Schedule and Instructors

THE BAKE FEST HOLIDAY EDITION 2023

EVERY ONE OF THESE LIVE CLASSES IS INCLUDED

All Ticketholders Also Get Recordings of Each Class!

The Bake Fest is an online event that will be held from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM CDT (GMT-5) on September 30, 2023 and October 1, 2023. We realize that based on your time zone you may not be able to attend the entire event. That’s why your ticket includes event recordings available for one year after the event so that you’ll be able to catch up on anything you miss and rewatch your favorites.

September 30, 2023

08:30 AM - 09:55 AM

Turning Passion Into Dough

Opening Remarks and Keynote Address

Loren Castle

Join Loren as she shares her inspiring journey from surviving cancer to founding Sweet Loren’s, the #1 natural cookie dough brand in the U.S. Loren will teach you how baking can serve as a therapeutic outlet, how to harness the power of determination, and the significance of mentoring and having a clear purpose. This tale of transformation will teach you the importance of passion, confidence, and integrity in both life and business.

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Connect & Chat

Connect with fellow bakers, speakers, and brands by going to the Networking area

INSTRUCTORS:

Loren Castle

Sponsors:

ClearBags, Fikabröd

10:30 AM - 12:25 PM

Royal Icing 101

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Devon Byerley

Ever try your hat at royal icing? This comprehensive session will walk you through creating the perfect royal icing mix, mastering varied consistencies, troubleshooting those pesky issues, and storing it properly. Plus, get ready for an insightful decorating demo packed with top-tier tips to elevate your designs! Beginner level class: No prior knowledge needed; this is a beginner level class.

Holiday Star Bread

(HANDS-ON CLASS Sponsored by Ankarsrum)

Heather Thomas

Learn to make show-stopping Holiday Star Bread with Heather! This recipe for star bread is layered and filled with rich chocolate, then twisted and shaped to resemble a star or snowflake. It looks like it took hours to design, but it’s easier than you think. In Heather’s class, you’ll learn how to make soft dough using the Ankarsrum Assistent, the importance of ingredients in breadmaking, what to look for when mixing, kneading, shaping and rising your dough, and finally, how to create and present this star bread masterpiece.

Cake to Cash: Mastering the Art of Pricing for Bakers

Taylor Turner

How do you price your baking business products? Taylor Turner will guide you through a crash-course in bakery pricing, exploring the psychology behind pricing, audience targeting, and strategic pricing techniques. By the end, you’ll be equipped with the tools and confidence to set prices that highlight your unique value, ensuring profitability and business growth.

Holiday Gourmet Caramel Apples

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Reva Alexander-Hawk

Join us for a delicious and festive Holiday Gourmet Caramel Apple Class! Learn the art of creating irresistible caramel apples that will be the highlight of any party or make perfect gifts for your loved ones. In this class, you will master apple prep, explore caramel and chocolate varieties, get creative with decorating, learn best practices for storing, and package the apples to perfection. Note: This is a beginner/intermediate class; participants should know how to properly warm chocolate and how to prepare a piping bag for chocolate work.

12:30 PM - 01:30 PM

Connect & Chat

Connect with fellow bakers, speakers, and brands by going to the Networking area

INSTRUCTORS:

Devon Byerley, Heather Thomas, Reva Alexander-Hawk, Taylor Turner

Sponsors:

aspecialtybox.com, ClearBags, Fikabröd (table attendance prize), Retail Bakers of America

01:30 PM - 02:25 PM

The Business of Luxury Wedding Cakes

Alexandria Murray

Unsure of what to focus on in each season of your Wedding Cake Business? Alexandria from Finespun Cakes will take you through what to focus on all year round like: simplifying emails and recipes, nailing your pricing, and improving your online presence. This is the perfect class if you don’t want to feel lost in your off-season like you have nothing to do, or overwhelmed when you’re busy making cakes and not able to keep up with everything between all the admin and baking.

