Sisters bring For Goodness Cakes from food truck to Wading River bakery
When Samantha Eiserman and Sydney Ferraro launched For Goodness Cakes Co. from a food truck in 2019, they were certain of one thing: They never wanted a storefront.
Seven years later, the sisters are welcoming customers into their first brick-and-mortar bakery in Wading River.
“Over time, we realized it would be nice not to rely entirely on a truck,” Ms. Ferraro told the Riverhead News-Review on Wednesday. “We were spending extra hours every day loading, unloading and cleaning it before coming back here to finish work. Eventually we thought, ‘Wait a minute, this could be easier.'”
Their 1997 Chevy food truck hasn’t been idling. The Port Jefferson natives still plan to bring it to communities throughout eastern Long Island, depending on the week.
In 2019, Ms. Eiserman, 35, quit her job in sales and Ms. Ferraro, 31, left her job as a recipe developer for a chocolate company to pour their energy into a food truck business that offered a rotating lineup of desserts, giving customers something new to try each week. As they posted daily on social media, their following grew — along with customer requests for new creations.
“We have a really good mix of new customers and longtime regulars,” Ms. Ferraro said. “One customer suggested a blueberry pancake cinnamon bun a few years ago. We tried it and now it’s one of our best sellers.”
The business took off just as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of daily life in 2020. Their loyal customers searched for small moments of comfort and connection during a difficult time.
“People gave us thank you cards when visiting the truck in 2020 because we gave them a chance to reconnect with friends and family during a difficult time,” Ms. Eiserman said.
The success led the sisters to open the Wading River location at 6278 Route 25 as a commercial kitchen for cookies, cakes, cannoli and other desserts. Customers could pick up mobile orders there, but the space was not open as a traditional bakery.
That changed after a November 2025 fire at a neighboring pizzeria caused smoke and water damage and forced the business out of its space. There was no fire inside For Goodness Cakes Co., but the sisters were unable to use the building for months.
Rather than simply rebuild the kitchen, Ms. Ferraro and Ms. Eiserman saw an opportunity to turn the space into the storefront bakery customers see today. For Goodness Cakes opened Memorial Day weekend.
For Ms. Ferraro, pursuing a career in baking was something she always knew she wanted to do. Ever since her mother would bring home different cake, cookie or brownie mixes, Ms. Ferraro would bake them for her family — cementing it as a passion rather than a hobby.
“Since fourth grade, I always said I wanted to be a baker and open a bakery,” Ms. Ferraro said. “We had a class project where we drew ourselves in the future, and I drew myself as a baker, with the baker’s hat on inside a bakery.”
If her fourth-grade self could see what she has accomplished, she said it would make sense to her. The only surprise would be that her sister is doing it with her.
This collaboration with her sister wasn’t expected, but it clicked. Ms. Ferraro brought the baking expertise and a knack for social media, while Ms. Eiserman studied business in college. In 2018, Ms. Ferraro bought the truck, setting the business in motion.
The store’s best sellers include banana pudding, rainbow cookies, double chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon buns and cannoli-inspired desserts.
The sisters also offer nostalgic treats, such as Hostess Ring Dings and Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies.
For Goodness Cakes is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., with Wednesday and Thursday reserved for preparation. It is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Their reputation for delicious treats has spread from their humble origins. Ms. Eiserman said customers have told her they met people in New York City who already knew the truck or bakery.
“It’s surreal,” Ms. Eiserman said. “Seeing lines outside or hearing that people know us from far away is still strange. It doesn’t feel real that this is our life.”
