Talk about almost too pretty to eat. These custom treats, crafted with utmost skill and care, could pass for edible pieces of art. Whether you love cupcakes or prefer sugar cookies, check out the following options.
Pua Cake Studio Hawaii
When Jayme Choi did an internship opportunity abroad in South Korea as a hotel pastry chef and interpreter, little did she know it would lead to starting her own business.
A few months before she returned home to Oahu, Choi decided to take a cake decorating class as a hobby.
“I learned to decorate cakes using buttercream to pipe flowers, and from there, that’s how it all started,” Choi says.
Pua Cake Studio officially began in 2018 when Choi started decorating cupcakes and cakes from a home kitchen, then eventually opened a retail store.
“I named the business ‘Pua Cake Studio’ because pua means ‘flower’ in Hawaiian, and that’s the main theme of my cakes,” she says. “While I was away from Hawaii on the mainland during college, and then living abroad in a foreign country, I learned to appreciate the place I call home and where I grew up.”
The bakery is known for its cupcakes and macarons, which come in flavors like mocha, vanilla, lilikoi and more.
“Lilikoi can be a tangy fruit, but I created a tart yet sweet balance of the flavors in our cakes,” Choi says. “It’s an alternative to a lemon cake in a local, Hawaiian way.”
Pua Cake Studio Hawaii
71 S. Kamehameha Hwy. Ste. C, Wahiawa
808-206-3349
puacakestudiohawaii.com
Instagram: @puacakestudiohawaii
Mad Attic Hawaii
The idea for Mad Attic Hawaii started after her son’s first birthday party, according to business owner Ashley Sato.
“We spent so much money on décor for the party theme and had no use for it once the party was over,” she recalls. “That’s when I decided party and décor rentals might be something worth looking into. I came up with the name ‘Mad Attic’ for a prop rental company with the idea of a chaotic attic filled with rentals. I chose ‘mad’ because the Alice in Wonderland party theme is the most detailed theme of any party.”
In 2018, Sato started investing in table linens and décor to put cute dessert tables together. But once the pandemic hit, Sato had to change things up.
“Rentals were no longer needed but treats were in full force; that became my focus,” she says.
Mad Attic Hawaii now offers delicacies ranging from chocolate-covered pretzels to Rice Krispies.
“My most-ordered items are the chocolate-covered Oreos and cake pops; boba-themed cake pops are the most popular,” Sato says.
Mad Attic Hawaii
madattichawaii.com
madattichawaii@gmail.com
Instagram: @madattichawaii
Posh Favors
Business owner Jolie Harmon always loved baking. She remembers when a friend asked if she could make golf-themed sugar cookies for her son’s second birthday in 2019.
“I told her I had never tried decorating cookies before, but of course I would try,” Harmon says. “After that first set, I was hooked.”
At first, Harmon made decorated sugar cookies for friends and family, but once she started posting photos of her treats on Instagram, she started getting requests for orders.
“Fast-forward to 2021 — I’m now most known for my themed custom sets that are the perfect addition to a party,” Harmon says. “I also offer smaller boxed sets that are easy to personalize for housewarmings, birthdays and more.”
Most of Harmon’s custom designs range from $58 to $65 per dozen, depending on the theme and colors. Smaller boxed cookie sets of six or eight cost $36-$50.
Posh Favors
Instagram: @poshfavors
We Heart Cake Co.
We Heart Cake Co.’s story began in 2012 with the creation of Kana Kiyabu’s daughter’s first birthday cake.
“After that, so many people asked us to make cakes that we decided to open a store,” Kiyabu says. “We make cakes with all our hearts, so that’s how we got our business name.”
Since then, We Heart Cake Co. has become one of the premier custom cake and desserts companies in Hawaii.
“Our company is associated with high-quality products, designs and customer service,” Kiyabu says. “We continuously reinvent ourselves to stay on the cutting edge of the cake design industry.”
The bakery’s most popular item is the Signature Love Letter Cake, which comprises 12 mini cupcakes decorated with macarons, strawberries and meringue cookies and chocolate. The business also offers and assortment of cupcakes, cookies, macarons and more at its storefront.
We Heart Cake Co.
3468 Waialae Ave., Kaimuki
weheartcakecompany.com
info@weheartcakecompany.Com
Instagram: @weheartcakecompany