Egg-Free Marshmallows With a Holiday Twist

(HANDS-ON CLASS Sponsored by Amoretti)

Ally Duncan

Are you marshmallow-curious? In this hands-on baking class hosted by Ally, you’ll learn how to make easy egg-free marshmallows from scratch and how to flavor them using Amoretti’s delicious fall flavors, including pumpkin spice, tart apple, or maple praline.

Attract Your Target Customers, Boost Your Sales

Sofy Saavedra

Want to tap into the power of social media? In this class, you’ll delve deep into proven marketing strategies to attract your target audience and discover the common pitfalls that might be pushing them away. Plus, get the lowdown on niche apps designed to amplify your reach. Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools to not just find your audience, but to truly connect and engage with them.

Holiday Hot Chocolate Bombs

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Vannesa Ramirez

You’ve surely seen hot chocolate bombs dazzle your IG feed around the holidays—and you may have indulged in one yourself! When hot milk is poured on top of them, these cute balls of chocolate melt and magically release marshmallows and cocoa hiding inside. In this hands-on class, Vanessa will be teaching you how to make fully decorated and irresistible (read: NOT basic) hot chocolate bombs for your friends and family, or even your customers. Note: this is a beginner class; participants should know how to melt chocolate.

02:30 PM - 02:45 PM

Brand Demos

Stover & Company

Too Good to Go

Learn all about the products and services that our sponsors offer, plus win attendance prizes from select brands.

02:50 PM - 03:05 PM

Brand Demos

ClearBags

Bakers Express

Learn all about the products and services that our sponsors offer, plus win attendance prizes from select brands.

03:10 PM - 03:25 PM

Brand Demos

Amoretti

Aspecialtybox.com, an Oliver Inc. Company

Learn all about the products and services that our sponsors offer, plus win attendance prizes from select brands.

03:30 PM - 04:30 PM

Brand Meet & Greet

Connect with brand representatives and get your questions answered by going to the Networking area

INSTRUCTORS:

Alexandria Murray, Ally Duncan (at the Amoretti table), Sofy Saavedra, Vannesa Ramirez (at the Bakers Express table)

Sponsors:

Amoretti (table attendance prize), Artesão Cookie Molds (cookie demo), aspecialtybox.com, Bakers Express (dipped chocolate demo), ClearBags, Fikabröd (table attendance prize), Stover & Company (table attendance prize), Too Good to Go, Retail Bakers of America

04:30 PM - 05:55 PM

Mirror Glaze Cakes

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Fred Csibi-Levin

Have you ever been captivated by a mirror glaze cake? They’re undeniably beautiful, in person and on social media. Fred will teach you all about these shiny cakes—a revived French technique from 40 years ago—and share the tips, tools and techniques you need to make one of your own. During this class, you will learn the foundations of mirror glazing, how to prepare your own mirror glaze, how to glaze pre-made frozen desserts, and how to prepare and use a spiderweb glaze to use in your Halloween desserts! Note: This is an intermediate baking class.

Maximizing Holiday Sales

Janelle Copeland

Are you a current or aspiring business baker? Imagine *doubling* your holiday sales. In this class, Janelle will teach you how to attract your dream clients and create share-worthy products your customers will love, so you can enjoy the most successful holiday season yet! Other subjects covered in this class include how to plan for *any* holiday so you’re always setting yourself up for success, ideas for creating irresistable products and packaging that will sell, eliminating the guesswork of your menu or offerings, how to determine your holiday pricing to make the most profit, and how to plan your content 2-4 weeks in advance to avoid feeling overwhelmed. You won’t want to miss this incredible business class!

3-D Snow Globe Cookie (Part 1)

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Julia M. Usher

Decorators of all skill levels are encouraged to join Julia in this hands-on session where she’ll show how to make a charming snow globe cookie perfect for special holiday gifts, party favors, and centerpieces. Along the way, you’ll learn several decorating and construction techniques including contoured and embossed cookies, dipping, fondant appliqués, royal icing transfers, multicolor precision-control airbrushing and stenciling, fondant wraps, multi-level assembly, and more.

NOTE: This class will be in two parts, taught on both September 30 and October 1, to allow cookies adequate overnight drying time between steps. Students will need to prep icings and cookies in advance if they want to follow Julia in real time.

