Annika Darling
CTLatinoNews.com
In seven years, Hope Looney has seen her cake business skyrocket. In her first year Looney made 30 wedding cakes. This year, she will make 425.
Looney is the owner of JCakes, a gourmet custom-order bakery in North Haven, CT. Being a business owner comes with numerous challenges, says Looney, but being Latino has never been one of them. In fact, she says, she finds her diverse background incredibly beneficial.
“Having different cultures has helped me be a well-rounded person,” says Looney. “I think that helps me run my business better, and be able to perceive different experiences different cultural parties that people have. I’ve been exposed to a lots of religions. Everybody throws their parties different and has different traditions and customs that they like to follow.”
One party that Looney was recently invited to, where her Louis Vuitton style purse cake took center stage, was Adamari Lopez. Lopez’s fiancé, Tony Costa, had discovered Looney’s creations via a mutual friend. He then insisted she escort her impeccable edible art all the way to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for his birthday and engagement party.
“It was an honor to be asked to create a cake for Adamari,” says Looney. “I couldn’t say no. But of course the next question was . . . ‘How am I going to carry a cake on the plane all the way to the Dominican Republic?’ I was a nervous wreck.”
Being the savvy business woman that she is, she figured it out. And after a three and a half hour flight Looney emerged, cake in hand, to Lopez’s party.
The event landed JCakes in the July issue of People Magazine Español. One of the many accolades JCakes has received as of late.
Looney says her background has lent her great insight and understanding of various types of occasions and parties.
“Me knowing about Spanish culture has been…
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