I discovered @ibakemistakes’ IG account thanks to Emma Roberts and her IG book club account @belletrist. The first thing that struck me about Kassie’s cakes was how visually striking her creations were. I’ve seen many cakes on my IG feed and in real life, but not all of them caught my eye the way Kassie’s did. I think we’ve all seen the same birthday cakes and multi-tier wedding cakes over and over again. The attention to detail that goes into every single one of Kassie’s cakes, from the combination of colors to the beautiful floral patterns, are just a few things that make her stand out from the crowd.
Yes people, her cakes are as breathtaking in person as they are online. Look at the color scheme of this cake. The buttercream looks like an acrylic painting.
After you place your order on the Minimart website, email Kassie if you have any questions. If you want a custom cake or you have a picture in your head of what you want your cake to look like, tell her! If there’s a specific cake on her feed that you are drawn to, communicate with her. I was looking for something ethereal and cotton-candy, so I sent Kassie a picture of one of her past cakes for reference.
The last time I remember having a birthday cake was probably when I was 7 years old, back in the day when my parents would throw me a birthday party with my school friends. So, after seeing Kassie’s beautiful creations, I was convinced that this was the birthday I would finally indulge in a fancy, nostalgic birthday cake.
When I asked her what cake she recommended, this is what she said:
“I suggest Funfetti to those who are set in the classics. Kassie’s Choice is definitely for people who are a bit more adventurous with flavors, as they are made with ingredients I come upon that I find interesting. Often a more daring choice. So it’s up to you, which one you’d like to go with.”
Since Kassie was all booked up during my birthday week, one option was to wait until October 2nd. But I was too eager to get my hands on it, so I decided to order my cake for the week before my birthday. This is the exact cake Kassie made for me! I love anything birthday cake flavor, so I went with the Funfetti cake. Just look at the detailing: the whimsical array of colors, the seashells, the glitter star sprinkles, the butterflies and the beautiful swirls.
She perfectly captured the essence of what I wanted my cake to look like. That’s why, if you have an idea of what you want, tell her and provide her with reference pictures. If you have a vague idea, but you’re not really sure, don’t worry! Leave it up to Kassie and you’ll receive a pleasant surprise.
I believe I took at least 10 pictures before I went in with the knife.
It was so good!! The buttercream was thick and creamy, not too sugary at all. The crumb had a glorious pillow-like texture that just melted in my mouth. The vanilla flavor of the cake burst in every bite and I loved seeing the colored rainbow sprinkles as I was eating it. It was probably the best birthday cake I’ve had. Sorry, Mom and Dad.
Obviously, I wasn’t going to eat the whole birthday cake by myself in one sitting. Kassie said to freeze it after four days. I’ve never frozen cake before, so I was a little bit skeptical, since it might alter the flavor. But nope! Even after freezing for a few days, the crumb kept the same fluffy texture and the flavor wasn’t altered. It obviously didn’t taste exactly the same as when I first got it, but still, it was really good. Just slice it and put it in plastic ziploc bags.
The cake was $65, which I think was fairly priced given the size, the quality, but most importantly, the hard work that was put into it. Plus, a percentage of your purchase goes to a charity of Kassie’s choice! Note: Prices may have changed since I wrote this review in 2021.
Euphoria’s actress Barbie Ferreira uploaded an IG story slicing Kassie’s Passionfruit Goat Cheesecake! Yum! I inquired about the cake’s availability.
“The cake in this photo is actually the passionfruit goat cheesecake which comes in the 8″ round, it’s priced at $65. It is also available by the slice on weekends only! As for layered cakes I currently offer 6″ rounds- which is the size you got and 8″! Tiered cakes are also available but only on an email order basis!”
Kassie emailed me back all of her answers regarding her background as a baker and the story behind ibakemistakes.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in East County San Diego, I lived there until I was 22 before moving to San Francisco! I love it there, and obviously can never be too far away as I moved to Los Angeles to be closer to home.
How did you get started in the baking world?
I started out watching my abuela in the kitchen. There was a language barrier growing up, as I don’t speak Spanish fluently nor did my abuela speak English fluently. So baking was our language, we bonded over the love of food and each other. I learned how to express love and gratitude to those around me through food. Then from there it was non-stop, I would bake for people in high school all the time. Always experimenting. I’ve had a lot of hobbies in my time but baking was just the one that stuck and I think it’s because of the connection I feel to my abuela! The mixer I use was actually hers, and it’s older than I am!
Why did you create ibakemistakes? Can you tell me the backstory and why you chose that specific name?
Gosh, it’s been my IG handle forever. I think I chose it because it was a good pun. But also true in some ways. Literally everything I do is by trial and error, you learn the most when you make mistakes vs being perfect all the time- which I definitely am not!!
For someone who’s reading this and who wants to place an order, can you give them a breakdown?
Yeah, I actually recently updated how I take orders! For custom orders I have a period of time the month prior that’s open for custom flavored orders, after that period is over I only accept orders that come from the website. So the platform I take orders on is called Minimart, and the website is linked in my bio. You’ll choose which cake sounds best to you and add it to your cart — I also offer pastries for the weekends! In the notes section you can add a quick blurb about the type of design scheme you’re looking for, an example would be “whimsical fall vibes” you’ll also get a payment confirmation email that asks you to send reference pics of what you’re looking for. If you leave both of those blank then the decoration will be left up to me and what floral decor I have available to me that week! And if at any point you have questions — you can email me! I typically respond within 24 hours — keep in mind I’m busy shopping for flowers & ingredients, baking, and decorating, so I’ll usually respond once all of that is out of the way. (:
I read that whenever a purchase is made, a percentage goes to a charity, correct?
