Orange County bakery brings sweet treats to the Grand Prix of Long Beach

As race fans walk through the gates of the Grand Prix of Long Beach along Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue, many stop to get a glimpse of the race cars at turn 8 of the circuit.

But others also pause to admire something else — cake. That’s right: one of the vendor booths has two cakes decorated just for the occasion on display. One of them is a four-tiered cake with details like a tire, race flags, an IndyCar and a gold trophy; the other is a two-tiered cake with a racetrack spiraling around it.

These types of decorated cakes are one of the things that Butter and Cream Bakery is known for, said owner Nataly Stein.

The bakery is one of the many local vendors offering desserts and other food, and drinks to thousands of attendees of this year’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“It’s so exciting,” Stein said in an interview on Friday, April 17, the first day of the event. “I’m really excited for the weekend. I think it’s going to be packed.”

Stein, who grew up in Long Beach, has been operating her business — which has locations in Los Alamitos and Laguna Niguel — for the last 15 years. The bakery prepares custom cakes, cookies, cupcakes and other desserts.

Butter and Cream Bakery is no stranger to offering its dessert in Long Beach, Stein said. The bakery makes plenty of cakes for weddings held at the Aquarium of the Pacific and Hotel Maya.

“We’re down here a lot but I think there are a lot of people that will enjoy (our treats),” Stein said. “It’s so fun; we’re at the perfect spot.”

While people can’t get a slice of the customs cakes, Butter and Cream Bakery is offering plenty of other desserts for race fans, including blueberry rolls, bear claws, mini cakes with a chocolate race car on top, and cookie dunk boxes — which are two cookies of different flavors that you can dip into various icings.

Stein, a Huntington Beach resident, said she loves her business being part of the Southern California community and being able to sell at one of the biggest racing events in the region.

Stein grew up attending the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Her father would take her and her brother, who is helping sell at the booth this weekend, she said.

“Long Beach is our home,” she said, “so it’s so nice to continue to be part of this community.”