CakeStar
308 Painted Post Drive, Scarborough
416-439-4209
Who is the person who doesn’t like cake? How could anyone not like it? Cakes are such happy-making things. A cake makes every occasion a special one, and no special occasion is really complete without one.
"Of course we love what we do. Cakes are fun," says Barbara Accogli who, along with her sister and business partner, Monja Chiara, runs CakeStar, "Edible Art for Any Occasion." Currently operating from the Bona Via Bakery, their parents’ bakery in Scarborough, Accogli and Chiara have been working in the family business since their early teens.
With years of solid baking experience supported with Accogli's expertise in interior design and Chiara's skills at make-up artistry, starting a specialty cake business allowed them to combine their respective skills in a field that involves appropriate design, architectural balance, and a sure hand with the cosmetics.
"We really enjoy working with each other," Accogli says. "It's the perfect partnership. We love bouncing ideas off one another. We really encourage each other to explore, to use our creativity and create something extraordinary." So no sibling rivalry? "No, none at all."
Whether it’s creating a cake-sized replica of Sneaky Dee’s, an edible Louis Vuitton handbag, a giant Ferraro Rocher, or a four-tiered showpiece with cascades of hand-modelled gum paste flowers and fondant scrollwork, each CakeStar piece is unique and personal.
“I love working with the clients. Some of them know exactly what they want right away. Others will want more guidance. Most of the time, I can come up with a design in under five minutes,” explains Accogli. “That’s one of the reasons we got into this - getting the chance to design and create something new and wonderful every day. But we will repeat designs if the client sees something on our site and wants us to recreate it.”
But it’s not all about the design. Cakes are meant to be eaten after all. “I’ve done a lot of research,” says Accogli, “and we really do make a beautiful buttercream.” And while chocolate cake continues to be a perennial favourite, the dulce de leche filling is proving to be a hit. Cakes are available in vanilla, chocolate, lemon, carrot and brownie and with a range of available fillings including cappuccino, amaretto, raspberry white chocolate, chocolate and cognac, and rum caramel.
CakeStar also makes fancy cupcakes and cookies; their Breakfast at Tiffany's cookies decorated in white and trademark blue icing.
In business since 1998, CakeStar went big with a proper launch headlined by their anatomically detailed “Naughty Cakes” at the 2008 Everything to do with Sex Show in Toronto. “There was such a great reaction to the cakes,” Accogli says, “and things just took off from there” including a cake for the CBC's "How do you Solve a Problem Like Maria?" wrap party. And with the launch of their website this past October, business has been steady with an output of six to ten cakes a week.
Sounds like the fancy cake business might be recession-proof. “For some reason, just within the past month or so, there’s been a surge of birthday cake orders,” enthuses Accogli.
Accogli and Chiara are planning on relocating to a space exclusive to CakeStar in the coming year. "But it's great working with the family. They're incredibly supportive, they always want to see what we're going to come up with next. They're good parents."
Photos courtest of Cakestar. Used with permission.
