Skylight Bakery Proofs Pastries and Pies for the Holidays

Avid baking enthusiasts Kate Marks and her oldest son Michael Joseph launched Skylight Bakery in 2020 with the help of Rhode Island culinary incubator Hope & Main. Raised by parents who owned their own food business, Marks says “I grew up watching my mother bake, which is why I enjoy baking. My father believed in serving, in every sense of the word, and enjoyed it, which I think rubbed off on me.”

And Marks has passed on this passion for sweet service to her own family. She and her husband have lived on the East Side for the past 28 years, where they raised five sons – all of whom contribute to Skylight Bakery in some way. A reincarnation of sorts, the name comes from her former business, Skylight Cafe, which operated on Wickenden Street in the 1990s, serving deli sandwiches and homemade soups. “I knew my talents and the experiences I had developed could support my son’s vision, and I really enjoy meeting and working with the customers,” she says.

Behind the bakery is Marks’ dedication to sticking to the classic American desserts we all know and love. “When we started our bakery,” she begins, “we wanted to fill an old-fashioned niche with our familiar, classic flavors that would please the palates of young and old alike and evoke childhood memories – or create new memories with friends and family!”

Prioritizing top-quality ingredients like real butter and fresh fruits, the menu includes a variety of pastries, such as fruit hand-pies, cookies, brownies, scones, and cinnamon rolls – all handmade, from scratch-baking crusts for pies to making their own caramel for the Salted Caramel Brownies.

Although they mostly cater to sweet tooths, Skylight Bakery also offers savory snacks like cheddar scones and a selection of quiches with bacon and cheddar, spinach and feta, or mushroom, onion, and Gruyere. Marks says, “I think that people really appreciate that all of our goods are baked fresh on the morning we sell them.”

Baking out of Hope & Main in Warren, the pop-up business appears at vendors markets, including the Hope Street Farmers Market, and they’re busy fulfilling custom order requests for holiday events, like the Bristol Christmas Festival on December 7-8. Watch for pre-packaged festive treats such as butter balls, gingerbread and gingersnap cookies, and Russian tea cakes – items that aren’t usually available at their regular market stalls.

“The greatest compliments I’ve received are when women tell me my crust tastes just like the one their mothers made,” says Marks. “I think it’s wonderful to live somewhere where small businesses can thrive, and to have customers who you can be so grateful for. It is gratifying that they are walking away thinking [our food] is delicious.”

Visit SkylightPVD.square.site to place custom orders for local pickup or delivery, and follow @skylightpvd on Instagram for upcoming events and market appearances.