Today we’d like to introduce you to Alaina Bucknam.
Hi Alaina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been a home baker for the past eight years, teaching myself lots of the basics until I took a job at a local bakery here in Salt Lake City 2 years ago. There, I grew my decorating skills and learned advanced techniques in fondant, piping and more. I did however decide to leave this position to pursue a different career path. Now that I work full time in sales, I decided to make my home baking business more official and grow it beyond my circle of friends and family. So, Cakes by Alaina was born! I am enjoying taking the skills I learned in a professional bakery and growing my personal artistic style to create beautiful, meaningful designs for my customers.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The custom cake industry is very popular in Utah, so it has been difficult to promote myself and grow a customer base. But, once my customers try my recipes and realize how easy it is to order and design with me, they definitely come back again!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in piped designs, meaning anything that is made from piped frosting using decorative tips. I am also skilled in fondant and can use it if customers request. I love to be detailed and design cakes that cause people to say ‘wow.’ One thing I noticed before I became a home baker is that professional cakes often look nice, but they don’t always taste very good. So, ingredients and preparation are very important to me. I don’t use any shortening in my frostings and try to use organic products whenever possible. I love to use rich flavors from natural sources that are just as memorable as the designs. One of my signature recipes, for example, is a dark chocolate orange carrot cake. want my cakes to be amazing from first look to last bite, and I believe that they are.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I had a wonderful childhood in rural Vermont. My favorite memories are playing with my sister in the woods or the stream at our parent’s farmhouse. I also loved to cook and bake with my parents— they are both very talented in the kitchen.
Pricing:
- 6 inch cakes start at $65
- 8 inch cakes start at $85
- 10 inch cakes start at $150
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @cakesbyalainaut
Image Credits
Alaina Bucknam
