BCakeNY
When we first interviewed Miriam Milord a few weeks ago, it was a whole different, pre-quarantine world. Today the owner of BCakeNY is one of countless small business owners reeling from the global COVID-19 outbreak.
“It’s been a lot of pressure trying to balance the safety of employees with being able to pay rent, and managing crying brides who have had their weddings canceled,” she says of the challenges brought on by government-mandated social distancing. “I also have a family and am trying to implement homeschooling for my child, so...it’s a lot.”
Having served Brooklyn and our special occasions for nearly 11 years, Miriam, 39, is doing what she can to adapt to the changing landscape.⠀
Born and raised in Düsseldorf, Germany to a German mother and a Ghanaian father, she moved to Brooklyn at age 19, earning a degree in fine arts and graphic design. But after getting rave reviews for a cake she made for a friend’s baby shower, generating buzz among other friends and family, Miriam bet on herself and jumped into the business of baking.
She started BCakeNY in 2009, first from a commercial kitchen before relocating in 2011 to her Prospect Heights storefront. She’s been booked and busy ever since. The bakery specializes in detailed custom cakes that have drawn fans including Jay-Z, Rihanna, Cardi B, U2 and Diddy. But Miriam is clear on her primary audience: residents of Brooklyn. “Most of our clients — and my favorite customers — are our neighbors.”
“Cakes that look good and taste good are really important to me.”
BCakeNY specializes in elaborate, custom-designed cakes — from a melty bacon-egg-and-cheese, to an Hermès crocodile handbag, to practically anything you can think of. (Check out their Insta for a deep dive into the bakery’s jaw-dropping artistry!) But their cake is also seriously moist and delicious.
“Cakes that look good and taste good are really important to me,” says Miriam, whose team uses only a thin layer of fondant and has perfected strategies for ensuring freshness. For those of us who have been traumatized by cloyingly sweet desserts with grainy sugar frosting, the cake also strikes that perfect not-too-sweet balance.
“Our cakes have a lot less sugar than regular recipes,” Miriam says, crediting her use of all-natural premium ingredients for luscious varieties like deep chocolate, true-to-flavor vanilla, spiced carrot and boozy Hennessy. “And our icing is more creamy.” ⠀
With federal recommendations restricting gatherings to no more than 10 people, BCakeNY is currently focusing on its smaller, easy-to-deliver offerings like cupcakes, cookies and layered cake jars designed to bring comfort and joy during these uncertain times. And although large celebrations are being canceled left and right, the bakery is still making small birthday cakes (now on sale) to recognize Aries season.
“Your birthday’s not canceled, so we’re trying to have people still celebrate and bring some joy and fun to their homes,” Miriam says.
The cancellation of large events for the upcoming months has been a major challenge for BCakeNY, which counts on deposits from hundreds of custom cake orders made well in advance. With a staff of 18, Miriam has had to make the hard decision to part with some employees for the time being.
Over the past week she’s also served as a part-time therapist for devastated brides forced to cancel their spring weddings. “It’s a scary pressure because usually deposits are nonrefundable, but in this situation we try to be somewhat accommodating to people,” Miriam says. “But then that payment is missing from our calculations for rent, bills and payroll. It’s just been a constant worry.”
Her sunny storefront, lined with colorful photos of past cake creations and celebrity clients, is limiting visitors these days, with a three-person maximum to ensure enough social distance as people pick up orders. But you can also order delivery by calling into the shop or visiting bcakeny.com. Gift cards are available, too. And if you’re not able to support local businesses with your dollars, the power of sharing posts and recommending businesses on social media can’t be overstated.
“A lot of people don’t have the funds to spend anything because they’re in the same situation,” she says. “But you can still show your support online and spread some Brooklyn love.”
702 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, 347-787-7199, bcakeny.com
