Imagine a place where guests are treated like royalty, the food is scrumptious beyond belief, and elegance and sparkle surround. It sounds heavenly and almost unbelievable- but that is the reality of the Cake Bake Shop located in Indianapolis and Carmel, Indiana.
The owner and founder, Gwendolyn Rogers, had an idea. She loved to bake – a hobby since childhood. What if she could take her love for baking and turn it into a shop – the Cake Bake Shop? After struggling to find the financial resources to make her dream a reality, she finally found a backer and purchased her first shop, located in a quaint cottage-like house in Broadripple Village. Gwendolyn started her dream shop as the baker, cook, cashier, server, and hostess. Immediately the business was a success, fueled by word-of-mouth advertising. Within a year she had repaid her loan for the property. Then came Oprah.
Oprah discovered Gwendolyn’s mint chocolate cake and promoted it on her O List in her Oprah’s Magazine. The celebrity accolades have been pouring in ever since. Her Earl’s Court Chocolate Cake is three layers of French Valrhona chocolate cake, filled with silky Callebaut Belgian chocolate ganache and mousse-like chocolate malted cream, frosted with a signature dark fudge frosting and topped with a sprinkling of Fleur de Sel sea salt that comes from the Isle of Ré in southern France. It is a favorite among celebrities including Steve Martin, Martin Short, Paula Deen, Allison Janney, Jim Carrey, Ina Garten, Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s ‘Modern Family’, Leslie Mann, The Zac Brown Band, Two Cellos, and Sir Elton John and Oprah. The limited space in her cottage restaurant and the popularity of her establishment led her to create her second Cake Bake Shop in Carmel.
True to form, her new location included the dazzling décor, delicious foods, out-of-this-world baked goods, and elegantly efficient service. This location offered about five times more space as well. Gwendolyn’s magical story keeps growing.
Cake Bake Coming to Disney in 2023
Opening in 2023, Gwendolyn will bring the magic of Cake Bake to Walt Disney World. Her newest shop will be on the Boardwalk. While she cannot divulge the details of her newest venture, it will certainly be a magical experience for guests. Gwendolyn’s vision and attention to every detail fits perfectly with the excellence Disney guests have come to appreciate and expect.
Her Carmel and
Broadripple locations serve lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, and her signature sweets. She also has a bakery where guests can pop in to purchase one of her bakery delicacies or ice cream treats. She uses unique, high-quality ingredients in her savory and her sweet menu offerings. She is also known for signature menu items that promote local history, like her Chicken Velvet Soup – a local menu favorite from the LS Ayres Tea Room – an Indianapolis iconic treasure that, although adored by patrons, was closed in 1990. The Chicken Velvet Soup was a signature menu item that Gwendolyn adopted as part of her Cake Bake experience. One can only guess what she will create as signature menu items for her Disney World guests!
Cake Bake is not just food; it is an experience. Guests can be seen photographing the sparkling seasonal décor that Gwendolyn originally fashioned from her own personal décor stash. She is known for her sparkling Christmas trees and ornate Santas at Christmas, her sparkling flower-filled décor in the spring and summer, her giant animatronic swans, and her signature blush pink and cream color scheme. Gwendolyn creates a dining experience that integrates delicious food, unique and sumptuous baked goods topped with edible glitter, gorgeous surroundings, and attentive service. Disney World guests will enjoy the opportunity to add this specialty dining to their Disney vacation!
1 Comment
Jamie Eubanks
June 23, 2022Can not wait for the Cake Bake to come to Disney. ❤️❤️❤️ Great article Beth!!! Thanks for sharing.