The Cake Girl

What The Cake Girl does

The Cake Girl is a Tampa-based custom cake and dessert studio that designs and produces made-from-scratch celebration cakes, rotating-flavor cupcakes, and the branded Crave'n Cups layered cake jar line. Founded in 2016 by Kristina Lavallee, the company operates a single brick-and-mortar bakery in the Carrollwood area of Tampa and serves individual consumers (weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers), corporate and event clients, and emerging franchise partners. Production relies on proprietary custom cake design methodology paired with food-grade edible printing technology (an Icing Images Blue Food Printer) to deliver highly customized, photo-quality decorations; the cupcake program maintains a library of 85+ rotating flavors with 12 new flavors introduced weekly, and the Crave'n Cups line is available in 8 oz and new 4 oz formats for shipping and gifting.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: one-time custom cake orders (quote-based, priced on size, design complexity, materials, and delivery, with non-refundable deposits), unit-priced cupcake and Crave'n Cups sales via in-store pickup, local Tampa Bay delivery, and nationwide shipping through a Square-based online storefront, and a newly launched Florida franchise program monetized through initial franchise fees and ongoing royalties. Go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer online ordering, custom-quote intake via Dubsado, and a franchise acquisition funnel supported by FranServe. The company has invested heavily in earned media — features on The Today Show, Food Network, Telemundo, FOX & Friends, Entrepreneur Magazine, People Magazine, ESPN, and others — together with a celebrity client roster (Tom Brady, Jason Momoa, Cardi B, Leonard Fournette, Scott Evans) to drive top-of-funnel awareness disproportionate to its sub-10-employee footprint. Future growth vectors include the dessert vending machine franchise concept, dedicated Crave'n Cups e-commerce site, retail distribution partnerships, and a planned founder-authored book in 2027.

Name

The Cake Girl

Legal name

The Cake Girl, LLC

Website

https://thecakegirl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cake Girl is a Tampa-based custom cake and dessert studio serving individual consumers, wedding couples, and corporate clients with made-from-scratch custom cakes, rotating-flavor cupcakes, and the Crave'n Cups cake jar line, distributed via retail, nationwide shipping, and an emerging Florida franchise program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Custom Bakery

NAICS

Retail Bakeries (311811)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes (THAFAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dessert-First Bakeries (Cupcakes, Cookies, Brownies) (THAFAFAH), Dessert & Bakery Catering (Cakes, Pastries, Candy) (HSACAGAI)

Keywords

• Custom cake design
• Wedding cake services
• Gourmet cupcakes
• Bakery franchise operations
• Celebration dessert studio

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Cake Sales: Custom-designed cakes created for individual customer orders including weddings, birthdays, corporate events, and special occasions. Orders placed through inquiry forms with custom quoting based on size, design complexity, and materials.
2. Cupcake and Mini Cupcake Sales: Pre-made cupcakes and mini cupcakes available for pickup, delivery, and nationwide shipping. Over 85 flavors rotate weekly with 12 new flavors every week.
3. Crave'n Cups Product Line: Signature layered cake jars in 8 oz and new 4 oz sizes. Available for nationwide shipping, corporate gifting, and retail expansion. Includes Cookies N' Cream, Cookie Butter, Unicorn Cake Batter, and Red Velvet flavors.
4. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Revenue from franchise expansion including initial franchise fees and ongoing royalty payments from franchisees in Florida markets.
5. Wedding and Event Services: Complete wedding dessert services including custom wedding cakes, dessert tables, cupcakes, cake pops, macarons, cookies, and brownies for wedding receptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Cake Girl designs and bakes made-from-scratch custom cakes, gourmet cupcakes, and layered Crave'n Cups cake jars from a Tampa, Florida storefront for weddings, birthdays, corporate events and personal celebrations. Orders are taken through a custom quote portal (Dubsado) for bespoke designs and through a Square online store for ready-to-pickup/ship items. The brand supports in-store pickup, Tampa Bay local delivery, nationwide shipping of Crave'n Cups, and a franchising program across Florida with FranServe.

Product overview

The Cake Girl operates as a custom cake and dessert studio offering a portfolio of made-from-scratch products centered on custom cakes, cupcakes, and the branded Crave'n Cups cake jar line. The core offering consists of custom-designed celebration cakes for weddings, birthdays, and corporate events, complemented by standard cupcakes and mini cupcakes in rotating seasonal flavors. The Crave'n Cups product line—available in 8 oz and new 4 oz sizes—serves as a scalable retail and franchise vehicle with nationwide shipping, retail expansion plans, and vending machine franchise concepts. Wedding services extend beyond cakes to full dessert tables featuring cake pops, French macarons, decorated sugar cookies, cake shooters, and brownies. Community engagement through the Random Acts of Sweetness initiative and corporate DIY kit partnerships round out the offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crave'n Cups: Signature layered cake jars available in 8 oz and new 4 oz sizes, featuring flavors like Cookies N' Cream, Cookie Butter, Unicorn Cake Batter, and Red Velvet. The brand is expanding with nationwide shipping, retail expansion, and vending machine franchise opportunities.

Products and services

• Custom Cakes

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,000+ custom cakes created in 10 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FranServecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partnership with FranServe, a nationally recognized franchise consulting organization, to support The Cake Girl's franchise expansion across Florida markets including Tampa Bay, Orlando, Sarasota, Jacksonville, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. FranServe provides franchise consulting services to connect The Cake Girl with qualified franchise candidates.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Carlo's Bake Shop: Hoboken-based custom cake studio made famous by TLC's 'Cake Boss' and celebrity clientele. Directly comparable to The Cake Girl on custom cake artistry, TV-driven brand building, and high-profile client base.
• Sweet Lady Jane: Premium custom cake and dessert studio serving Los Angeles with celebrity clientele. Closely mirrors The Cake Girl's bespoke cake positioning, wedding services, and high-profile event work.
• Milk Bar: Multi-city bakery concept by Christina Tosi focused on innovative flavored layer cakes and nationwide shipping. Comparable on flavor-forward custom cakes, shipping, and multi-location expansion strategy.
• Nothing Bundt Cakes: Specialty celebration-cake franchise with 500+ U.S. locations. The closest peer on franchise-driven growth of a single-category celebration cake brand, directly relevant to The Cake Girl's franchise expansion thesis.
• Georgetown Cupcake: Washington D.C. cupcake brand built through the DC Cupcakes TV show with nationwide shipping. Closely mirrors The Cake Girl's TV-driven brand growth and nationwide shipping model.
• Magnolia Bakery: Iconic New York bakery known for cupcakes, custom cakes, and banana pudding. Comparable to The Cake Girl on product mix (custom cakes + cupcakes), consumer-facing bakery model, and nationwide brand recognition.
• Sprinkles Cupcakes: Pioneer of the premium cupcake category with cupcake ATMs and nationwide shipping. Highly comparable on cupcake-first product strategy, nationwide shipping, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
• SusieCakes: Specialty bakery chain offering classic American desserts with multi-unit retail presence. Comparable product mix (custom cakes, cupcakes, dessert bars) and franchise-style multi-location expansion approach.

Broad incumbents

• Crumbs Bake Shop: Former publicly traded cupcake chain with nationwide footprint. Useful as a comparable for the structural risks of scaling a cupcake-led brand beyond a single region.
• Edible Arrangements: Large-scale gifting and edible-treat franchise with nationwide shipping. Comparable on franchise-driven growth, gifting positioning, and direct-to-consumer nationwide distribution of a perishable treat.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thecakegirl
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecakegirl/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 The Cake Girl