Hello

My Story

My baking journey begins on my first birthday, if you can believe it! I was the youngest of 4 children growing up in small-town Saskatchewan. My Mom used Wilton decorating books and custom cake pans to teach herself to decorate cakes for our birthdays. Her passion for caking soon extended to all the special occasions in our family and later to hundreds of others in our hometown (and beyond!). Mom made American Buttercream by the ice-cream-pail-full and I couldn't get enough of it (eaten by the tablespoonful)! My Dad also had a sweet tooth, shown by his midnight chocolate chip cookies and glass of milk, so I'm sure I inherited that from him! Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and desserts have always been a part of celebrations in my life. When I grew up, married, and had children of my own, I started to make cakes for my family's birthdays as well, and just like my mom, I taught myself to decorate. 

So, what makes me different from the other bakers and decorators out there? While I have a background in accounting from my professional life the past 20 years, I decided to take the plunge and follow my passion for baking and decorating in the spring of 2023. To take my passion for baking to the next level, I've spent a lot of time researching, planning, and following all the required steps to officially run my home baking business. I have City of Calgary development and land use approval and AHS approval to operate my baking business from my home, I have a valid City of Calgary business license, and have commercial liability insurance. You can trust that I am a legitimate business that operates within the laws and regulations set out by the pertinent regulatory bodies in my location.

I love to bake my cupcakes from scratch using quality ingredients. I strive to make my offerings look beautiful and taste delicious. I prefer gourmet chocolate for dipping desserts. My cupcakes are not mass-produced desserts, they're a special, bespoke luxury gift made with care, love, and time. To perfectly balance buttercream to cake in my floral cupcakes, my cupcakes are jumbo sized (rather than standard). I also want the earth to "be loved" which is the reason I have chosen sustainable products like compostable piping bags (rather than single-use plastics). I've chosen to use parchment or kraft paper to wrap my bouquets rather than cellophane. In addition, I've chosen to use paper cups, paper or compostable tape, and raffia bows for the bouquets to reduce the environmental impact of my products. When using boxes, I choose windowless bakery boxes, again, to avoid the plastic that would go to the landfill.  

It's intriguing to note that my name, Amanda, means "Beloved" or "Loveable" or "Worthy of Love." My ultimate goal is to help people "be loved." Desserts, baking, and the giving of gifts have always been a part of celebrations and support in difficult times for me, and I love using my skills and passion to help others feel loved, too! I hope I get the opportunity to serve you so you can give a gift to share the love around through my Beloved Bake Shop.