In the past year, cottage bakeries have become one of the only silver linings to grow out of the pandemic. One of Denver’s most recent bakeries — having launched in November 2020 — is growing in popularity by providing an intimate menu influenced by truly customized flavors and a mindful business model. Butter Moon Bake Company is named after a conglomerate of inspirations for owner and Colorado local, Ava Truckey. At the root of all of Truckey’s recipes include butter.
“Butter is a main component in my recipes. It’s the second ingredient in my hand pies and the third ingredient in my scones,” said Truckey.
As for the latter half that follows butter in the name, Truckey’s daughter is nicknamed moonie and her son nicknamed moo. As a single mom, the bakery gets a lot of inspiration from her children.
Butter Moon Bake Co. owner Ava Truckey
Even though Truckey is not professionally trained in culinary, she has always really enjoyed cooking. She spent a combined 11 years as a hairstylist and barbershop manager. It would seem like divine fate to note that she has been a baker all her life but, like most people, baking wasn’t something she took to right away.
“I was a baking hater for such a long time. I liked experimenting but never really did a lot of baking. It honestly took me a couple years. Southern-style biscuits are a real art form. Anyone can do drop biscuits, but it takes time and practice to get layers and a lot of height in the biscuit,” Truckey said.
What started as a cottage bakery, in the beginning, has grown into a fully licensed bakery operating out of the Spindle Kitchen.
“You know, I was bored in the house — baking in the middle of the pandemic and it really inspired me to do this for work,” Truckey said.
Butter Moon Bake Co. offers a select amount of buttermilk biscuit flavors, scones and uniquely flavored hand pies. While the sweet and savory flavors are crafted weekly, some of the past items include a spinach, artichoke and cheese hand pie, salted banana bread scone, buttermilk biscuits, vegan piña colada tartlets, blueberry and earl grey scones, and one of Truckey’s favorites — a buttermilk glazed doughnut scone with coffee glaze.
With local flavors as inspiration, a majority of the ingredients are sourced from Colorado businesses like Madams Jams. While the ingredients are carefully chosen for taste, it is also important for Truckey to work with Black-owned, woman-owned, non-binary and racial minority businesses.
“I like to work with companies that are like-minded with my morals. I’m really passionate about community aide. As a white woman, I strive to support the Black community, women and non-binary folks,” Truckey said.
Truckey’s ownership doesn’t set out to become a conglomerate type of bakery, the goal is to share her baked goods and to create a connection for all communities. Even the ever-changing menu strives to include variant eaters by including vegan buttermilk biscuits as a staple and rotating vegan tartlets.
“It can be really hard to make vegan baked goods. It’s a true artform. As a perfectionist, it’s hard to add something to the menu unless I really feel proud of it. I use oat milk and a vegan butter — which melts faster so I have to work quick,” Truckey said.
As for why she chose to dedicate a bakery solely to buttermilk biscuits, scones and hand pies — it all goes back to butter, the root of all that is fluffy and flaky in baking. These were some of the first items that destroyed her dislike of baking and fashioned a creative outlet for Truckey.
“Scones have always had a bad rap for being dry and dense — mine are not. I like the idea of eating scones but there was no reason they had to taste dry, so I thought why not make my own?” Truckey said.
Because the menu’s flavors are largely inspired by the people in her life, some scones and hand pies have human names. Like the Zooey — a spinach and artichoke stuffed hand pie — was aptly named after one client’s suggestion.
A lot of the baked items come with reheat instructions and that’s about it. The endless options that come with a well-made buttermilk biscuit allow creative freedom for the eater.
“People get really wild when dressing up the buttermilk biscuits, but I usually see them as breakfast sandwiches or slathered with jam. It’s fun seeing what people come up with,” Truckey said.
While Butter Moon Bake Co. is a one-woman show, she plans to offer the menu through the BondaDosa delivery service by the end of the month. Keeping in line with her mindful business model, partnering with BondaDosa is an opportunity to work with a socially responsible company. This company uses electric vehicles for delivery, focuses on paying their drivers a living wage and partners with non-profits around Colorado that serve areas with food scarcities.
Because this baking operation is still relatively young, Truckey is hoping to settle into some of the newer additions like her fully functioning website, licensing and commissary kitchen access. But nothing is stopping her from looking forward to working with like-minded businesses for wholesale in the future.
Truckey often gifts a box of various bakery items to people who need a simple pick-me-up. She encourages clients to email her if that’s something they can benefit from or know of someone who could benefit from one of those boxes.
Currently, Butter Moon Bake Co. is only available for pick-up out of Spindle Kitchen from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday. Spindle Kitchen is located at 970 Yuma St., Denver 80204. Each week the menu is announced on Instagram and orders can be placed directly through the website.
All Photography By Nari Ro.