If you’re like me, you probably have trouble trusting anyone who doesn’t love dessert. (Just kidding….sorta.)
OK, I know…fat, calories, gluten, sugar, etc. But, while I could still stand to lose a few pounds, I know that eating a delicious dessert releases endorphins that make me feel good and I’ve never been subject to sugar crashes.
In other words, although I didn’t know Kristina Lavallee when she first became The Cake Girl in 2010, I am thrilled that she now has her The Cake Girl LLC mobile bakery trailer that you may have seen parked at Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI), serving a delicious variety of freshly-baked cakes, cupcakes, brownies, cookies and even real ice cream.
Kristina credits her husband Kirby for finding and customizing her mobile unit last year so she could expand her budding bakery/dessert business and provide samples of her wares at festivals (like the recent Taste of New Tampa & Wesley Chapel at FHCI) and other special events like birthday parties and even weddings.
“I can literally bake and transport thousands of mini cupcakes in this mobile unit,” Kristina told me during our interview for this story. “The kitchen inside the unit is always immaculate and everywhere I bring the trailer, people get excited, especially kids.”
So, What About Those Baked Goods?
But, no matter how colorful or attractive her mobile unit may be, Kristina wouldn’t be a success today if her baked goods weren’t delicious.
Although I’ve never had one of her custom birthday cakes (at least not yet), Kristina can create virtually any kind of cake your heart desires, from traditional round cakes to a cake shaped like a baseball bat or even a famous Disney character.
I will say that I have really enjoyed her mini-cupcakes, which also are available in a wide variety of flavors. My favorites (not surprisingly) are all chocolate and/or peanut butter-based, but she definitely has a way of keeping the cupcakes moist and the icing creamy and delicious, no matter what flavor you choose.
And, when displayed so beautifully in the window of her mobile unit, it’s even harder to decide on a cupcake variety.
In addition, although I’m not usually the biggest carrot cake fan, I will say that Kristina’s is again, noticeably moister than most and her sour cream icing is pretty much second to none.
When I interviewed her for this story, Kristina smartly remembered to bring me a big sample of my favorite item she makes so far.
Kristina, who attended the University of Central Florida College of Hospitality Management in Orlando, offers a nice variety of brownies, blondies and “brookies” (brownie-cookies), although my favorites are her chewy, double-fudge brownies. I went crazy for them during the Taste and continue to bug her for additional samples on an ongoing basis.
And yes, she does also make gluten-free cupcakes and cakes, although I can’t personally vouch for them because I usually order mine with extra gluten.
Ice Cream, Too?
Of course, it’s even harder for me to resist a delicious brownie topped with real ice cream, and Kristina doesn’t disappoint those of us who love a decadent brownie sundae. I’ve only sampled the cookie dough and vanilla flavors to date, but both were creamy and not overly sweet.
“The ice cream is made here in Florida and there are a lot of great flavors and toppings available,” she says. “We can even make you delicious banana splits.”
So, whether you want to host a great kids’ birthday party, or you simply want to order a magnificent custom cake for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday, wedding or any other special occasion, you owe it to yourself to give The Cake Girl a try. And, best of all, Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News readers get 10-percent-off Kristina’s already-low prices on any order if they mention this story or the ad on page 50 of this issue.
To place an order or for more info about The Cake Girl LLC, call (813) 360-0909, or search “The Cake Gril, LLC” on Facebook or “TheCakeGirlLLC” on Twitter or Instagram. And yes, pickup and delivery are available.