When Cathy Walls started making birthday cakes for her kids, she let their imaginations lead her designs. It became her creative outlet. If they could think it up, she could make it.
Ten years of making cakes for family and friends gave her confidence. In March, she launched The Village Cakery from her home. Her initial business plan was one to two cake or cookie orders per month. Response has been so good that she’s exceeded that on a weekly basis. www.thevillagecakery.com
Walls lives in Wauwatosa with her husband, Nick, and their three boys, Ethan, 10, Isaac, 8, and Bennett, 5.
Southern start
My background is not in food. I was a physical therapist for 11 years. I’m from Nashville. I have a southern grandmother, and I was the only granddaughter. I was in her kitchen all the time when I was a kiddo. We would just bake and bake, and she taught me everything. …
When my oldest had his first birthday, I thought I’d try to make some kind of fun cake. This grew from there.
Baked beginnings
I baked my own cake for my 10th birthday. It was a big sheet cake. My grandmother just gave me the reins. I remember getting to use the handheld mixer, and that was the first time she let me use that.
Making her way to the Midwest
My husband played soccer. I was an athletic trainer. We met in St. Louis in college. He ended up with the Chicago Fire and Wave United. I joined him up here. He was a Tosa East guy.
Cakes, Cookies and Creativity
I’ve always had an artistic side. I’d paint murals for people. I did kids’ furniture. When you have kids, no time for hobbies. Cakes were something I could do. About two years ago, I started staying home with the kids. …
I now run the bakery out of my home. In October, Wisconsin changed the cottage laws. This wasn’t even a possibility before that. I wasn’t able to go off and start a bakery outside, this was just a great option for home bakers. I started getting a business plan together then, and I launched in March. … Now I’m starting to look into building out a commercial kitchen space.
Flavor fun
My kids love Icees, so I made cupcakes with an Icee (flavor) frosting on top. That was a hit. I just started making my own homemade marshmallows, and that’s started a bunch of ideas like s’mores cake.
Gluten-free goals
My middle son, who is 8, is in the testing stages for celiac. We did an elimination diet and we did a genetic cheek swab. I just found out I have that gene. So I actually don’t eat gluten, which is a new thing for me. I’m learning about the gluten-free side of baking. There have been failures along the way. If I get my own place, I’d want two kitchens. Bringing really tasty gluten-free stuff to the community is a goal.
Favorite thing to bake
White chocolate cake with a lavender vanilla buttercream frosting, it is so good. I haven’t mastered it in gluten free, but the regular version is absolutely amazing.
Frosting favorites
To err on the side of caution with the cottage laws, I’m making everything with American buttercream. Swiss meringue and others you do cook down the egg whites, but I want to do everything by the book…
With my cutout cookies, the royal icing had egg whites as well, so I changed that recipe so it does not include egg whites. There have been a few recipe adjustments since starting the business. There are some limitations to operating under the cottage law.
Recipes with roots
My grandma made these amazing yeast rolls I just can’t master. She’d get this tea towel wet and let the rolls rise. We’re convinced that was the trick, so I have the tea towel. I also have some of her old school handwritten recipes on recipe cards.
Fork. Spoon. Life. explores the everyday relationship that local notables (within the food community and without) have with food. To suggest future personalities to profile, email nstohs@journalsentinel.com.
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