TASTEFUL ART
CAKES, COOKIES AND PIES, OH MY!
Shelesa “Sugar” Tennon creates treats that go beyond even her wildest imagination. BY MCKENZIE HENNINGSEN
From minimalist wedding cakes to cookies featuring her clients’ faces, Shelesa “Sugar”
“” I enjoy it the most just for healing my inner child and letting her play and be creative, but also for making other people happy. 60 | AUSTIN WOMAN | FEBRUARY 2022
Photos courtesy of Pink Sugar Treats & Eats.
Tennon’s preferred art form only requires two things: creativity and lots of sugar. With a business as unique as she is, Tennon’s Pink Sugar Treats & Eats isn’t your typical bakery. The local Black female-owned bakery seeks to make a positive impact through its commitment to sustainability and providing opportunities for local food entrepreneurs. The business’ storefront, opening this year, will make all of this possible for Tennon, who began baking to bring joy to herself and those around her. “I’ve always been artistic and creative, and baking just allows me to be creative,” Tennon says. “I call it healing my inner child because I get to play with my food, [which] I was never allowed to do. Now I get to do that in a way that makes other people happy and adds to their celebrations. I enjoy it the most just for healing my inner child and letting her play and be creative, but also for making other people happy.” Tennon began her baking journey in 2015, when she decided to bake a cake for her mother after watching an episode of Cake Boss. But after failing to let the cake cool and secure it to the plate, it slid onto the ground.
