I'm Vanessa, the sole owner and baker of Maple and Molasses, a fully licensed from-home small baking business specializing in cakes decorated with buttercream. I work full-time and run this business in my free time as my passion project!

My love for baking began at a very young age in my grandparents' kitchen, where I would help my grandmother make pies, tea biscuits, squares, cupcakes, and cookies. Some of my fondest memories took place in their kitchen, and they set me on my 17-year-long career path as a professional baker.

I received my certificate in Culinary Arts Management in 2011 and my diploma in Baking & Pastry Arts Management in 2014 from the renowned George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario. I spent five years working in established commercial kitchens before spending seven years in various bakeries across the big city. Over time, I’ve specialized in every baked good imaginable – from pies, croissants, doughnuts, cookies, scones, quick breads, and gluten-free baked goods. However, it was cake baking and buttercream decorating that stole my heart.

Since childhood, I’ve been drawn to a beautiful cake, especially if it's a soft, moist cake with velvety whipped buttercream frosting. You could always count on me to be waiting for my slice! As an adult, I have honed my palette to appreciate flavour over sweetness, and you’ll find that my cakes are subtly sweet and the buttercreams are balanced. I love the precise science of baking, and every new recipe that I develop is tested and adjusted accordingly before it's added to the menu. The flavour and texture must be just right, and each cake must be baked and decorated to perfection before being packaged.

My small business offers classic and custom buttercream cakes that are designed and executed with beautiful hand-piped details and delicious flavour. Each order is crafted from scratch by a baker whose expertise and high level of care ensure that the cakes not only look amazing, but they also taste as good as they look.