Old Lycoming Township, Pa. — Favorite baked goods and sweet treats in the area now are making their debut at an ice cream shop.
Rachael Thomas, owner of Batter-Up Bakery, recently opened Batter Up Sweets & Scoops on Lycoming Creek Road. The shop, located next to Bill’s Appliance, serves hard ice cream, soft serve, mikshakes, pup cups, and sundaes featuring some of Batter-Up’s popular baked confections.
Thomas, who has run her bakery business for five years now, said she bought the ice cream trailer this year on a whim. “I’ve always loved ice cream,” Thomas said. “Ray Smith of Nippenose Tavern had an ice cream trailer built over Covid. He put it up for sale this year. I saw that it was for sale and went with my husband to look at it, check in hand,” Thomas added.
Thomas realized the trailer was not portable and needed a permanent home. The new owners of Bill’s Appliance are friends with Thomas and her husband Ben, and agreed to have the trailer next door. After seeking the proper approvals from Old Lycoming Township, Thomas settled the trailer there and opened on July 5. “The community support has been amazing. Everyone has been so patient,” Thomas said.
The menu features ice cream from Leiby’s of Tamaqua. Thomas uses her bakery items as toppings for the sundaes. The sundaes have been among the most popular items so far, according to Thomas. “I do a chocolate-covered cheesecake on a stick, cupcake sundaes, brownie sundaes. I try to do a different flavor each week,” Thomas said.
The brownie sundaes, made with Batter-Up Bakery’s homemade brownies, seem to be the “most well-loved,” Thomas said. The cupcake sundaes are the second most popular.
Thomas’s baked goods from Batter-Up Bakery have gained a following over the past five years. The sweet treats, including brownies and cheesecake, are sold at local businesses and restaurants including Kimball’s Pub, Park Pizza, Joe’s Pizza West End, Mel’s Deli and Cafe, Nippenose Tavern, Silvermoon in Lewisburg, and Matty’s Sporthouse Grill, among others.
Thomas began the business making cheesecake out of a commercial kitchen in her Old Lycoming Township home. “I was working a 9 to 5 for corporate America and I was burned out,” Thomas said. “Someone in my family wanted a cheesecake, so I thought, ‘I’ll make a cheesecake.’ Eventually, I took random cheesecake classes online.”
Thomas’s love of baking bloomed from there and eventually she turned it into a business and quit her corporate job. Batter-Up Bakery was licensed and inspected by the state as of February 2021, and Thomas hasn’t looked back. Now, she’s continuing her love of baked goods with a new twist in the ice cream business. “We’re learning this. This is completely different from the bakery I’ve been doing for five years,” Thomas said.
Thomas mentioned there were a few minor hiccups the the initial days. The scoop cabinet in the trailer was too warm one night and made the ice cream too soft. She had to learn at first how to set up the soft serve machine. Thomas said customers have been patient.
For those wanting a beverage, Batter Up Sweets & Scoops has partnered with Wagging Tail Coffee Co. to offer their bottled blitzers cold drinks and lattes. Thomas also keeps a water bowl out for those who bring their beloved four-legged friends with them and makes sure the water is changed several times a day.
With summer halfway over, Thomas is not sure how long the season will be for the ice cream shop. Thomas and husband Ben run the trailer during its business hours of 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday to Sunday. Thomas continues to bake for Batter-Up Bakery but has scaled back on custom orders for the summer. “We’re kind of waiting to see how it goes and to see how burned out we are at the end of the season,” said Thomas, who added she has two employees helping at the trailer.
For now, Thomas is enjoying the ride. “We’re very grateful for the name that we’ve created and the love we’ve gotten from the community over the years,” Thomas said.
Follow the business Facebook page for updates.
Correction: Owner’s name is Rachael Thomas. The article originally had her first name misspelled as Rachel.