06:00 PM - 06:30 PM

End of Day Remarks

Wrap up the first day and WIN prizes

06:30 PM - 08:00 PM

Happy Hour

Kick back and unwind with fellow attendees after a great day of learning by going to the Networking area

INSTRUCTORS:

Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin, Fred Csibi-Levin, Janelle Copeland

Sponsors:

Fikabröd (table attendance prize)

October 1, 2023

08:30 AM - 08:55 AM

Day 2 Welcome Message

Recap of day 1 and learn what to expect on day 2

09:00 AM - 10:55 AM

Autumnal Palette Knife Petals

(HANDS-ON CLASS SPONSORED BY LORANN OILS)

Kala Boulard

Join celebrated cake designer, Kala, as she teaches you the art of palette knife decorating. From the how-to’s of buttercream color mixing using the renowned LorAnn Oils, to the elegance of palette knife painted accents and Kala’s iconic petal design, Kala will share invaluable tips and tricks to elevate your buttercream creations to a whole new level. You’ll also hear the stories behind the cake designs that secured her most prestigious (and highest paying) clients. Note: This class if intended for intermediate bakers. Participants should be comfortable making Swiss meringue buttercream and mixing colors. Before class, participants should practice with Kala’s recipe and have a nicely coated cake ready to go. In their class materials, particpants will be provided with suggested tips and tools for best practices and outcomes.

Gingerbread Artist Techniques You Need to Know to Win Competitions

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Lindsay Deibler

Welcome to the captivating realm of gingerbread artistry! From construction to decor, Lindsay will teach you everything from unique icing methods to techniques for making beautiful and functional edible structure supports. For competitive bakers, you’ll learn the importance of model-making and how to build a story around your gingerbread art.

Branding and Marketing for All Bakers

Pete Tidwell

Your brand is so much more than a logo. Designed for bakers at all levels, Pete Tidewell’s class unravels the secrets of establishing a solid brand identity, mastering content marketing, creating alluring packaging, setting optimal prices, crafting compelling promotions, and more. Delve into legal considerations, sales techniques, and performance tracking to maximize your business’ potential and ensure your delicious treats get the spotlight they deserve.

Cookie Sets

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Renee Terry

Speed up and simplify one of the most seasonally demanding products a home baker could sell: holiday cookie sets. At Renee Terry’s Mastering Minimalism class, you’ll learn how to design fun, creative and cohesive holiday cookie sets using just a single cookie cutter shape. By the end of the session, you’ll be amazed at how simplicity can lead to the most stunning and diverse cookie designs. Get ready to rethink, reframe, and revolutionize your holiday cookie game!

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Connect & Chat

Connect with fellow bakers, speakers, and brands by going to the Networking area

INSTRUCTORS:

Kala Boulard (at the LorAnn Oils table), Lindsay Deibler, Pete Tidwell, Renee Terry

Sponsors:

Fikabröd (table attendance prize), LorAnn Oils (cake decorating demo), Stover & Company (table attendance prize)

12:00 PM - 01:55 PM

Christmas Tie-Dye Buttercream Cake

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Carly Preston

In this hands-on class, you will learn how to make an awesome Christmas tie-dye buttercream cake! Carly will teach you how to pipe and lightly blend buttercream, give your cake a smooth finish, and use buttercream borders and sprinkles to make your tie dye cake really pop. During this class, Carly will show you how to decorate a mini cake and share her tips on how to apply the technique to larger cakes! Note: While this class is recommended for intermediate bakers who have at least some experience with buttercream transfers, all bakers are welcome to participate.

Food Photography on a Budget

Food Photography Corner

Food photography might possibly be THE most important aspect of food marketing—but unlike you might think, it doesn’t have to be expensive! Explore the art of budget food photography with Rosslyn and Mikyla of Food Photography Corner. You’ll learn six budget-friendly methods for photographing food, the three most common camera angles, the basics of continuous artificial light, how to shoot a light & bright scene, and how to edit food photos.

