MADE in Lake County: Daltons Cakes, Inc.

MADE is a paid partnership with Little Lake County.

Welcome to MADE in Lake County! MADE introduces you to the people and stories behind local Lake County businesses. We previously introduced you to bakery owner Alison Dalton. Alison is the owner of Dalton’s Cakes, Inc. in Grayslake. Today we are going to learn more about this wonderful little bakery.

The Prairie Crossing subdivision in Grayslake is hard to miss.

With its brightly colored homes, plentiful green spaces, and cute little retail area, it looks like a great place to stop and visit.

That is precisely what Alison Dalton was looking for when she decided to open up her bakery and cafe in October 2014. Since then, Dalton’s Cakes has been flourishing in this space and attracting customers not only from Prairie Crossing but from all over Lake County.

Dalton’s Cakes, Grayslake

Dalton’s Cakes is the business of husband and wife team Alison and Greg Dalton. Although Greg works there only part-time and Alison holds down the fort full-time, the business truly is a family-run effort. While we were visiting, her daughter even popped out of the kitchen to bring us some freshly baked cupcakes.

Dalton’s Cakes is a little gem of a place that makes you so happy when you find it. Not only do they offer delicious, fresh-baked goods, custom cakes, and other bakery items, they also cater to the breakfast and lunch crowd, offering a delicious menu of salads and wraps to enjoy. Prices are reasonable, portions are generous, and the service is undeniably the best part. The owner exudes friendliness, and you can’t help but smile the moment you walk in the door and are greeted. Although Alison spends most of her time in the kitchen baking, she loves to come out and connect with her customers.

The owner takes pride in her food too. All of the items sold at Dalton’s Cakes are freshly baked and house-made. Nothing is ever frozen or bought pre-made. When asked what her favorite lunch item was, she could hardly decide! She finally settled on the Hawaiian salad, but said she really enjoys it all. It is a great, open space to come and have lunch with friends. Kids will love all of the delicious baked goods, as well.

Dalton’s Cakes’ true pride lies in the fact that they specialize in gluten-free and dairy-free baking. One of Alison’s daughters has to eat a gluten-free diet. It is important to her that people who are restricted can still enjoy delicious cakes and baked goods. She will make any cake gluten-free or dairy-free and will work with you whatever your needs are. Her salads are all gluten-free, and wraps can be specially made for anyone who has an allergy. She uses different equipment, all dedicated to gluten-free baking, to ensure the utmost safety for her customers.

Alison loves being creative and says she loves it when someone comes in with just an idea and allows her to create it. This is great news for all moms out there who can’t find just the right example of what they want for their child’s birthday party or want something completely original. Let Alison take care of you. You will not be disappointed!

Besides being a fantastic bakery and great lunch spot, Dalton’s Cakes also offers birthday party services. Alison loves that part of her job and enjoys getting creative with party themes and activities. Her parties are child-focused, and she loves to bring out the creativity and personality of the birthday child. Have a child that needs to eat gluten-free? No worries, Alison can design and make a custom birthday cake that is gluten-free to serve at the party. She swears that the kids will never know the difference! She is also looking to add more entertainment options in the future, including storytime for little ones, cupcake decorating nights, and even local artists performing live music.

Dalton’s Cakes is so much more than a bakery when it comes to giving back to its community. Throughout the year, Dalton’s Cakes takes part in a charity called Elijah’s Mantle, which provides clothing and shoes to the needy. Dalton’s Cakes encourages “Shoes for Cupcakes,” meaning if you bring in a new pair of unused shoes, you get a free cupcake! They do this once a year around the beginning of school so children who otherwise would not have shoes could have them. They also organize a coat drive in the cooler months and a clothing drive year-round.  Dalton’s Cakes were the generous hosts of our Love Rising Adoption Fundraiser earlier this year.

Dalton’s Cakes also takes part in a fun program at a local Grayslake school. The day is called Imagination Day, and Dalton’s Cakes donates everything (300 cupcakes last year!) while working with the kids at the school to decorate them. It sounds wonderful, but watching the owner speak about it, you know it is an event that means a lot to her as well.

Dalton’s Cakes is a place you need to visit at some point, and odds are, you will go back again and again. Its warm, friendly ambiance is hard to find these days, and you will enjoy every minute of it.

Meet other local businesses that are MADE in Lake County!

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Disclosure: Dalton’s Cakes is our featured Business of the Month. This series is part of a paid promotion partnership with Little Lake County.  If you are interested in featuring your locally-owned business in our series, please contact the sales team.