Meet Kellie Velasquez | Artist & Owner

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

Hi Kellie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
As a young girl, I always had an entrepreneurial spirit and a creative flair. Any hobby I had, I wanted to make a side hustle out of and find a way to share my interest with other people. I loved the idea of working for myself and creating something out of just a dream. I knew when I found baking, I had found the right artistic outlet to make a living from all while enjoying my work.

Deep down I always knew I needed to create something of my own to be happy and fulfilled.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business, Palette Cakes, offers artfully inspired desserts and custom cakes to the Greater Sacramento Area, Bay Area, and the Napa Valley. Palette Cakes started from my very small studio apartment outside of San Francisco, CA right after graduating culinary school. I would work as a Pastry Chef by day and come home to bake some more for my own business. Palette Cakes started as a side hustle and 8 years later, is a full-time gig and is growing rapidly with a brick and mortar in the works (fingers crossed for an opening date at the end of 2022).

Growing my business and finding my ideal clients took quite a while because I offered luxury wedding cakes and dessert spreads from the start. Whenever you are chasing a luxury market, it is always going to be harder to build trust and gain that client base you need to sustain your business. I had to keep finding connections, making cakes for the right people, and building a brand that was trusted within the community over the course of several years. Proudly today, I am making cakes that really represent my artistic style and I do not have to compromise on the type of work I want to do anymore just to get by.

What makes Palette Cakes unique is the quality of work and the attention to detail we provide. Our cake and dessert menu is inspired by farm-to-fork flavors, locally sourced ingredients, and tastes really, really good. These aren’t just beautiful, but they really do taste as good on the inside as they look on the outside. As for aesthetics, Palette Cakes specializes in handmade sugar flowers and individually tailored designs. Our clients experience a full on sketching and design process with us when it comes to creating their dream wedding/event cake. The end result is inspired by all their event details, and is uniquely made to reflect their taste and style. Our overall approach is to create a fine-art cake and dessert spread with amazing flavor.

Building a business takes a ton of work, audacity, and passion for what you do. There have been many downfalls and victories along Palette Cakes journey, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I am so incredibly proud of what Palette Cakes has become and am so excited for what is next when we open our bakery.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am a major foodie and love a great cocktail. I think the best way to welcome anyone to your city is to show them the best places to dine locally. My go-to spots for anyone that comes into town would be Carmelitas in Roseville for the best Mexican Food and Margaritas, The Place in Roseville for the freshest, and most exciting Italian cuisine, and Hook & Ladder in Sacramento for the absolute best burger and carefully crafted cocktails,

We are also surrounded by incredible spots to enjoy for a day outing in Sacramento and the surrounding areas. The Crocker Art Museum is perfect for a touch of beauty and creativity to fill your day. We have Apple Hill located in Placerville, CA which is the perfect spot to bring someone for some fresh air, fun crafts, and all the best apple-filled treats and cider. Lastly, just walking around Old Town Sacramento, The Downtown Commons, and Midtown Sacramento to see all the local stores and restaurants is a blast and the perfect way to enjoy our city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Mother, Theresa Slingerland, always supported my creative and professional goals growing up. She was also a very passionate and creative woman, who not only supported both her children in their dreams, but the dreams of all of her students (she was a Speech Language Pathologist and Special Education Teacher). She raised me to be a strong, free spirited woman and to chase whatever was going to make me happy in life. She passed away in 2019 and in her honor, I really started to focus on my business and take the leap of faith to go all-in,

My Husband, Carlos Velasquez, is the backbone of the business. He made what was my dream, OUR dream, and has always done whatever he could to make sure I could pursue this creative career path. Whether it’s delivering cakes, crunching numbers, or helping build our dream bakery, he’s there eager and ready.

Lastly my sister, Kristin Toms, and Father, John Slingerland, have always been incredibly supportive as well. Both have taught me to get back up after I fall down, and both are the best taste-testers.

Website: www.palettecakes.com

Instagram: @palettecakes

Facebook: /palettecakes

Yelp: Palette Cakes

Image Credits
Hailey Ayson, Denise Apgar, Liz Zimbelman, D. Lillian