Cake Therapy

What happens when a childhood sweet tooth becomes a lifelong calling—and a business that puts people first? We sit down with Emily “Cookie” Henegar, the Nashville-based cookie designer behind Cookie in the Kitchen, to unpack how an 11-year-old baker turned porch pickups into a brand known for bold colors, clean lines, and cookies that tell stories. From early kitchen lessons with two very different grandmothers to celiac-safe practices learned for her mom, Emily’s path blends heart, precision, and play.

The real twist: she skipped pastry school and majored in entrepreneurship while honing graphic design, treating business as a creative craft. Emily shares how that choice sharpened her pricing, operations, and branding—and why album covers, book jackets, and everyday objects now jump out as cookie concepts. We explore what it takes to balance classes, orders, and life, the art of saying no, and the mindset behind her most-read newsletter, “Human First, CEO Second.” If you’ve ever wondered how to stay inspired without burning out, her rituals of rest, Sabbath, and community support offer a practical roadmap.

Baking is her therapy and her structure. When screens and emails feel endless, a finite order—two dozen cookies with a clear brief—restores focus and creates satisfying closure. Emily walks through managing the emotional highs and lows of music-industry projects, asking for help without apology, and choosing between “hurry up” or “wait,” but never both. You’ll come away with actionable ideas for starting where you are, building a distinctive visual voice, and letting your unique mix of place, people, and passions lead the way. If creative entrepreneurship, cookie decorating, and sustainable growth are your keywords, this conversation is your search result.

If this story resonated, follow and subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of baking therapy, design, and purpose-driven business. Share the episode with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

What if the thing that steadies you is already in your hands? We sit down with Idah—Zimbabwean-born, Madison-based software engineer and buttercream florist—to trace how a bout of postpartum blues met a 3 a.m. Instagram scroll and bloomed into Mai Lara’s Bouqcakes. Through lifelike cupcakes that look like floral bouquets, she pieces together memory, identity, and rest, turning the kitchen into a sanctuary where grief softens and joy returns.

Idah takes us back to a childhood shaped by love and scarcity: a single mother working as a domestic helper, sneaking quick lessons in unfamiliar ingredients, and teaching one humble cake recipe that later funded school fundraisers and sparked a lifelong thread. Fast forward to Wisconsin—degrees earned, a family begun—and the ache of missing her late mother arrives just as she’s learning to mother her own daughter. Piping flowers becomes a lifeline. We explore how repetitive craft lowers the noise of anxious thoughts, why tactile work can anchor attention, and how sharing a counter with her sister rebuilt connection after years apart.

We also unpack the name: in her culture, mothers often become “so-and-so’s mom,” and Idah chose to honor that tradition by naming her brand after her daughter’s Yoruba middle name. It’s heritage in frosting, a tribute baked into every petal. She shares the leap from hobby to business, candid lessons from early experiments, and the moment cakes began calling her beyond cupcakes. Future dreams include pastry school and deeper technique, not to swap careers but to enrich the practice that helped her heal.

If you’ve ever wondered whether baking can be more than dessert—whether it can be memory, therapy, and community—you’ll find practical encouragement and a gentle push to start where you are. Follow Idah’s work on Instagram and Facebook at Mai Lara’s Bouqcakes, and see why Madison locals, including the governor’s office, keep calling. If this story moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who might need a warm reason to pick up a whisk.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

What happens when architecture, grief, and grit collide in a cake studio? We sit down with Titilayo of Yummy Tecture to unpack a rare, unfiltered blueprint for building a creative business that actually works. From arriving in the U.S. after losing her sister to honoring that legacy through architecture school, then shifting toward culinary arts, Titi shows how a clear eye for structure and speed can turn design into dessert without romanticizing the grind.

We trace her evolution from Maryland fruit displays to Dallas custom cakes, revealing the market forces that shape offerings and the time math behind smart pricing. She explains why a dozen intricate treats can drain more resources than a wedding cake, how baking ahead creates last-minute capacity, and why ganache and self-raising flour power her fast, clean style. Then we go deep on storefront reality: triple net leases, grease traps, code-mandated sinks, deposits, and the hidden costs that explode tidy startup budgets. Titi’s forthcoming book, Open to Open, lays out a practical, field-tested checklist for anyone considering a bakery—covering commercial leasing, health inspections, equipment lists, staffing, and operations.

Motherhood, allergies, and community are woven through it all. With three young sons and severe food allergies at home, she manages late nights, early handoffs, and the village that keeps creators afloat: borrowed chocolate at 9 p.m., emergency toppers from peers, and edible images at impossible hours. She’s honest about passion turning into chore under overhead, and about the planned pivots toward teaching, mentoring, and writing that keep purpose alive. If you’re eyeing a cake business—or any creative venture—expect hard numbers, design-minded systems, and a call to collaborate rather than compete.