Textured Macaron Christmas Trees

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Megan Knudsvig

Learn the ins and outs of the macaronage technique as we create festive textured macaron Christmas trees together. This hands-on class will teach you how to prepare thick macaron batter perfect for piping textures, the specific prep and baking instructions for textured macarons and multiple piping techniques to create dimension in your macarons in any season. Note: While this class is tailored for intermediate skill levels, it’s recommended that participants possess a foundational understanding of macaron-making.

Cake Decorating Basics

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Katelyn Brewer

Together, you and Sweet Kate will make a spectacularly cute reindeer cake! Kate will take you through from start to finish of how to trim your layers, fill, crumb coat, and decorate with all the tips and tricks from the pros!

02:00 PM - 02:30 PM

Connect & Chat

Connect with fellow bakers, speakers, and brands by going to the Networking area

INSTRUCTORS:

Carly Preston, Food Photography Corner, Julia M. Usher, Katelyn Brewer, Megan Knudsvig

Sponsors:

aspecialtybox.com, Stover & Company (table attendance prize), Retail Bakers of America

02:30 PM - 03:55 PM

How to Build a Brand on YouTube

Ashleigh Winterhalt

YouTube is one of the best and easiest platforms bakers can use to scale their business—and as someone who unlocked her business potential by uploading and editing photos on her iPhone, Ashleigh Winterhalt would know. Ashleigh will show you the type of content that converts, how to create content on a tight schedule, and the nitty-gritty of channel monetization.

Hocus Pocus Halloween Cupcakes

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Brad Lamb

Run amok with Food Network Cake Artist Bradley Rae Lamb’s Hocus Pocus themed cupcake tutorial! We will be making the Sanderson Sisters in a wickedly fun Halloween cupcake class. Winifred, Mary, and Sarah will be sculpted in modeling chocolate and placed on a jumbo cupcake. Follow along with Brad as he shows you how to make these iconic witches step-by-step!

Halloween Treat Boxes

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Precious Simons

Get into the spooky spirit with Precious Simons. In this beginner-friendly session, participants will create a delightful assortment of Halloween treats to fill their treat boxes! From Oreo truffle-filled mini ghosts and vanilla cakesicles to chocolate-draped graham crackers, mini caramel pretzels, and an irresistible chocolate-covered Oreo mummy, you’ll walk away with some truly mystical Halloween delights. No prior skills required; just come with an appetite for fun!

How to Bake the Perfect Sugar Cookies

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Sally McKenney

Join Sally on a journey to master the art of the sugar cookie—including how to achieve soft centers, ensure your cookies hold shape, and even give them that delightful crispy edge. Dive into the science of each ingredient, the crucial sequence of rolling and chilling, and the techniques for flawless cookie cutter shapes. To round it all out, you’ll learn how to enhance your cookies with diverse flavors and finish them with eye-catching decorating techniques. This is an intermediate level class. Participants will need a mixer, rolling pin, and cookie cutters. A 12×17-inch baking sheet is helpful, as well as parchment paper OR silicone baking mats.

04:00 PM - 04:30 PM

Connect & Chat

Connect with fellow bakers, speakers, and brands by going to the Networking area

INSTRUCTORS:

Ashleigh Winterhalt, Brad Lamb, Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin, Precious Simons, Sally McKenney

Sponsors:

aspecialtybox.com, Artesão Cookie Molds (cookie demo), Stover & Company (table attendance prize)

04:30 PM - 06:25 PM

Low Sugar Baking - S'Mores Edition

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Bev Hansen

Love s’mores but don’t love all the sugar? Bev Hansen is here with the skinny on low sugar baking. As you make the perfect (low-sugar) s’more, you’ll perfect the art of the Swiss meringue technique and craft delicious pâte sablée. This class is designed for beginners who are familiar with using a stand mixer and practicing stove safety. Please note, young bakers need adult supervision to ensure safety, especially when working with hot liquids.

