This interview is a bit longer than average I suppose because we had SO much to discuss!
The owner of Americana Cakes & Sweets is an American from Minnesota which is quite close to Canada! So we had a lot of common ground to discuss and you would be surprised to hear that this interview was nearly 2.5 hours long!It was just such a wonderfully easygoing interview - I truly felt like I made a dear friend at the same time - and those kinds of social interactions these days (IN PERSON!) are extremely rare! At least for me!
Anyway, we decided to meet at Bokachá for our interview and sitting down with Nichole and doing this interview felt honestly more like sitting down with a friend and catching up! It was THAT relaxed and exciting!
So here we go!
"What brings you to Finland from the USA?
I met my Finnish boyfriend in the USA and we moved over here together.
How long have you lived here and have you always lived in Turku?
Yes I have lived here for about five years and we spent about one year in Joensuu.
Do you visit the USA often and do you miss home?
Yes I really miss home a lot and on average I travel back about twice a year - especially recently with some family celebrations that have occurred.
What's something that you had to adjust to since moving to Finland - aside from the language?
We have this saying in Minnesota called "Minnesota Nice" and it's pretty much all about the small talk and Finns just do not greet strangers in passing or get really chatty with people and have that random small talk at all!
I have lived here long enough now that when I go to Minnesota - I am sure people passing me think I am weird because I am the one looking at the ground or avoiding eye contact like a Finn would.
I have lived here long enough now that when I go to Minnesota - I am sure people passing me think I am weird because I am the one looking at the ground or avoiding eye contact like a Finn would.
What are your hobbies?
Baking, working out and also hanging out at home and enjoying Netflix!
What is the inspiration behind "Americana Cakes & Sweets"?
I absolutely LOVE baking! There's a lot of similar Finnish-style bakeries and I feel I have something more unique to offer and I recognized a hole in the market.
Thanks to social media like Instagram - American baked goods are becoming more popular!
Thanks to social media like Instagram - American baked goods are becoming more popular!
You currently operate from your home - is there a plan in the future for an on-site location for customers to try your confectionary like in a café setting?
Yes - I am in between wanting to have a café or just a catering service.
For now - operating out of my home works best because it includes the flexibility I need if I need to travel abroad. If I have a shop - I simply cannot close up for 3 weeks to do that.
For now - operating out of my home works best because it includes the flexibility I need if I need to travel abroad. If I have a shop - I simply cannot close up for 3 weeks to do that.
Have you considered selling your baked goods to various local cafés?
Yes it is something I would be interested in doing! It's just a matter of finding the cafés interested in this!
What differentiates your cakes from the standard Finnish cakes and sweets?
American style goodies tend to be taller and have more layers, and I use buttercream - compared to Finnish cake using mousse or whipped cream.
When was Americana Cakes & Sweets born and how often do you get orders?
I created Americana Cakes & Sweets in November 2018 and I have to say I haven't been around long enough to see a distinct pattern of popularity in sales. I am happy to say that I am mostly booked through to March!
What is your specialty?
Layered cakes are my biggest sellers. I DO other things like pies for example and maybe I can advertise those better! I can bake a lot of different things.
Do clients - especially Finns - have an open mind when ordering from a non-Finnish baker?
I think so. Most of my customers are non-Finns though - about 75% so far.
Do clients know what they want to order in advance or is there often a creative process involved?
It is about 50/50 - many have an idea and then I am able to guide them.
It is actually more difficult if a customer doesn't have a preference or are indifferent! So I have to really guide them and ask what their preferences are so they are truly satisfied with the end product.
It is actually more difficult if a customer doesn't have a preference or are indifferent! So I have to really guide them and ask what their preferences are so they are truly satisfied with the end product.
How long have you been baking for and what or who got you into baking?
I have been baking for as long as I can remember.
My mom was always baking and still does! So it's something that I got interested in from a young age and just kept going with!
When I was in university I was referred to as "Mom" because I always made a birthday cake for someone's birthday in the dorm and I truly believe - you have to have cake on your birthday!
My mom was always baking and still does! So it's something that I got interested in from a young age and just kept going with!
When I was in university I was referred to as "Mom" because I always made a birthday cake for someone's birthday in the dorm and I truly believe - you have to have cake on your birthday!
What is your opinion of the various cooking and baking competition shows on television these days?
I like them!
Well, I have a love/hate relationship with them. Things like "Nailed It!" I have to wonder how are they THAT bad?! If you can follow a recipe - it should turn out quite alright!
But I really do love baking and cooking - it's what comes naturally to me and everyone has different talents!
Well, I have a love/hate relationship with them. Things like "Nailed It!" I have to wonder how are they THAT bad?! If you can follow a recipe - it should turn out quite alright!
But I really do love baking and cooking - it's what comes naturally to me and everyone has different talents!
Have you ever competed with your baked goods before?
Nope! I have heard of the Finnish version of the "Great British Bake-Off" so maybe some day?
What is your favourite thing to make?
In general - I love when I can be creative and try new techniques or decorating trends!
But I prefer eating pies over cakes but now that I am making mostly cakes - I find myself eating cake more often!
But I prefer eating pies over cakes but now that I am making mostly cakes - I find myself eating cake more often!
Is there a more popular season than another or a more popular event for cakes and sweets?
Late winter and early spring seem to be the most popular!
