In 2019, Chris and DeAnn Warnick had planned to go into the ice cream business. When a local bakery shut down unexpectedly, they recognized a need in the community and decided to change course.
Chris grew up with a mother who decorated cakes for 30 years and taught all of her kids how to decorate, and DeAnn was great at baking, so the two made a decision. Instead of going into the frozen treat business, they decided to take another sweet route. July 3, they officially launched Sweet Sensations.
Yeppoon Cakes A Sweet Sensation />
It was a challenge to jump into running a bakery with very little planning, but in no time the business was thriving, and customers appreciated all they were doing.
Sistership Magazine August 2019 By Sistershipmagazine
At Sweet Sensations, the Warnicks focus on all of the wonderful treats people would expect to find, from cupcakes and grab-and-go cakes to specialty cakes like wedding and groom cakes. They also offer an assortment of other treats, like Oreo balls, dipped pretzels and “fat boy” cookies – two chocolate chip cookies with buttercream sandwiched between.
Chris’ personal favorite is the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and DeAnn loves the cinnamon rolls. Hartselle, however, loves strawberry. Strawberry cakes and strawberry cupcakes are the most popular sweets, and the strawberry pretzel salad has to be made every day.
Sweet Sensations has catering options as well, such as cupcakes, lunch trays and finger sandwiches, along with many other offerings. The bakery caters baby showers, business lunches, weddings and more.
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This past year, when the pandemic hit, events began canceling, orders were dropped and, like for many businesses around the country, things became much more challenging for Sweet Sensations. To try to bring in more business, the Warnicks expanded their menu to include hot fresh soups and sandwiches. Potato soup is by far their most popular, and because of that, they offer it daily along with a second soup option, such as chili, chicken noodle or broccoli cheddar soups. Their homemade soups have been a great hit.
There’s one service Chris and DeAnn offer that most people have never heard of a bakery doing. Do you have Grandma’s cake recipe but aren’t confident in your own baking skills? Or maybe you don’t have the equipment or ability to bake the cookies your mom always made? If you have a recipe you would love to have made, Sweet Sensations will bake it as a custom order, just for you. We decided to take the hot hatch for a spin, destination Auckland to see the whanau, then to Tauranga for some summer sun – and got rained upon there most days, but that’s another story!
However, the drive to Auckland is along one, and we decided to make it longer, as you do! It seemed like a good opportunity to visit some places we hadn’t ventured to before, so we added Whanganui and New Plymouth to the itinerary!
Festive Cny Orange Cake And Sweet Valentines Cake
I picked up the Kiwi from the office and we set off for Whanganui, and in less than three hours we were there. We have had continued success with booking accommodation using Air bnb and the place was 1km from the centre of Whanganui, so we dropped off our bags and headed in to the city for a wander and to get something to eat.
For a New Zealand town, Whanganui has a good share of old buildings (I’m from Edinburgh, I use the word “old” loosely as we are probably talking buildings just over 120 years old) and has the mighty Whanganui river running through it. There is a considerable artistic feel to the town, and on the weekend there is apparently a very good market, however we missed it. After dinner we made our way up to Durie Hill to take in the view of the sunset sky out over the city and to the Tasman sea. If you have kids, or are just a big kid yourself, there is an epic park to be found on the river’s edge.
The eventful New Zealand summer weather meant we didn’t stick around the following day, Christmas Eve, we just headed to our next stop of New Plymouth. With low cloud and rain, we knew we wouldn’t see Mount Taranaki and it wasn’t beach weather so no point detouring to visit the many surf beaches along the Taranaki coast, so straight to New Plymouth it was.
Freshly Baked Artisanal Birthday Cake
We were surprised to find such a busy, bustling town. We headed for The Market Patisserie & Cafe for lunch – a must do! Lovely fresh bread and baking are on offer.
Wandering down through town we found the Puke Ariki museum, which also houses the library and visitor’s centre. The museum is a mini-me version of Te Papa, found in Wellington. It has some great interactive displays, particularly in the basement, that kids big and small can enjoy. Notably for visitors, there are power points and free wifi too!
