'Something special.' New bakery in Prospect whips up sweet treats made with love

Lupna Altjjar wasn't always a good baker, with her passion for the craft sometimes outweighing her skill.

"I remember once I tried to make a cake for my nephew and I was crying in the kitchen. My husband came in and asked what was wrong, and I told him the cake was bad. I had promised my nephew a cake," Altjjar told the Courier Journal. "We had to go to the store and buy a cake, and I spent a lot of money that day because I wanted it to be so good."

But she never gave up. Unexpected downtime during pregnancy with twins meant she had time to pursue her budding passion of giving back to her family through sweets.

It took a lot of practice, but now, the mastermind behind the recently opened Rose Bakery , 13206 W. Hwy 42 in Prospect, can whip up cakes ― and cupcakes, macarons, cookies, coffee, sandwiches, and more ― with ease.

Rose Bakery opened in June and she's been pleased with its reception. Cookies are her best seller, followed by cupcakes, she says.

"I really loved the craft in the beginning," Altjjar said. "I always wanted to do cakes for birthdays."

She runs the bakery alongside her family, but a business in Kentucky wasn't always in the plans. In early 2020, Altjjar hopped on a plane to visit family in Kentucky for a wedding. But once COVID-19 hit, Altjjar could not return home to Saudi Arabia.

While stuck in Kentucky, she gave birth to her twins, even as her husband and son were stuck in Saudi Arabia. Fortunately, doctors helped Altjjar bring her family to the state, where they eventually decided to stay.

"I'm so happy," Altjjar said. "People are so welcoming here."

Rose Bakery, which also sells custom cakes, makes everything from scratch.

"We handmake everything with love. We try to make it taste like it was made at home," Altjjar said. "We really do have something special."

Rose Bakery is open Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed Sunday.

Reach business reporter Bailey Reed at breed1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 'Something special.' New bakery in Prospect whips up sweet treats made with love