Subscribe, share with a friend who’s building something brave, and leave a review with your biggest storefront question so we can tackle it next.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

What if a cake could give you back your sense of control? We sit down with Dr. Nneka Anuma—Nigerian American cake artist, educator, and PhD in multidisciplinary human services—to explore how baking became her refuge, her business, and her bridge from heavy frontline work to moments of joy. From a childhood filled with art supplies and oven hunts in Nigeria to a bold ask at Dairy Queen that launched her cake design journey, Nneka shows how speaking up turns curiosity into opportunity.

We get candid about the realities of a demanding nine-to-five in human services, raising three kids, and building Sweet Heaven in the margins of late nights and early mornings. Nneka shares practical ways baking functions as therapy: a repeatable, tactile process that restores agency, reduces stress, and proves you can bring beauty to life with your own hands. She opens up about learning her craft through classes and practice, finding inspiration in fashion and client stories, and embracing the idea that your style can evolve without apology.

Teaching lights her up. Hear how community workshops help kids and families discover creativity together, why representation matters for girls navigating systems, and how small wins at the workbench ripple into self-belief elsewhere. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can juggle a career, a passion, and a family without losing yourself, this conversation offers grounded encouragement and real-world strategies: make time for what matters, honor your season, and keep moving toward progress over perfection.

If this story resonated, follow and subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more listeners and fuel the Cake Therapy Foundation’s work for women and girls.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

What if your kitchen could quiet anxiety and spark connection at the same time? We sit down with Chef Melanie Underwood—culinary educator, mindfulness teacher, and founder of Nourish and Gather—to explore how cooking, gardening, and simple rituals transform everyday meals into meaningful self-care. From farm roots and family dinners to high‑pressure hotel kitchens and meditation, Melanie shares the practices that helped her turn attention into ease and ingredients into anchors.

We dig into the power of seasonal, local food and why flavor is the best teacher for mindful eating. You’ll hear how phones‑off classes, garden harvests, and sensory prompts build confidence in teens and adults alike, and how a single request from a shy student can become a lifelong lesson in self‑advocacy. Melanie also opens up about navigating a rare cancer diagnosis and creating space for healing outdoors and at the stove, reminding us that solace lives in soil, steam, and shared tables.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make dinner feel less rushed and more restorative, this conversation offers practical steps: slow your pace, use all five senses, start a weekly family meal, and try thoughtful prompts—like Melanie’s Mindful Table napkins—to turn silence into stories. We also examine the culture of professional kitchens and why centering well‑being, mindfulness, and community is not just humane, it’s smart. Ready to cook with intention and gather with purpose? Listen now, then subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs a calmer way to eat and connect.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

A salty first batch of cookies, a cross-continental childhood, and a decision to walk away from nursing—Salome’s path to Afua's Sweets is equal parts grit and grace. We sit down with the Ghanaian cake artist to unpack how culture, constraint, and courage shaped a business that blends bold flavor with delicate technique.

Salome traces the roots of her palate from Ghana’s tropical brightness to Ethiopia’s Italian-leaning pastry traditions, revealing how coffee, mango, and passion fruit found their way into her modern designs. When lactose intolerance made traditional tasting impossible, she pivoted into vegan methods, testing butter and cream alternatives until she could whip, bake, and serve desserts that fooled even devoted dairy fans. Along the way, she rediscovered why baking calms the mind: small, intentional steps that transform stress into focus and joy.

The leap from hobby to business brought its own lessons. We break down the turning points: cost analysis that ended the “dirt cheap” label, coaching from Porsha Kimble that encouraged her to show up on camera and set prices with confidence, and boundaries that eliminated late-night DMs and last-minute chaos. Salome shares practical tactics for home bakers—how to price, how to practice, how to build systems—and casts a vision for the future with petite French-style desserts that let complex pairings shine in elegant bites. It’s a conversation about valuing your craft, honoring your limits, and letting your story be part of the brand.

If you felt seen by any part of this journey, hit follow, share the episode with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help more bakers find us. Your support keeps Cake Therapy growing and brings more voices, more flavors, and more healing to the kitchen.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

Beauty lives in the smallest details, and sometimes those details become a life. We welcome Gabby from Rosa’s Cakes in New Orleans—a self-described non-cook who transformed a love of clay miniatures into intricate fondant toppers, sought-after treat sets, and a thriving home-based bakery with her mom, Rosa. While preparing for an approaching hurricane, Gabby opens up about resilience, family legacy from Nicaragua, and the practical choices that keep their creative business strong through real-world storms.

You’ll hear how clay beads turned into cake toppers, and how event-planning experience evolved into stellar customer service and efficient production systems. Gabby breaks down her design workflow for cupcakes and sets, where three variations per dozen keep creativity structured and timelines sane. We dive into how she sources molds and materials, why she favors treats over towering cakes in sweltering summers, and how Instagram became their storefront—proof that consistent, thoughtful posting can elevate a neighborhood favorite into a regional go-to.

What stands out most is her definition of success: showing up for her kids, protecting quality, and shipping work she loves regardless of likes. She offers grounded advice for emerging cake artists—be patient with yourself, invest in presentation, and let motivation carry you through slow seasons. This is a warm, candid look at building a legacy of work ethic and craft, turning detail into identity, and finding freedom in a business shaped by care, culture, and grit.