After dinner we searched for the Len Lye Centre or Govett-Brewster Art Gallery it is part of, surprised to find it open at 8pm on Christmas Eve, so we had a bit of banter with the lovely, helpful staff. The new centre is an incredible feat of architecture. Walls wave in and out, and provide a cathedral of space, so even if you aren’t taken by the art it exhibits, the building itself it worth experiencing!
May31ccm By Easyasmarketing
Having been entertained by the “Fountains” exhibition in the Gallery, we sought Pukekura Park to take in the Festival of Lights. We arrived while it was still a little too light, so we scouted the various installations then did another circuit at dusk. It’s fun, clever, intriguing and worth experiencing. It changes each year and uses sound and visuals to entertain.
The following day we were driving to Auckland, but we woke up to blue sky and hoped this meant we would finally see The Mountain, and we did, …and how! Our destination was the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge that forms part of a pedestrian and cycleway, known as The Coastal Walkway, funnily enough, along the coast and bridges the Waiwhakaiho river. The bridge alone is worth seeing, reminding me of a breaking wave but more of a whale’s rib cage. However, we got the money shot – the bridge with it’s curving ribs framing the fabulous Mount Taranaki. Stunning.
Seeing the Mountain isn’t a given, we met a man who visited his in-laws in New Plymouth regularly over the past 14 years and this was the first time he’d seen Mount Taranaki! We felt privileged.
Sweet Sensation Cakes
If we’d had more time we would have happily wandered along the walkway but time was moving on and we had to get to Auckland for lunchtime.
We followed the coast along State Highway 3 heading north to Auckland, passing amazing surf beaches and the beautiful and enchanting Elephant Rock. The tide was coming in, so we couldn’t take a walk out to have a look at the caves and rocks up close and personal, but I’d love to another time. One thing that struck us was the black beaches, and I mean black! The Kiwi spent his childhood and youth visiting Auckland’s west coast beaches of Muriwai, Karekare and Piha and all are considered black sand beaches but they have nothing on the sparking, jet black sand of some of these beaches! It was extraordinary and beautiful.
We just had a quick taste of what Taranaki has to offer, and we liked what we saw and the fact that it’s fairly approachable from Wellington I can easily see us taking another trip in summer to explore more of the coast and walks the area has to share. Add to that the roads are fun to drive in the hot hatch, we have a winner road trip on our hands!
Sweet Sensations — Whisk & Spoon Kitchen
Tagged with Len Lye Centre, Mount Taranaki, New Plymouth, New Zealand, NZ must do, road trip, Taranaki, Te Rewa Rewa Bridge, Whanganui.
I’d never heard of Rock Ferry wines, but when our friend suggested we go the vineyard for lunch we were happy to oblige! Our friend had decided to try the top listings on Tripadvisor for her local town, Blenheim, and this was one of them. Rock Ferry produce organic wines and the cellar door and café are in the converted former home of the owners. It was a busy Saturday, all the more so probably with it being a long holiday weekend, and we booked a table to secure our lunch!
We sat in the downstairs restaurant, close to the fire and a fine view out of the window, across the vines, to the Marlborough hills. We chose to order our food then do a wine tasting while waiting for the food, giving us the chance to decide on a wine for accompanying our lunch.
La Petite Patisserie: Taste Tempting Treats
It was so busy, that the lady taking us through the tasting disappeared mid-tasting, leaving us just part way though the tasting when the food arrived! So, we didn’t quite get to make the informed wine choice as intended, but selected a bottle of their Trig Hill Central Otago Riesling and it accompanied our meal beautifully.
The star dish was the Herb marinated chicken on creamy lentils with bacon, kale and roasted pumpkin ($24.50). It had us all trying to figure out what was in the dish and how we could re-create it – a dish that inspires is always a sign of a great food!
The Kiwi enjoyed the Roasted Aoraki salmon served on roasted winter veg and durham wheat with
