Conversations with Jennifer Brader

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Brader.

Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Zell’s Cottage Bakery started as a hobby, baking cakes for my children and then friends before finally opening a cottage food business from my home. I relocated from Loganville to Gainesville and put everything I had into growing my bakery. I competed in my first cake competition in 2019, Cake Clash, and won the grand prize and was named the “Best Baker in Georgia”. I wanted to set my business apart from all others and started hosting Cupcake & Beer Pairings with our local brewery creating some of the most unique pairings with their brews like Blue Cheese & Fig, Smoked Salmon, Meat & Potatoes, Hot Dog, Chickfila Chicken and so many more! It was a blast and pushed the limits of baked goods. In 2024 I signed a lease for a retail location and on February 15, 2025, I hosted the grand opening of my brick and mortar. We are celebrating our first birthday next week in a BIG way with giveaways, throwback flavors, bonus reward points and more!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. There have been so many ups and downs along the way. When they say you put your blood, sweat and tears into it, they’re not lying. Between the hoops you jump through to run a legitimate business, the expenses, the constant rise of ingredients, the economy as a whole, it’s a nightmare. There’s a reason so many small businesses are closing every day. And the laws recently changed in Georgia regarding home bakeries so now there’s a pop up stand on practically every corner which over-saturates the market. Every single day is a challenge.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Years ago, when I was first making a name for myself in Gainesville, it was by offering something unique, out of the box. Giving them an experience they hadn’t had before. We became known for creating crazy flavor combinations and people loved that. Now that I have a retail location, I get to create until my heart is content. It’s a “whatever floats my boat” sort of vibe. You literally never know what you’re going to find when you walk through the doors. Everything I create is made from scratch and that really sets me apart from other bakeries. I was blown away by how many bakeries have their products shipped in from suppliers for pastries, cake mixes, frostings, etc. That’s not me. I have higher standards for my products and my clients absolutely appreciate that. I remember years ago, as a hobby baker, I went to a cake shop. While standing in line, the lady in front of me was purchasing a 5 gallon bucket of commercial frosting. I asked her about it, stating that I’d never use premade frosting and she said when I get to the point where I do as many cakes as she does, I’ll do the same. Let me tell you, I average 60-75 weddings a year, plus special occasion cakes, cupcakes and of course all the desserts for our walk in display cases and I’ve not once considered buying commercial made frosting. I’ll stick with my grandma Zell’s tried and true recipe, thank you!

What were you like growing up?
I’ve always had a knack for the arts. I loved to dance growing up, dabbled with piano lessons, and had an extensive stent playing the viola in notable youth and adult symphonies. I wasn’t the popular kid. I had friends in all circles. I’ve always leaned towards a creative outlet. Even with all of the performing arts throughout my younger years, I feel like baking chose me. It’s in my DNA. Both my mom and my grandma (Zell, the namesake for my bakery) were bakers. Although I didn’t get the opportunity to learn from my grandma, I have loved baking with my mom and still call her regularly for advice and perspectives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zellscottagebakery.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zellscottagebakery
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zellscottagebakery

Image Credits
Tags Photography (portrait of me)