If I could only eat baked goods for the rest of my life, I’d be one very happy girl. From buttery croissants and sugar-coated morning buns to flaky pies and golden quiches, there’s a pastry to suit every time of day and every craving. When travelling around Australia, I tend to go out of my way to visit the hottest new bakery or a local hidden gem – but driving three hours for a single baked good might be my new record.
In late September, I headed to Canberra for Floriade, Australia’s largest flower festival. It had been a while since my last trip to the nation’s capital, and I was keen to check out this year’s science-themed floral displays. But let’s be honest: the flowers weren’t my main motivation. What really pushed this trip over the line was the chance to visit Under Bakery for what I’m calling Australia’s best cardamom bun.
This humble suburban bakery in Mawson started out as a local farmers' market stall, specialising in freshly baked cardamom and cinnamon buns. It was a passion project for owner Lach Cutting, who had just returned from a trip to Copenhagen, where he worked as a chef and spent his days off cycling around the city hunting down the best cardamom buns (Juno the Bakery was his top find).
Cutting says, “I had no experience in baking bread or pastries…so I started testing different dough recipes from home until I thought they were good enough to sell. I was at a farmers' market for a year before we had the opportunity to open a shopfront.”
I first tried one of Under’s Swedish-inspired baked goods back in 2020, when they were only wholesaling to local cafés. Folded with butter and plaited with the perfect dash of spices, it instantly became one of the best baked goods I’d ever eaten. It was also my first introduction to cardamom buns – a traditional Scandinavian pastry that’s slightly less sweet than my go-to cinnamon bun.
Cutting has spent years perfecting the recipe, with his team now making around 1,500 buns every week, including other fan favourites like cinnamon and vanilla.
“We make the dough the day before baking and it develops in the fridge overnight. We then shape the buns first thing in the morning, proof them, and bake them fresh just before we open the doors,” Cutting explains.
Five years on from my first taste of Under’s cardamom buns, I can confirm they’re as good as I remembered. Each bite feels like a warm hug – familiar, indulgent and absolutely addictive. The soft spiral releases a comforting aroma of freshly baked dough layered with sweet spices, while the subtle cardamom flavour lingers on the palate and the sticky brown sugar glaze adds the perfect touch of sweetness.
If you plan on making the trip to Canberra, you’ll want to arrive early. Under Bakery sells out of its buns and bread most days, plus their spongy, oven-fresh focaccia with toppings like potato, béchamel and crispy kale. This was my first time visiting Under's brick-and-mortar shop in Mawson, and I was pleased to see a long line of locals waiting patiently for their bullar (the secret is most definitely out). Under Bakery is open Wednesday to Sunday from 8am until sold out.