We can already smell it. The sweet smells of decadent cakes, warm pastries, and delightfully sweet frostings. The cities newest sweet spot, Sweet Life Bakery is opening it's doors on December 15th at 11 am located at 22488 Barton Rd. Grand Terrace.
Sandra Cardenas has had a passion for everything sweet for nearly 18 years now. It all started when she decided to look up and try out new recipes for her family. How lucky for them! She had baked a birthday cake for a close friend of the family. Her friend loved it so much he told her, "why don't you sell these cakes, its so good." After that she thought to herself, "Since I was a stay at home mom, maybe should I try that out."
So she did! She ended up selling one cake for a birthday, from that birthday someone was interested in another and so on, the word just kept on spreading.
Once she started realizing that she had a great talent for baking, she kept going. Cake after cake, recipe after recipe. Her father became aware of it and purchased a book for baking which she still holds near and dear to her heart.
She continued to practice baking, researched new decorating techniques, and of course, practiced some more. Eventually she decided to join a cake decorating competition, just for fun. As it is often hear, when you love doing something, it never feels like work. This is what drives Cardenas, because she loves what she does with such a great passion. She ended up winning that competition and coming in first place with a $10,000 award. From there she decided to further her skills with some schooling.
Cardenas told City News Group, "I've worked in many bakeries, I always had so many ideas to share and put out there for their customers, and many times you have to follow the bakeries recipes, decorating techniques that they already have. You can not change their ideas because this would change what they are known for as their business. So I always thought to myself "if I had my own business, I would definitely do this, or change that I just felt I had so much more to offer or share".
She felt contained working for other bakeries. With the creative juices flowing and the sweet tooth on high alert, Cardenas wanted an environment that she could be able to express herself freely. A place that was free of corporate and higher management restrictions. She wanted to created a place where her customers could come in and enjoy a good cup of coffee or tea along with a yummy pastry and just enjoy the moment.
The Sweet Life Bakery will be home to many different cupcakes, cakes, and whatever it is you can dream about having in a cake. The sweets don't stop there either! Cardenas will be offering danishes, cookies, and other delectable treats.
Cardenas has had the support of her loving family and friends since day one. She says, "To all of them who have believed in me I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart, for their support and help. Because without them I wouldn't be able to be opening my very own business today."
When asked about her business opening up, Cardenas said, " I love what I do, I enjoy every single moment, by creating something beautiful and that you can actually eat it. That you can put all your creativity in a piece of cake, cookie, sugar or even chocolate. Its a wonderful feeling when you see a customer receive a cake that you worked so hard in, and its just bring a smile to a little girl, a boy on their birthday. That just makes it all worth it."
So come join Cardenas and the community this weekend at the grand opening! Taste the sweetest treats that are made with plenty of love and plenty of sugar, enjoy the moment with those around you, and give in to that sweet tooth. From cookies to cakes and from danishes to coffees, let the towns newest sweet spot bring you a Sweet Life!