So, I started making cakes in June (2020) as a fundraiser for BLM organizations- but when I lost my job, I had to pivot that to selling cakes to make a living during the pandemic. I try to keep that energy by still donating a percentage of sales to a cause I’m passionate about. This month (September) that money is going to The Last Prisoner Project which is a non-profit dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform. They believe that if an individual is able to capitalize on the cannabis industry and legally make a profit, those who have suffered from cannabis criminalization must be released and given help to rebuild their lives.
How do you come up with such beautiful cakes? They really stand out from the crowd. Where do you draw inspiration from?
It’s all very organic, I don’t really go into it with a plan. Once I lay down the initial “swoops and swirls” of buttercream, any piping and floral details come from following that pattern, if that makes any sense!! It’s hard to explain the process when there really isn’t one. A lot of my inspo tho comes from graphic designers, make-up artists, fashion designers and fellow bakers on instagram. A lot of it also comes from my Grammy, she passed last year and left me with a majority of her art supplies. She was an incredible artist, and she still inspires me daily. In her art supplies I found some brand new paint palette knives that I eventually started using for cakes, so it’s like a little piece of her is in every cake I make (: Sometimes, when I’m really creatively stuck I look back at some of the art books she made to give me the spark I need.
Do you plan on expanding? Maybe selling your pastries in bakeries around LA?
I used to have a dream of owning my own bakery, and who knows maybe one day, but it’s no longer my be all and end all dream! I think something I’ve realized during the past almost 2 years of this pandemic is how much I value time with friends and family, it’s something that when I was working full-time in bakeries I didn’t enjoy the way I do now. I missed out on being present for holidays, weddings, birthdays and special occasions because that’s one of the prices you pay working in the food industry. I don’t want to give those things up anymore, so keeping this small cottage bakery operation is what I think is best for me and the life I want to lead. It allows me to take time off when I need to see family and also to prioritize my mental well-being. I am working on doing some pop-ups in LA, SF, and SD though!
What are your favorite bakeries?
I love Farmshop in Santa Monica, Gemini Bakehouse on Sunset, Just what I Kneaded in Frogtown!
What do you like about living in LA? How long have you been living here?
I’ve lived in LA for a little over two years now. I love all the food, and access to so many great farmers markets- the one in South Pasadena is my fave!
What are your favorite restaurants in LA?
I love Konbi! Especially for their burger specials! Wurstkuche, I can’t get enough of their fries! I also live and die for the garlic sauce at Kismet Rotisserie. OH MY GOD and the lemon pepper wings at The Greyhound Bar & Grill in Highland park!! But above all else I love Hail Mary pizza, the crust on their pizza is the best I’ve ever had!
Favorite places and neighborhoods?
I spend a lot of time in and around Highland Park, Echo Park, Silverlake, Downtown and in the Arts District!
What are your favorite places in San Diego?
OH GOSH!!! IT’S A LONG LIST!! For pizza in San Diego, definitely The Friendly in North Park, their dirty flat top burger is literally top 3 burgers I’ve ever had in my life!!!
KT donuts #7 in Paradise Valley, for classic no frills donuts that hit the spot everytime. Sipz in Clairemont for vegan sushi, and their drunken noodles! URBN pizza in El Cajon for their mashed potato bacon pizza, and I suggest you add tapatio! and Blackmarket Bakery in North Park. It was the first bakery I worked at, and omg, the sandwiches are perfect for lunch! ooooooh and Por Vida in Barrio Logan, the mazapan latte is perfection and the spicy lemonades are the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. And Cantina Mayahuel on 30th and Adams, the mole is something out of a dream, the margaritas too!! I could go on forever lol.
Do you accept requests for those with dietary restrictions? Like, could you make a vegan cake if someone asked you to?
I do accept orders for vegan cakes, though those must be placed via email and not on the website as they are a custom cake! Other restrictions are harder to accommodate just given the small space im working out of, but most times I can accommodate grain free requests, but once again email (:
Can you tell me more about the flowers you use?
So the floral aspect to my cakes is as seasonal as possible, this is not only to enjoy each flower at its peak but also to keep the cakes as affordable to the customer as possible. Due to covid and climate changes, the floral industry is actually facing a shortage, especially as things start to reopen and weddings and gatherings are happening again, there’s a boom in demand and that directly affects cakes as well as floral prices are starting to rise.
I source most of my flowers from the LA flower Market as well as local farmers markets, and I get flowers that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides. The flowers I use are either edible or non-toxic. The flowers I choose when I’m shopping are the ones that speak to me, the ones that I can see on a cake!! But circling back to seasonality, a lot of times i’ll get a request to recreate a design I did months ago, and it can be tricky as there are a lot of flowers I can only find a few weeks out of the year!!
Are the ingredients in your cakes organic?
Yes! And I think you can really taste the difference!
Do you want to treat yourself to a beautiful and decadent cake? Just head over to the website and email Kassie all the details!