ecbg
ECBG Cake Studio is a Chicago-based, founder-owned custom cake studio founded in 2011 that designs and produces made-to-order wedding, celebration, and semi-custom signature cakes for individual consumers and corporate clients in the Chicago metro area, using Italian Meringue buttercream as its signature technique.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ecbg does
ECBG Cake Studio (legal entity ECBG, LLC) is a Chicago-based, founder-owned custom cake studio established in 2011 by Erin Martin. The company produces made-to-order celebration cakes across three tiers: fully bespoke Custom Cakes designed from scratch, Wedding Cakes with required tastings and deposits, and a Signature Cakes catalog of over twenty semi-custom designs sold through an e-commerce shop for pickup or local delivery within the Chicago metro area. Its signature technical element is vanilla Italian Meringue buttercream, paired with design work including Lambeth piping, metallic finishes, sculpted tiers, and pressed-flower decoration, distinguishing it from standard retail bakeries.
The business operates exclusively via direct-to-consumer channels: a self-serve Squarespace-based e-commerce shop for Signature Cakes, inquiry-driven consultation for Custom and Wedding Cakes (with a 50% nonrefundable deposit and full payment due 30 days before events), local delivery, and Wednesday-to-Saturday pickup from the Chicago bakery. Ancillary revenue lines include Cake Classes (virtual and in-person) and add-on products such as French macarons, chocolate chip cookies, candles, and fresh flowers, plus a Flavorites Box sampler.
ECBG is a privately held, bootstrapped LLC with no disclosed external funding, no subsidiaries, no patents, and no enterprise customer concentration. Marketing is driven by organic social (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube), the Cherry on Top blog, the Club ECBG email newsletter, and founder-affiliate storefronts on LTK and Amazon. The company does not use AI/ML capabilities, and its competitive positioning rests on brand recognition as the "It Girl of Chicago Cakes," artisanal design expertise, and multi-channel content marketing within a single geographic market.
ecbg firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ecbg
- Legal name
- ECBG, LLC
- Website
- https://ecbgstudio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- ECBG Cake Studio is a Chicago-based, founder-owned custom cake studio founded in 2011 that designs and produces made-to-order wedding, celebration, and semi-custom signature cakes for individual consumers and corporate clients in the Chicago metro area, using Italian Meringue buttercream as its signature technique.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ecbg industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Bakery / Custom Cake Studio
- NAICS
- Baked Goods Retailers (445291), Retail Bakeries (311811)
- SIC
- Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes (THAFAFAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Online Bakery & Desserts Delivery (CRAHAIAK), Dessert & Bakery Catering (Cakes, Pastries, Candy) (HSACAGAI), Baking & Pastry Arts (EDAOAKAB)
Keywords
Where ecbg is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ecbg business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Signature Cakes: Pre-designed semi-custom cakes from a curated collection of 20+ designs available through the online shop. Customers select size, flavor, filling, and add-ons. Each cake is made to order.
- Custom Cakes: Fully bespoke cake orders for special occasions including sculptural tiers, unique textures, and personalized color stories. Requires at least 7 calendar days notice.
- Wedding Cakes: Custom wedding cakes with tasting sessions, consultation, and detailed design work. Requires 50% nonrefundable deposit and full payment 30 days before event.
- Cake Classes: In-person and online cake decorating classes taught by the ECBG team.
- Add-ons and Accessories: Additional items including cherries, candles, disco balls, fresh flowers, butterflies, glitter, metallic leaf, French macarons, and chocolate chip cookies available for purchase with cake orders.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Starry Night cake - Fondant airbrushed celestial design |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pinkies Up cake - Cascading ivory buttercream flowers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Eat Your Heart Out cake - Heart-shaped Lambeth piped design, #1 bestseller |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trophy Wife cake - Metallic heart-shaped lambeth cake |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Naked Drip cake - Classic minimal design with chocolate ganache drip |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Buttercream Ribbon cake - Hand-piped buttercream ribbon with metallic accents |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Wedding Cakes - Custom designed wedding cakes |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Cakes - Fully bespoke celebration cakes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
ecbg product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ECBG Cake Studio is a Chicago-based custom cake studio that designs and produces made-to-order Wedding Cakes, fully bespoke Custom Cakes, and a curated Signature Cakes collection of more than twenty semi-custom designs. The studio also offers in-person and virtual cake decorating classes and curated dessert table services for events, all built around an Italian Meringue buttercream signature frosting technique.
