Big Bakery: Over 40 affordable old-school bakes like handmade crumble pies, cakes & buns

Old-school neighbourhood bakeries have got to be one of my biggest weaknesses ever. The sweet, yeasty aroma of freshly baked bread, plentiful yet affordable arrays of bakes, an unrivalled sense of comfort and familiarity — what’s not to love?

You’ll catch me walking into any of these bakeries I see. In fact, I’d willingly go the (literal) distance; my latest adventure saw me on a pilgrimage to Tai Seng, where the audaciously named yet humble Big Bakery resides.

Big Bakery sits along Upper Paya Lebar Road, and fits right in with the stretch of old-timey provision shops and eateries that it’s nestled within. Helmed by an endearing middle-aged couple, this quaint bakery has been churning out nostalgic bakes since 1997. It’s been nearly 4 decades, and the space looks like it hasn’t aged a day.

It was hard not to marvel at the sheer variety of bakes on offer; there must’ve been at least 10 multi-tiered display cases and chilled cabinets that housed buns, pastries, cookies, creamed cakes, tarts — you name it. The best part? Most of them come in at under S$2 a pop, catering to workers in the vicinity looking for a fuss-free, affordable breakfast.

To be brutally honest, the bakery’s atmosphere is far from glamorous. Dimly-lit and devoid of air-conditioning, it’s clearly meant to be more of a grab-and-go affair. Regardless, I couldn’t help but take my time to browse through their wares. You can’t blame me; the pictures I’ve included thus far don’t even capture half of what Big Bakery has to offer.

What I tried at Big Bakery

I got the ball rolling with Big Bakery’s most interesting offering: their signature Crumble Pies (S$2.80 per slice).

Correct me if I’m wrong, but crumble pies — or any kind of pie, for that matter — are typically found in atas patisseries or cafes. So, of course, I was stoked to learn that these are the pride and joy of this unassuming old-school bakery.

The crumble pies are available in 4 different flavours: Apple, Banana, Blueberry and Pineapple, of which I opted for the former 2. Each slice exuded a rustic, homemade charm, with golden-brown crumble dusted with powdered sugar atop a thick layer of their respective fruit filling.

As an avid fan of banana pies and pastries, I started off with the Banana Crumble Pie. This photogenic little treat was chock-full of filling enriched with the ripened sweetness of fresh bananas. It was studded with bits of macadamia nuts that lent a crunch to the soft and smooth filling. While I did find the textural contrast a little jarring, I can see how some may enjoy it.

Each forkful of pie was heavily perfumed with cinnamon; although I’m not averse to the fragrant spice, I did think that it was a tad overwhelming here. Thankfully, the buttery crumble and pie crust were there to cut through it and save the day. Is it bad that I found myself picking off big bits of crispy crumble to enjoy on its own?

Moving on, I braced myself for that same truck-like hit of cinnamon as I dug into the Apple Crumble Pie. To my delight, it was a lot more tame, taking a backseat to let the filling take centre stage.

And get this: I’m not typically a fan of apple pie, but I absolutely loved this. The filling had a delicate fruity sweetness imparted by the smooth puree and huge chunks of soft yet crunchy apples that coated my tongue with their candy-like juices. I also enjoyed the buttery contrast and slight crisp that the crumble topping offered. Colour me impressed; I might go straight for the whole pie next time!

Save for the few trivial gripes I had about the Banana Crumble Pie, I totally get the hype behind these crumble pies and how they’ve earned their spot as the bakery’s signature.

Next, I gravitated towards one of my favourite childhood snacks: the Sugar Roll (S$1.50). This delicate creation is said to be made the traditional, old-school way with just eggs, flour and sugar, sans additives.

The cake sponge of the Sugar Roll was so light and fluffy, it was almost cloud-like. It bore pleasant hints of vanilla, complemented by the sweet sugar bits and milky buttercream filling. 

On that note, I have to add that the filling took me by pleasant surprise; it was smooth and melt-in-the-mouth, and didn’t have that off-putting oily texture usually characteristic of buttercream.

Look, if this is what sugar rolls were like in the bygone ‘old-school’ era, just get me a time machine already!

Love Confectionery: Old-school bakery with colourful buttercream cakes & $0.60 buns

Alright, time for a break from the sweets. Enter my next conquest, the Fish Fillet Burger (S$2.40). This is another of my childhood favourites, and one that I still tuck into every now and then. 

It was a simple sandwich — a tasty fried fish fillet wedged in a fluffy bun with refreshing lettuce and creamy, tangy mayonnaise. I’d have preferred if there’d been a squirt of sweet chilli sauce for a bit of spice and an added sweet dimension, though.

I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten enough of such burgers to be able to discern between homemade bread and store-bought ones, and I’m almost certain that the bun here was baked from scratch. Each burger in that display case was shaped differently, and the bread had a soft crumb that my teeth sunk right into. Nothing hits closer to home for me than handmade labour.

I moved on to the second and last of my savoury buns: the Sausage Donut (S$1.50). This ‘quirky’ conch-shaped creation seems to be something of a speciality in neighbourhood bakeries, and you bet I’ve had it and I love it.

For the amateurs, it’s not as much of a donut as it really is a classic sausage bun that is lightly panko-crusted and then deep-fried. The product? A salty chicken frank hugged by soft dough that’s crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. So sinful, yet so good.

For me, any visit to a neighbourhood bakery would not be complete without grabbing some Pandan Cake (S$1.80). Big Bakery’s take on it resembled a super-sized cupcake, so light and fragile that I almost had trouble transferring it to my tray for fear of it tearing or crumbling before I could properly indulge.

I held pretty high hopes for the Pandan Cake, as you can never really go wrong with this quintessential classic. However, my expectations were unfortunately let down as it turned out dry and crumbly rather than spongy and moist. It lacked that pronounced pandan fragrance or flavour as well, and was instead riddled with citrusy notes oddly reminiscent of orange chiffon.

I concluded the feast on a sweet note with yet another neighbourhood classic: the Chocolate Tart (S$1.90). It was pretty hefty compared to others I’ve come across, effectively matching its relatively higher price point.

While the crunchy, buttery crust wasn’t too shabby, I didn’t quite enjoy the chocolate filling. It tasted like cheap chocolate, with negligible notes of cocoa. It also had a somewhat oily texture that was rather unpleasant. If you’re looking for something to satisfy your cocoa cravings, this would, sadly, not cut it. However, I can see how it might do the trick for someone hankering for a nostalgic treat.

Final Thoughts

With unique creations and nostalgic favourites in over 40 varieties, Big Bakery is clearly not your average neighbourhood bakery. I’d make a special trip down for that buttery, juicy Apple Crumble Pie and cloud-like Sugar Roll again; they really aren’t to be missed. That aside, there’s so much more of their huge range of bakes that I’ve yet to uncover. You’ll definitely catch me there again!

Expected damage: S$1.50 – S$5 per pax

Garden Pastry & Cake: 45-year-old bakery with orh nee cake rolls and old-school bakes in Aljunied

Order Delivery: foodpanda