Photo above provided by Sweet Living Bakery

[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield]

I met Daysha and Mark Mayfield on their production day when the restaurant was closed.  They graciously took time from prepping all the homemade goodies to chat with me about Sweet Living Bakery.  The space is clean and inviting, with several tables and a Living room-type area with a comfy couch and several chairs that beg you to stay a while.  Daysha has a retail business background, so she began her culinary journey selling her sweet treats to numerous convenience stores ten years ago.  When she became pregnant, according to Mark, “That put a hard stop to it, and we had to pause our vision.”  But only for the moment…

They were on a recent family vacation, and Daysha had an epiphany: She wanted to start baking again and, this time, open a cafe in her hometown of Marietta.  Upon arriving home, they got busy planning their passion project by utilizing family recipes and making everything from scratch.  Daysha grew up in Baton Rouge, LA, so I am excited to return and try the Cajun Comfort Bowl, their take on Jambalaya with farro, brown rice, and a medley of boldly spiced meats and veggies.  The sweet treats, including carrot cake, peach cobbler, and a fan favorite, the ooey gooey cinnamon rolls, are abundant.  Daysha let me know that in addition to the full-size cake slices, you can order a petit four size to sample a few different flavors.  Genius!  They support and partner with other local businesses, such as Honeysuckle Gelato and Campesino Coffee from Americus, GA. 

Mark is an Army veteran of twenty-three years, so please thank him for his service when you pop in.  Of the many Military Occupation Specialties he performed in his career, he worked in the kitchen, so he can now help his wife with the bakery production schedule.  These guys have a lot of plates spinning, as Mark is also a territory manager for a large petroleum company.  He was adamant to let me know they are very civic-minded business owners and plan to do a coat drive this Fall season to help those in need.  Mayfield is very community-oriented and not only wants to offer delicious food at the bakery but also make a difference in his own backyard, and I applaud that way of thinking.  

Daysha’s whimsical play on nostalgia takes me back to my childhood with the salmon croquette slider sandwich, which uses fresh salmon instead of the canned type I ate growing up.  She also told me about her homemade version of an oatmeal cream pie cookie, a delicious adaptation of the Little Debbie brand. As a kid, I probably ate an entire box of what I thought was a well-balanced, nutritional meal.  Fall is supposed to be around the corner, despite the temperature gauge completely disagreeing, so they are busy prepping all the Autumn weather treats.  As we were talking, Daysha’s timer went off on her phone to remind her to check on the caramel apples, and they had some adorable cake pops on display, looking like little pumpkins and ghosts for the upcoming Halloween holiday.  If you dislike caramel apples, we cannot be friends.  

This place is a hidden gem, tucked back in the corner of what locals call the Clocktower shopping center catty-corner across from Kroger on Whitlock Ave.  Still, based on the rave reviews online and from neighbors on various social media platforms, it won’t be a secret for long.  Small, independently owned places like Mark and Daysha have opened recently are truly special, and most folks never manifest their dream of doing something they’re passionate about.  For the majority of people, it is only a dream, but these two friendly entrepreneurs are doing just that: Living their dream at Sweet Living Bakery.

For more information visit https://sweetlivingbakery.com

Brian Benefield is an Atlanta native born in Dekalb County, who has lived in Cobb since 2003. He has worked in Hospitality, Marketing, Real Estate, and most recently Food Tourism. Married to Cecilie Benefield for 12 blissful years. They have a dog, Miss Pickles. Hobbies are mountain biking, running, gardening, and trying new recipes in the kitchen. Member of Les Marmitions cooking club since 2016, where we cook 5-course meals with local Atlanta chefs.