Author Archives: Pat

Another great family story submitted to the web site: Growing up in the metropolitan area I have fond memories of my grandparents and parents bringing me to Shuman’s for delicious treats and picking up our jelly cake for Christmas morning. I’m so glad I was able to share the memory with my children before you […]

A great reminiscence we would have posted sooner, except we also had jelly cakes stacked everywhere this holiday season!… In 1974, I was sixteen and following my older sister, Lorrie, when I landed my first job at Shuman’s Bakery, when it was located on South Washington Street. It had been her first job also. When […]

Another wonderful family memory of Shuman’s and Shuman’s jelly cake: My mother just loved Shuman’s jelly cake. Every year for her birthday, someone from the family would go to the bakery (first on King Street, later on South Washington) and get a cake. As she got older, I would stop at the bakery whenever I […]

More great memories of Shuman’s: MY GRANDMOTHER, HELEN ACTON, WORKED AT THE BAKERY EARLY 1900, I AM NOW 71, WHEN MY BROTHERS AND I WERE LITTLE DURING WWII, WE WOULD GO DOWN TO THE BAKERY AND THEY WOULD GIVE US A COOKIE, WHAT A TREAT THAT WAS, MAMA WOULD BUY CREAM PUFFS, OR JELLY CAKE, […]

From another long-time Shuman’s customer: We were married in 1961 and had our reception at the old George Mason Hotel on Washington St. Shuman’s Bakery made our wedding cake. It was beautiful and very delicious. We were both raised in Alexandria and went to school here. Shuman’s jelly cakes were always a treat.

From another family passing down the jelly cake tradition: My family goes back 6 generations in Alexandria and Shuman’s was always a part of our lives as we were growing up. My grandparents ( Simpsons) lived at 419 Queen St. We were related to almost everyone in Alexandria. King St. was the place everyone went, […]

My great great grandmother lived on Prince Street in Alexandria, generations in that Prince St. home lived on. My family has had a jelly cake on their Christmas table for as long as I can remember. The reason I call it the Family Tradition Extended is that over the years my children have dated different […]

I am 54 years old and have been eating at Shuman’s Bakery since they were located on King St. My parents Robert & Shirley Beavers have enjoyed the jelly cake as long as I can remember. My mama had a friend that worked for Shuman’s many years ago,Ann Childers(now deceased). All my life Shuman’s jellly […]

From a jelly cake fan: I can’t remember Christmas morning without Shuman’s Jelly Cake and Nora’s (Mom) ambrosia. The ambrosia was just fresh fruit and was delicious with the jelly cake. When cousins visited throughout they day their highlight of Christmas was a piece of jelly cake. We continued to get the jelly cake until […]

It’s snowing today in Alexandria, which seems an appropriate backdrop for revisiting the “Remembering Shuman’s Now and Then” feature on the Shuman’s web site.  First, a belated thank you to Shuman’s customers for a great holiday season.  It was indeed a busy one–so busy that we’ve gotten a bit behind with posting some wonderful submissions […]