Are the ingredients locally sourced?
Yes I go for really high quality ingredients like real butter and Fazer chocolate for example.
The thing is custom cakes are always going to be more expensive than something from the store because I am using high quality ingredients and I make all my fruit fillings fresh from scratch.
The thing is custom cakes are always going to be more expensive than something from the store because I am using high quality ingredients and I make all my fruit fillings fresh from scratch.
When in season - I prefer fresh berries and some decor I do get from the USA.
Since Finland has its fair share of celiac and/or lactose-intolerant population - has it been difficult to provide just as beautifully crafted and delicious goods for them?
Actually all of my cakes are lactose-free! The only thing is I cannot find lactose-free white chocolate. But otherwise that is simple enough to do.
I have done a few gluten-free cakes, so they are something I do offer. However, my kitchen is small and I am also making regular cakes that have gluten in the same space. I try to make sure everything is
clean and there is no contact between the gluten and gluten free cakes/tools, but if an allergy is really severe, I recommend ordering from a purely gluten free bakery.
The cakes I make are for a minimum of 10 people or portions and they are very generous servings as they are more "American sized portions" which tend to be bigger than European portions. Something I do offer as an add-on item a small gluten-free cake (usually about 6 servings) with the order or a bigger regular cake. For bigger parties, people like to have at least a small gluten free cake to offer in case someone needs to have that.
clean and there is no contact between the gluten and gluten free cakes/tools, but if an allergy is really severe, I recommend ordering from a purely gluten free bakery.
The cakes I make are for a minimum of 10 people or portions and they are very generous servings as they are more "American sized portions" which tend to be bigger than European portions. Something I do offer as an add-on item a small gluten-free cake (usually about 6 servings) with the order or a bigger regular cake. For bigger parties, people like to have at least a small gluten free cake to offer in case someone needs to have that.
Do you have any vegan options available?
I have also done vegan yes but of course there are some things that I cannot do vegan like certain chocolate fillings and vegan buttercream frosting will have a different consistency of course.
And I have had really good feedback from my dietary restriction delicacies!
What is your fondest memory of a cake to be made for a particular occasion?
I did a Frozen cake for one of my few Finnish customers and she happens to be my hair stylist!
I admire her so much as a business person and her passion for what she does as a career - she was just thrilled with her Frozen cake! It made me really happy to make that for her.
I admire her so much as a business person and her passion for what she does as a career - she was just thrilled with her Frozen cake! It made me really happy to make that for her.
When will your official website be completed?
It is a work in progress! Most of my contacts have found me through Facebook and I cannot put a price on a cake online because every cake is different. From the decorations to the fillings - there can be different varying prices for the same sized cake.
What is the private catering competition like in Finland?
It is quite niche in Finland. It hasn't really been an issue (competing) because people hear about me through word of mouth usually or a friend of a friend. And it's so nice when people you actually know support your local business!
How are you getting yourself out there and to the top of your specialty?
Mostly Facebook and Instagram. Because I am currently working from a small space, I am getting about the amount of orders I’m able to handle at the moment. However, I would like to start also marketing more to companies/corporate events, because at the moment, most of my orders are for parties people have on the weekends, and filling orders for companies would help bring more business during the week days.
Where do you see yourself in 12 months, 5 and 10 years?
I would hope in 12-months that I have a more regular customer base and can expand wholesale into cafés but that is a major goal!
In 5-years I would like to expand into a bakery or café and in 10-years it is really hard to say because maybe I will have a family then - and kids can really affect any kind of business.
My boyfriend also has a marketing degree so perhaps we can do business together? Who knows!
In 5-years I would like to expand into a bakery or café and in 10-years it is really hard to say because maybe I will have a family then - and kids can really affect any kind of business.
My boyfriend also has a marketing degree so perhaps we can do business together? Who knows!
What do you want people of Turku to know about you and your bakery?
I am a legally registered business, I do have a marketing degree and while I may not have gone to pastry school - I do spend a lot of my free time looking at Instagram for inspiration, online for techniques and recipes.
This is not work - I genuinely enjoy this!
However, I often try to go the extra mile for customers, whether that be by adding something special to the cake I don’t charge for, offering delivery if someone is unable to come pick the cake up themselves. And I also include a hand-written thank-you note with each cake, because I understand that people could spend their money somewhere else, but have chosen to support my business, and I really appreciate that.
In regard to ordering, cakes should also be booked well in advance - minimum a week's notice and this is because of all the planning involved. The more notice I have the better, and it also ensures that I won’t be booked up already for the date you want.”
I am so grateful I got to meet Nichole of Americana Cakes & Sweets and I hope if you ever need a custom baked good - you will be able to support her beautiful works of art!
She is SO friendly and really creative and clearly quite passionate about her cakes and goodies! It was an absolute joy to work with her on this interview!
You can find her Facebook Page here and also her Instagram here.
*All photos of her cakes and herself were posted with her permission and photographed by her.*
She is SO friendly and really creative and clearly quite passionate about her cakes and goodies! It was an absolute joy to work with her on this interview!
You can find her Facebook Page here and also her Instagram here.
*All photos of her cakes and herself were posted with her permission and photographed by her.*
Thanks for reading!
LAFA
If you are interested in being interviewed and featured in my blog - please reach out to me!:
learningaboutFinland(a)gmail.com
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