Image courtesy of Donsuemor
 
42 years ago, two people in Berkeley, California started out with an original French recipe. Don and Susie Morris introduced madeleines to their community in 1976, and Donsuemor (a combination of their names) was born.

The moist little cakes that Donsuemor has made its name on are now sold in a variety of retailers nationwide, including Peet’s Coffee, Costco, Whole Foods, and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The company’s 32,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art bakery in Alameda, California ships dozens of truckloads of product nationwide every month.

Donsuemor’s desserts are packaged for portion control and convenience and are offered as a 1-pack, 2-pack, 3-pack, 8-count, and other formats to fit customer needs. These little cakes are meant to encourage impulse sales, which is why they can be found on bakery tables, in cookie bars, in grab-and-go/prepared meal sections, coffee kiosks, and by registers.

The company’s madeleines come in multiple flavors. The original is rich and buttery, soft and moist, with the distinctive shell shape that makes it a classic. They also come in flavors such as Lemon Zest, Chocolate Dipped, and the latest seasonal addition, Pumpkin Spice.

Donsuemor has expanded its product line beyond madeleines. Its Sablés are round sandy cookies that come in classic Vanilla Bean and Chocolate Cinnamon flavors, while its Financiers are French almond cakes that have the rich and nutty taste of sweet almond.

When the company celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016, it partnered with three different bakeries to create what they think best represented a legacy dessert. The Legacy Sweets Celebration Recipe Book was a digital book that highlighted several unique ways to use these madeleines in elegant desserts.

Alameda’s Crispian Bakery created a Praline Meringue Crunch, West Shore Cafe and Inn contributed a Cookie Crusted Vanilla Cheese Cake, and Rubicon Bakers put together what it calls Mom’s Chocolate Cake and Icing. All three of these recipes and other special takes involving Donsuemor treats can be found at its website.

As it carries on well into its fifth decade in business, Donsuemor continues the tradition of crafting products inspired by the founders’ love of classic old world recipes.