Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Benitez.
Hi Stacey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always loved baking and art, so I decided to combine the two and became a cake artist. I’ve worked from hotels and country clubs to small bakeries and custom cake shops. I became a mom younger than expected, which ended up giving me a chance to make cakes on side and improve my skills. Life led me from Virginia to Texas where I’ve worked as a cake decorator in a well-known Austin bakery these past eight years. The pandemic has really made me look into my life as a mom and professional cake decorator. I decided to open up my own cottage bakery, Whisk & Twirl, within the past year. I continue to work at a bakery and managing my business so that I can pursue my dream of opening a storefront.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest struggle was having my daughter at 21. It postponed my college education and turned my focus to raising a family. When she turned two, I went back to college in Virginia to get my bachelor’s in business management knowing I’d want to open up my own bakery someday. After three years of working, taking night classes, and balancing mom-life, I graduated and moved to Texas for a more affordable life. We didn’t know anybody here and started our lives from scratch. I ended up working at an amazing bakery for the following seven years but knew I had that entrepreneur in me and decided to start my own business. Financially, it never seemed that I was ready, but I knew I had to start.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a cake artist and make all kinds of custom cakes from kid’s smash cakes to beautifully decorated wedding cakes. My cakes are made from scratch, so they look and taste amazing. Making something edible look great is a craft. I’m always looking for new and creative techniques I can incorporate into my cake skills to keep on improving and perfecting. I am most proud of becoming an entrepreneur. I have a talent I love that also makes people happy, and it is such a heart-warming and fulfilling feeling to be able to spread smiles.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@whiskandtwirl.com
- Website: https://www.whiskandtwirl.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskandtwirl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiskandtwirl/
Image Credits
Ngan Huynh, Debby Ledet
