When choosing and working with your wedding cake baker, there are several key ingredients that are a MUST…besides the cake tasting.
- The ability to create a yummy, delicious cake
- The ability to catch your most awesome vision
- Ability to design, deliver, and hold a functional design-based cake through your entire event. Cake designers are architects too…
- Top notch customer service
Kristin Kato, owner of A Cake Life not only has all these ingredients, but the “icing on the cake” is that she is warm, super sweet, and organized! She has been such a great vendor to work with in so many of our weddings, photo shoots, and special events. Kristin has always gone above and beyond in capturing my personal design vision as a stylist for my clients. I hope you are able experience Kristin’s special creations for your special event!
When did you start A Cake Life and what was the inspiration behind your company?
I got started making cakes when I was a paralegal. After finishing my undergrad at the University of Oregon, I came back to Honolulu with the intent of attending law school at UH. So, I got a job as a paralegal at an Employment and Labor litigation firm. I worked there for 2 years and during that time, I realized law wasn’t for me. This was the same time the cool cake shows like Ace of Cakes first aired on the Food Network. I was amazed at their creativity and artistry. I signed up for a basic cake decorating class at a craft store, and then took a few more classes at Cake Creations Dessert Haven where I got to learn hands on. I had a wonderful experience there and am more than grateful for all they taught me. From there, I went on to study learn all I could about design, sugar artistry and how to start a business! A Cake Life opened in July 2009 and it’s been a truly exciting and rewarding experience.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I gain inspiration from fashion – incorporating styles and textures like pleating, ruffles, brooches, weaving or quilting. I love to incorporate elements from couples invitations or Save the Date cards. My personal philosophy is ‘less is more’ and I love to create a clean, basic cake in a contemporary style, accented with simple, elegant elements of color, flowers or touches so the details can be showcased.
Are most of your designs original, or do you re-create previous designs?
We give each and every detail of your wedding cake special attention so its customized based on your request. We believe each cake should be reflective of the style and personality of the 2 of you as a couple. Each cake is unique and no two are the same. We encourage you to integrate your personality and interest to truly customize your wedding cake.
What’s the average cost for a wedding cake?
Of course prices vary depending on size, serving amount, design, sugar versus fresh flowers, tier risers or lifts and so on. A standard size 3 tier cake (which yields approximately 72-96 servings) can range between $300-$600.
Cupcake wedding cakes are another popular option. They allow for more flavor selection and are easy to serve.
The price of a cupcake wedding cake is dependent on the quantity needed, size of cupcakes (we offer minis, a regular and a regular filled cupcake), cupcake design, embellishments, etc. For A Cake Life, our minimum order is 60 regular and/or regular filled cupcakes or 96 mini cupcakes. With the cupcakes and cake topper, the cupcake tree starts at $200.
On average, how many cakes do you make in a year?
While our main focus is definitely wedding cakes we also do birthday, event or corporate cakes. Last year was our first full year in business and we did 60 wedding cakes, and 30 birthday/other cakes. This year so far we have orders for 150 wedding cakes and 18 birthday/other cakes so we’ve more than doubled in business.
What is the best thing about your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is when our clients are thrilled and excited about their cake on their special day. Your wedding day is the start of your new life together and we are honored to contribute to your special day.
What was the most memorable cake you have made so far?
We made a surprise grooms cake of a red Audi convertible with the couples 2 dogs sitting in the front seat. The dogs were wearing a black top hat for the groom and a white veil for the bride. The bride asked us to integrate their special inside joke catch phrase on the license plate and their wedding date on the other. All the guests got the inside joke and the groom was stoked to see his surprise cake!
What is your favorite cake flavor/frosting combination?
Our most popular wedding cake flavor is our Yellow Butter Cake with Fresh Strawberry Cream filling and our Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Filling. My personal fav is Devils Food Chocolate cake with Cookies N Cream filling. You can’t go wrong with yummy Oreo whipped filling, Boxing reminds me snacking on Oreos as a kid!
What do you like to do when you’re not baking cakes?
When I’m not working, you’ll find me going to the dog park with my Rocky or hosting game night at my house with our friends. We always have fun playing board games (love Cranium and Taboo). We set up bracket tournaments with our XBox Kinect and sometimes play Mah Jong!
And here are some of Kristin’s cakes that we have collaborated on. Enjoy the eye candy!
We’re super excited for our clients Tiare and Gary whose Apple vs. Droid themed wedding is being featured in the current issue of 
Shilhi and Passion Roots were included in the premier issue of the Hawaii Book. The Crave book series has been published in over 28 US cities, and in Canada and Europe.
Awhile back we were asked to design and style the party room for 
We incorporated an outdoor Candyland theme filled with vintage-looking tables, chairs and café style pieces. The first section mimicked an indoor garden style café with a wall filled with fake greenery and a custom designed chalkboard. The ceiling treatment consisted of wooden branches filled with fun lighting.
