Envision Your Best Wedding Cake and Make It Happen

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Running my own business, working from home and getting paid to do what I love has been a dream come true!

Hi, my name is Katie of Kakes by Katie and I’m a cake baker/decorator. I am home based and have been doing this for 15 years. I am self-taught and absolutely love what I do. I have been awarded couples choice by Wedding Wire 2013-2016 and best of 2016 by Thumbtack. Running my own business, working from home and getting paid to do what I love has been a dream come true!

How did you become a wedding baker?

I worked for a major grocery store decorating birthday cakes etc. when I realized how unhappy I was. I finally got the chance to decorate a wedding cake and fell in love with the design process. I decided to quit my job and start my business. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.

How would you describe your style?

I love a simply iced cake with a few fresh flowers or a small ribbon around the bottom of each tier for a pop of color.

I’m not sure I have a specific style but if I had to attach a description to it I’d have to say minimal and monochromatic. I feel like less is more when it comes to cakes. I love a simply iced cake with a few fresh flowers or a small ribbon around the bottom of each tier for a pop of color.

Where can I find the best options for wedding cakes?

The best options for finding your perfect wedding cake are to do your research.

The best options for finding your perfect wedding cake are to do your research. Not all bakers are created equal nor will they all be a perfect fit for you. Meet with at least three bakers to get a feel on pricing, flavor choices and what exactly each one offers. Some bakers have a minimum serving rule while others might offer a free 1st-anniversary cake. Be prepared when you do meet with a baker with at least a vision of what you want and take with you any inspirational photos as well as color swatches and anything else you might want to be incorporated into your cake.

What is the fanciest dessert you have produced for a wedding?

I only do cakes and cupcakes so I can’t name a fancy dessert I’ve done. I feel like I can’t be good at everything so I just concentrate on my cake baking skills. I do try and come up with a new cake flavor at least once a month and rotate my flavor menu for each season. I am starting to think about offering macaroons and cake shooters.

What are some creative cake flavors?

Some of my most popular flavors are my white chocolate cake with a raspberry mousse, French vanilla cake with an orange dream sickle creme, lemon cake with a blueberry mousse and coconut cake with a pineapple creme with fresh pineapple bits. I’m toying around with a pistachio cake with a dark chocolate ganache. Yum!

What are the cutting edge designs for wedding cakes?

The biggest craze is the “naked cake” which is barely iced and you can see some of the cake through the icing.

There are several trends happening right now. The biggest craze is the “naked cake” which is barely iced and you can see some of the cake through the icing. Another is modern minimalistic and Art Deco is pretty popular right now.

Please explain your pricing structure.

For brides on a budget, I do offer kitchen cakes. These are plain iced sheet cakes that are kept in the kitchen, sliced and served alongside a smaller wedding cake. They are much less per serving so perfect for larger weddings.

Do you have a portfolio of previous cakes you have prepared?

I welcome new designs and ideas and can replicate most designs.

Yes, I have three large portfolios that my brides are able to view at our consultations. I also have over 500 pictures on my phone I can pull up and send to brides inquiring about a certain design. I welcome new designs and ideas and can replicate most designs. If I feel like I can’t create something similar to what a bride wants, I’ll refer them to someone who I think could.

What was the most difficult request you have handled?

Well, I have to say I’ve been blessed with all of my brides so far and haven’t really had any difficult requests. If I do have a bride that wants something that is not achievable, I try to explain to them the reasons why and we come up with something that is more realistic. If I had to pick something I would say it was a cake that was so tall I had to get on a step ladder to place the topper.