What inspired you to start baking and/or open your own bakery business, and how did you develop your passion for baking?
I was inspired to start baking about a year after I opened my business. Originally, my concept was more in the direction of hot ready-to-eat foods but there was intense demand for baked goods made allergen-free (that don’t taste like cardboard). My baked goods are all top 9 allergen-free except coconut. I have developed cake and cookie recipes after many failed attempts with different brands and now offer a wide variety of sweets.
What do you like about Judee's ingredients?
Sprinkles are unbelievably hard to find allergen-free! Such a tiny thing but what’s a bakery without sprinkles? Everyone loves sprinkles! I use Judee’s Natural Rainbow Sprinkles and many other sprinkle colors because they are made in a dedicated facility and have clean ingredients.
Bakers often face unique challenges in the kitchen. Can you share a specific obstacle you encountered as a baker and how you overcame it to achieve success?
One of my biggest obstacles is my own craving for passionate creativity. If I could spend countless hours in the kitchen with an unlimited ingredient supply, I would bring so many ideas to life. I don’t take as much time for idea development as I would like. I love creating and I can get lost for hours when there is more urgent work to be done. On the plus side, that is how I’ve come up with over 40 cake flavors!
Show us your creativity! What's the most innovative or unique dessert creation you've come up with, and what inspired you to make it?
My Brown Sugar Baddie Cookie was inspired by a local coffee shop called Bad Seed Coffee. Firstly, always support local. I love the vibes of this coffee shop + plant store. Their iconic drink is a Brown Sugar Latte. I created a cookie that tastes like the end of November. Like a gingersnap and a chai cookie and a Snickerdoodle and an oatmeal cream pie all came together with a gooey layer of poptart-esque icing on top. And it’s not tiny like most allergen-friendly foods are.
Give us your hot take! What's a baking tip you wish everyone knew?
A baking tip… temperatures of ingredients will alter the final product. If you’re working with coconut oil, for instance, the ingredients should all be warm. And please refrain from opening the oven.
Baking is often associated with joyful moments and celebrations. Can you share a heartwarming or memorable story of how your baked goods have brought happiness to someone's life?
I receive messages from people every day. People graduating college who have never had a cake, from mothers of children with nut allergies, from all kinds of folks with food allergies or intolerances…messages of “thank yous” and “it’s been so long since I could enjoy ____”. Every single thing I bake makes *someone^ happy and that’s a win in my book.
How has the baking community helped or supported you as you built a business from the ground up?
Omaha is spoiled with all sorts of talented people. Bakers especially. The market is pretty saturated but each business individually thrives with unique offerings. Like... if you need a jaw-dropping 6-tier floral-inspired cake you go to this baker. If you need top-tier macarons, you go to this baker. Looking for European artisan pastries, you go to that baker. I’m the — if you need allergen-free, you go to Veg.Edible baker. The best part is we all are rooting for each other.