Learn How to Make Great Pies

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin

Fellow pie lovers, unite! Chris and Paul will teach you the pie-making methods that led them to win the National Pie Championships. This hands-on baking session will teach you how to reliably make the perfect pie dough that bakes up golden, tender, crisp, and delicious; how to roll pie dough and blind bake a pie crust; and all about the different thickeners that are used for fruit pies. Along the way, Chris & Paul will be baking and sharing the recipe for an amazing (and adaptable) cranberry apple pie.

3-D Snow Globe Cookie (Part 2)

(HANDS-ON CLASS)

Julia M. Usher

06:30 PM - 08:00 PM

Crafting a Legacy: My Journey to the Sweet Life

Closing Keynote Address, Prizes, and Remarks

Cheryl Day

This year’s Closing Keynote Address will be hosted by Cheryl Day, one of the South’s most respected bakers. Cheryl will share how she built her legacy business from scratch, honoring the deep history of baking passed from generation to generation in her family. Cheryl’s great-great-grandmother was an enslaved pastry cook famous for her biscuits and cakes—and in her life, Cheryl has honed her own legacy from the conversations she’s had with grandmothers, great-aunts and sister-bakers, turning her passion for collecting local cookbooks and handwritten recipes into a career that preserves and celebrates the craft of from-scratch Southern baking.

In addition to this inspirational closing keynote address, find out if you’ve won any of the prizes.

08:00 PM - 09:00 PM

After Party

Have fun hanging out with your new baking besties by going to the Networking area

INSTRUCTORS:

Bev Hansen, Cheryl Day

Sponsors:

Fikabröd (table attendance prize)

Meet Our WORLD-CLASS Instructors

Loren Castle

@sweetlorens 🔗

Loren Castle is an entrepreneur on a mission to make clean food delicious and more accessible. After overcoming cancer after college, Loren cut out most dairy, artificial, and highly processed ingredients. When she couldn’t find anything to satisfy her sweet tooth, she made up my own recipes. Sweet Loren’s was born. As the CEO & Founder of Sweet Loren’s, Loren is transforming what it means for food to be convenient, insanely tasty, and more sustainable. Sweet Loren’s ranked #114 in the 2019 Inc. 500 fastest growing private companies in the U.S., and Loren was chosen as part of the 2019 Inc. Female Founders 100 for building one of America’s most innovative and ambitious businesses.

Cheryl Day

@cherylday 🔗

Cheryl Day is a New York Times bestselling cookbook author and a James Beard award finalist who enriches lives through the art of scratch baking and storytelling. Cheryl established the beloved Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Georgia in 2002 with her husband Griff, where they’ve built a loyal local and national following, and have become adored for their down-home baking style. Cheryl is the co-founder of Southern Restaurants for Social Justice, which has raised over 3 million dollars to support and amplify Black owned restaurants all over the country. She’s also the creator of the Lift Every Voice Series, which highlights emerging Black chefs. Be sure to look for her on Milk Street’s My Family Recipe and Milk Street Radio, and follow Cheryl on Instagram @cherylday, where she lives out her mantra to “slow down and enjoy the sweet life.”

Alexandria Murray

@finespuncakess 🔗

Alexandria started Finespun Cakes as a luxury cake business back in 2015, renting out odd catering kitchens and making sugar flowers at her kitchen counter. Since then, she’s opened a cake studio in Toronto, had over 600 students go through her online courses, and grown her social media following to over 200k fellow cake makers and appreciators. She’s been featured in wedding and cake magazines, blogs, podcasts, and was one of Wedluxe’s top 10 Wedding Cake Designers for 2023. Alexandria has a love of creating sugar flowers, piped cakes, and helping other cake decorators navigate their own creative journeys and businesses.

Ally Duncan

@sugarpusher 🔗

Ally Burnett Duncan, better known as Sugar Pusher across social media platforms, is a pastry chef, chocolatier, and full-time digital content creator. Ally’s engaging baking videos have been shared by the likes of Buzzfeed, 9Gag, and even Britney Spears. Ally has passionately partnered with Amoretti for years to create fun recipes and content centered around their products. One of her favorite applications for Amoretti products is making unique, delicious, and sometimes even strange marshmallow flavors!

