Lara de la Rosa’s goal has always been to make the “plant-based lifestyle more accessible, affordable, and culturally relevant.”

And accomplishing that goal has been a piece of cake through her business, Lazy Cow Bakery – which has officially outgrown her home kitchen.

Lazy Cow Bakery opened in the summer of 2020 as an online bakery, selling delicious old-school-styled vegan cakes and custom creations to its many happy customers.

Along with the online shop, Lara and her baking team hosted themed pop-up events – as many as they could despite pandemic set-backs – allowing people to buy her dreamy pastel cakes and other desserts in person.

And now – the timing ripe for expansion – Lazy Cow is hoping that community support will help bring their vision into fruition.

That vision goes far beyond selling cakes.

Lazy Cow has launched a GoFundMe to open a brick-and-mortar in the downtown Fremont, a lively and colorful North Seattle neighborhood that is quickly becoming a vegan haven.

The Lazy Cow team wants to keep this tradition going and plans to use the space as both a cafe and a cultural center, calling it Casa del Xolo (pronounced “sholo”).

Through Casa del Xolo, Lara wants to educate the community on social justice issues impacting people both locally and globally, and plans on hosting guest speakers, showcasing local filmmakers, and utilizing the venue for music events and artwork.

“We hope to be a platform for social justice issues affecting our community. We want to aid other minority communities in the fight against racial oppression,” Lara states on their GoFundMe page.

“We are taking a hard stance against all forms of oppression, and this includes all marginalized communities: indigenous folks, Black and Brown people, immigrant communities, disabled people, non-human persons, women, the LGBT+ community, and the fight for climate justice.

“Keeping in mind our particular perspectives as Mexican-Americans, we want to explore how all of these issues are connected and how we can become better advocates for change.”

The center will also have a free food pantry and community fridge to support those in need. 

Lazy Cow’s Cafe Will Showcase A Variety of Sweet Treats & Locally-Roasted Coffee

Quality options for vegan cake in Seattle are still quite limited despite the ever-growing demand for vegan options; this plays to their advantage, as Lazy Cow is one of very few bakeries and cafes operating with a fully vegan kitchen.

In addition to the iconic cakes, the cafe will feature both savory and sweet treats, including croissants, macaroons, and some made with staple Mexican favorites like house-made salsas and nopales. They will also include some gluten-free items.

Along with advocating for veganism, the cafe aims to be highly sustainable by practicing low-waste solutions and partnering with environmentally conscious companies.

One of their cafe partners is Fluffy Cow Coffee, a sustainable and small-batch roaster located in the PNW that shares a portion of their proceeds with local animal sanctuaries. 

How To Support Lazy Cow Bakery

With your help, Lazy Cow will become a much-needed gathering space for learning, connecting, and community-building. Did we also mention there will be cake? 

Here are two ways to support Lazy Cow Bakery’s mission:

• Donate to their cafe: GoFundMe.

• Order a cake: visit www.lazycowbakeryseattle.com

Photography supplied by Beki Tomasello for Plumme
leplumme.com;Bekitomasello.com