Want Cake? Get A Taste From 5 Micro Bakers Sunday At Color Club
Introduction to the Event
Color Club is inviting neighbors to enjoy a few slices of unique desserts crafted by a group of Chicago “micro cake bakers.” The Cake Friends event kicks off at noon Sunday at Color Club’s tavern, 4146 N. Elston Ave., and will feature baked goods from five bakers who’ve built their followings largely online. Tickets are $30 and include three cake slices plus beverages, including milk; buy tickets here.
The Concept Behind the Event
“You’ll be able to go beyond scrolling on Instagram and seeing a cake that you like and thinking, ‘Oh my God, that’s so pretty.’ You’ll be able to try it,” event organizer and baker Ellissa MacArthur told Block Club. MacArthur and the other bakers participating in Sunday’s event are part of a loose-knit community who follow each other’s work online and share ideas on where they get ingredients and other baking tips, she said.
The Micro Bakers
For many micro bakers, baking often isn’t their full-time job, according to MacArthur. They’re more like hobbyists who produce on a much smaller scale than bakeries or better-resourced pastry chefs, she said. Still, she said, micro bakers have “so much dedication to the craft.”
Featured Bakers
Here’s more on the micro bakers who will be sampling their cakes Sunday.
One of Ellissa MacArthur’s cake designs. Credit: Provided.
Ellissa MacArthur studied fine arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and trained at the French Pastry School. She uses those experiences to craft her pastries and other baked goods, she said. MacArthur had more free time during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led her to create what would eventually become her Hello Clown Cakes, she said.
One of Maura Ford’s cake designs. Credit: Provided.
Humboldt Park baker Maura Ford started her micro bakery 1_800_Cakes on Valentine’s Day last year while working as a pastry prep cook, she told Block Club. “I just wanted to do my own thing that didn’t involve waking up super early in the morning, so I kind of gravitated toward cakes,” Ford said. Ford and MacArthur worked together at Allez Cafe, so when MacArthur reached out about participating in Cake Friends, Ford said she didn’t hesitate.
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