Meet Hannah Darakjian of Hannah’s Cake Zone

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Darakjian.

Hi Hannah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My love of baking started when I was in middle school. I loved being in the kitchen and coming up with new ideas. I had the opportunity to make a lot of cakes/desserts as I came from a large family and there were a lot of birthdays, holidays, and parties. My love of baking continued to grow and I baked and sold cakes every year through High School at a large European Christmas Market in Raleigh, NC. Everyone would ask where my bakery was located as they loved the cake. I was always bringing dessert to family gatherings and parties with friends throughout college and as soon as everyone heard that I brought the dessert they would come running over to make sure they got a piece! While in college, I also worked at a bakery in Raleigh and helped customers design their custom cakes and thoroughly enjoyed it. After I got engaged, I decided to bake and design my own wedding cake – everyone around me thought this would be very stressful. However, the process of designing and baking my wedding cake was very exciting and joyful for me. After I did my wedding cake, the idea of starting a business was sparked. For the past few years, I have worked on crafting the perfect recipes – cake that is both moist while still being dense, with an emphasis on the flavor really standing out! Also, I wanted the icing to be very balanced – not overly sweet, and also very flavorful. I have also worked on developing my decorating skills – I want my cakes to be both beautiful and to taste excellent! I use high-quality ingredients, and also offer vegan and gluten-free options as well as options for dye-free coloring. I also only use butter, no shortening!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Thus far, my business is off to a great start! There are some limitations to running a home bakery in NC, as far as what can and cannot be sold. I cannot sell desserts that require refrigeration – cheesecakes, cream cheese frosting, mousse, etc are not offered. However, there are many great alternatives! I even have a cheesecake-flavored cake that is in compliance with the food laws. There are also many wonderful options for fillings for cakes – buttercream, jams, ganache, whipped ganache (very similar to mousse), caramel, etc.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Hannah’s Cake Zone is a home bakery based out of Zebulon, NC.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t really believe in “luck.” I believe that if you put in the effort you will reap the reward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hannah-s-cake-zone.pixenio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hdarakcakes1?igsh=Z2NiMjF5bzFhMml4&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GT7xc5wbR/?mibextid=wwXIfr