Today we’d like to introduce you to LaCracha Holley.
LaCracha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have been in the kitchen as far as I can remember! My father loved to cook and was always putting different foods in my mouth to taste. I am the oldest of my siblings so I was helping out the most when it came to food prepping and basic baking. My mother bought me a little cookbook and I really began baking! Cooking or baking was easy to me; I enjoyed the sweets the most so that’s what I usually prepared. By the time I was in high school, I had not figured out what I wanted to do as a career. I could write, so since I attended Skyline H.S., which was a new career development center. I chose to be in the journalism cluster, joined the newspaper and yearbook staff. Left for college and chose to major in radio/tv broadcasting. Changed major to marketing………then changed major to computer science (and actually enjoyed some of it). Eventually after I left school, and began working in different jobs. Worked for about 3 years at EDS, but eventually landed a position at Neiman Marcus in the marketing dept. as a temp, and eventually was hired; and began advancing my career in marketing. After about 8 years there, (married with 3 boys by now), I was still not feeling happy or satisfied that I had the right career. (During all this time I am still baking and had started baking for others on the side). Someone mentioned that I should bake full-time, and a light came on! Talked it over with my husband, we came up with time frame to transition, and I left NM and my corporate marketing analyst position. Went to culinary school at El Centro, because I heard it had an excellent program, and I could afford it. Even though I had been baking for years, I wanted to learn the science behind baking. I had a blast in culinary school!!! Enjoyed all of the classes I took; baking and making everything! Graduated with honors and was a Certified Pastry Chef! Before graduating I took a job at SMU in the bake shop in Lee Dining Hall as a baker. After graduation, I was hired as Assistant Pastry Chef. I learned so much in my years there. (During culinary school and while working at SMU, I had already started selling my baked goods part-time) By this time only 1 son was still at home finishing up high school. After a few years at SMU it was beginning to get stressful trying to work full-time and coming home to get back in the kitchen to fulfill orders. I left SMU and started creating my cakes full-time. My initial goal was to just create wedding cakes that taste as good as they looked. Had been to a few weddings where the cake was beautiful, but was not good to eat; it was dry or had no flavor. So it became my mission to change that. I bake all of my cakes from scratch because I love the taste of homemade verses a cake made from a cake mix bought from the store. I began baking wedding cakes and basic birthday cakes. One day a customer asked if I could make a 3-D purse cake. Although not sure how I was going to get it done, I told her I could do it! I figured it out and before I knew it, the specialty cakes became part of the menu! I also offer pies and a few other desserts, but not that of a full-blown bakery. Even though I know how to make a variety of desserts (thanks to culinary school), I don’t want to have an extensive offering of goods and want to focus on the items I love to do the most. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do what I love doing. My husband and family are so supportive and I could not have done any of this without them. My favorite part of what I do is seeing my customer’s faces light up when they see their cake. And getting a note of thanks for the tasty cake!
Before I finished culinary school, I went with a friend to Hobby Lobby to because we wanted to learn how to make our cakes look prettier. I especially wanted to learn the basket-weave design. We took the classes, and I was hooked on decorated cakes! After the 3 Wilton courses at Hobby Lobby, I found more advanced classes at Cake Carousel, located in Richardson. One of the chef’s at El Centro gave me an application to sign-up for culinary competition in cake decorating. The competition was a part of the Ben E. Keith Food Shows that are held in different cities each year. The ACF (American Culinary Federation) holds the competitions in multiple categories and there are monetary and medal prizes for competing students and professional chefs. I won a silver medal at my first competition in Ft. Worth. I became hooked on doing these competition because it helped to keep up my skills, and the cake decoration competition was not a timed event. You bring the cake decorated and are judged on your techniques. I have competed in Dallas, Ft. Worth, Oklahoma, and Houston; 1 bronze medal, a few silver, and 1 gold.
Has it been a smooth road?
There were plenty of struggles! Having to adjust from salaried, consistent income to a not so consistent flow of income. Actually tried substitute teaching a couple days of the week to supplement income.
Struggles of periods of being busy and then not busy; trying to figure out how to grow business.
Also, having to stay on top of paperwork, and do cakes at the same time.
Time management! Being self-employed is great; but you have to discipline yourself to get work done timely. I have a schedule that helps tremendously if I stick to it… (The day to shop for supplies, the day assigned for baking, the day assigned for decorating, etc.)
Then you also need to set off-days and stick to it! Balance!
Trying to figure out if and when to hire some help (baking, or decorating, or paperwork)
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the LaCracha’s Creations story. Tell us more about the business.
LaCracha’s Creations specializes in cakes for all occasions. I am most proud that I bake all of my cakes and baked goods from scratch.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
This industry is growing! There are more people wanting specialized/custom cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and now cake pops!
Not too long ago you had to find whatever you could find to get the effect you needed from the cake and many designers created new ways to design using everyday items or tools. Today there are more specialized tools to help create realistic edible items and designs.
More decorators are setting the bar high with special effects, and cake construction/design.
The cake competitions on TV have made this industry popular.
Contact Info:
- Website: lacrachascreations.vpweb.com
- Phone: 214-498-7682
- Email: lacracha@hotmail.com
- Instagram: lakaholley
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaCrachas-Creations-128811727191122/
- Twitter: @LaCrachaholley
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