Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Andrade.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
From the very beginning I’ve always found myself around the kitchen helping my Mom with baking Filipino and American desserts. As I think back to that time it seemed as if we were baking from scratch every week. Some desserts requiring a couple of days to prep before even setting it into the oven. My Mom would have me crack open the coconuts and then grate it so that I may later squeeze out the delicious white milk for our babingka (Filipino sweet rice cake). As years passed, I graduated from San Diego State University with a BA in Art with an Emphasis in Painting and Printmaking. I worked at Scripps Clinic in their Pathology and Microbiology Dept. and later moved into Quality within the biotech/medical device industry. No matter what I was doing, I was baking as it was second nature to me. It was a love that connected me with family It was at my very wedding that things began to change for me. My husband and I went about San Diego in search of a wedding cake. We did a few cake tastings and just couldn’t find what we wanted.
So I did what most brides normally don’t do… make their own wedding cake. It was calming for me. Nothing came to mind other than the process of creating something wonderful. I began taking private orders and as word of mouth grew I decided to open Tuberose Cake Studio, a home-based business in San Diego. Today, I create celebration and wedding cakes using top shelf ingredients like Callebaut Belgium Chocolates and organic produce whenever possible. Just as my Mom and I baked everything from scratch this remains true til today.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The obstacle I currently face are two-fold. I opened Tuberose Cake Studio out of my home and so I don’t have a store front that would allow clients to come in and out as they please. This of course makes it a challenge as I may not be getting the exposure needed for my cake business. Additionally, I opened up in an industry saturated with well-established bakers working out of their homes as well as those with storefronts. Many of these awesome bakers have employees and thriving on their dedicated customers. I am a one woman show keeping my business up and running by overseeing the front and back end of my website, keeping up with financials, photographing my work while creating new flavor profiles and keeping with the quality of my cakes.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in Celebration and Wedding Cakes made from high quality ingredients. From the moment you cut into my cakes, you’ll find them structured with various textures and/or flavors. A cake of mine may have freshly made hazelnut praline, hazelnut crunch, ganache, dark and white chocolate buttercream, and a cake base with a brandy infused simple syrup. Another may be as simple as my carrot pineapple cake layered with a rosewater infused buttercream. There’s no nuts, raisins, coconut, or even cream cheese to weigh it down. Rather, you’ll taste the simplicity of the two main stars of the cake dancing with the warmth of cinnamon and uplifted by the taste of rosewater buttercream. It may not be what you think of in a typical carrot cake, but I’ve made believers in those who “hate carrot cake”. Having to stand out above all else is a matter of keeping true to myself. I believe in creating cakes with simple ingredients that in turn becomes a depth of complex flavors.
What makes you happy?
There is that one dessert that often reminds me of being in the kitchen with my Mom. Coconut Cream Leche Flan. She had a love of coconut as it was one of the main staples from her Province in the Philippines, Bicol. My Mom was always trying to perfect her leche flan. She was always particular about mixing the ingredients together as she didn’t want to create any air bubbles. Today, I make a leche flan with coconut cream that is smooth and creamy. It has nothing to do with cake but with the memory of Mom. The smile one makes when taking a bite of my desserts is what makes me happy. There’s no need for a “Thank you” once I see that smile!
Pricing:
- Cake ranges from $7 – $10 / Slice
Contact Info:
- Email: tuberosecakestudio@gmail.com
- Website: tuberosecakestudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tuberosecakestudio/
Image Credits
Paul Douda Photography Chayanne Garcia
Angelica Ejanda Yim – AY PhotoDesign