Product overview
ECBG Cake Studio is a custom cake bakery offering three primary service tiers: fully Custom Cakes designed from scratch for unique occasions, Wedding Cakes for ceremonies and receptions, and Signature Cakes—a curated collection of over twenty semi-custom designs that customers can personalize with their preferred flavors, toppings, and colors. Additional offerings include Cake Classes (both virtual and in-person), Dessert Tables for events, and a Flavorites Box for sampling signature flavors. The Signature Cakes product line includes distinct named designs such as Starry Night, Pinkies Up, Garden Party, The Gemstone, Eat Your Heart Out, Trophy Wife, Buttercream Ribbon, and Naked Drip, each with specific aesthetic styles and customization options. Orders are placed through the online Cake Shop at shop.ecbgstudio.com.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wedding Cakes Custom-designed wedding cakes for ceremonies and receptions, featuring tiered designs, intricate piping, and personalized decorations. Includes tasting sessions, design consultation, and a 50% nonrefundable deposit with full payment 30 days before the event.
- Custom Cakes Fully bespoke cakes designed from scratch for any occasion, including sculptural tiers, custom textures, and personalized color schemes. Requires at least 7 calendar days notice and full payment 7 days before the event.
- Signature Cakes Semi-custom curated collection of over twenty cake designs made to order, allowing personalization with flavors, toppings, and colors while maintaining the signature ECBG aesthetic. Available in 6-inch (feeds ~14), 8-inch (feeds ~20), and 2-tier (feeds ~35) sizes.
- Cake Classes Virtual and in-person cake decorating classes taught by ECBG's expert team, covering techniques such as buttercream piping, flower decoration, and advanced styling.
- Dessert Tables Curated dessert table services for weddings and events, featuring coordinated displays of cakes and accompanying sweets.
- Flavorites Box A curated selection of ECBG's signature flavors available for order, allowing customers to sample multiple cake varieties.
Quantifiable outcome
- 14+ years in business as a premier Chicago cake studio
Companies that use ecbg
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ecbg technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
ecbg partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ecbg competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Cake Bake Shop: Bakery known for highly designed cakes, pastries, and dessert tables, directly comparable in premium celebration and wedding cake positioning.
- Bake Chicago: Chicago custom-cake studio offering bespoke wedding and celebration cakes, directly comparable on made-to-order design, local fulfillment, and event-customer focus.
- Sweet Mandy B's: Chicago bakery specializing in cupcakes, cookies, and custom cakes, overlapping ECBG's local, consumer-facing celebration dessert offering and order-based model.
- Alliance Bakery: Chicago neighborhood bakery with cakes and custom-order capabilities, comparable as a local made-to-order alternative for celebration cakes.
- Carlo's Bakery: Established bakery and cake studio offering custom celebration and wedding cakes as well as classes, directly overlapping ECBG's bespoke design, event customers, and premium specialty-dessert focus.
- Magnolia Bakery: Established specialty bakery selling cakes and desserts through retail and online channels with special-occasion positioning, comparable in premium gifting and consumer celebration occasions.
- Charm City Cakes: Custom cake studio specializing in sculptural and event cakes, directly comparable on highly customized, made-to-order centerpiece cakes.
Broad incumbents
- Nothing Bundt Cakes: Franchised celebration-cake brand with a broad retail footprint and standardized cake formats, comparable for occasion-cake demand but less focused on fully bespoke designs.
- Sprinkles: Specialty dessert retailer with cupcakes, cakes, and online ordering, broadly comparable in premium celebration desserts, although cupcakes are its core product.
Emerging players
- Milk Bar: Dessert brand with packaged cakes, cookies, and other treats sold online and through stores, offering cake and occasion-monetization overlap but less customization than ECBG.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ecbg social profiles
Digital presenceecbg financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ecbg leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
ecbg funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ecbg M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ecbg
What does ecbg do?
ECBG Cake Studio is a Chicago-based custom cake studio that designs and produces made-to-order Wedding Cakes, fully bespoke Custom Cakes, and a curated Signature Cakes collection of more than twenty semi-custom designs. The studio also offers in-person and virtual cake decorating classes and curated dessert table services for events, all built around an Italian Meringue buttercream signature frosting technique.
Is ecbg a public or private company?
ecbg is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ecbg founded?
ecbg was founded in 2011.
Where is ecbg based?
ecbg is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does ecbg make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Signature Cakes are the primary driver. The others are custom Cakes, wedding Cakes, cake Classes and add-ons and Accessories.
Who are ecbg's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Cake Bake Shop, Bake Chicago, Sweet Mandy B's, Alliance Bakery, Carlo's Bakery, Magnolia Bakery and Charm City Cakes. Broad incumbents are Nothing Bundt Cakes and Sprinkles. Milk Bar is listed as an emerging player.
Does ecbg have an API?
No public API is recorded for ecbg.
What industry is ecbg in?
ecbg's product category is Custom Bakery / Custom Cake Studio. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAFAC, Cake Shops & Custom Celebration Cakes, with a secondary code of CRAHAIAK, Online Bakery & Desserts Delivery. Its NAICS code is 445291 and its SIC code is 2050.