a few hours later I immediately felt a stab of disappointment. The cake was dry and obviously several days, if not a week, OLD. Shame on Duke’s!