- Attraction: Magpies Bakery
- Location: 846 N Central St, Knoxville, TN 37917
- Industry: Bakery
- Website: https://magpiescakes.com
Since 1992, Magpies Bakery has been whipping up scratch-made desserts that started as wholesale treats for local restaurants and blossomed into a full-scale North Knoxville institution. Their motto says it all: All Butter, All the Time.
What began as a humble venture by founder Aunt Peg has grown into a beloved sweet spot now run by her niece Elizabeth, who learned the trade from dishwashing to cake decorating before taking the helm in 2018.
When you step through the door at Magpies, you’re immediately hit with the intoxicating aroma of fresh-baked goods and the sight of display cases packed with colorful cupcakes, towering cakes, and cookies that look almost too good to eat.
The bakery has snagged recognition from Southern Living Magazine as one of The South’s Best Cupcakes, and once you try them, you’ll understand why. Whether you’re grabbing a quick treat for yourself or ordering a show-stopping custom wedding cake, this place delivers on both quality and creativity.
Cupcakes That Deserve The Hype
The Everyday Flavors: You’ll find all the classics here—vanilla, devil’s food, and lemon cream—but don’t sleep on the more adventurous options like caramel macchiato, chocolate raspberry, and almond apricot.
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Keep Exploring →The cake itself is impossibly moist with a light, bouncy texture, while the frosting is rich without being overwhelming. Each cupcake comes loaded with generous swirls of buttercream that strike the perfect balance between sweet and decadent.
Seasonal Specials: Magpies rotates their menu monthly, bringing in limited-time flavors that keep regulars coming back. Past seasonal hits include Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes with a silky cocoa punch, churro cupcakes dusted with cinnamon sugar, and citrus-forward margarita cupcakes.
During fall, you’ll find pumpkin cream cheese and apple spice varieties, while summer brings lighter fruit-forward options.
The Mini Cupcake Advantage: Can’t decide on just one flavor?
The deluxe mini cupcake packs come with six different varieties, perfect for sampling or sharing. These bite-sized beauties pack all the flavor of their full-sized counterparts but let you try multiple flavors without committing to a dozen of the same kind. They’re also wildly popular at wedding receptions and parties.
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Lemon Raspberry: This flavor combination is a standout on the menu. The cake layers are infused with bright lemon notes, complemented by tart raspberry filling that cuts through the richness.
The buttercream frosting ties everything together with a smooth, creamy finish that somehow tastes both light and indulgent. It’s the kind of cake that makes you understand why people order the same flavor for their birthday year after year.
Strawberry Cream: Another crowd favorite, this cake features vanilla layers soaked in strawberry syrup, topped with fresh strawberries and buttercream. The strawberries add a fresh element that keeps each bite interesting, creating a dessert that feels both classic and special.
Italian Cream Cake: If you love texture in your desserts, this one’s for you. The cake has a fluffy, almost cloud-like quality with cream cheese frosting that’s tangy and rich. It’s a Southern classic done exceptionally well.
Custom Wedding Cakes: Magpies has built a stellar reputation for turning wedding cake dreams into reality. Past creations include intricate Haunted Mansion-themed cakes with spot-on details, McKenzie Childs-inspired designs, and multi-tiered masterpieces with alternating gold and white layers.
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Keep Exploring →The bakery works with you to customize everything from flavors to icing colors to fondant details.
Cookies, Brownies, And Other Temptations
Li’l Peggy’s Oatmeal Cookie Creams: These sandwich cookies have achieved cult status among regulars.
Two oatmeal cookies embrace a generous layer of cream filling, creating the perfect balance of crunch and chew with just the right amount of sweetness. Once you try them, you’ll understand why people keep coming back specifically for these.
Chocolate Chip Cookies: Forget grocery store cookies—these are loaded with big, dark, luscious chocolate chips and hit that perfect sweet spot between crispy edges and chewy centers. The chocolate flavor is prominent without being over-the-top.
Chocolate Cherry Chewies: These flourless beauties are wheat-free and exactly what their name promises—chewy, chocolaty, and studded with cherries. They’re proof that dietary restrictions don’t mean sacrificing flavor.
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Discover MoreSamoa Brownies And Twix Brownies: These innovative creations take classic candy bar flavors and reimagine them in fudgy brownie form. The Samoa version captures that iconic Girl Scout cookie taste, while the Twix brownie layers fudgy chocolate with buttery shortbread, caramel, and more chocolate.
Crumb Bums: Don’t overlook these quirky treats—they’re essentially cake tops, giving you all that delicious caramelized crust without the interior cake. They fly off the shelves for good reason.
