The Shadow
LEXINGTON, Va (VR) Set against the scenic backdrop of Lexington’s rolling hills, The Baker’s Rack LLC has become more than just a business; it’s a testament to family legacy, culinary passion, and the transformative power of community engagement.
Inside a bustling in-home bakery, owner Amy Shumate-Clark, whose creative hands and hard-won leadership are the foundation of this thriving enterprise, crafts everything from custom cakes to cinnamon rolls. Despite day-to-day challenges ranging from minuscule to monumental, Amy’s commitment to quality and local ties remains stronger than ever.
The Baker’s Rack began life in 2017, when Amy started producing homemade, chocolate-covered Easter eggs for friends and acquaintances. What began as a seasonal treat, motivated by a love of baking deeply rooted in family tradition, quickly grew as word spread about her skills. Requests started pouring in, first for cupcakes, then cakes, cookies, and other baked delights.
Amy’s journey into professional baking paralleled a challenging personal chapter.
“Jeremy’s dad had passed like the week before Easter,” Amy recalled. “I had some family friends pitch in and help me get through that year, you know … it just kind of evolved from there.” That resilient spirit and community support have been instrumental to the bakery’s growth.
As the business flourished, Amy took a decisive step: she formed The Baker’s Rack LLP on June 1, 2020, in the midst of the pandemic.
“The LLC went into effect right in the middle of COVID,” Amy said, citing the unique pressures the pandemic introduced.
From its earliest days, The Baker’s Rack has differentiated itself by making every order from scratch and to customer specifications.
“Everything is made to order. I don’t keep anything sitting around or in the freezer,” Amy explained.
The bakery’s offerings are extensive. Amy and her team specialize in personalized cakes from wedding and graduation cakes to birthday, anniversary, and retirement cakes, with customers often sending inspiration photos for reference. The bakery also bakes standard and custom cupcakes, cookies (both traditional and elaborately decorated), and a unique variety of breads such as farmhouse yeast rolls, pepperoni and cheese rolls, and sweet rolls, including cinnamon, raspberry, and apple butter cinnamon rolls.
Seasonal offerings remain a staple, like the ever-popular peanut butter “bombs,” which Amy describes as a two-bite treat; they’re a supersized, chocolate-covered peanut butter confection reminiscent of traditional peanut butter balls. Delicious muffins, banana breads, and oven-fried apple pies grace the menu depending on the time of year, inspired by customer requests or community traditions.
For Amy, personalized bakery service extends beyond the ingredients. She prefers orders be submitted by email (thebakersrackllc@gmail.com), citing the reliability of email correspondence for both herself and her clients. However, she remains accessible via phone, text, or Facebook direct message.
Given the bakery’s popularity, scheduling is paramount.
“The schedule stays booked out three to six weeks, depending on the time of year, and maybe longer, especially around Easter through May,” Amy said. Peak seasons book months ahead, and she advises customers to reach out as soon as their need arises to secure a spot.
Event catering and delivery are a large part of The Baker’s Rack’s operations. Not only does Amy provide custom cakes for weddings, graduations, and community events, but she also coordinates rentals for accessories such as cake stands and cupcake towers, aiming to be “the one-stop shop for the sweet side of a reception or any party, really.”
Running a bakery during a pandemic came with its own challenges. COVID-19 forced clients to downsize events, with cake orders plummeting from 50-60 servings per event to just 10.
Moreover, dramatic increases in raw ingredient costs have directly affected the bottom line. Amy is forthright with customers about the impact: “Cocoa powder was like $10,000 a ton; now it’s down back around $8,000 a ton, but that’s still high,” she said.
Supplies for essential items like Ghirardelli or Guittard chocolate, and even chocolate chips, have grown significantly more expensive, forcing Amy to innovate and adapt her sourcing without compromising quality. “I tell everybody, I’ll compromise on the decorations on a cake, but I will not compromise the quality, consistency, and flavor. I’ll quit before I do that.”
The bakery’s reputation for quality endures because, as Amy shares, “I try to treat everybody like I would want to be treated if I was spending my money.”
The Baker’s Rack is very much a family business. Amy’s husband, Jeremy, is integral to daily operations, helping with inventory and logistics, especially during busy periods like high school and local college graduations. Jeremy frequently assists with packaging, delivery, and communications, ensuring that the business runs smoothly. Amy’s 10-year-old granddaughter,
Autumn is also learning the ropes, from decorating cookies to understanding the complex logistics behind each order.
Beyond its commercial success, The Baker’s Rack is deeply committed to giving back. Amy routinely donates to cakewalks, silent auctions, and local festivals. Notably, the bakery recently donated products to the Goshen, Virginia, Volunteer Fire Department’s annual fundraiser, and this December will host “Cookies on the Mountain,” a cookie swap event at the House Mountain Inn.
The event, which includes food, refreshments, music, prizes, and a best-cookie contest, will raise funds for a local teenager battling an inoperable brain tumor. Amy says that she and her family are very blessed and believes wholeheartedly in helping others, a characteristic passed down to her by her parents.
“Our family always liked to cook, and I’ve dabbled in different things down through the years, but always liked the creativity of the sweet side of food,” Amy explained, emphasizing the love for traditions passed down from her own mother and the importance of keeping such crafts alive for the next generation.
“As far as the operational sides of things for the bakery, it’s largely me, but Jeremy helps out in certain areas on a daily basis … Autumn helps with decorating when she can. There’s always something to do,” Amy said with a smile.
For The Baker’s Rack LLC, every challenge is met with creativity and community spirit.
“If you’re doing what you’re supposed to, God’s not going to let you go without,” Amy reflected, summarizing the guiding philosophy behind the bakery’s growth and resilience.
From humble beginnings to a flourishing bespoke bakery, The Baker’s Rack is proof that tradition, family values, and community involvement can blend in just the right way to create a sweet recipe for success.
For more information or to place an order, email bakersrackllc@gmail.com or call/text 540-488-2984. You can also find the bakery on Facebook at The Baker’s Rack LLC.
