Maddie Kosc

MIXING IT UP: Employees at the Cake Bake Shop in Indianapolis work behind a glass wall as they make cakes from scratch. They bake fresh food each day and work to create a positive working environment in the shop for employees to work.

From the outside to the interior of the Cake Bake Shop, the emphasis on aesthetics is clear, from the floral themed decorations to the elegant desserts on display. As the Cake Bake Shop is a place focused on selling cakes and other desserts that appeal to taste, emphasizing aesthetics may seem a bit unnecessary. However, the intricacies of the shop decor likely play a vital role in the success of the shop, as the Cake Bake Shop is currently in the process of opening a Carmel location in July.

According to Gwendolyn Rogers, the owner of the Cake Bake Shop, the expansion of her shop is part of a process that has lasted several years, and she has put a lot of thought into the Carmel opening.

“The Carmel location is going to be great because it’s four times bigger than this one. (But) even though my space is large, I’ve created separate rooms so it still has an intimate feeling and every room is a little bit different,” Rogers said. “My goal for Carmel was to make sure that no matter where you sit, you’re going to feel a certain way in that one room.”

Yet while Rogers places so much emphasis on the looks of her shop, she said she found different senses and overall quality to be important as well.

“My chocolate comes from France. The chocolate that we meld that we use in our fudge comes from Belgium,” Rogers said. “I’m one of the only bakeries that uses flour that comes from Vermont that’s never been bromated. I use non aluminum baking powder. I just think it’s very important what you put in your food because you can taste it. I don’t use anything artificial.”

Rogers added that her meticulous focus on all aspects of her shop, from the decor to the ingredients, come down to giving back to her community.

“What I do every day, if it makes one person happy, then I’ve done my job, if I can put one smile on a little girl’s face or someone who’s low,” Rogers said. It so happened that right as she said this, a customer came by to thank her and say how much he enjoyed his key lime pie, all with a smile on his face.

“And that’s exactly what I’m talking about,” Rogers said.

Rogers added that the Cake Bake Shop wasn’t simply a bakery to buy a cake, but rather an experience in and of itself.

“I’ve created a place where people come to celebrate, that is magical, that is something you will always remember, that brings families and friends and loved ones together—in a place that makes everyone happy.”