Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Cooke.
Lauren, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started baking with box mixes so that I could take brownies to my employees when I became a supervisor at my first job. It was an easy way to show my appreciation for their work and they loved it. I really enjoyed how good it felt to make other people happy with something as simple as a brownie or cookie. In college, my friend and I experimented with sugar cookies and fancier brownie and cake recipes. They didn’t always look great, but everyone in our sorority loved our efforts. Eventually, I became interested in the how. How do people get the sides of cakes so smooth?? How do you get clean stripes? How do you write letters on cookies so that it looks perfect? So I researched and bought lots of supplies to try it myself. It was fun and everyone like eating the products of my experiments. My skills evolved from there and after a year of people telling me I should open a bakery, I finally took the plunge. Love by Lauren launched in July 2019 and has been a rewarding way for me to spread love and joy in the community.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing is ever as smooth as you expect it to be. I feel I’m in a challenge right now. My husband and I have been trying to buy a house so my business is being operated out of a temporary space. I’m looking forward to the day I can operate at full capacity and my business can flourish!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I run a cottage food bakery out of my home kitchen. I make cakes, decorated sugar cookies, cupcakes, and macarons. I am passionate about inclusive baking. I believe that everyone should have access to beautiful and delicious treats for their event regardless of their dietary restrictions or allergies. I am gluten-free and dairy-free myself and understand well how disappointing it can be when there is nothing I can eat. I’ve worked hard to find recipes that shine even without gluten or corn, eggs or milk. I started my business to make people happy with what I create and I can not tell you how satisfying it is to be able to tell someone I can accommodate their list of restrictions. It makes the challenge of it worth it.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
That my goal is to serve others and make them happy, not to make the most profit or move the most inventory, I choose to remain a custom bakery instead of having a set menu because every client has different needs, and being able to design something specific to them is what makes what I do into art.
Pricing:
- 6 inch cakes start at $70
- Tier cakes start at $200
- Decorated sugar cookies start at $55 a dozen
- Cupcakes start at $35 a dozen
- Macarons are $30 a dozen
Contact Info:
- Email: Lovebylauren@yahoo.com
- Website: Love-by-Lauren.com
- Instagram: @Love_by_lauren
- Facebook: @lovebylaurenbakery
Image Credits
Main photo and photo of me by Kenzie Rae Phototography.
