4 minute read
Creative cakes
HOMELIFE | TASTES Crafting cake creations STORY BY STACIE GAETZ
If you can dream it, Chelsea MacPhail of Chelsea’s Custom Cakes can create it.
From books to sushi to plaid shirts to poop (yep, you read that right) … MacPhail has created cake in all shapes and sizes.
“I have a sign in my kitchen that says, ‘Bake the world a better place,’ and I live by that,” she says.
“Making other people happy through baking is the best part of what I do.”
MacPhail started making cakes in the certified kitchen in her basement in 2012 and estimates she dedicates about 60 to 70 hours per week to fill about 45 to 50 custom orders per month.
“Each order has memories attached to it,” she says.
“Some are special because the customer was so excited, others stand out because I was sent really kind thank-you messages and photos.”
The Baking Business
MacPhail laughs at how she started in the cake business saying she forgot to get her husband a birthday cake, so she made him one. When she showed her co-workers at the time, the orders started rolling in.
“For anyone thinking of starting their own home-based business, I would say to go for it!” MacPhail says.
“Having a home-based business has been the best thing I’ve ever done. Definitely take some time to research the costs involved though. There are a lot of costs people are unaware of.”
She says setting boundaries between work and home life is key, but adds she enjoys having the freedom to make decisions that will benefit her family and community.
When asked about her most unusual cakes, MacPhail says a sushi cake that she made for a little boy’s birthday in 2018 and a poop cake she created this year are at the top of her list.
“I have a pretty childish sense of humor, so I loved making this cake,” she says with a smile.
“Surprisingly, it was far from the first poop cake I’ve made.”
In addition to cakes MacPhail creates cupcakes, cake pops, breakable hearts, cookie sandwiches, mini cheesecakes and her famous “spare parts scrap boxes” that include bits and pieces of cakes she makes that she doesn’t want to throw away.
She is also exploring more gluten-free items because of demand for the products and the fact that her daughter was recently diagnosed with celiac disease.
Partying in a Pandemic
MacPhail adds that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected her wedding season with a number of cakes put on hold or cancelled. She says many birthday cakes have been scaled down as less people are invited to parties and cupcakes and other orders are now packaged individually.
“But people are still celebrating, and I am grateful that they are still supporting my small business,” she adds.
“The support that our community has given me has been absolutely amazing. I am so grateful for every single referral. Without those, my business would not be what it is today. It truly is a pleasure knowing that I’ve helped make people’s events special.” life
CALGARY PIZZA UNLIMITED
For more than 15 years Khizar Hayat has been making sure Airdrie food lovers get their slice of the pie.
Searching for the best bread and cheese combo, connoisseurs have been flocking to The Calgary Pizza Unlimited restaurant since opening in 2005.
“Back then, when we started, at that time there were not many pizza stores,” says Hayat, who partners with Mohammad Khan. “There were a few individual stores around like us but there weren’t many chain stores back then.”
The mainstay restaurant garnered the shop-local campaign “Put Your $ Where Your Heart Is” contest in late 2020 which benefited customers and small businesses during the pandemic shutdown. COVID restrictions caused Hayat to lose 70 per cent of his business.
“We closed the Airdrie store for two-anda-half months and started again in June,” says Hayat. “We are surviving but it affected us a lot. We’re basically two partners and it can be expensive. It can be pretty hard to survive.”
Located on Main Street, Calgary Pizza Unlimited offers cheesy delights from small 10-inch pizzas to the giant specialty 18-inch pie. They combine that with create-your-own pizza, several bonus deals on multiple-pizza meals and special combinations with wings and cheesy bread.
Return customers have helped keep the business alive in Airdrie’s competitive pizza climate.
“There are more pizza stores now in Airdrie, but still, we are surviving because of our loyal customers coming back in those 15 years.”
A personal touch and special homemade recipes have been the key to great pizza, Hayat says.
“We make our own pizza sauce and use over eight different spices, so that is our specialty. We also make the dough ourselves and use fresh ingredients.”
In early spring, the downtown staple will begin to serve Donairs as well as fried chicken, offering even more options to loyal customers.
“We’re still here and will try to be as long as we can.”
