At Karen's Sweets in Lower Saucon Township, delectable baked goods are made the old-fashioned way--with love.

From pumpkin roll to whoopie pies to wedding cakes, the home-based bakery on Waldheim Road is a testament to its owner and her knack for hand-crafting tempting treats in a way that supermarkets and factory-style bakeries simply can't replicate.

The "Karen" in Karen's Sweets is Karen Sauerwine, who has been baking from scratch most of her life, having learned the art of all things dough-based from her mother and grandmother.

"We always had to have some kind of dessert after lunch and supper," she said during a recent interview, adding that two of the prized recipes handed down to her are for buttermilk coffee cake and shoo-fly pie.

Many local readers may recall that Sauerwine formerly operated a shop at the north end of Main Street in Hellertown for several years, until she downsized by moving her business home, where she bakes in a commercial-style kitchen.

The decision to give up her retail location in 2010 was not an easy one, she said, but the high cost of renting the storefront combined with the rising price of many ingredients and the sagging economy made it the right call.

That's partly because Sauerwine is not one to cut corners or skimp on quality products, even when purchasing them could affect her bottom line.

"I buy Gold Medal flour," she said, adding that it costs more because it isn't available from the distributor who supplies her with ingredients.

Unlike many other bakeries, whenever possible Sauerwine also works closely with customers to create baked goods according to their specifications.

If someone brings her a request for something she's never heard of, she'll try to add her to her repertoire of recipes, she explained. And when it comes to designing wedding and birthday cakes, she's not afraid to go out on a limb to help design a cake that perfectly suits the special occasion or honoree.

Sauerwine also gives back to the community by partnering with Via of the Lehigh Valley to help provide on-the-job training to adults with developmental disabilites.

When a Via staff member brings a trainee to her kitchen, Sauerwine said she typically spends a few hours with that person, helping to teach him or her about baking.

The hope is that the training will ultimately help Via clients find meaningful employment, along with a degree of independence.

"It's just a way of helping them realize what's going on," Sauerwine said modestly.

In addition to baking to order for individual customers, Sauerwine also keeps busy by supplying two popular local eateries with desserts.

Her current commercial clients are the Springtown Inn in Springfield Township, Bucks County, and Ecco Domani in Coopersburg, and Karen's Sweets is also represented at the weekly ArtsQuest Farmers' Market at SteelStacks.

The market--which is currently in its first season--is open Saturdays from noon to 4pm through March 31 on the first floor of the ArtsQuest Center at 101 Founders Way in South Bethlehem.

In the warmer months, Sauerwine can be found selling a variety of breads, pies, pastries, muffins, cakes and coffee at her booth at the weekly Saucon Valley Farmers' Market in Hellertown, where her husband, George--who also helps in the kitchen--is also very involved.

The Saucon Valley Farmers' Market will open for its 2012 season on Sunday, May 6, and remain open Sundays from 9am to 1pm through mid-November.

The Sauerwines said one of the reasons they enjoy being a part of the six-year-old market is the camaraderie that exists among the local businesses that participate. For Karen, it's also an opportunity to be a retailer again, without all the responsibilities that go along with having a full-time retail shop.

Since Karen's Sweets is a home-based bakery, there is no retail store on-site, but the bakery is fully licensed and state inspected.

Customers can pick up orders at the bakery at 1858 Waldheim Road or at the SteelStacks farmers' market, or they can have them delivered (for a $7 fee) if they live in the Hellertown-Bethlehem area.

Most baked goods can also be shipped (with the exception of decorated cakes) according to the Karen's Sweets website, which offers lists of available products, including breads, wedding cakes, birthday cakes, pies, cookies and holiday specialties.

Customers should note that most orders can be filled within three days, but special orders--such as wedding cakes--typically take longer.

For more information about Karen's Sweets, or to place an order, call 610-838-1085 or email gsauerwine@verizon.net.