Bellmore eatery gets chance to bake for music legend, good cause

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has been known to credit much of his success to his gluten-free lifestyle. It certainly didn’t seem to hurt him when he won the U.S. Open in early September. When Bare Naked Bakery and Café in Bellmore was picked to make the dessert for the USTA Serves’ Annual Opening Night Gala, it was merely coincidence that the local café and bakeshop offers solely gluten-free items. USTA Serves is the national charitable foundation of the U.S. Tennis Association.

Bare Naked Bakery was chosen out of a select group of bakeries in the tri-state area to make the special dessert, which was also in honor of special guest Tony Bennett’s 85th birthday. Bennett has been a long-time supporter of USTA Serves and a lifelong tennis fan. Executive baker Jacklyn Messina received an email that the Bellmore-based bakery had been selected for the gala and immediately set out to design a cupcake for the event, taking into account Bennett’s favorite sweet treats, which include berries and cream.

Messina designed a marble cupcake with a strawberry cream cheese frosting, topped with “Tony” in script handwriting molded out of dark chocolate. Messina kept the cupcake design a secret from café owner Bridget Brennan, but when the design was revealed, Brennan said she was thrilled with the cupcake. The duo was glad to be able to contribute the cupcake to the organization that emphasizes fitness and a healthy lifestyle. USTA Serves contributes millions of dollars to grassroots tennis programs that help bring tennis to at-risk children and those with special needs. The foundation also provides tutoring and nutritional advice. “USTA serves does such amazing stuff,” Messina said.

On the morning of the gala, Messina arrived at the bakery at 3 a.m. to set out baking 250 of the specialized cupcakes. Messina also worked on a large cupcake, specially made for Bennett’s table that would serve the Grammy winner and eight others. Messina and Brennan dropped the baked items off at Arthur Ash stadium that afternoon, but did not stay for the gala. They heard from the event sponsors that everyone, specifically Bennett, loved the cupcakes and were shocked to learn that they were gluten-free.

“It meant so much for people to love a gluten-free product over a normal product,” Messina noted. “The way it ended up coming out was amazing,” Brennan added.

The bakery will offer the specialized “Tony” cupcake for months to come. A chocolate drizzle has replaced the chocolate “Tony,” but the recipe for the treat remains the same. For every one of the cupcakes sold, 20 percent of sales will go to USTA Serves.