Today we’d like to introduce you to Katrina Heffinger.
Hi Katrina, 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’ve pretty much always loved to bake ever since I received my very first ‘Easy Bake Oven’ as a young girl. My mother was a wonderful baker; I remember her always making delicious peanut butter cookies, red velvet cakes for special occasions, moist and flavorful butter pound cakes, and all sorts of amazing Christmas cookies during the holidays. Throughout my adult life, my love for baking continued to grow, and as Pinterest gained popularity, I began to attend what I jokingly refer to as ‘the school of YouTube’ to learn how to make the fancy decorated sugar cookies and piped buttercream cakes. I started taking them to the staff at my daughter’s elementary school and eventually, someone said ‘Well you could SELL these’… Then the Covid lockdown hit in March 2020, and I found myself creating an Instagram account as a creative outlet for all the extra ‘at home’ time that was now on my hands. I chose ‘JellyBeanBakeryDelMar’ for the account because JellyBean is the nickname we had for our daughter when she was little. I started being contacted about graduation cookies and cakes and decided to learn how to make French macarons to add to my offerings. Most of my customers are via referral and I love working with clients to come up with something unique and getting to play a small part in their special occasions.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I was really fortunate to have had the support of friends and family in turning my little hobby into a business. I’ve also made countless connections in the baking community on Instagram and have been befriended and mentored by them in so many ways. There is quite a bit of a learning curve to making macarons, and the techniques for decorated cookies and tiered cakes are also not without their stumbling blocks. However, the learning process is much less painful when you are doing something you truly enjoy.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in custom-decorated sugar cookies, buttercream cakes, and French macarons for birthdays and other celebrations in San Diego County. Recently, I’ve been most proud of some of the tiered celebration cakes that have gone out for baby showers, 50th birthdays, and other gatherings. I also really love doing sports-themed cookie sets; they’re always so much fun!
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I think customers really appreciate the amount of research and thought that goes into each order to make sure we are accommodating their theme and coming up with something unique to make their special occasion memorable. I also pride myself in delivering baked goods that taste just as good as they look.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jellybeanbakerydelmar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JellyBeanBakeryDelMar
