Pookie’s Crack Cake Celebrates Two Years of Addictive Deliciousness

First, I heard about Pookie’s Crack Cake on social media from Chicago celebs, and I felt left out—how had I not been to a spot serving these now-famous, once-catered-only cakes? Then I saw they had taken over the iconic, now-closed, Black-owned Abundance Bakery, and I got excited. I even posted about their grand opening.

But when they finally opened—after much anticipation—every time I tried to slide by, there was a line down the block. And each time I thought: “I’m not standing in that line.” I even considered leveraging my foodie influencer/press credentials—my “clout,” as they say. But then I remembered: this is Chicago, and nobody cuts the line unless you’re a celebrity, an elder, or made a song people make babies to. So I stayed in my car.

Finally, one day, I made it just before closing and grabbed a couple: Red Velvet and Peach Cobbler. And let me tell you—it was smashtastic.

Pookie’s Crack Cake, founded by Dedra Simmons in July 2023, is a true family affair. Dedra and her husband co-own and operate the bakery, which has quickly become a sensation in Bronzeville. Regularly selling out of its signature bundt-style loaves, the business is as much about love and partnership as it is about dessert.

Simmons described the craze this way: “We don’t sell doughnuts. We don’t sell pies. We don’t sell cheesecakes. We really focus on cakes,” she told CBS Chicago. She added, “I’ve sold out of cakes every single day that I’ve opened.”

The secret to their success begins with Dedra’s great-grandmother’s Southern recipe. “My great-grandmother was from Clayton, Louisiana, so she grew up on crack cakes and made them for us when she came to Chicago,” Simmons told Block Club Chicago. The process is simple but genius: poke holes in the freshly baked bundt, pour in a butter-rum glaze, and let it seep through the cracks.

On my visit, I saw flavors like Butter Pecan Praline—the original that Simmons made exclusively from 2014 to 2018—alongside Red Velvet, Key Lime, and rotating specials like Peach Crack Cobbler and Pineapple Paradise.

The bakery’s popularity is no fluke. The mini-sized loaves, born from pandemic practicality, have since become a full-blown phenomenon, moving 550–600 cakes per day. “It’s not about the quantity, but the quality of what I put into the product,” Simmons said in an interview. “I just put a lot of love. The love is what I put into the pastries. The crack is the love that I put into the cakes. That’s the crack.”

With her husband managing operations and their family supporting the effort, Pookie’s isn’t just a bakery—it’s a dream made real, built on tradition, taste, and teamwork.

When I finally took my first bite, the glaze had soaked perfectly into the tender crumb. It hit like Chicago heat in July—warm, sweet, and impossible to ignore.

Mark your calendars: through the week of July 16, Pookie’s is celebrating two years of cake devotion. Located at 105 E. 47th St., they’re open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until sold out. My advice? Come early and respect the line. In Chicago, lines are earned—and Pookie’s Crack Cake has certainly earned theirs.

Cake Intel:

• What: Two-year anniversary at Pookie’s Crack Cake
• Where: 105 E. 47th St., Bronzeville
• When: Week of July 16, doors open at 11 a.m. (and yes, it will sell out)

Bring your sweet tooth—and maybe a folding chair. The line may already have started. (First published on Substack)