Meet Kimberly Solove of Crumb Snatcher Cakes in Maricopa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Solove.

Kimberly, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Started making cakes for my family and friends when my husband noticed that I showed an interest in the art, so he decided to sign me up for the Wilton classes at a local craft store as a gift that I would take twice a week for a month until they ran out of courses for me to take. From there, I practiced and watched more tutorials and took online classes over YouTube and Craftsy. I continue to learn new techniques and skills everyday and love making custom creations to make other’s events memorable ones and put a smile on their face.

I named my company after our 2 children whom my husband & I call our Crumb Snatchers. I have made cakes and other goodies for family and friends since 2000, but decided to take it public a few years ago. Since then, my small business has grown a nice customer base and I have been given the pleasure of making a few cakes for a charity organization called Icing Smiles.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have been challenges involved, especially when having kids, but with the kids it was only when I first started becoming more interested in more detailed cakes. Now, they are almost teenagers and help with clean up and of course, taste testing.

Juggling family responsibilities can be difficult as well, sometimes making us late to places or not being able to attend certain functions/events. Going to an important event and getting a late start on the order and working through the night.

I have a medical condition called Epilepsy and my medication when I am really stressed out or when I am trying to hurry, causes me to have really bad hand tremors, or “Jazz Hands” as we call them. Lol so, those days it’s a slow process, especially if handwriting or any beads being adding to a quilted pattern is involved.

There have been days where everything seems to go wrong, like the fondant being too sticky or tearing due to weather. Dropping cakes/cupcakes and having to start over and stay up for a day or 2 to finish orders.

Even though I have these obstacles/challenges, my family, especially my husband Dan, support me and they will even help out any way they possibly can.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I make sure to put the freshest ingredients in my custom cakes, cupcakes, decorated cookies or other goodies, as well as, time and love into everything I create. Everything is made to order and homemade from scratch to ensure freshness. Even the fondant that covers the cake and is used for decorations is homemade.

I am the sole operator of the company. I do everything, but I specialize in fondant themed cakes and sculpting with fondant.

I am proud that Crumb Snatcher Cakes makes everything from scratch. No box mixes and no preservatives or weird names like grocery store cakes, which are mass produced and frozen for many months before put out for sale for the consumer.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up in Northern Michigan. I was and still am a tomboy and very active and outgoing. I was very athletic all throughout school and I lettered in 3 sports during High School. I loved baking back then too, but didn’t do it that often. I mainly kept myself busy when I was younger playing sports and going canoeing, fishing, tubing and boating on the rivers and lakes there. If I wasn’t able to do any of that, then I was working in my parent’s small hunting and fishing supply store or working for my Aunt and Uncle’s catering business. I started working at the very young age in my parent’s store. I was 7 when I started working customer service. I now have 30 years of customer service experience and about 15 of that is food industry experience and counting.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.crumbsnatchercakes.com
• Phone: 480-518-1485
• Email: crumbsnatchercakes@gmail.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrumbSnatcherCakes/

Image Credit:
Crumb Snatcher Cakes

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