Quality ingredients plus passionate, creative staff equals one-of-a-kind cakes for every occasion.
Carl’s Cakes has been an institution in the Madison, Wisconsin-area for more than 30 years, known for its wedding cakes and other custom cakes that have been a sweet ingredient of so many important life moments and celebrations for residents in the area.
The bustling bakery has been part of Market Street Diner & Bakery since 2009 and also bakes up all of the restaurant’s bakery items, including breakfast pastries, pies, cheesecakes, cupcakes, cookies and more.
Market Street Diner & Bakery is a sunny little diner located in Sun Prairie, Wisc., where regulars stop in for breakfast (served all day), lunch or dinner to enjoy classic diner food made from scratch. Carl’s Cakes operates on the lower level, baking items for the restaurant’s bakery case, filling wholesale orders and running its custom cake business.
But where this bakery really shines is the custom cakes that the team tackles with the utmost care and creativity to deliver one-of-a-kind creations that make Carl’s Cakes the most recommended cakes in the Madison area.
Baker Brent Pellman says they get a lot of interesting requests but the team of talented bakers and cake decorators give it their all, putting their heart and soul into every cake
“We are all so passionate about what we do and work together to make the best cake possible and make our customer’s dreams come true,” said Pellman, who adds that process starts with using Pillsbury™ Bakers’ Plus™ Yellow Cake Mix as the foundation for many of its prized creations. “When making cakes and all the variables that can impact the results, it’s critical to use products like Pillsbury cake mix that ensure stability and consistency every time.”
General Mills Foodservice had the opportunity to experience the joy of working with Carl’s Cakes at the International Foodservice Editorial Council’s annual conference in Madison in October. We partnered with the bakery, asking Brent and his team to create a cake representative of Wisconsin for the 200 attendees from across the country.
Pellman came up with a recipe for Brandy Old-Fashioned Cake, which is a fun take on Wisconsin’s unofficial state drink. The result was mini cupcakes with a hint of brandy flavor, topped with a light maraschino whipped cream and garnished with a maraschino cherry and slice of orange on top.
The team also created a gorgeous, tiered cake to shine the spotlight on the conference’s host city and state of Wisconsin. It included a cheese wheel as the base, topped with mug of beer and another layer on top with an outline of the Madison skyline. To top it all off, the Carl’s Cakes’ team created a pink flamingo made of fondant—a tongue-in-cheek nod to the official bird of Madison.
“It was such a pleasure to work with Carl’s Cakes and witness firsthand their creativity and dedication to detail when they create custom cakes,” said Sarah Peterson of General Mills Foodservice. “Not only did they create a visual showstopper of a cake and adorable, picture-perfect cupcakes, the unique flavor of the cake and frosting combo got rave reviews from everyone who tasted them!”
For more information on Carl’s Cakes, click here.