Conversations with Kristen Medina

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Medina.

Hi Kristen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I began creating cakes when I was unable to find someone who was able to create what I was desiring: a deliciously stunning, gluten and dairy-free cake for my son’s first birthday.

At the time, the few bakers I could find who offered a cake that met my son’s dietary needs either produced a cake that wasn’t visually appealing or special. The cake itself did not taste good.

Thus, I decided to take matters into my own hands and set out to create a cake for my son that he could not only eat, but that was both tasty and beautiful to look at!

From this first initial cake, my skill and artistry blossomed, and soon family members, friends, and then friends of friends were hiring me to create something special for their occasions. I soon realized how much of a need there was to not only have a cake that met your dietary needs but was also absolutely delightful to taste AND surpassed your expectations in regards to style and design.

All of my life I’ve been an artist- always drawing and painting – and I’ve applied this passion to my cake and cupcake creations, too. Many of my clients have given me free rein to simply create something special for them, whereas others have provided some sort of inspiration. Both of these styles of orders have provided me with wonderful opportunities to learn, grow, and be challenged in exciting ways.

When I’m given the opportunity to contribute to someone’s special day by creating a cake or cupcakes for them, I put everything I have – all of my love and attention to detail – to make sure that they are “wowed” when they finally see it, and then again when they taste it!

I believe that everyone deserves to have a cake that’s spectacular to eat and to see, no matter their dietary needs.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Overall, it’s been remarkably smooth considering I’m self-taught and creating cakes and cupcakes while also being a stay-at-home mama. However, there have been some hiccups along the way of course!

In the beginning, I definitely struggled at times learning new recipes to meet certain dietary needs and often ended up losing money on orders as I’d have to remake cakes/cupcakes, or had drastically underestimated the cost of my ingredients and the time it was taking me to create.

Yet, despite these little challenges, I never felt burdened by them, and instead always felt so grateful for my clients giving me the opportunity to both learn and improve my skill, but also for trusting me to create something special and unique for them, too.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in creating cakes and cupcakes that you’d never guess were gluten- and dairy-free by looking at them or tasting them!

In addition, I also create cakes that meet many other dietary needs such as nut allergies, soy allergies, and vegan diets, too. So far, I have always been able to deliver a cake that surpassed my client’s hopes regardless of their dietary needs.

Many of my clients have become repeat customers, placing orders annually for their daughter’s birthday, Mother’s Day, anniversaries, etc. What sets my cakes apart, they say, from other bakeries that offer a similar product is the fact that when they receive a cake from me, they feel as if they’ve been given a piece of art that is just as tantalizing to feast upon with their eyes as it is delightful to eat.

My clients are able to feel all of the joy, love, and splendor that they’d expect to feel when they’d eat their grandmother’s homemade pie or their aunts’ snickerdoodle cookies from her secret recipe.

What brings me the most amount of joy and pride is knowing that I’ve always happily met, if not exceeded, my client’s expectations as well as my own with every cake or cupcake that I’ve created. I’ve been known to be a harsh self-critic since I was a little girl (just ask my mama!), and my attention to detail lends itself perfectly as a creator of beautiful cakes and cupcakes.

My motto is this: unique dietary needs should not mean you must sacrifice either taste or aesthetics, or, even worse, both. I believe that everyone should be able to celebrate and indulge in a cake that is too beautiful to cut, and too tasty to not have a second piece!

Of course, although I specialize in creating cakes that meet my clients’ unique dietary needs, I also have received my fair share of “traditional” cake orders, too!

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Observant, empathic, intelligent, stubborn, creative, and “social butterfly” were all terms that consistently frequented my report cards throughout elementary school!

As a little girl, I enjoyed dancing the most. You would’ve found me in my bedroom creating dance routines, practicing them for days, and then finally putting on shows for my family. However, while I did sign up to dance in every talent show possible, I was just as equally nervous to be the center of attention as I was drawn to be witnessed on stage.

If you would’ve asked me when I was ten years old, I would’ve told you that I was going to be a professional dancer when I grew up!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/kristens.cakes