Filipino American Cherrie Isroff created a bakery that would feed her talent, expand her creativity and open a world of sweets in sighs as well as taste.
Cakeheads Bakery, in Centennial, offers unique cake customization that creates a “wow” effect for birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones, especially during the month of February, celebrating love and valentines.
“Creating cakes is my passion, more than just creating desserts. Cakes are very personal, and each one tells a story of its own,” said Isroff, owner of Cakeheads. “It’s quite rewarding to hear our clients gasp with happiness or shed tears of joy because my team and I are able to execute their vision precisely through cake.”
Wholesale
Isroff opened the bakery five years ago alongside her husband, Bradley Isroff. But before retail operations, the creative duo was establishing a name for their culinary experience through wholesale.
The husband-and-wife team began their wholesale operation back in 2007, with clients such as Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, Sprouts, and Vitamin Cottage. Based in Inverness (separate from their retail location), the 12,000-square-foot baking facility is set up with multiple ovens, and employs more than 20 workers including three cake decorators. At this location 80 percent of the baking goes to their dog biscuit company called Pawsitively Gourmet (PawsitivelyGourmet.com), while 20 percent is directed for Cakeheads.
Retail
The location in Centennial is within miles of their home residence, making the commute easier. Isroff didn’t not want to establish a location in downtown Denver. Most of the bakeries operate in downtown Denver, so she indicated there was no need to open the retail arm close to competition.
Peak time includes holidays and summer months — wedding season. On the weekends, there is heavy foot traffic, a line out of the door for picking up cakes, ordering customization, and perhaps grabbing coffee with a pastry, starting on Friday. The quieter weekend hours are between 1 and 2 pm. However, right before the shop closes at 5 pm, another wave of customers will pick up or order for the upcoming weekend.
To avoid the weekends, the bakery has set up an online ordering system. Staff recommends ordering ahead of time, from four days to one week. Price points for pastries range from $3 to $1,000s. For example, customized wedding cakes can go up to $500 and up. Her signature cakes include flavors of vanilla, raspberry, and passion fruit. However, the second most popular dessert is chocolate.
Isroff informed her strangest request for customization included male and female genitalia-themed cakes and cupcakes. It’s probably safe to assume it was part of a bachelor/bachelorette party.
“Opening the retail segment was a challenge I’ve always wanted,” Isroff said. “Luckily for us, having the retail store has helped the wholesale branding tremendously. Brand recognition is stronger with both segments.”
Philippines connection
Isroff left the Philippines to attend college in the United States. Her family has lived in Colorado for 22 years. She is slowly adding Filipino pastries with flavors including ube and macapuno. Already, she sells butter mamon, ube mamon, butter ensaymadas, and cheese ensaymadas to Coffee Sarap, a coffee cart selling Filipino beverages. In addition, the coffee cart sells shortbread dog treats to customers with fur babies.
“Cherrie is wonderful and so easy to work with. It’s great to work with someone so reliable and it makes us even more happy to be supporting another Filipino-owned business,” said co-owner Hannah Cambronero of Coffee Sarap. “We had been searching for the right bakery to partner with and we were intentional to highlight an Asian-owned business. When we met Cherrie, it was almost fate because she already knew how to make specialty pastries, event Filipino ones that are native to our country.”
Culinary experience
She attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, obtaining a degree in food marketing. It’s also how she met her husband, Bradley. Her experience includes working as line cook at Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, food manufacturing representative teaching women life skills, decorating cakes for an elegant bake shop on the corner of Parker and Monaco.
Like most veterans, Isroff follows legendary pastry chef, Ron Ben-Israel for both wedding and celebration cakes and Chad Robertson for breads. During pandemic year, Isroff picked up one of Robertson’s bread books to hone her skills on making sourdough.
“Just from his thorough instructions and recipes, I learned how to make sourdough,” she said. “I’ve also tried his baked goods in his original San Francisco location and after that experience, I was a believer.”
Would we ever see Isroff on the Food Network or competing in a bake-off contest?
She admits receiving numerous invitations and experienced the interviewing process. “It’s a competitive world out there with lots of highly, talented people,” she said. “Maybe, one of these days, with the right competition theme, I’ll be able to proceed.”
Advice to those to the young
Isroff didn’t just start her culinary career as a baker. It took her years and many different jobs in the culinary world to figure out what feeds her soul. She offers advice to those who are hard-core about pastries, cakes, and desserts.
“To those who wish to become a pastry chef, know that this is not an easy feat,” she said. “It’s demanding of your personal and family time, it’s hard on the body, mentally taxing but if you love the industry, put in your best every time and you will reap the rewards.”
Check out this bakery at https://cakeheadsbakery.com.
Jeneverre's Travels 