Cake Interview With A Whisk Worth Tasting
Welcome to the Baker & Cake Decorator Interviews Series!
Hi sweet friends! I am pleased to feature Nika Spencer with A Whisk Worth Tasting, located in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, for September!
Since founding A Whisk Worth Tasting in 2020, Nika, an incredibly talented cake decorator, has been creating custom cakes, cupcakes, and confections for her clients across the greater Philadelphia area. She also hosts cake and cupcake classes, which look like a lot of fun! If you come across her Instagram feed, you’ll find a wealth of helpful information and fun videos that keep her followers engaged.
Read my cake interview with A Whisk Worth Tasting on how she got started with her cake decorating journey and built her 150+K social media following! Click here to read more cake interviews!
Interview with Nika, A Whisk Worth Tasting
This interview has been edited for clarity and length, preserving original responses.
Check out what Nika had to say in our interview:
Can you share a bit about yourself?
I’m Nika, founder of A Whisk Worth Tasting – a licensed home bakery based in the Philly suburbs. I’m also a wife and mom to two amazing kiddos – a 6-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son – who are my most loyal but demanding custom cake clients. I have loved to bake ever since I can remember, but fell in love with cake decorating when it was time to make my daughter’s first birthday cakes. I taught myself how to decorate cakes entirely from Instagram & YouTube videos, and I’m so thankful for all the artists who share their tutorials/advice. This is why I started sharing behind-the-scenes content of my work on my Instagram page, and I’m proud to have built a community of over 150,000 followers on Instagram!
What made you decide that making cakes were your calling at this point of your life?
I had a whole other career before starting my home bakery. I studied and taught in the Middle East for several years, worked for international nonprofits in New York and Washington, DC, and even got my Master’s Degree in International Education from Columbia University. But when I became a mom, everything changed! I wanted a career that would grant me flexibility to be home and available for my family on my terms, AND to pursue something that truly lit me up from the inside out. Once I discovered cake decorating, I was absolutely hooked and spent every waking minute in pursuit of baking & decorating.
Six months after I had my son, I passed my inspection to become a licensed home bakery, and I don’t think I had ever wanted anything more in my entire life than to be paid to bake. It all felt very organic, but I worked hard to make my dreams a reality and even worked the 4:30am shift for four months in a bakery before making the leap to open my own. Life is good!
What is your favorite buttercream to work with?
I finish ALL my custom cakes in Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMBC). I explain it to people like this: once you’ve tasted and worked with SMBC, you’ll never go back to any other buttercream. However, I have several flavored buttercreams that I love, which I fill my cakes with. All recipes can be found on the subscription channel of my Instagram page, but you can also instantly download my most popular recipe – cookie dough cake & buttercream – directly from Etsy HERE
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Mostly, my customers! I love how creative my customers get with their cake themes. Just last week, I made a cute vintage style ghost cake for a “Little Boo is Almost Due” baby shower. Once I made a Jiminy Cricket themed golf cake for a country club event with the theme “When you Wish Upon a Par” – so fun!
Which cake decorating technique is your favorite?
Too many to choose! I love watercolor buttercream, vintage style piping, rice paper sails, even rosettes make me happy. The only thing I refuse to do in cake decorating is cover a cake with fondant (talk about struggle!)
Do you have a memorable cake that challenged you?
I have quite a few! But one I’ll mention is when my repeat customer asked for a cake that looked like a whiskey barrel, but with minimal fondant decorating. So I researched some techniques of how to create the wood grain barrel using just buttercream. I tried it on the cake without practicing and honestly had no idea how it would turn out, but the result was absolutely incredible. One of those “trust the process” experiences that happen a lot in cake decorating!
What is the most significant accomplishment to date in your baking career?
This is a tough one. I don’t feel like I have just one that stands out. I’m so proud of the community and business I’ve built, which continues to grow in new ways every single year. Perhaps I would consider my in-person baking classes my greatest accomplishment, as I get to push my creativity in new ways and connect with my amazing community.
Do you have any advice for bakers who want to establish a strong and successful social media presence?
Wow, yes. As someone who posted every day for 16 months before reaching more than 1,000 followers, the biggest advice I have is to share from the heart and be consistent. Not because if you post every day your account will automatically grow, but if you post consistently, you will overcome your own insecurities, see what you like sharing, learn how to make/edit compelling posts/videos that resonate with your audience, and actually connect with people. Once you gain momentum, it becomes easier. But never think it is an overnight turnaround! The key is not to give up.
What do you like to do with your free time? (What free time? Lol)
Haha, I actually love to run. I don’t have free time (who does), but I make time by getting up in the morning before my family wakes up. I set big goals and work over time to achieve them. This Fall, I’m running my third marathon, and I’m so excited! Once my hobby became my job, it was really important to find something else I can do just for me to feel empowered, and running has become that for me.
What is your favorite dessert?
I will never turn down a mint chocolate chip ice cream 🙂 If we are going more fancy, I absolutely LOVE a good tiramisu.
Tell me about your latest project!
My latest project is the launch of nationwide shipping for lactation cookies – wholesome, delicious cookies designed for nursing moms. You can order automatically through my website HERE.
If you post consistently, you will overcome your own insecurities, see what you like sharing, learn how to make/edit compelling posts/videos that resonate with your audience, and actually connect with people.
Nika SPencer
My Favorite Creations
Oneder The Sea Birthday Cake and Smash Cake
Such an adorable Under The Sea cake and smash cake for a first birthday! Click here for some first birthday cake inspiration.
Tiered Lego Cake
Perfect for a Lego-loving kid! The Lego number topper is a sweet idea.
Lily Pulitzer Tiered Cake
What a beautiful interpretation of Lily Pulitzer using their bright colors!
Minions Birthday Cake
A child would LOVE to get this Minions birthday cake for their birthday! Here’s the link to how she made this incredible creation!
Fresh Floral Wedding Cake
There’s nothing like a classic floral wedding cake adorned with gorgeous flowers.
First Communion Cake
This was a custom all-buttercream baptism cake featuring palette knife leaves, a parchment paper-traced cross, and edible 24-karat gold leaf.
Hot Cocoa Mug Cake
Such a cute holiday cake for the holidays! Check out the holiday inspo here.
Thanksgiving Cupcakes
I adore this Thanksgiving cupcake set so much! Check out her tutorial here.
Cinco De Mayo Cake
A perfect cake to celebrate Cinco De Mayo!
Vintage Heart Bridal Shower Cake
A beautiful vintage cake using neutral colors and cherries!
Author Notes
Nika has everything on her Instagram, including videos, if you want to see how she made these fantastic cakes!
I hope you enjoyed my cake interview with A Whisk Worth Tasting, and drop a comment below!
More about Nika, A Whisk Worth Tasting
Founder of A Whisk Worth Tasting LLC