Ashleigh Winterhalt

@sdbakeshoppe 🔗

Ashleigh teaches over 400 students the joy of musical theater by day, and by night, she is a content creator teaching her 300K (and growing) subscribers of all ages with her detailed, easy-to-follow cake and cookie decorating tutorials. She has been a dessert decorator and professional educator for over a decade and began creating dessert tutorials and baking business content on YouTube in 2020. After continuously uploading nearly every day for the last few years, she has amassed over 90+ million views worldwide.

Bev Hansen

@bevs.custom.bakery 🔗

As a classically-trained pastry chef and owner of Bev’s Custom Bakery, Bev enjoys teaching the foundations (and fixes!) for baking and decorating cookies, cakes, isomalt, and savory treats to her students of all ages and abilities, both in-person and online.

Brad Lamb

@bradleyraelamb 🔗

From his teenage years working in bakeries, Bradley Rae Lamb has carved out a remarkable career as a trained scratch baker and pastry chef, with a specialty in edible artistry. Leveraging his fine arts background from the University of Central Missouri and Harrington Institute in Chicago, Bradley applies the mediums of fondant and food coloring into edible art, a talent that has been honed further under the mentorship of renowned Chef Sharin Nathan in Chicago. Bradley’s work has been featured on the Food Network, including the “Back to the Future” edition of the Food Network Challenge, Road to Halloween Wars 2021, and Season 3 of Holiday Wars. A finalist in the 2022 Cake Star competition, both in the Sculpted Bust category and the Painted Cakes category, Bradley works at the intersection of culinary art and painting, and has established himself as a prominent figure in the dynamic world of edible artistry.

Carly Preston

@adventures_in_yum 🔗

Carly is a content creator who loves to constantly experiment and try new things in the kitchen. Carly has grown a large following via her blog and YouTube channel, where her 50K subscriber community enjoys her tie-dye mini cake videos, savory creations, drinks, food reviews and more. Carly’s tie-dye buttercream is inspired by her family’s love of tie-dye, and she’s so excited to share her process at this fun & colorful bake-along class.

Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin

@floursugarbutter 🔗

Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin are trained scientists, baking enthusiasts, and cookbook authors based in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. While they make all types of baked goods, their current focus is on pies as well as wholesale and custom-decorated cookies. Their just-released second cookbook, Fabulous Modern Cookies, focuses on modern flavors and novel techniques for baking all types of cookies. Their debut cookbook, The New Pie, was nominated for two IACP cookbook awards. You can follow them on social media @floursugarbutter.

Devon Byerley

@sugarcatcookies 🔗

Devon is a graphic designer who loves to learn new things (especially if they’re crafty!). After discovering cookie decorating in the summer of 2020, she started making cookies and found she couldn’t stop! Her love of art and design shows through in her royal icing creations, whether it’s precise piping and lettering, or texture and details so life-like you’ll do a double-take. Devon has a passion for teaching and encouraging others, and enjoys sharing her knowledge and art through her Instagram account.

Food Photography Corner

@foodphotographycorner 🔗

Rosslyn and Mikyla are both full-time food photographers and creative business coaches. Food Photography Corner started out as an educational podcast offering insights into the world of food photography, then grew into an online community offering virtual resources and personalized 2:1 coaching to help creative entrepreneurs build a business that lights their hearts on fire. We realized the importance of live and in-person workshops back in 2021 and started hosting immersive food photography retreats that blend the business know-how with technical photography skills, all while tapping into the most crucial part of owning your own business: learning to nurture the right mindset to chase your dreams with confidence.

Fred Csibi-Levin

@doc_macaron 🔗

Fred Csibi-Levin, also known as Doc Macaron on social media, is a scientist-turned-pastry chef. When he began baking in earnest during the pandemic, he was drawn to the intricate and elusive macaron. His scientific brain lit up at the challenge of identifying and mastering the parameters for macaron-mastery. His newfound passion led him to take the leap and pursue a pastry chef degree. Today, Fred’s brand emphasizes education, offering workshops, recipe-sharing via his blog, and consulting services for various culinary establishments and individuals.

