The cake turned out better than I could have ever imagined. This was a testament to my team and the tremendous amount of planning, structural engineering, carving, sculpting and attention to detail that went into this project. This was one of those projects that was all hands on deck and we all worked together over hours and hours to bring it to life, everyone on my team played a role in the creation. Like many of our larger cakes, we evolve throughout every project, as we learn tricks and methods that we can utilize that help us to achieve things that we didn’t even know were possible. Something that I always love about what I do is that when we push ourselves and have the patience to work through challenges on projects that some people would say are impossible, amazing results come out of them and we grow in the process setting ourselves up to be the best in our industry.
5 Questions with Kristina Lavallee ’13: Baking Joy Into Every Celebration
Kristina Lavallee ’13, a hospitality management graduate who co-owns The Cake Girl with her husband and criminal justice alumnus, Kirby Lavallee ’09, has dreamed up, baked and decorated hundreds of cakes since she learned the craft from her mother growing up in Puerto Rico. And since this year marks the semiquincentennial celebration of American independence, Kristina knew she would have to pull off an extra special cake.
- Since opening your first store in 2019, The Cake Girl has risen to notable success, being featured on the Today Show and all the major television networks. Looking
back, what first sparked your passion for cake decorating, and how did that
passion grow into a business?
My passion started out as a young girl with a simple love for baking and creating something special for the people that I cared about the most. Growing up I was always fascinated by the way that cake could become the centerpiece of the celebrations and how they would be talked about for years to come.
What began as a hobby that I did for family and friends eventually turned into requests from people outside of them. Over time, it grew into a business from the house. My passion for cakes has evolved over time as my skills have also grown, and I think that the challenges of the different projects I have had the honor to create continue to drive me in my passion today. I am grateful that something that I love has become a viable career for me and allowed me to connect with so many people over the years. Looking back at my early days, I would never have imagined that cakes would have opened so many doors for me.
- Every cake tells a story. What do you enjoy most about creating cakes for special occasions and celebrations?
The part that I love the most about every cake is that they are for special moments, I am always honored that people are trusting me with those special milestones. Behind every special occasion whether it’s a wedding, birthday, graduation, military promotion retirement or other momentous occasion, there is always a story that goes along with the themes that we are creating, which makes it super fun and special for us all.
The thing that I love the most about what I do is taking a client’s vision and turning that into something far beyond what they could even imagine. I love taking their interests, personality, and memories and shaping that into the design. Knowing that my work is becoming part of that family’s special moment is so rewarding and something I do not take for granted. I have been a part of so many celebrations over the years and invited into so many people’s lives because of the cakes I create — that is truly special.
- Holidays often bring people together around food. What does the Fourth of July mean to you personally, and are there any traditions you look forward to each
year?
Fourth of July to me is about gratitude and reflection. By having time to gather around with family and friends it is also an opportunity to reflect and appreciate the sacrifices that were made by so many people along the way, including our military and first responders.
I love spending time with my family any chance I can get, and the Fourth of July is a chance to do so. My favorite tradition that I look forward to each year is getting to watch fireworks! The community is also one of my favorite parts of the holiday, when everyone gets together to celebrate something bigger than themselves.
- Your Fourth of July cake is both beautiful and meaningful. What inspired you to create it, and why was it important to share it with residents at a homeless shelter in the Central Florida area?
Fourth of July has always been a time for me that is centered around family, community and celebrating our freedom. July Fourth is a time that brings us all together as Americans, no matter what our backgrounds are. When I designed the cake, which I printed on my Icing Images BIG BLUE XL printer, I wanted to capture the heart of what the Fourth is all about, which is about first honoring our freedom with the American Flag. Since this year is the milestone 250th celebration, I felt that it was important to add that into the design as that is something we should all feel incredibly proud to celebrate, especially honoring those who came before us to ensure we can live in the greatest country in the world.
Sharing treats is and will always be important to me and will be a pillar of my company. Holidays in general or even the time leading up to them can be especially difficult for people that are facing challenges. If something like a cake can bring a smile, create a special memory, or simply just remind someone that they are seen and that their community cares about them, then it is always worth doing. I believe that if we all do our part to share sweetness, the world will be a better place.
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Through your business, The Cake Girl, you’ve found a way to combine creativity with giving back. What role do you think kindness and community service play in your work, and what do you hope people take away from gestures like donating a cake to a local shelter?
Giving back and serving others is at the heart of what we do as a company each and every day. I feel that a business should be more than just a place that sells a product or service, it should be a place that makes a positive impact on the people and community around you.
Over the years we have had the opportunity and honor to support military, first responders, families in need, foster children, local nonprofits and community events. The experiences that we have at each one of these places are all so unique and all so special in their own ways, I feel that we get just as much joy as the people that we are impacting.
We have a weekly initiative that we call “Random Acts of Sweetness”, and we believe that even the smallest act of sweetness can make a huge difference. I hope that people take away the fact that any act of kindness, or sweetness as we call it, can help someone and make a difference in their life. Sometimes the simplest gestures and actions are those which make the greatest impact. My hope is that more people reach out and do something nice for someone else, we could all find ourselves on the opposite end of that gesture at anytime.
Bonus: What is the most challenging cake you’ve ever created, and did it turn out exactly as you imagined?
One of the most challenging cakes we have created over the years was a project that we did for the United States Air Force Ball in Tampa, Florida. This was an over 7-feetlong,3D-plane cake. This KC-135 Tanker cake was the largest 3D plane cake ever made in this fashion that we have been able to find. It was truly incredible to make and also see in person. My favorite part was all the reactions to it as it sat in the middle of the event with over 1,000 people in attendance. I even got a personal email from the United States Air Force Chief of Staff, General David Allvin, which was super special.
Whether she’s creating an elaborate centerpiece for a wedding, designing a patriotic cake to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary or sharing a sweet treat with those in need, The Cake Girl sees every cake as an opportunity to bring people together. Through artistry, kindness and a commitment to serving her community, she continues to prove that sometimes the simplest gestures — and the sweetest ones — can leave the most lasting impression.
