Check Out Sarah Wilson’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Wilson.

Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us how you got started?
While working as a physical therapist, I joined some co-worker friends for Wilton’s buttercream class, where I first learned how to decorate cakes. I then began creating birthday cakes for my nieces and nephews. This passion began growing from dabbling in buttercream to studying cake recipes and finding the perfect recipes. It grew slowly into creating cakes outside of my family once I decided to stay home after giving birth to my first son. I loved having a hobby that allowed me to use creativity outside of mothering. That was something just for me. Fast forward to 2018, a close friend encouraged me to share my baking with the world on Instagram under Baking Party Cakes. My community began to grow and another close friend, Ashely Watson, saw more potential in me to create a local business. She consulted alongside me, helping me design my LAYERED Bakeshop logo and create my website, encouraging me to believe this could be a business that spreads joy with buttercream.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
Along the way, there have been definite challenges. Baking from my home kitchen with limited storage and decorating space is a constant struggle. I also have a minimal business background, so I’m constantly trying to learn how to manage finances, use Quickbooks, and all the other aspects of running a business. My greatest struggle has probably been the shift from being a full-time home manager of my family (with three kids now) to working full time at home and shifting some of those home responsibilities over to my husband and children.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in buttercream work for my cakes and cookies. While I do incorporate other mediums on cakes, buttercream is my preference for not only decorating but also for taste. While many bakers use royal icing for cookies, I have found that you can still create a beautiful cookie using buttercream. My customers always prefer this taste over the royal icing. I love designing custom cakes and cookies for events and working closely with each client to create a dessert they are excited to eat and be a centerpiece at their celebration. I want to create something for each client that they can’t pick up at a local grocery store. They are coming to me to design a piece that speaks to who they are. I love that my kids remember their birthdays based on the theme of their birthday cake design or flavor. My cakes are also three layers of cake, which makes not only for a pretty slice and makes the cake feel even more noteworthy.

Holidays are also very important to me. I love making lasting memories with my food and spreading joy with it. This is best done around holidays, where I create themed cookies, cakes, and other treats that make the receiver feel special. This began for me with assorted cookie boxes at Christmas time and now has become something special for every holiday of the year a box of cake truffles on Valentine’s day, flower-adorned treats on Mother’s day, burger cookies for Dad, cake/cookie “pies” at Thanksgiving.

I also know not everyone likes cakes or sugar cookies, so chocolate chip cookies in both cookie and cake form are another specialty. I truly want my baked offerings to be used to celebrate life in all forms. What we all want in life is to be seen and known, so I want this baking space always to be where my local community can come and share with the world something that reflects themself in baked form. Or, can gift it to someone on a day when sometimes all they need is conversation cake or a box of cookies to say, I see you and you are not alone in this world and you are worth celebrating! I believe there is always something to celebrate, and in the words of Julia Child, “A party without a cake is just a meeting.”

What makes you happy?
What makes me most happy is seeing my family and friends laughing and enjoying life, and if they are having a bite of something that I have created, I feel even greater joy. Spending the day decorating a cake or cookies and being able to express my creativity in this form gives me the feeling of purpose outside of the daily activities of a mother that often goes unseen.

Pricing:

• 4″ cake begins at $25
• 6″ cake begins at $50
• 8″ cake begins at $75

Contact Info:

• Website: www.layered-bakeshop.com
• Instagram: @layerednashville

Image Credits
All photos are done by myself except for the one image I am in. Credit to Kiki Morton of Kiki Morton Photography.