3480 Redwood The Best Eclairs in Utah: Remembering Carol’s Bakery

The Walkenhorst Legacy: From Germany to Utah’s Sweet Tooth

Robert and Lena Walkenhorst immigrated from Germany in 1924, bringing with them a deep love for good food and the Old World art of baking. Not long after settling in Utah, Robert began crafting pies at Sugarhouse Bakery, where his skill quickly became well-known. His two sons, Al and Bob, grew up in the warm, fragrant world of flour, sugar, and yeast, learning the trade from their father and carrying his passion into their own careers.

Even while still in high school, Bob was learning the trade from Robert, who had mastered baking back in Germany. Al got his start making pies for restaurant owner Russ Habbenshaw, who named the little shop after his wife, Carol In 1948, an opportunity arose for Al to buy Carol’s Bakery. He invited his father and brother to join him in the venture. People often asked why a bakery run by Al and Bob was called “Carol’s.” Bob would laugh and explain, “Carol was the name of the previous owner’s wife, and we just kept it!”

The Walkenhorst brothers rolled up their sleeves and built a thriving business, sometimes baking between 80 and 125 pies in a single day. In the late 1950’s the brothers opened a Bakery at 3480 South Redwood Road. .

From their 3480 south Redwood Road location in the 1960s, the Walkenhorsts offered a tempting array of treats: cakes, French pastries, and what many claimed were the best eclairs in Utah. Customers could choose from 15 to 20 varieties of bread, seven kinds of sweet rolls, a full lineup of cakes, every pie imaginable, cookies, donuts, and fresh rolls. For decades, Carol’s Bakery—powered by the Walkenhorsts’ hard work and heritage—was a sweet cornerstone of the community.

These days, to taste the Walkenhorsts’ famous eclairs and fresh rolls, you’ll have to make the trip to Carol’s Pastry Shop at 1991 Lincoln Street in Salt Lake City—but some things are worth the drive