You just never know where your dreams will take you.
I always believed that if I worked hard at my craft and practiced often, it would pay off—even if I didn’t understand how. I’ve spent upwards of 30,000 hours alone in my kitchen making cakes, and in all that time I could never have predicted that How To Cake It would resonate with so many people or that someday millions of viewers and subscribers would be watching me do what I love and be inspired to try it themselves. It blows my mind. When people leave comments asking “Is that really cake!?” my heart smiles.
I’ve been baking from a young age, inspired by my father, who was also a baker as well as my hero. I have his handwritten banana muffin recipe framed in my kitchen, and still use his serrated knife to level and carve my cakes—it’s older than I am! After attending culinary school, I knew that being a chef was not for me; baking was where I wanted to focus. So I went out and got a job in a large commercial bakery that made classic iced cakes and goodies, and I began to learn the basics. At one point I was icing 120 cakes a day!
But then something happened: a woman came into the bakery with a magazine that had a picture of an incredible cake decorated with something called fondant. I was fascinated—it was like combining baking and art! I managed to find a few books about novelty cakes, and as I flipped through them I became completely inspired and determined to figure out how—how do they cake it?
I started to experiment on my own whenever I could, making cakes for anyone who would take them. I took risks and tried new things, and never, ever gave up. Hours and weeks in my kitchen flew by, and eventually years. I left my job at the bakery so I could make novelty cakes full time, and my cakes started to get noticed. Writing my very own cakebook was always a dream that played in my mind. As I created cake after cake after cake, I would imagine what my cakebook would look like, the types of cakes I would include, and how it would feel to see it on the shelves among all the other baking books I adore. I knew I had it in me, but how could I make it happen?
In the fall of 2014, I found myself at a major crossroads. My son was just a year old, and I was focused on the entirely new and exciting role of being a mother. I truly did not know what was next for me as a cake artist. Two big opportunities hadn’t turned out the way I’d hoped: a television show called SugarStars I’d been cast in was cancelled, and I’d also been forced to let go of a business I started creating novelty cakes and sweet tables for events. I had poured my heart into that business. But as they say, when one chapter ends, another begins . . .
One day, Connie and Jocelyn, who were the creators of SugarStars and also good friends, called me up to find out if I’d be interested in starting a YouTube channel focused on my cakes. It would be a risk, with a lot of work and no guarantee of any success. “What do I have to lose?” I thought. Off we went. How To Cake It allowed me to create the cakes I’d always dreamed of, and allowed Connie and Jocelyn to create content they truly believed in. To our amazement, the channel has blossomed into a global community of over six million cake enthusiasts (and growing!). It embodies three things that are very important to all three of us: collaboration, creativity, and consistency. Collaboration between three women, each with her own passion; creativity in how we share those passions with the world; and consistency in believing in ourselves and each other.
This book reflects my own experience going from a beginner baker to a cake artist, and it’s designed to be something you can grow with whether you are just starting out or already a skilled caker. It builds core skills and confidence through detailed recipes and tips, but also contains hundreds of photos that I hope evoke possibilities, excitement, and inspiration. (My own mind works visually, so I have always gravitated toward studying the pictures in books more than reading the instructions.) I put my heart and soul into every single cake in this book, and it’s been the hardest but most rewarding project I’ve done yet. And I’m very sentimental, so you may notice that I’ve tried to weave some of the people who mean the most to me into a few recipes.
We begin with the “Bake It” section and “Yo’s Recipe Box,” where I lay out all the recipes you’ll need to build the cakes in this book. They have been crafted specifically for novelty caking, so follow them closely and do not worry if you don’t get them right on the first go. Remember what I said above: practice often and it pays off! Next up, in “Yo Knows” I share my tips, tricks, and fundamental skills for success in caking.
Then the real fun starts! In the “Cake It” section I teach you how to create novelty cakes that will blow your friends and family away. If you are a beginner, start with “Caking Your First Steps,” then build to “Cake It Up a Notch” and finish off with “Cake It to the Limit.” Along the way you’ll learn how to work with fondant, how to carve, how to perfect your crumb coat, and, most important, how to have fun doing it! My deepest hope is that you will make every cake your own—allow your imagination to run wild. To my amazing YoYos: I thank every single one of you for your comments, love, and encouragement. You are the reason How To Cake It—both the channel and the book—is possible. Many of you have told me that I make a positive impact on your life. Your words humble me, but I need you to know: you, too, have a positive impact on my life in ways I can’t explain.
And to those of you who are new to the community—welcome! I hope you’ll share the amazing cakes you create with me, and that you enjoy How To Cake It as much as we enjoy making it.
As you cake your way through this book, remember that creativity is all about believing in yourself and taking risks. If I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t be here.
Love,
Yo xo
