Alton cake boss welcomes the challenge - Alton Telegraph

Joe Crawford For The Telegraph

Published 2:35 pm CDT, Tuesday, September 1, 2020

These pancakes are actually a cake created by Amy and Ben Hollis, seen in the insert, of Duke’s Bakery in Alton. While known for their doughnuts and cookies, a large portion of the bakery’s business are custom-ordered cakes.
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These pancakes are actually a cake created by Amy and Ben Hollis, seen in the insert, of Duke’s Bakery in Alton. While known for their doughnuts and cookies, a large portion of the bakery’s business are
... more

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These pancakes are actually a cake created by Amy and Ben Hollis, seen in the insert, of Duke’s Bakery in Alton. While known for their doughnuts and cookies, a large portion of the bakery’s business are custom-ordered cakes.

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... more

ALTON — Ben Hollis supervises the bakers at Alton’s venerable Duke Bakery.

Together with his wife Amy, they are carrying on the family tradition of her father, uncle and grandfather in the Doucleff family.

In the bakery kitchen he’s the boss. You might even say he’s the “Cake Boss” — of Alton, that is.

“Certain people still think of us as just a doughnut and cookie shop,” Ben Hollis said. “Others think of us for our cakes. Still others bread, pastries and pies.

“They base that opinion on what they grew up coming here for,” he said. “That’s what they remember and that’s what they are looking for, whether it is stopping here for after school treats, morning doughnuts or birthday and anniversary cakes.”

Many customers will be surprised to learn that cakes comprise a large part of Duke Bakery’s business. And these are not just your over-the-counter sheet cake or round ones.

Ben and Amy Hollis can create elaborate custom cakes similar to those featured on the popular reality TV show “Cake Boss”.

“We have the talent and the means to make custom-built cakes for any occasion — be it a graduation, retirement or anniversary just like on the TV show,” he said.

“The most complex cake I ever made was one that resembled a slot machine,” Hollis said. “It took five days to put it together and in the end it was beautiful and served 200 people.

“I was betting the customer would be pleased and we hit the jackpot,” he said.

But with custom cakes come custom prices. There’s no one-size-fits-all, Hollis said, adding they will work with people on budgets.

“The amount of labor that is involved in the cake is insane,” Hollis said. “That goes for the planning, too. It’s nothing to spend up to an hour for an initial consultation with many follow emails and communications of some sort.

“If you want something like on Cake Boss, you need to have a budget in mind and that it could take a few days to make,” he said. “We don’t throw those together overnight.”

Hollis said he enjoys the challenge of custom cakes and he encourages customers to dream big — especially if it’s for a noteworthy occasion.

And just like on the show, his cakes — no matter what the size, flavor or design — are crafted to be completely edible. In the end, people can slice it up and serve it any way they want to.

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