Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Miller.
Hi Melissa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve loved baking ever since I was little and fell in love with cake decorating when I was about 13. I made cakes for family members’ birthdays and other special occasions and would practice any chance I got. This was back before YouTube existed, so I learned different decorating techniques through baking books from brands like Wilton and Betty Crocker.
In 2007, I started college at Utah State University, and while I made a few cakes here and there for roommates, cake decorating took a backseat for a few years while I was completing my degree. In 2011, I earned a degree in Health Education and Promotion, which feels amusing now that I make cakes! Immediately after graduating from college, I began working as a testing technician doing health screenings on state employees throughout Utah, which required a lot of travel, so my time to decorate cakes was pretty limited and sparse.
Fast forward to 2014, just before I got pregnant with my oldest child, I saw that Michaels was offering Wilton cake decorating courses. I decided that was a good opportunity to jump back into learning new decorating techniques, and that’s when I fell in love with making cakes again. I progressed through those courses and would supplement them with tutorials on YouTube and various baking blogs and kept building on my knowledge and skills.
At the beginning of 2022, I decided to officially register my business and start taking custom cake orders! As a stay-at-home mom of three children now, it’s the perfect creative outlet for me while also allowing me to earn some extra income for our family. I love that I get to be home with my children while also creating beautiful cakes for people and making milestones in their life that much more special.
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 biggest obstacle I faced getting to the point where I’m now is fear. Fear of failure or the thought that I’m not good enough to run my own cake business held me back for a few years. I doubted that I could do it and succeed at it, and didn’t think that I had the time to dedicate to growing my business.
Thanks to a few mentors who showed me that it IS possible to be a mom and also pursue this dream of mine, I’ve come to realize that with careful planning, time management, and enough passion, it’s possible to accomplish anything you set your mind to.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in making custom buttercream cakes and French macarons, though I’d say I’m more known for my cakes. When someone orders a cake from me, they’re getting an experience; something more than what you get from a cake from the grocery store. There’s a “wow” factor that comes with a custom cake that you don’t get from a generic cake. A comment that I consistently get when I post my cakes on social media is that my work is very clean and elegant.
I’ve worked hard and practiced a lot to get straight edges, smooth sides, and sharp corners on all of my cakes. Not only do they look beautiful, but they also taste delicious – the most important part of eating cake! All of my cakes are made from scratch with high-quality ingredients. I pride myself on being a from-scratch baker, and I am always tweaking my recipes to make them taste that much better.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The best way to support me is to follow my Instagram and Facebook pages and interact with me there! Most of my inquiries come from those pages, or through email.
I am always open to collaborating with other creatives! My pricing information is also available on my social media pages, so please reach out to me if you need a delicious, beautiful cake for your next special event!
Pricing:
- Starting prices (sizes listed in diameter) for single-tier cakes:
- 6” (15 servings) – $75
- Tall 6” (20 servings) – $85
- 8” (25 servings) – $105
- 9” (32 servings) – $115
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/melissascakemill
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/melissascakemill