Heather Thomas

@thatbreadlady 🔗

Heather is a passionate baker whose true calling is breads, an art she has perfected for over 25 years. She formerly owned and operated a successful home bakery business for nearly 10 years. Then, in 2020, Heather expanded her business to a baking blog, and began offering virtual bread making classes. She has since built a fun community of bakers through her membership, the Baking Academy. Heather also organizes and hosts amazing baking retreats. She loves to help others develop their breadmaking skills while having fun in the kitchen. You can follow her on social media @thatbreadlady and find her amazing recipes at thatbreadlady.com.

Janelle Copeland

@thecakemamas 🔗

Janelle, founder of the acclaimed Los Angeles bakery, The Cake Mamas, left her corporate career behind in 2009 to embark on a thriving entrepreneural journey with, of all people, her husband’s ex, Fabiola Gomez! The two launched The Cake Mamas at home and eventually opened a retail specialty bakery together. After winning Food Network’s Cupcake Wars (casual!), Janelle and Fabiola parted ways, and Janelle continued to manage and grow the business. After 12 impactful years, Janelle closed the bakery and has transitioned to mentoring global creators, offering business courses on branding, marketing, pricing, and sales confidence. Additionally, she co-hosts the PUSH Podcast, organizes entrepreneurial retreats across the U.S., and nurtures a dynamic Facebook community for business growth. Outside her professional realm, Janelle cherishes her five “F’s”: faith, family, fitness, food, and her founder journey.

Julia M. Usher

@juliamusher 🔗

Julia M. Usher is a world-renowned sugar artist most recognized for her pioneering work in 3-D cookies. She’s authored over 15 books and ebooks, manages the prominent Cookie Connection™ online community, sells her own line of cookie products, and travels the world teaching cookie decorating. Julia’s many awards and accolades include Cake Masters Cookie Artist of the Year (2013), EAGAA International Sugar Artist of the Year (2016), TASTE Breakout Foodie of the Year (2019), Best Online Cookie Decorating Classes by The Spruce Eats (2020), and nominations for the ACADA Global Hero Award (2021/2022) and Cake Masters Hero Award (2023). Recently, she introduced licensed 3-D cookie courses with the Japan Salonaise Association. Julia’s favorite mantra is “live sweetly,” which she urges everyone to do every day!

Kala Boulard

@almonds_and_apricots 🔗

Meet Kala, a celebrated cake designer, recipe developer, and author known for her enchanting abstract buttercream floral designs. Featured in prominent publications such as American Cake Decorating Magazine and Brides.com, Kala’s journey has taken her from owning a beloved wedding cake business in Nevada to where she is today – doing brand work in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Now, she crafts recipes, photos, and videos for her clients, while also offering digital resources like her e-book, “Cultivating Your Home-Based Cake Business.”

Katelyn Brewer

@sweetkatebake 🔗

If you haven’t yet been mesmerized by Katelyn’s stunning desserts, uplifting kitchen dancing, or elegant wedding cakes, allow us to introduce her: Katelyn, known as Sweet Kate Bakery, lives up to the name—and her sweet and fun personality shines through in every dessert she bakes.

Katelyn has been baking up a storm for over 10 years now. She started off baking for friends and family, and then couldn’t stop the orders from coming in!

From baking, to decorating, to on-site assembling of uniquely designed, (often) sky high wedding cakes, everything she does draws you in for a closer look, because everything she makes is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for your stomach! Throughout everything she creates, she strives to bake up success in cake, business, and a happier day for all those that come across her content.

Lindsay Deibler

@gingergingerbreadlady 🔗

Lindsay Deibler, also known as the Ginger Gingerbread Lady, creates whimsical, imaginative, and unique gingerbread creations that go far beyond the classic gingerbread house. Located in Winston-Salem, NC with her family, she bakes commissioned gingerbread pieces and competes in multiple competitions throughout the holiday season, which has awarded her many accolades.