Pies, Cheesecakes, And Seasonal Specialties
Banana Pudding: Available during summer months, this Southern classic gets the Magpies treatment with layers of creamy pudding, fresh bananas, and vanilla wafers. It’s comfort food at its finest.
Oreo Cheesecake: The word that best describes this dessert is fluffy. Rather than a dense, heavy cheesecake, Magpies creates a lighter version that tastes like cookies and cream ice cream but richer. The cookie flavor shines through in a cloud of cream.
Pecan Pie: The crust is buttery perfection, the top has beautiful crispy caramelization, and the whole thing is decorated with artistic leaf details. At around thirty-five dollars for a large pie, it’s pricier than grocery store options but significantly larger and undeniably superior in quality.
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Keep Exploring →Seasonal Rotation: February brings King Cake for Mardi Gras celebrations, while October and November feature apple stack cake and pumpkin cheesecake. The menu keeps things fresh and gives you reasons to visit throughout the year.
The Display Case Experience
Visual Appeal: Walking into Magpies is a feast for the eyes. The display cases showcase rows of beautifully decorated cupcakes, towering cake slices, and colorful cookies arranged like edible art. Everything looks picture-perfect, from the swirls of frosting to the thoughtful garnishes on each dessert.
Sample Before You Buy: One of the best features? You can try samples of cupcakes before committing. This takes the guesswork out of choosing and helps you discover new favorites you might not have tried otherwise.
Fresh Daily: Everything is baked fresh each day from scratch, and you can taste the difference. The quality of ingredients shines through—real butter, premium chocolate, fresh fruit—nothing tastes artificial or mass-produced.
Local Touches: Beyond the baked goods, Magpies stocks Cruze Farm milk and paper items from local Knoxville artists, reinforcing their commitment to supporting the community.
Shopping Beyond The Bakery
Multiple Locations: While the North Central Street location is the main bakery, you can find Magpies products at several Kroger locations around Knoxville, including the Kingston Pike and Cedar Bluff stores.
Three Rivers Market also carries a selection. Fair warning—the products tend to sell out quickly at these satellite locations.
Branded Merchandise: Looking for a unique gift? Magpies sells branded merchandise including baby onesies, t-shirts, and other items. It’s a quirky addition that speaks to the bakery’s personality and local following.
Atmosphere And Service
The Space: The bakery itself is cozy and unpretentious. It’s not a sit-down cafe with extensive seating—think more grab-and-go with limited seating for those who want to enjoy their treats on the spot. The focus is clearly on the baked goods, not fancy decor, though the space has a homey, welcoming feel.
Parking And Access: There’s parking available, making it convenient to pop in even during busy times. The location on North Central Street is easy to find once you know where you’re going.
Hours: Open Monday through Saturday with varied hours—typically 10am to 4pm on Mondays and Saturdays, and 11am to 5:30pm Tuesday through Friday. They’re closed Sundays, so plan accordingly.
Practical Considerations
Pricing Reality: Let’s be honest—Magpies is more expensive than your average grocery store bakery. Individual cookies run about two dollars, while a dozen costs sixteen.
Cupcake six-packs are around eight-fifty, and cake slices go for six-fifty. Wedding cakes and custom orders obviously run higher. That said, the quality absolutely justifies the cost. You’re paying for premium ingredients, from-scratch baking, and exceptional flavor.
Order Ahead For Custom Cakes: If you need a custom cake for a wedding, birthday, or special event, plan ahead and communicate with the bakery.
They’re flexible and work with you on details, but popular dates book up. The online ordering process is straightforward, and they’re responsive to changes in headcount or design details.
Dietary Options: The bakery offers wheat-free vanilla cupcakes and flourless chocolate cherry cookies, though they note these aren’t technically gluten-free since gluten is present in the kitchen.
These options aren’t recommended for people with severe allergies, but they work well for those with preferences or mild sensitivities. Most items are vegetarian-friendly.
Wedding Cake Excellence: Magpies has become a go-to for wedding cakes in the Knoxville area. The combination of beautiful designs, delicious flavors, and reliable execution makes them a favorite among couples.
You can customize multiple tiers with different flavors, and they’ll work with you through design changes.
Family-Friendly: The bakery welcomes families and has become a favorite treat destination for parents picking up kids from school. The mini cupcakes are perfectly sized for little hands, and the atmosphere is casual enough that you don’t need to worry about kids being kids.
Magpies Bakery
📍 846 N Central St, Knoxville, TN 37917
