Community Highlights: Meet Brandi Simmons of The Icing Bowl

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Simmons.

Hi Brandi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always thought that the awesome lady who used to bake our family’s celebratory cakes is one of the absolute best artists, and her cakes tasted so good. Receiving her cake art sparked my interest in baking about nine years ago. However, before I realized my real passion as a cake artist, in the Fall of 2017 I began creating custom chocolate-dipped treats and named my small business Sweets By Bre. Chocolate dipped strawberries and cake pops were most popular, and family and close friends were and continue to be loyal supporters.

In 2018 I stepped into my true passion to create custom cakes. I have developed a joy for baking and decorating custom cakes and creating gourmet sweets like cookies, pralines, and fudge. In 2021 I felt that a rebrand by the new name of The Icing Bowl was required to match the growth and focus and carry business into the future as I prepare for and encounter new opportunities.

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 journey to this point has not been exactly smooth, but whether positive or negative, there is always something to learn from. I have invested much financially in learning baking and decorating techniques and purchasing the necessary supplies; am learning how to manage time better; am becoming more active with social media to reach customers; am constantly working to determine how to meet the need of my market; am learning how to value my product offering and help customers see the value as well.

One of the most trying parts is helping the market understand that fresh baked goods and custom designs from a small business can come with a certain price tag that should not be compared to a chain grocery bakery. Any struggle along the way is a step to a success story to come. My “glass half full” mentality sees beyond the struggle to the end result, and that helps.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Icing Bowl?
I absolutely love sweets, and I love what I do! I take pride in passionately creating custom edible cake centerpieces for celebratory occasions or everyday enjoyment. I am humbled and happy to be chosen to create for clients during the happiest times of their lives. Whether loyal or new, customers love the taste and look of the products that are always baked fresh.

The Icing Bowl offers custom cakes, cupcakes, cake jars, bundt cakes, custom cookies, gourmet cookies, pecan pralines, and fudge. The Icing Bowl mission is to use delicious flavors, quality ingredients, and humble service to give the best cake and sweets experience worthy of returning and recommending.

Service is very important to me, and I want The Icing Bowl to have a presence in the community by way of giving. So this year, I have initiated a goal to gift custom cakes each month to children in low-income families. Every child deserves a specially made cake to celebrate their birthday. I hope to be able to touch a few lives going forward with this initiative. I have been blessed to serve some special organizations in the Rutherford County community and aim for that to continue as well.

There is definitely an impact that we see and appreciate! Customers love what we do! We love what we do!

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The skill in this industry continuously blows my mind. The level of artistry applied to cake is top tier and very innovative. As for The Icing Bowl, I look forward to becoming a respected, highly recommended and sought-after baker and cake artist for brides. I look forward to advancing my own skills and learning techniques that will allow me to contribute to trends and changes that happen. I do have a couple of big goals I would like to accomplish within the next couple of years, and I look forward to sharing those updates!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: icingbowl.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theicingbowl/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/theicingbowl1

Image Credits
Photos by Victoria Smith K. Elizabeth Photography Brandi Simmons