Where Books and Baked Goods Meet

Mockingbird Bakery is located in the heart of Rochester, Illinois. We specialize in wedding cakes, custom cakes, cookies, pastries and much more! Browse what we have to offer and be sure to stop in and see us soon! 

Photo by Chris McDonald

My Story


My love of baking began as a child making Christmas cookies with my mom to share with family and friends. 


What started in my mom’s kitchen led to a certificate in Patisserie & Baking from Le Cordon Bleu Texas Culinary Academy, a prestigious internship at Colette’s Cakes in New York City, and a position decorating cakes alongside the amazing Milette Raz at Alliance Bakery in Chicago.  


A dream a decade in the making, Mockingbird Bakery is my heart and soul poured into hand made baked goods. It is a place where all can gather, slow down, and enjoy life. 

Behind the Name


A good book and a cup of coffee is my idea of heaven. Throw in a warm baked good – bliss. My daughter and I share a love of reading and want to incorporate books into the bakery of my dreams. Mockingbird Bakery is named for one of the best novels of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird, and will have a bookshelf stocked with books for our customers to read.
We are believers in the power of reading.


– Kathryn Elder, owner and head baker –