Today we’d like to introduce you to Kierra Harper
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
As a child, I grew up watching my granddad being the primary cook at my grandparent’s house. Don’t get me wrong, my grandmother would do her fair share of cooking, but when I was younger it was mostly my grandpa. He was the one making our after school lunches, meals for family get togethers and holidays. He would be in the kitchen cooking and baking while looking at old cowboy black and white movies, playing old Jazz and American rock songs (Don Mclean’s American Pie comes to mind naturally) on the really tiny TV in the corner of the kitchen. And I would just sit at the table and watch him. My favorite thing to watch him make were his cakes! He would always make a really really rich chocolate cake and a rum cake. And I looooved that chocolate cake. He would always make it for holidays, birthdays, and for our bible studies with our grandma. The rum cake was always for the church bake sale (I could not stand the smell of it as child lol, but the church congregation loved it).
Usually, he would only let me lick the chocolate off the spatula once he was finished, but one day he asked if I wanted to help him. Of course I said yes! He let me add the ingredients and mix it all together, and I just remember being so happy! At the time I remember him having to step out of the kitchen for a moment ( I don’t remember why), I just remember once he left, I stuck my fingers in the batter and licked it off…repeatedly ! I was just so happy he left me unsupervised with chocolate batter that I couldn’t wait to eat it. He eventually came back and caught me double dipping my gross fingers in the cake batter, and it was a while before he let me help again, understandably.
But that was where my love of cakes and baking started. As I began to get older, I started to really love those baking competition and reality shows that came on the Food Network and TLC. I would sketch what I thought would be a cute design while I watched the show.
I didn’t really think of it as a possible career until I left culinary school. I originally applied for a general culinary pathway instead of baking and pastry, but then realized my love was more so for just baking. After I left culinary school, I just began practicing cake decorating and baking at home. Everything I’ve learned as of now has been off the strength of trial and error, and Youtube university. Eventually, in 2020, I took the chance to offer my baking services to other people besides my family !
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all! Some of my earliest challenges outside of formulating recipes, was just settling on what I want to do. When I first started, I was making and selling any and everything. I was selling pies, banana pudding cups, cinnamon rolls, cheesecakes, cakes with fondant, etc. I hated it! Some things I learned I just had no interest in making, but was forcing myself to accommodate for everyone else’s preferences. My biggest worry was losing an opportunity or customer because I didn’t like to make something. I didn’t want to seem lazy or ungrateful. Eventually, I learned that it was my business, and it made no sense to force myself to start a business doing things I hate. And it’s much better to focus on your specific niche, instead of stretching yourself thin.
As time continued, another challenge has been self esteem honestly. If I’m being truthful, I have come along way from when I first started baking. If you could see and eat those cakes you would understand lol. But often times, feeling like my cakes weren’t good enough or comparing myself to other bakers has been a challenge. Even with other people complimenting my cakes, and still feeling like they weren’t exactly how I wanted it to be. Having imposter syndrome can really suck! I’ve found it best to cut back on social media a bit, and focus on my own business. Comparison is definitely the thief of joy.
And lastly, something that I still struggle with today, can just be the weight of trying to really get a business off the ground. With everything going on in this world, still working a 9-5, trying to manage all the roles of a business (baking, marketing, social media, delivery, finances, etc), and trying to find a studio location, it can sometimes feel really overwhelming. I just have to thank God, and keep going!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a baker and cake decorator, and I make custom cakes for special occasions. I make anywhere from simple cakes to have around the dinner table on holidays- to a custom cake for your wedding! I also like to make really flavorful treats like cookies, cupcakes, cake shooters and brownies!
I mostly specialize in custom cakes. I get to make cakes for birthday events, baby showers, and anniversaries. Have a specific theme in mind? I’ll make a cake to fit your vision!
I take so much pride in making cakes for special events because it really does make a difference for the person of honor. They take so much time to carefully plan their events and create a vision, whether it’s a birthday party, baby shower, or etc. So when they walk in, and see a cake there that fits what they have in mind, it makes me happy. I feel like I got to take part in something so important, and I get to make their special moment a little more special!
And the cakes taste good! Good food always makes people feel good, and gives them something to reflect on.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Before I set my mind on becoming a cake decorator and baker, I used to spend hours at home sketching cake designs. This was mostly during my teen years, but I would sketch like 3-4 cake sketches a week, just for the fun of it. This is really when I was obsessed with ‘The Cake Boss’ and ‘Ace of Cakes’. Sketching cakes either based on something I saw on tv, or just whatever I came up with. I wouldn’t do anything with them, but put them in a folder and put them away. The thought of turning it into a career hadn’t really crossed my mind either. Years later I had found the old folder with cake sketches and it just reassured me this was something I was meant to do!
Pricing:
- 6″ custom cakes: start at $75
- 8″ custom cakes: start at $110
- Small 2 tier cakes (6″ + 8″) start at: $200
- Vintage cakes start at: $65
- Bento Lunchbox cakes start at: 3 for $40
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kakdbakery.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kakdbakes/
- Other: Email: info@kakesbykie.com
Image Credits
Photo credits: Emalee Evans