If the story moved you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so others can discover the show. Your support helps us spotlight more makers and fuel the Cake Therapy Foundation’s work with women and girls.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

A thriving ad agency, a growing ache, and a leap into the unknown. That’s the backdrop for our conversation with Jamaican wood artisan Tamara Harding, whose purpose found her in the grain of fallen trees and the quiet of a bamboo-lined workshop. She didn’t tinker her way into a craft; she built a values-first brand, wrote a business plan, and let the material lead. The result is a body of work that rescues condemned trees, restores damaged slabs with resin, and turns flaws into features—sustainability you can touch.

We dig into the moments that changed everything: a failed holiday craft table, a backyard plum tree, and the first sellout that proved people crave pieces with story. Tamara breaks down why she uses electric hand tools, how dyslexia fuels inventive problem-solving, and what it means to let a piece “decide” what it wants to be. She shares her “no wood left behind” ethos and the logistics (and costs) of deconstructing trees at construction sites so their history lives on as tables, mirrors, and sculptural forms. If you’re curious about sustainable design, circular economy principles, and mindful making, this conversation shows how art and ecology can reinforce each other.

We also get real about the tough stuff: staying present on social media while working long shop hours, recovering from a recent grinder injury, and learning to delegate to protect both body and business. For aspiring makers, Tamara offers a clear, actionable playbook: craft your brand identity first, write a detailed business plan, plan your launch and PR with intention, and use a simple filter for new projects—will this feed my soul? Expect practical wisdom, candid stories, and a reminder that purpose sits on the other side of silence and courage.

If this story moved you, follow and share the show, leave us a review, and invite a friend who’s on the edge of a big leap. Your support helps us keep bringing purpose-driven conversations to your ears.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

What if the most healing room in your home isn’t the one with the couch, but the one with the stove? We sit down with Charlotte Hastings, the pioneering force behind Kitchen Therapy, to explore how simple, hands-on cooking can lower anxiety, unlock conversation, and guide people back to trust and connection. From a childhood marked by trauma to eight years of sobriety, Charlotte shares how food became a safe third space—where a wooden spoon can reflect a life story, and a cheese sauce can invite truth without pressure.

We trace her path from teaching to psychodynamic counseling to a practice that uses recipes as living maps. Instead of rigid measurements, she leans into play and adaptation: swap ingredients to fit your needs, taste as you go, and let intuition lead. Together we unpack why repetitive kitchen tasks soothe the nervous system, how teens open up when eye contact is optional, and why a finished loaf can be the proof someone needs to believe they can finish hard things. Charlotte’s book frames cooking as a life-seasoned journey, with feminist tarot imagery, family illustrations, and recipes designed to evolve with you.

We also look beyond the countertop. Charlotte’s community interest company builds groups that cook outdoors around a fire, restoring a sense of belonging and shared purpose. In a fast, AI-driven world, this is our first technology—flame, food, and fellowship—bringing people back into their bodies and back to each other. If you’re curious about alternative therapy, mental health tools you can touch, and ways to turn small kitchen wins into bigger life changes, you’ll feel right at home here.

If this conversation feeds you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find their way back to the table.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts

Season four starts with a warm whisk of honesty, relief, and purpose. Dr. Altreisha Foster shares a heartfelt update on her mom’s recovery and how the kitchen became a steady anchor during Hurricane Melissa, setting the tone for a year that favors truth over polish. We revisit how Cake Therapy Foundation grew from two students to serving 75 girls across Minnesota, and why simple tools, reliable recipes, and a safe space can transform confidence, voice, and community.

We map the road ahead—deeper conversations with multidimensional guests from mental health, business, education, and food—people who use the kitchen to make meaning and build resilience. You’ll hear the story behind an historic 8-tier centerpiece for Betty Crocker’s 104th birthday and what that Red Spoon means for access and legacy. From archival details to many helping hands, the cake became a symbol of how one idea can connect millions through care. That same spirit shows up in our programs, where accessible mixes lower barriers and amplify what matters: presence, practice, and pride.

Grounded in mindfulness, Dr. Foster guides a short breathing moment and a focus exercise you can bring to any countertop or commute. Crack, measure, mix—one step at a time—because peace is possible even on loud days. Along the way we thank partners, announce our spring Dessert Experience fundraiser, and recommit to giving listeners something to think about, something to try, and a reminder that growth is possible, even when it’s slow.

Pull up a chair in our bake space and join the conversation. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find their way to healing, creativity, and community—one bowl at a time.

Remember to subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Share the episodes and let's chat in the comments.

Support the Cake Therapy Foundation:
1.   Cake Therapy - Cake Therapy (thecaketherapyfoundation.org) 
2.  Buy Me A Coffee : The Cake Therapy Foundation (buymeacoffee.com)
3. Buy The Book: Cake Therapy: How Baking Changed My Life   https://a.co/d/76dZ5T0 

4. Buy The Book: Lessons I Never Learned from My Father: Things We Missed Out On and How They Still Impact Me https://a.co/d/9wLOguc 

Follow Sugarspoon Desserts on all social media platforms @sugarspoondesserts