TAMPA, FL — Since its founding in 2016, The Cake Girl has become a household name in Florida, known as the place customers turn for multi-tiered specialty cakes. Led by founder and nationally featured cake artist Kristina Lavallee, the bakery is celebrating its 10th anniversary by reflecting on its journey and preparing for future growth.
Lavallee started baking from home in 2006, learning the ropes and finding her passion for the craft. Between 2013 and 2016, she began popping up at local festivals and markets with hand-crafted designs and signature flavors, the initial steps that would form The Cake Girl brand.
In 2016, Kristina and her husband launched The Cake Girl Dessert Truck in Tampa, FL, quickly building a following and bringing attention to the brand’s mini cupcakes, which became a defining element of The Cake Girl experience.
Over the next decade, The Cake Girl evolved from a home baker’s passion project into a full-scale operation that stays true to its roots of craftmanship, storytelling and community.
“Those early years taught us everything about persistence and believing in what we were building,” Kristina said. “We focused on creating something special, one customer at a time.”
By 2018, The Cake Girl opened its first brick-and-mortar bakery, but soon outgrew the 1,000-square-foot space. Two and a half years later, the brand expanded into a 2,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art bakery, doubling equipment and production capacity, which allowed Kristina to home in on her signature style.
To date, the brand has created more than 25,000 custom cakes, served more than one million cupcakes and received numerous honors, including “Sweetest Bakery in America.”
As the brand moves into its 10th year, it’s preparing for its most ambitious chapter yet. In addition to franchising, the company is advancing retail opportunities for its Crave’n Cups line, with expansion into new consumer channels anticipated later this year.
Kristina, who’s appeared on multiple media and news outlets over the years, will continue appearing nationwide as a guest chef and demonstration expert, including upcoming culinary events alongside celebrity bakers Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman.
“The momentum is real,” she said. “And the best is still ahead.”