Megan Knudsvig

@the.white.whisk 🔗

Megan is a Pacific Northwest pastry chef turned food blogger, food photographer, and baking instructor. Her biggest goal is to make elevated desserts feel approachable to any baker through unique recipes, decorating tutorials, and a heaping tablespoon of kitchen humor. Her main baking muses are macarons, pavlovas, cookies, and cakes. When she’s not baking, you’ll find her reading, doing yoga, gardening, and spending time with her husband and three spunky daughters.

Pete Tidwell

@themightybaker 🔗

Pete Tidwell is a renowned cake artist and entrepreneur known for his impressive victories on the Food Network’s Cake Wars in 2016 and 2017, as well as being a finalist on the Halloween Baking Championship in 2019 and most recently a semi-finalist on Is It Cake, Too? on Netflix. With over ten years of experience running his own bakery business, he has now transitioned into coaching and mentoring other bakery business owners to help them achieve success.

Precious Simons

@bakedbyprecious 🔗

Precious is a baker, content creator and all around sugar enthusiast! She specializes in buttercream cakes, cupcakes and unique chocolate covered treats! You can expect lots of edible glitter and sweet fun when she’s in the kitchen!

Renee Terry

@sweetcheeksbyrenee 🔗

Renee Terry is a confectionery artist and the owner of Sweet Cheeks, a Massachusetts-based bakery that specializes in custom cookies, wedding cakes and edible art for any of life’s moments. Before starting Sweet Cheeks, Renee perfected her baking and piping artistry while working in specialty bakeries. This hands-on culinary education solidified her skill sets and led her to launch a business of her own. After getting married and welcoming her firstborn, Renee began Sweet Cheeks. Since then, her signature confectionaries have become known for their striking designs, detailed precision, beautiful color palettes and unforgettable taste. Renee now travels the country teaching others cookie decorating skills and new techniques. Renee is also the Season 5 Winner of The Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge.

Reva Alexander-Hawk

@mercicakes 🔗

Renowned pastry chef Reva Alexander-Hawk, celebrated for her impeccable artistry and baking acumen, has made her mark as a six-time Food Network Champion and has inspired many through appearances on the Hallmark Channel’s Home and Family TV. In addition to gracing the covers of prestigious publications like American Cake Decorating Magazine, Chef Reva represented the USA in the 2023 World Cake Decorating Design Championships. Chef Reva Alexander-Hawk continues to leave a lasting impression as the creative mind behind Merci Beaucoup Cakes (@MerciCakes), where she redefines the boundaries of pastry art.

Sally McKenney

@sallysbakeblog 🔗

Sally McKenney is a professional food photographer, best-selling cookbook author, and baker. Her kitchen-tested recipes and thorough step-by-step tutorials on Sally’s Baking Addiction give millions of readers the knowledge and confidence to bake from scratch. Sally has been featured on Good Morning America, HuffPost, Taste of Home, People and more.

Sofy Saavedra

@sofyssweetsacademy 🔗

Sofy Saavedra is an online baking instructor and the proud owner of Sofy’s Sweets Academy LLC. She has imparted her knowledge to thousands of bakers globally, helping them refine their baking skills and enhance their menus. With over 7 years of experience running a home baking business, she understands both the immense rewards and the challenges business ownership presents. Above all else, Sofy’s wants to help bakers grow while deepening their love for baking.

Taylor Turner

@thecakecanvasstudio 🔗

Taylor Turner is a self-taught baking virtuoso, cake designer and owner of The Cake Canvas Studio, an online custom cakery that specializes in creating edible works of art for all occasions. She found her love for cakes in 2015 and has since transitioned into empowering other bakers to elevate their business and decorating skills. Taylor specializes in teaching bakers how to price their cakes like a pro, build their clientele and set their businesses up for success. She uses a relatable and fun approach to help bakers turn their hobby into a prosperous business.

Vannesa Ramirez

@_ohmypops_ 🔗

Vannesa, the owner of Oh My Pops, is an enthusiastic content creator who started her journey in September 2020. She delights in providing informative and engaging content for her followers. With a genuine passion for content creation, Vannesa’s expertise shines through in her videos, captivating viewers and leaving them eager for more. Join her on an inspiring journey of knowledge and creativity!

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