“Cloud 9 actually started with gourmet handcrafted marshmallows, which we sold across Canada in duty-free shops, as well as at Costco,” says Ray Porcellato, who worked in his family’s bakery prior to starting his food brand. “When I put the gluten-free logo on my marshmallow boxes, more and more people started asking us if we carried other gluten-free products.”
Looking around the market at that time, he soon realized that the gluten-free products on offer tasted nothing like his mom Pixie’s home-baked goodies and so he set out to change that.
“We spent the better part of a year creating our baking mix to achieve a true substitute for wheat-based flour,” says Ray, who invented the baking mix in partnership with his mother back in 2008. Made from multiple gluten-free grains, Cloud9’s baking mix is blended and packaged in their own gluten-free certified facility and can be found across Canada at select retailers, including Costco and Save on Foods.
You’ll find an abundance of bars, cakes and pies in this New Westminster shop. And if you can’t find what you’re craving, they’ll bake it to order. The Cloud 9 bakers claim the secret to light and fluffy baked goods is their gluten-free baking mix – they won’t tell us what it is though – and it’s no surprise why. Don’t walk away without testing out one of their sinfully good cinnamon buns.
Even if you’re not in the heart of Vancouver, there are still tons of yummy bakeshops around you; Cloud 9 bakery in New West is definitely one to keep on your radar. This bakery specializes in gluten-free treats, making it a great spot for those with dietary restrictions. Their gourmet vanilla and chocolate cupcakes are beyond delicious and come topped with various different naturally flavoured butter-cream icing options – I highly recommend the pistachio.