Lael Cakes

What Lael Cakes does

Lael Cakes is a Brooklyn-based private bakery studio founded in 2011 by pastry chef Emily Lael Aumiller that produces custom organic, vegan, and gluten-free cakes for weddings, celebrations, and corporate clients. The company operates without a physical storefront, selling exclusively through its direct-to-consumer website (laelcakes.com) with local delivery within the New York metro area, and offers a multi-product portfolio including bespoke custom cakes starting at $640, ready-made single-tier and two-tier cakes ($165.90–$473.90), tasting boxes ($168.15), in-person baking classes ($206–$309), gift cards ($25–$300), and baking bundles (from $86.52), plus B2B food styling services for media brands such as Brides, Glamour, and Martha Stewart Weddings. Its core technical capability is a proprietary gluten-free flour blend developed in-house that allows the company to produce cakes functionally indistinguishable from wheat-based equivalents, complemented by botanical pigment-based natural coloring and a proprietary tiered-cake stacking and transport technique.

The business is bootstrapped with no external institutional funding, employs between one and ten people (four named individuals including the founder, a director of operations, and two cake couriers), and derives its demand primarily through editorial press coverage in publications such as Vogue, People, The Knot, and InStyle, supplemented by email marketing, organic social media, and word-of-mouth referrals. Order economics center on high average order values for the custom cake line ($16–$19 per guest, $640+ base), with class and ready-made tiers positioned as accessible entry points and the published cookbook 'Pure Artistry: Extraordinary Vegan and Gluten-Free Cakes' (HMH) functioning as both a brand asset and a separate revenue stream.

The company competes in the premium custom cake segment where brand reputation, design talent, and dietary-accommodation expertise (vegan, gluten-free, free from soy, hydrogenated fats, seed oils, and GMOs) define differentiation. Founder recognition — including Brides' "Top 100 Cake Designers" and Martha Stewart's "Top Pastry Pros" — combined with the proprietary flour blend and the inability to easily replicate the founder's artisan output at scale constitute the principal competitive moats, though these are inherently constrained by the founder's personal production capacity and the geographic limits of fresh-cake delivery.

Name

Lael Cakes

Legal name

Lael Cakes

Website

https://laelcakes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lael Cakes is a Brooklyn-based private bakery studio founded in 2011 that designs custom organic, vegan, and gluten-free cakes for weddings, celebrations, and corporate clients, sold direct-to-consumer via its website with local New York delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Bakery

NAICS

Retail Bakeries (311811), Baked Goods Retailers (445291)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)

akta.pro primary industry

Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes (THAFAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Artisanal & Craft Bakeries (CRAHAGAA), Dessert & Bakery Catering (Cakes, Pastries, Candy) (HSACAGAI), Online Bakery & Desserts Delivery (CRAHAIAK)

Keywords

• Custom wedding cakes
• Vegan gluten-free bakery
• Artisanal cake design
• Baking classes
• Specialty celebration cakes

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Wedding and Event Cakes: Made-to-order custom cakes for weddings and events, starting at $640 with pricing of $16-19 per guest. Includes consultation, tasting boxes, and design process. This is the primary revenue driver with the highest average order value.
2. Ready-Made Shop Cakes: Single-tier and two-tier pre-designed cakes available for direct online purchase. Single-tier from $165.90, two-tier from $473.90. Includes local delivery. Made fresh to order.
3. Cake Tasting Boxes: Mini cake samplers featuring four unique seasonal flavors priced at $168.15. Local delivery or shipping included. $105 can be applied as a deposit toward a custom cake order.
4. Baking Classes: In-person baking classes held in the Brooklyn kitchen. Classes include Vegan & Gluten-free Cakes 101 ($206) and Assemble & Decorate a Tiered Cake ($309). Classes are currently sold out.
5. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards with denominations of $25, $50, $75, $100, $200, and $300. Valid for custom cake orders within one year. Non-refundable.
6. Baking Bundles and Gifts: Baking bundles including flour mix, signed cookbook, apron, and tote backpack starting at $86.52. Also cookbook standalone purchase available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Lael Cakes is a Brooklyn-based private kitchen bakery that designs and handcrafts custom wedding and event cakes, ready-made celebration cakes, and tasting boxes using organic, vegan, and gluten-free ingredients. The studio also runs in-person baking classes and sells related gift products including a published cookbook. All cakes are made fresh to order using a proprietary gluten-free flour blend and botanical pigments.

Product overview

Lael Cakes is a Brooklyn-based private kitchen bakery specializing in high-quality organic, vegan, and gluten-free cakes. The company operates as a unified offering with four interconnected product lines: Custom Cakes (bespoke handcrafted cakes starting at $640), Ready-Made Cakes (single-tier and two-tier pre-designed cakes from $165.90), Baking Classes (in-person instruction on vegan/gluten-free baking and tiered cake assembly), and Gift Products (gift cards, baking bundles, and the published cookbook 'Pure Artistry'). The business also offers food styling services and a tasting box sampling program where $105 can be applied as a deposit toward custom orders. All products are made in-house using a signature gluten-free flour blend, unrefined sugars, plant-based milk, and botanical pigments for natural vibrant colors. The company was founded in 2011 by pastry chef Emily Lael Aumiller.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pure Artistry: Cookbook published by HMH containing vegan and gluten-free cake recipes, icing and fondant instructions, cake building guidance, sugar sculpture tutorials, and decorating techniques.

