Introducing: PS by Prettysweet, a new custom cake shop and bakery on King West
Name: PS by Prettysweet
Neighbourhood: King West
Contact info: 848 King St. W., 647-352-3318, psbyprettysweet.com, @prettysweetlife
Owner and chef: Adjoa Duncan, a pastry chef who worked at Splendido, Senses and abroad before launching a custom cake business
The food: Duncan’s custom cakes, as well as other baked goods like white chocolate blondies ($1.95), chocolate chip cookies ($1.75), butter tarts ($1.75) and, of course, cupcakes, featuring a flavour of the month (February’s is chocolate and strawberry, $2.75). There are also take-home desserts like readymade six-inch cakes ($23) and mason jars filled with caramel cheesecake or chocolate mousse ($4.50).
The place: The sunny, pastel pink shop is in a yellow brick row-house near Stanley Park, well positioned to intercept commuters coming home to their Liberty Village condos. Inside, it’s outfitted with baking-themed fixtures, like pendant lights covered in giant whisks and a chandelier made from flatware.
By the numbers:
• $150, the approximate starting cost of a three-tier custom cake
• 24 months, the time it took to find the right space for the bakery
• 10 different teas from Tealish, including lemon meringue, toasty almond and pomegranate goji
• 5 years, how long Duncan has been in the custom cake business
190648 A custom three-tier cake starts at $150 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-09.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-09/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-09 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190647 Meringues (two large or three small, $1) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-08.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-08/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-08 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190646 Caramel cheesecake mason jars ($4.50) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet (Image: Gizelle Lau) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-07/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-07 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190650 Ready-made six-inch vanilla cake with chocolate icing ($23) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-intro/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-intro 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190645 White chocolate blondies ($1.95) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-06/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-06 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190644 Mimi apple crumbles ($1.75) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-05/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-05 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190643 Butter tarts ($1.75) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-04/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-04 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190649 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-10/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-10 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190641 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-02/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-02 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190640 Designer Fae Abu-Bakare helped Duncan with the space (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-01.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-01/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-01 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
190642 Owner Adjoa Duncan (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: PS by Prettysweet Introducing: PS by Prettysweet https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/ps-by-prettysweet/slide/feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-03/ feb13-ps-by-pretty-sweet-03 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
The blondies are to die for!