Seattle Vendor Spotlight: BAKED. Custom Cakes

With the start of the New Year underway, we wanted to take a look at some of the amazing vendors we have around Seattle and BAKED. Custom Cakes is one of them. Kristina Serfass, owner and cake artist at BAKED, sat down with us to share her love of baking. With an aptitude for sweets, Kristina is able to turn cake into art.

How has your family influenced who you are as a business owner?

My Mom was an amazing artist since I can remember she was always painting, drawing and creating amazing pieces of art out of anything, she was definitely a huge influence to my artistic talents and creativity. My Dad was a budget analyst for NASA, which I think influenced a lot of what I have learned on the business side. They both took pride in what they did and worked hard, so I think that was the biggest influence of all.

How have your clients enhanced your love for baking?

I have many regular clients who have come back year after year, I think they can see the love I have for both baking and decorating. I think they are both equally important when creating a delicious edible piece of art. Seeing the joy that I bring them and their families are why I love what I do so much!

What is your favorite style of cake to create for couples?

My favorite style of cake is nature/woodland, bohemian styles. I love to create natural looks that are not precise, designs with a lot of different textures and painting, very organic style with a twist, abstract.

What cake trend do you love the most right now?

I really like the watercolor style, geometric patterns, and rustic styles and lots of greenery made of sugar.

Are there any design elements you are hoping to incorporate into 2019?

I hope to incorporate more textures and abstract designs.

Explain to me your Cake Wars Award Winning flavor S’mores Cake and how you perfected it.

I love camping and one of my favorite things around the campfire is S’mores, so when we created an outdoor-themed cake, it was just natural that those flavor elements would fit perfectly as well as delicious. There are actual toasted/charred marshmallows folded into the buttercream filling. I tested many recipes for the graham cracker cake to make sure it had that toasted cracker element! And of course, the chocolate ganache completes the cake with just enough to get all the S’Mores flavor! It’s one of my favorites!

What is the number one thing you want potential clients to know about Baked Custom Cakes?

I take a lot of pride in all the ingredients I use to create each cake flavor and filling. I try to source all my ingredients with local vendors and only use the freshest ingredients, every cake is baked fresh to order.

If you could describe Baked Custom Cakes in one word, what word would that be?

Creative.

What should a couple expect when booking a tasting?

Couples will get to choose four flavors, each cake is a 3” round cake made custom for each client. We will sit down and chat about the style of the wedding, the couples style and what elements of design they like. Sometimes I can get a design together on the spot and other times I’ll take it in and brainstorm for a bit on what to create that best fits the couple’s vision. Once the couple puts a deposit down I will create a detailed colored sketch to ensure we are all happy with the design.

What standard rates do you have for weddings specifically?

For weddings cake can range from $400-$1000. It really depends on the size and how detailed the design elements are. I would say on average our weddings cakes are around $600, but all of our cakes are priced the same, it is not based on the event it is for, it is based on the work.

Working with BAKED is a dream. To find out some more about Kristina and her business, visit her at http://www.custombakedcakes.com/ 

Cheers!

Megan