Meet Christy Starling of C Star Cakes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Starling.

Christy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I truly stumbled into cake decorating! About fourteen years ago, a friend invited a number of us to join her in registering for an intermediate cake decorating class at Cake Carousel in Richardson, TX. I thought it would be a fun girls’ night out, and a great opportunity to learn how to make fun birthday cakes for my kids, so I signed up. At one point, one of the instructors thought I should take the beginner’s class to make sure I get all of the basics down. I was just having a fun girl’s night out with my friends, so I wasn’t too concerned.

Fast forward about six months when a friend asked me to make a birthday cake for her son’s upcoming celebration. Nervously, I agreed. Word began to spread amongst my friends that I had started making cakes. I began to post pictures of my cakes on Social Media, and my business was born! I’ve always had a bent towards creative hobbies like the painting. I started to sign my artwork with “C” and a drawing of a star…short for Starling. A few friends started to call me “C Star”, and I knew then that I wanted to incorporate it into my future business name.

Back in September of 2011, the Texas State legislature signed the “Cottage Food Bill” which allowed home-bakers to sell baked goods. This was a huge turning point for me. C Star Cakes was born! A local boutique in Carrollton, The Vintage House, asked me to make a cake for their upcoming Vera Bradley new pattern launch. I created a replica of one of their gorgeous handbags in the new “Folkloric” pattern. For the next few years, my cakes became synonymous with Vera Bradley design creations for the Vintage House. My exposure grew with each new cake, cake pops, and cupcake I created!

My business grew, not because of a fabulous website, but due to word-of-mouth and social media! In 2016, Audrey McGinnis asked me to join her in competing on Food Network’s show “Cake Wars.” We competed on the “How to Train Your Dragon” episode (Season 3, Episode 4), and though we didn’t take home the top prize, we had an amazing experience! I’ve been blessed to bake for hundreds of families and friends over the years. I never imagined back in 2004 that I would have a business doing what I love. Baking and creating homebaked artistry.

Has it been a smooth road?
I’ve certainly had my share of “caketastrophies”! Aside from the early cake decorating classes, I have been entirely self-taught. So, whether learning a new technique or learning the hard way how to best stabilize a cake for transport, I think I’ve learned something new with each new cake. I’ve had a handful of cakes collapse during delivery. But my favorite “oops” moment was when I had just spent hours creating a new Vera Bradley purse cake. I woke up the next morning to find the top half of the cake had fallen over as if someone had tried to open the purse! You have to learn to laugh when these things happen, or you’ll never try again.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with C Star Cakes – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
C Star Cakes specializes in custom-order sculpted cakes, cake pops, and cupcakes. I love clean lines and gorgeous cakes! I’m challenged the most when my customers ask me to create a cohesive cake, but incorporate a handful of themes…on one cake! I keep my flavors simple, but a little piece of my heart and soul goes into each and every baked good that leaves my oven! I honed my piping skills as I learned to duplicate the very complex and intricate Vera Bradley patterns onto the cake. I learned that my piping bags are a little like a paintbrush, and the cake is my canvas. For this reason, I gave C Star Cakes the tagline, “Homebaked Artistry.”

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love my customers! The majority of them live in the Allen, McKinney, Plano, and Frisco areas, but I’ve had clients drive as far as Ft. Worth and Oklahoma for a special C Star Cake creation! It amazes me how far people will drive for cake!

Contact Info:

• Phone: (214)537-9335
• Email: christy@thestarlings.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cstarcakes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cstarcakes/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cstarcakes

Image Credit:
Rachel Logan

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.