Meet the bakers behind Campbelltown, Camden’s most impressive cake creations
The kings and queens of the Macarthur region’s baking scene have shared how they got started and the secrets behind their most show stopping and mouth watering creations.
Macarthur
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Campbelltown and Camden’s leading bakers are holding their own in the competitive creation of showstopping and mouth-watering baked goods.
Many of the bakers run successful home based operations where they’ve gained a strong following through social media, while others run popular brick and mortar stores that have become part of the fabric in local communities.
Meet some of the genius cooks behind these delicious masterpieces.
FILIPPO AND MIMMA FONTI - MIMMA’S ON EDMONDSON
Filippo and Mimma Fonti are the husband and wife duo behind the popular bakery Mimma’s On Edmondson that has been open for more than two decades.
The couple opened their shop in West Hoxton where they sold delicious cakes and baked goods for 20 years but then decided to relocate to Grasmere and turn it into a home business.
“Now it’s been about eight years that we have been here,” Mr Fonti said.
“We just love what we do and I can’t bear the thought of stopping, I just love making and creating cakes and making people’s special occasions that extra special.
“It’s more personalised having a home business, you get to spend a bit more one-on-one time with our customers.”
Mr Fonti said there had been many incredible moments over the years and they had built connections with families, some of whom have come to Mimma’s on Edmondson for every occasion.
“For one family, we have made the mum’s wedding cake and her children’s christening cakes and one of the daughters has gotten engaged and married and yesterday she gave birth and she said I would be making the cake for that,” Mr Fonti said.
“I have watched these kids grow up and then made their wedding cake and it’s so special.”
JACKIE NUGRAHA AND CLAUDIA VILCHES - STUDIO BAKES
Best friends Jackie Nugraha and Claudia Vilchez both had a hospitality background but had drifted off into two fields, one into finance and one into business development.
The two started out baking for close family and friends’ special occasions as a hobby but soon they built up a loyal following and they decided to take the leap.
“We decided to take punt, ditch our careers and open up Studio Bakes and see how we go,” Ms Nugraha said.
“We opened our store in Campbelltown at the end of last year and the first year has been an incredible experience.
“We have been super successful with the locals and we took out the 2023 Local Business Awards for Outstanding Bakery.”
Ms Nugraha said they have had a variety of customers from corporate companies to families to mates who choose a “cheeky” message or design that have the besties giggling.
From animations and Disney characters to cars and other wild designs, one of Ms Nugraha’s favourite’s has been a Great Gatsby cake.
Studio Bakes is baked out of a store on Stowe Ave, behind Macarthur Square.
NICOLE DAY - CHARBELLA CAKES
CharBella Cakes based in Spring Farm has been running for 11 years, with the business name a heartfelt nod to the owner Nicole Day’s daughters - Charlotte and Isabella.
Ms Day became a qualified pastry chef in 2000 after growing up in Tasmania but she decided to move away to try and find work.
“I met my hubby and got married and had the two kids but when the youngest was 18 months, I hit rock bottom and was suffering from postnatal depression and was thinking ‘there’s nothing to me’.
“My psychologist helped me see I am not just a mum and that was where Charbella came from.”
Ms Day started the business in Padstow Heights but they moved to Spring Farm 10 years ago and that’s where it took off. For the first few years, she was working out of her kitchen but they built a dedicated cake kitchen on their property five years ago.
When Covid hit, Ms Day did not close her business but had to adapt to fit within health restrictions.
“I made it delivery only and it all went down to little cakes and I ended up having a lot of weekends free but now I think we are getting back to what it was pre-Covid,” she said.
“The weddings are coming in hard and fast. We also just won the Outstanding Bakery/Cafe Business for the Camden Local Business Awards.”
JENNI EATON - EATON CAKES
Jenni Eaton has fond memories licking the spoon clean of whatever delicious batter her nan or mum had whipped up for that afternoon’s baked delight.
When she first decided to start her own business, Eaton Cakes out of her home in Bradbury, she never thought she would win multiple awards and even end up hiring an employee to help with demand.
“It’s been nearly 11 years and it’s a hobby that turned into business,” Ms Eaton said.
“I have two kids so I work from my home registered business in Bradbury so it can be a bit stressful but the ultimate goal is to have a shopfront one day.”
Ms Eaton’s two children are now the happy volunteers when it comes time to lick the spoons clean and she hopes to leave the legacy to them one day.
