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When Elizabeth Santin was a small child, she would climb upon a chair and help her grandmother bake gingerbread cookie men. As soon as her daughters Karina and Amanda were old enough, Elizabeth introduced them to the joys of creating homemade cookies, cakes and brownies. Her love of baking was so intense that she would gather the girls and her husband, Miami Springs Councilman Jorge Santin, to watch the Cake Boss television series.
Before long, Elizabeth’s relatives and friends realized she had a knack for baking and began asking her to provide her sugary confections for birthday parties and school events. In 2015, she took a leap of faith and opened Twice as Sweet bakery in Miami Springs, where she delights customers with both classic favorites and creative confections.
“This year marks the 10th anniversary of Twice as Sweet. I love that it’s Miami Springs’ little hometown bakery,” says Elizabeth, a 35-year employee of American Airlines who hurries home from the airport in time to open at noon Tuesdays through Saturdays.
“Twice as Sweet is my haven and provides me with peace of mind. For the community, it has become a cherished community gathering place. We kept busy baking right through Covid and began offering ‘make your own’ cookie and cake decorating kits to keep kids from getting bored at home,” she adds.
Elizabeth says her bakery began as a small dream on a shoestring budget and that she’s learned a lot about baking by watching YouTube videos and through old-fashioned trial and error. She’s a one-woman show although during busy times additional help is brought in.
Among the bakery’s most popular items are custom-made cookies, cannolis, brownies, cupcakes and cakes for any occasion.
“Birthday cakes can be ready in two days, but wedding cakes are larger and more complicated and we need a couple of months’ notice to create those. We’ve even made divorce cakes,” Elizabeth says with a smile.
Beyond its menu, Twice as Sweet has always been rooted in community. Over the past decade, the bakery has partnered with local schools, churches, and organizations, donating baked goods, supporting fundraisers, and sponsoring neighborhood events.
Twice as Sweet is located at 75 N. Royal Poinciana Boulevard in Miami Springs. The bakery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 noon to 7 p.m. More information can be found on Instagram at @twiceassweet.
