By Constance Smith 

In 2019, Chris and DeAnn Warnick had planned to go into the ice cream business. When a local bakery shut down unexpectedly, they recognized a need in the community and decided to change course. 

Chris grew up with a mother who decorated cakes for 30 years and taught all of her kids how to decorate, and DeAnn was great at baking, so the two made a decision. Instead of going into the frozen treat business, they decided to take another sweet route. July 3, they officially launched Sweet Sensations.  

It was a challenge to jump into running a bakery with very little planning, but in no time the business was thriving, and customers appreciated all they were doing. 

At Sweet Sensations, the Warnicks focus on all of the wonderful treats people would expect to find, from cupcakes and grab-and-go cakes to specialty cakes like wedding and groom cakes. They also offer an assortment of other treats, like Oreo balls, dipped pretzels and “fat boy” cookies – two chocolate chip cookies with buttercream sandwiched between. 

Chris’ personal favorite is the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and DeAnn loves the cinnamon rolls. Hartselle, however, loves strawberry. Strawberry cakes and strawberry cupcakes are the most popular sweets, and the strawberry pretzel salad has to be made every day. 

Sweet Sensations has catering options as well, such as cupcakes, lunch trays and finger sandwiches, along with many other offerings. The bakery caters baby showers, business lunches, weddings and more. 

This past year, when the pandemic hit, events began canceling, orders were dropped and, like for many businesses around the country, things became much more challenging for Sweet Sensations. To try to bring in more business, the Warnicks expanded their menu to include hot fresh soups and sandwiches. Potato soup is by far their most popular, and because of that, they offer it daily along with a second soup option, such as chili, chicken noodle or broccoli cheddar soups. Their homemade soups have been a great hit. 

Everything at Sweet Sensations is made fresh. The soups are made every day, and baked goods are made to order and never frozen. 

There’s one service Chris and DeAnn offer that most people have never heard of a bakery doing. Do you have Grandma’s cake recipe but aren’t confident in your own baking skills? Or maybe you don’t have the equipment or ability to bake the cookies your mom always made? If you have a recipe you would love to have made, Sweet Sensations will bake it as a custom order, just for you. 

Reach Sweet Sensations at 256–502–8484 or stop by the location, 899 Highway 31 S., in Hartselle.