Products and services

• Custom Cakes Bespoke custom cakes designed and handcrafted to order by the Brooklyn-based studio. Specializes in high-quality organic and gluten-free cakes with both vegan and traditional options, using a signature gluten-free flour blend, unrefined sugars, plant-based milk, and carefully sourced ingredients. Designs range from rustic to elegantly decorated with sugar art and fresh details, starting at $640 with pricing of $16-19 per guest. Delivery starts at $130.
• Single Tier Cake A single-tier celebration cake available in 6-inch (serves about 14) or 10-inch (serves about 38) sizes, with options for naked layers with flowers and fruit, iced plain, iced with flowers and fruit, or iced with piping and pressed flowers. Flavors include Ginger/Tahini Caramel and Cardamom/Hibiscus/Ganache. Priced from $165.90 with local delivery included.
• Two-Tier Cake A two-layer tiered cake decorated with fruit, pressed flowers, or left simple to show naked or lightly iced sides. Serves about 25 people. Offers icing options (Naked, Semi-Naked +$20), flavors (Vanilla/Strawberry, Lemon/Lavender, Gingerbread/Tahini Caramel, Dark Chocolate/Green Tea), and decor options (Lush Fruit Design +$40, Pressed Flower Design +$50). Priced from $473.90 with local delivery included.
• Tasting Box A mini cake sampler featuring four unique seasonal flavors. Customers share preferences for a curated assortment, with option to note specific flavor requests. Local delivery or shipping included. $105 from purchase can be applied as a deposit toward a custom cake order. Priced at $168.15.
• Lael Cakes Gift Card Digital gift card redeemable for custom cake orders, baking classes, or treats from the online store. Valid for one year from purchase. Available in denominations of $25, $50, $75, $100, $200, and $300.
• Baking Bundle A gift set for bakers including 2 lbs of the signature gluten-free flour mix, signed cookbook 'Pure Artistry', a custom Lael Cakes cross-back apron, and a tote backpack. Organic cotton and sustainable jute aprons and backpacks are Fair-Trade certified and screen-printed with water-based ink. Priced from $86.52.
• Vegan & Gluten-free Cakes 101 Class An in-person baking and decorating class held in the Brooklyn kitchen. Participants bake and decorate a custom organic, vegan, and gluten-free cake from mixing and baking to assembling and decorating with fresh fruit and flowers. Complimentary sweets and beverages provided, all materials included, and participants take home their cake. Currently sold out, priced at $206.00 per person.
• Assemble & Decorate a Tiered Cake Class An in-person class on creating and decorating a stacked organic, vegan, and gluten-free tiered cake. The instructor guides participants through icing, assembling, stacking, and decorating with fresh fruit and flowers, plus packing for travel. Held in Brooklyn, includes complimentary sweets and beverages, all materials provided. Currently sold out, priced at $309.00 per person.
• Pure Artistry Cookbook Cookbook titled 'Pure Artistry: Extraordinary Vegan and Gluten-Free Cakes' by Emily Lael Aumiller, published by HMH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Contains alternative cake recipes, instructions for icings and fondant, guidance on building cakes, step-by-step sugar sculpture tutorials, and necessary ingredients and tools. Cake designs are organized by mood with decorating techniques and photography by Lauren Volo.
• Food Styling Services Food styling and recipe development services offered by Emily Lael Aumiller. Services include work with fresh ingredients, desserts, and props. Has collaborated with clients including Brides, Delish, Glamour, InStyle, Martha Stewart Weddings, and SOFIA wines. Also available for brand content and recipe development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13+ years in business since 2011
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Erin McKenna's Bakery: NYC-based bakery specializing exclusively in vegan and gluten-free baked goods including celebration cakes, cupcakes, and donuts. Closest direct competitor on dietary specialization, with overlapping NYC customer base and similar allergen-free product positioning.
• Baked by Melissa: NYC-based specialty cake brand offering bite-sized and mini celebration cakes with strong e-commerce, gifting, and national shipping channels. Comparable NYC origin, DTC-led custom and ready-made cake business, and celebration-focused marketing.
• Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery: Chef-owned artisanal bakery offering wedding and celebration cakes alongside pastries, with a comparable premium, chef-driven brand and DTC ordering model. Comparable high-end, chef-led positioning in the celebration cake market.
• Bien Cuit: Brooklyn-based artisanal bakery specializing in handcrafted breads and pastries with a custom-order model and farmer's market presence. Comparable Brooklyn artisanal bakery positioning, founder-led brand, and specialty ingredient emphasis.
• Lady M Confections: Luxury boutique cake brand known for premium Mille Crêpes and celebration cakes with high-end retail and e-commerce presence. Comparable in premium positioning, DTC sales model, and gift-driven revenue streams.
• Sweet Heather Anne: A Long Island-based custom cake studio specializing in bespoke wedding and celebration cakes with a similarly artisanal, design-forward approach and comparable price points. Operates in an adjacent NY metro geography with the same custom-order business model.
• By the Way Bakery: Long-standing NYC bakery focused on vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-free celebration cakes and pastries. Directly comparable dietary-restricted positioning, custom cake services, and NYC metro area delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Milk Bar: NYC-born specialty dessert brand with national retail and DTC presence, offering custom celebration cakes alongside signature desserts. Comparable premium DTC cake positioning and cookbook-driven brand building, though broader dessert portfolio and chain scale.
• Carlo's Bake Shop: Celebrity Hoboken/NJ-based bakery known for elaborate custom celebration cakes and national media presence. Comparable in custom cake design complexity, wedding market focus, and household-name brand recognition in the NYC region.
• Magnolia Bakery: Iconic NYC bakery with multiple retail locations and national brand recognition for celebration cakes, cupcakes, and desserts. Comparable as a NYC-based specialty bakery with established wedding and celebration cake business, though operates at a broader scale with retail storefronts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lael-cakes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lael Cakes