Let Them Eat (Bundt) Cake

Regis got a sneak peek, but Wednesday everyone is invited to try red velvet, chocolate chocolate chip, pumpkin spice and other bundt cake flavors.

Nothing Bundt Cakes has expanded its franchise westward and is the newest tenant at The Marketplace shopping center in Corte Madera. Mayor Alexandra Cock and members of the Corte Madera and San Rafael chambers of commerce will be on hand at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday for the official ribbon cutting ceremony.

The bundt bakery had a special guest when it opened its doors on Nov. 17. Regis Philbin was next door at Book Passage in the latest stop of his book tour.

"We gave him a sample of a bunt cake and he said it was great," said Nick Puliz, co-owner of the latest Nothing Bundt Cakes store. "We gave him another cake to take with him."

Puliz became a believer in bunts more than a decade ago when he first sampled the wares from the original Nothing Bundt Cakes bakery in Las Vegas.

"My family has known the original owners since they founded the franchise. I've always loved their cakes," Puliz said. "When I found out they wanted to franchise, I looked for a way to get involved."

“We’ve learned that Bundt cakes hold a special place in the heart of consumers across the nation, as many folks can remember a loved one baking a special Bundt cake just for them,” said Dena Tripp, co-founder of Nothing Bundt Cakes, which now has 39 bakeries in nine states. “Our franchisees are not only an integral part our growth strategy, but they are also an integral part of connecting to the community through the love of the handmade bundt cake. We look forward to a successful partnership and becoming part of this city.”

Puliz and his fiancee/business partner Dusti Winward, who met in Las Vegas, will have a bundt cake wedding celebration next summer, complete with a multi-tiered cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

The bakery offers 10 flavors of cakes: chocolate chocolate chip, pecan praline, lemon, white white chocolate, white chocolate raspberry, marble, carrot, red velvet, cinnamon swirl and the flavor of the month. Cakes are offered in a variety of sizes.

Novato's Brianna Turner is among the pastry designers in the expansive kitchen. She's decorating cakes after a one-week crash course.

"Our goal is to serve great cakes to all of Marin," Puliz said. "We want to give back to the community and the people who enjoy our cakes."

To that end, 20 percent of Friday's proceeds will go to SPARK to help local schools. The family is invited to sample cakes on Saturday and celebrate with balloons and face painters. And, the first 50 customers to make a purchase will receive free bundtlets for a year.