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About us
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Holding its own among New York City's finest gourmet dessert places, Harlem's Make My Cake bakery has become popular with tourist from around the world. The family owned and operated business began like most successful food stories… baking cakes in a kitchen tenement apartment. But unlike other food businesses, the Baylor family had a secret recipe…Josephine Smith. ‘Ma Smith’ arrived from West Point, Mississippi to Harlem, New York in the late 1940’s with her family. She brought with her the tradition of Southern baking and the gift of creating mouth-watering desserts. Built upon the foundation of ‘family’ Ma Smith passed her talents for cooking down to her daughter JoAnn Baylor, who today bakes up specialty, wedding, and mouth-watering Southern desserts at two Harlem locations. Proving that good taste does run in the family, JoAnn passed the love of baking on to her children, Aliyyah, Kevin, Khalid, and Dedan Baylor. Together, they have developed a successful home-based family business drawing thousands of out-of-towners seeking the ultimate "red velvet cake" and other heavenly desserts to Harlem. Open seven days a week, the Baylor’s serve their sweet creations like Sweet Potato Cheese Cake and its award-winning Red Velvet Cake to celebrities such as the New York Knicks to Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Vanessa Williams and international are of course Harlem residents. With over 20 years in the baking and corporate catering industry Owner, JoAnn Baylor has developed a business based on memories of ‘home’. "We're a part of home for our customers, because everything we present is home style. It's who we are," said JoAnn. "Make My Cake” never really left my mother’s kitchen. We're still home style." Daughter Aliyyah was home schooled in the baking and catering industry by her mother, JoAnn. Her knowledge of food preparation, marketing and business skills coupled with her love for decorating cakes attracts mega stars from the Hip Hop Nation, members of the New York Knicks and other young millionaires to Make My Cake. She has been instrumental in introducing a new generation of sweet tooth lovers to the bakery. With a background in sales, accounting and customer service son Dedan ensures customers receives quality and prompt service when placing wholesale or individual orders. Kevin’s asset to the family business is employee relations. He operates day to day operations at the 139th location, and takes family pride in offering each customer good ole fashion Southern hospitality. As a result, customers come back not only for desserts, but the excellent customer service. Make My Cake was introduced to the general public in 1996, when it opened its first location at 110th Street at Central Park South. Soon, the demand from sweet tooth fanatics for Make My Cake baked goods forced the Baylor’s out of this prestigious address, and in 2006, the bakery opened two new locations to serve its demanding public. Serving hundreds daily, JoAnn Baylor, operates and manages its 139th Street location at 2380 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard in the historic Striver’s Row district of Harlem, and her daughter Aliyyah manages its new upscale dessert shop at 121 Saint Nicholas Avenue at 116th Street. The new WiFi upscale eatery seats 30 and offers customers a unique in-dinning experience that Harlem residents call ‘home’. Residents and local groups are welcome to utilize the 116th location for children activities, and small community and business meetings. Make My Cake is a business built on ‘family’ community commitment and love.
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