We had the good fortune of connecting with Aubree Gordon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aubree, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?

Do you realize how many events, choices, that had to occur since the birth of the universe leading up to the making of you? Just exactly the way you are.
– A Wrinkle in Time

This is the quote that changed my life. My favorite saying has always been “everything happens for a reason”. I had never heard it said like this before watching the live-action remake of A Wrinkle In Time, 2018. I’ll never forget how hearing this for the first time made me feel. Every single thing in the history of the Universe had to line up perfectly for you to be right where you are today, It must be for a reason. I use this quote to inspire me in my everyday life as well as my business.

I’ve never fit in, this is something I’ve struggled with my entire life. Most of the time I feel like a square peg trying to fit into the round hole that is this world. I need little black girls and boys like me to know that it’s ok to be different. That their life holds value even if they don’t feel it all the time. Somehow through my work, I hope to inspire young people of all shapes and sizes to know that it’s ok to take up space, that they’re worth it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My business journey has been far from easy. It started in 2013 when I first discovered cake decorating. I would bake for fun and through word of mouth I began receiving orders. A few years down the line I started posting youtube videos with tutorials for kids. After working on this for about a year I got burnt out and decided to take a break entering high school. I was only doing orders here and there but it seemed as though my passion had died. I knew I wanted to do something in the creative field, whether it was fashion design or makeup artistry but baking was no longer for me. Entering 2020, the pandemic flipped everyone’s world upside down including mine. At the time I was supposed to attend Virginia State University but was not able to go. I was stuck at home and bored out of my mind. That is when I decided to pick up baking once again and start posting my journey on TikTok. During this time I discovered abstract cake design and it was a whole new world for me. I never realized I could make such beautiful art with food! A year later I am now 20 years old with over 146k followers on TikTok and Aubree’s Cakery Bakery being my full-time job!

During this time I had to make the very tough decision to take a break from college. Doing it online was not serving me in any way and my business was doing so well I was not able to balance both. This has been difficult for me as I’ve had to grieve what I once thought my life would look like at this age. At the same time, if I could go back I would make the same decision over and over again. In the last year, I’ve not only been able to make people happy through my work but create educational content for people all over the world!

The last 2 years have been extremely challenging but I know my 11-year-old self would be so proud of where I am today. If I told her I was able to grow a social media following, work with Buzzfeed (twice), and make cakes for celebrities such as Diddy, J.Cole, and DeForest Buckner, she would never believe me! People ask me every day how I got the courage to start my business and post about it on social media. The answer is, just do it! It sounds so much easier said than done but you have to take a leap of faith and go for it. It will be scary, it will challenge you in ways you never thought possible and you will work harder than you ever have before. There is no easy way around it, you will have to hustle harder than ever before. If you have a genuine passion for it, I promise it will pay off. All people see is my growth in the last year but behind that is 8 years of trial and error. You will get there one way or another. Even if it’s not where you thought you would be, it’s where you’re supposed to be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m quite the busy body, my brain is always working and moving. Because of this, I love places that make me feel calm, comfortable, and grounded. To start off I’d take them to my favorite coffee shop, Arcade Coffee Roasters in Riverside. I’m here at least once a week usually to get work done, catch up on emails, and brainstorm business ideas. As a pastry snob, I can say they have THE BEST croissants and of course coffee!

I love thrifting so of course, I’d have to go to the cutest thrift shop in Claremont, Dee Lux. I’d call it a curated vintage thrift shop so they have the best finds with the best quality. I love the entire area for shopping, It has beautiful small shops and yummy food to go with it!

Next, I would go to the beach, one of my favorites is Crystal Cove. it is very small so it almost feels like a private beach! The walk over the mountain to get there is also gorgeous. with the beautiful water and calm atmosphere, I could stay there forever.

For dinner, I would have to go to Kalaveras Mexican restaurant in Chino. I went there for my 20th birthday and it was amazing! The chips and guac (which I don’t even normally like) were delicious along with the rest of the meal. The atmosphere was fun and exciting, I can’t wait to go back!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to my Grandma, Barbara Farley. My grams was my biggest supporter, she began me on my journey by buying my first ever Kitchen Aid Mixer when I was only 12 years old. At the time she most likely could not afford it but bought it anyway, that’s how much she believed in me. I owe my creative genes and passion for business to her. If she was only here to see me today, I know she would be so proud. I love you grams, forever and always.

Website: aubreescakerybakery.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aubreescakerybakery/?hl=en

Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aubreescakerybakery?lang=en

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.