Spotlight On :: Susie Cakes Bakery

This past spring, my daughter’s Daisy Troop had a tour through one of the best bakeries here in southern California – Susie Cakes. They are well-known for having the most delicious cakes – especially their carrot cake! When we visited the bakery, I had just started on the Paleo diet and you are not suppose to eat any dairy or gluten, so I reframed from trying any of the delicious cookies and cakes they had displayed. But I promised myself that once I reached a goal of losing some of the weight (that had secretly piled on this past year) that I would treat myself to a large slice of chocolate cake. When that day came – it was a real treat let me tell you! And so worth it! I had a chance to speak to Susie, the creator of Susie Cakes over the summer as we used them to make our daughter’s cake for her 7th Carnival-themed Birthday Party. Everyone raved about the cake at the party and we plan to use them again anytime we have an excuse to purchase one! Here is what Susie has to say about why she created Susie Cakes and what makes her cakes and cookies so tasty!

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Have you always enjoyed baking since you were a kid?

I have always loved what baking represented – connection. Since I was a young girl, I baked along side both of my grandmothers, Mildred & Madeline, who lived across the alley from each other in Chicago. The three of us had a very special relationship and my fondest childhood memories are of sharing desserts with them in their kitchens after school.

When was the moment you realized you wanted to open your own bakery?

I had the entrepreneurial spirit since I was a child and always had the drive and the desire to open my own business. With this knowledge, combined with my love of food and hospitality, I attended Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. From there, I worked 15 years in various aspects of the industry (hotel & restaurant operations, banquets, special events & catering sales) at some of the finest hospitality organizations. During that time, I realized that it was often difficult for individuals to have progressive careers in food service while balancing a personal/family life; therefore, I kept the focus of creating a work/life balance when I formed the SusieCakes business model. For this reason, our bakeries are closed late nights, holidays, and Sundays at most locations.

What do you think sets your baked goodies apart from other shops?

Our baked goods are baked daily, on-site with only the finest quality ingredients, such as European-style butter. We do not use any preservatives or trans-fats in our baked goods. Guests can be assured that treats at SusieCakes are always made from scratch (no mixes!).

Any news you want to share with dandelion moms?

Each of our bakeries has a Celebration Specialist, who is dedicated to working with each guest to customize their event. The Celebration Specialist assures that the decoration and design of each custom cake is absolutely perfect for our guests’ special occasions!

Thanks Susie! My daughter loved going to your shop and trying the yummy cupcakes!