High Street Memories: Cake queen Alice Bennett on Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn

Alice Bennett, best known for her cake empire Miss Trixie Drinks Tea, spent her MLC high school years on Glenferrie Road Hawthorn; a strip many students in the leafy east would frequent once the bell rang.

From a regular visit to the local fish and chip shop to French patisseries that resonated with her teen sweet tooth in Year 9, the strip brings back all the memories for Bennett – whose grandfather Gerry Phillips was also once the mayor of Hawthorn.

Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Picture: Eugene Hyland

Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Picture: Eugene Hyland

These days, Bennett calls Carlton home; and co-founded Co-Bakes Space with fellow baker Alisha Henderson of Sweet Bakes fame.

From their Swan St Richmond bakehouse, she’s living her icing on the cake dream; and it’s here that Bennett whips up made-to-order and bespoke cakes for any occasion while also hiring their space out for retail pop-ups and collaborations.

Bennett, who started her cake business four years ago, swapped a career in PR and Marketing, for a side hustle cake curiosity that’s since turned into a lucrative move. And of course, any excuse for her to get nostalgic with her cake creations – these tiered delights often come with upbeat slogans, lollies on top and nod to an era from the past too.

The Nissan ambassador delivers cakes to clients in her Qashqai vehicle – the most she’s crammed in was a recent order of 900 cake biscuits and 300 slices of cake.

Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Picture: Eugene Hyland

More walks down memory lane:

• Chyka Keebaugh on High Street, Armadale
• The Design Files’ Lucy Feagins on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
• Shaun Micallef on growing up in Clovelly Park, Adelaide

Earliest memories

My earliest memory of Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn goes back to when I started Year 7 at MLC in 2003. I have fabulous memories of how vibrant and colourful it was, particularly as after going to a primary school in North Balwyn which was a lot quieter by comparison. It was full of life and character.

The most iconic memory was walking up Glenferrie Road towards Kew. We made a lot of friends across different schools this way; and got to chat to the boys who went to school nearby.

Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Picture: Eugene Hyland

Local character

There was a great fish and chip shop at the top of Glenferrie Road – we’d order potato cakes for 20 cents. The owners were always excited when the school kids came in for the mad rush.

There was also a milk at the top of the street where we’d buy our Sunny Boys for under $2 – that’s definitely not there anymore but a very nostalgic moment in time for sure. I spent a lot of time on this road hanging with friends who are still in my life today.

Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Picture: Eugene Hyland

A favourite that’s no-longer

There was also a restaurant called Thai Thai – it’s not there anymore. When we had the ability to go out for lunch time as we got older at school, and we’d go for satay chicken and rice.

It was very basic school diet – but amazing! We’d sit out the front on the floor on our school bags. I once spotted actress Kat Stewart who was big in Offspring at the time, and thinking wow she eats here too. How fab!

Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Picture: Eugene Hyland

One that’s stood the test of time

Cones Ice-Cream and Gelato is where we also used to go for ice-cream. It’s still there and I don’t know if it’s the same owners, but the Italians who ran it while I was at school were always warm and happy to see us.

The strip has changed a lot up the top end of Barkers Road Hawthorn, with lots of new buildings being built. The architecture has changed so much in 20 years. One of my subjects at high school was French patisserie.

I admit I did have a sweet tooth very early on in life. Chapel Bakery was a regular spot we’d go and I’d order the mille-feuille. I am a vanilla custard girl and remember we went her on a school excursion to see them make the cakes.

Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Picture: Eugene Hyland

Another long-time favourite

Liar Liar – it’s technically around the corner on Kinkora Road – but it’s a great café that locals love. It’s where you went to experience that first wave of café culture and eat smashed avocado on toast in Melbourne.

Everyone went there for brunch before it was really a thing – they were ahead of the curve for sure. I always ordered the banana bread with whipped mascarpone. It is out of this world and made with burnt torched bananas.

If you could get a table, you’d count yourself lucky. We’d wait an hour sometimes for this iconic small café.  I also loved to drop in and buy chocolates at Haigh’s Chocolates in Hawthorn too.

Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn. Picture: Eugene Hyland