Being a community advocate is another passion of Ms Eaton’s and it drove her to create “Love in a Tub” on Fridays.
“On Fridays, I take all of my offcuts from the cakes and I put them in containers and I sell those,” Ms Eaton said. “100 per cent of that money goes into the community and over two years we have given more than $3000 back.”
KIMBERLEY NASH - NUDGE SWEET BOUTIQUE
Kimberley Nash has grown up in a family of competition bakers who have taken part in the Royal Easter Show and Camden shows, and in the last year decided to launch her own business - Nudge Sweet Boutique - in June this year.
“Nudge” is a combination of her maiden and married surnames and also pays tribute to the “subtle and not so subtle nudges” to take on the venture.
“It’s been exciting and incredible to meet so many people and make cakes and cookies for people,” she said.
“I do a lot of fondant-based cakes with royal icing detail as opposed to the buttercream, that is my speciality.
“The secret to a good cake is starting with a fantastic base recipe, it can’t only look good it has to taste amazing too and that’s why I have honed my recipes for a number of years.”
Ms Nash said she knew her Nan would be proud of her for having the courage to start a business doing what she loves.
NIKKI NIPPERESS - FROM SCRATCH
Nikki Nipperess and her mum used to bake a lot as she was growing up and soon she decided to have some lessons and taught herself how to make and decorate cakes.
With the encouragement and support from her family, Mrs Nipperess opened up From Scratch seven years ago.
“There has been a whole lot of ups and down as is the case for many businesses,” she said.
“Covid really threw a spanner in the works but since we have come out of it, the business is really building back up again.”
Mrs Nipperess also works a second job in the kitchen of childcare centre and it can be a tough job balancing a job.
“I work 8am to 1pm at the childcare centre and then I’m home to bake and decorate for the rest of the day,” she said.
“A few month ago, I created a realistic KFC Zinger box and that is my proudest piece of art so far.”
LEANNE JAMES - LEELEE’S CAKERY
Leanne James first got a taste for the business of cake making and decorating when her niece asked her to bake one for her birthday. Soon she had requests from family and friends piling in from there.
Ms James then decided to set up a home business in Mt Annan called LeeLee’s Cakery and had finally completed all the council processes when Covid hit.
“When the first wave hit, we had to shut and we lost a lot of business there,” she said.
“But in the second wave, it took off because even though people could not have parties they were ordering cakes and dessert boxes to celebrate special occasions.”
Ms James said she loved bringing people’s vision to life when it came to cakes for their special occasions, and she would draw designs based on inspirations they would sent through.
“I did an Encanto House, it was very challenging but it turned out amazing,” she said.
‘It took about five days to pull it together for a five years old birthday.”
SWEET TREATS BY RHI
Camden favourite Sweet Treats by Rhi Bentley opened Camden’s Capitol Arcade in 2019 by Rhi Bentley when she was just 24 years old.
Known for her delicious cupcakes and gorgeous creations, Ms Bentley has 17k followers on social media.
TWO BIRDS BAKERY
Cousins Ally and Ash first opened their own cake business’ separately, but after becoming mums decided to merge and so the Two Birds Bakery was born.
“Ally is a little pocket rocket in the kitchen, her energy is endless and she has a natural ability to bring a vision to life,” their website states.
“Ash is a perfectionist, she loves to use buttercream and incorporate beautiful florals into her designs. We each bring our signature style and strengths to the kitchen - truly making us the perfect duo.”
CAKES BY MELLY
Cakes by Melly is another beloved cakemaking business that was nominated by readers. A mum of five, Melissa is based out of Leppington and has more than 600 followers on social media.
Cakes based on childhood movies and mermaids to simple but elegant creations feature on her pages.
TOP TIER CELEBRATION CAKES
According to her social media, Sandy Penfold has had a passion for cooking and baking since childhood, opening her business Top Tier Celebration Cakes in 2011.
Ms Penfold has created masterpieces a semi-naked chocolate mud cake for a birthday to a strawberry swirl under white ganache to celebrate a divorce.
With more than 700 followers on social media, Ms Penfold is based out of Harrington Park.
CAKES BY EM SCOTT
Cakes by Em Scott is run by mum of three Em Scott from Camden. Set to return from maternity leave shortly, Ms Scott has kept her 1.7k followers engaged with pictures of delicious creations.
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