Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lupita Reyes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lupita , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about one of the craziest things you’ve experienced in your journey so far.
One of the craziest and I would say scariest moments for me was when I made my little cousins quinceañera cake. A few things to know about big cake is that if they are two or more tiers tall I always secure it with extra boards between tiers and supports inside to ensure that it stays together. Also, since we do live in Houston we all know how hot and humid our weather is so my recommendation to my customers is that if they have an outdoor party they keep their cake indoors or even refrigerated and bring it out a little before its time to cut it. So when my cousin ordererd her cake from me she already had her heart set on a design she had seen. She told me how she wanted each tier to have different flavors and fillings so this was going to be a very heavy four tiered cake, literally the biggest cake I had ever made. The party was going to be over an hour away so to transport it I took each tier separately and had to stack them at the party which that was its own mission. I was terrified to have the cake fall with all the people there watching me stack and add the final touches but I got it done and had it secured with extra dowels and cake boards. Two things that terrified me about where the cake table was located were: the floor seemed to be uneven and the party was outside. The cake was too big and heavy to be able to move it around so it had to stay there where the cake table was already set up. Outside. With over 85% humidity! The whole night I was watching it because the cake was getting condensation on it due to the humidity. And then the cake started leaning, at first only I noticed it. But then we saw it lean a little more and more but it was not cracking or totally falling so we waited for the quinceañera to do her presentation and everything. When they brought out the Banda was when I was terrified because their music was so loud and next to the cake we feared that it would make the table shake causing the cake to fall over. Once others started freaking out about the cake too, due to the loudness of the music, I rushed to start cutting the cake before it had a chance to fall.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Ever since I was a kid I had a passion for baking. I had such supportive people around me who encouraged me to pursue this as a small business. And when I did it was scary at first but I’m so glad I took the risk. I began with the goal of making many different desserts and treats but became most known for my cakes and churro cheesecake. My customers always send me positive feedback and encouraging words about how much they love the flavors of what I make. The constant love and appreciativeness that I receive is what keeps me motivated to keep doing what I do. One thing that I have been told that sets me apart from others is the taste of my desserts. There are so many bakers and desserts with so many amazing and delicious tastes. And I’m so glad that my customers consider me their favorite and compliment me so much. They also appreciate the ordering process, instead of simply filling out an online form to order I prefer to show them my menu then discuss their different options and flavor combinations. Same thing goes for the decorations because one cake will never look exactly like another. Some customers have different budgets so I have different options for similar decorations to choose from. Thats another thing my customers appreciate about me and I’m glad I’m able to be understating so they can have a great cake. A birthday cake is an important part of a birthday, celebration, or party and I want to ensure that what I make for them is just as special.
What I want my potential customers to know about my business is that everything that I make, I make with love and care as if it was for my own family. If it isn’t up to my own standards I will remake it because I always want my customers to have the best of the best.
I am most proud of having some of the best and loyal customers. I strive to be the best “cake lady” and some of them make me feel like I really am because of all the faith and trust they put into my work. Without my wonderful customers I would not be where I am today. I aim to show them how much I appreciate them whether it be by giving them freebies or a discount. I also give my customers loyalty cards so they can earn a free treat.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding thing to me is seeing the reaction of my customers when they see their cake and then later receiving compliments about how delicious everything was. When a customer comes to me with a certain cake design in mind I always do my best to recreate it but I also let my customers know that it won’t be exact. I am so glad that every time they have loved it and even express to me how much more they love my design. It makes me feel overwhelmed with joy that my creativeness gets to be part of their special days and they appreciate what I have done. I think that my favorite reaction was when a customer saw her birthday cake she actually started jumping and clapping because of how much she loved it. To see an adult this excited over her birthday cake made me happy because everyone deserves to feel special on their birthday.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
The one thing people don’t always understand is the time and dedication that goes into cake decorating. Us cake decorators and treat makers put our all into making them special. So the more decorated a cake is and the more fillings and flavor combinations the higher the price will be. But not everyone understands that so some people will complain about the price or try to negotiate it to be given a cheaper price. Luckily this has happened to me less than a handful of times. Even though that hasn’t been a lot it is still discouraging to receive those types of comments about my work that will take time to create. My job begins the moment a customer starts placing the order and talking it over with a customer. After the design and flavors have been chosen I then have to make the list of ingredients and check my inventory to ensure I have everything I will be needing. After that comes the ordering of cake toppers and floral decor, making the fondant decorations, ordering edible images, and any other minor or major decoration the cake will have. There is also the time that it takes to prep the kitchen and ingredients to start baking the cake. Once the cake is baked it’s time to start making the frosting and dying it the colors that will be needed. Finally it comes time to assemble and frost the cake and ensure it is stable and secure. After that and adding the final touches the cake has to be boxed up and secured so it can be ready for transportation. Even after that I am still not done until I have cleaned up the kitchen which includes washing all the dishes and putting everything back. This whole process is what people who aren’t bakers will not understand so they may not always appreciate the process and work. Although more often than not customers understand and appreciate this and still leave a tip to show their gratitude for me creating their cake.
Contact Info:
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