Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Hisley.
Hi Jason, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve honestly been baking for as long as I can remember. A lot of it started with baking alongside my grandmother when I was younger, and that’s really where the love of pastry first came from. From there, I decided to pursue it professionally and attended Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island for pastry arts. I also had the opportunity to continue my education in Vitznau, Switzerland, where I earned an additional pastry certification and was exposed to a much more technical and refined side of the industry.
What really pulled me in, though, was the artistic side of baking. I loved the idea that cake could be more than dessert — it could be sculpture, storytelling, and design all combined. That passion naturally pushed me more toward custom cakes and large-scale cake design work.
Over the years, I worked in different bakeries, helped open other stores, and learned both the creative and business sides of the industry. Eventually, I decided to sell my interest in those ventures and focus fully on building Cake By Jason alongside my business partner, Kelly Sokolis.
Today, we’ve built an incredible team of talented, creative people, and I’m really proud of what we’ve created together. We specialize in everything from custom celebration cakes to large sculpted and televised cake work, and over the years I’ve had the opportunity to compete on or be featured in more than 20 national television shows and media appearances, including Is It Cake?. Those experiences have been amazing, but honestly the thing I’m proudest of is building a business and team that people in Baltimore genuinely trust and get excited about.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I think one of the biggest misconceptions people sometimes have is that because they see the television appearances or the finished cakes online, they assume the business side must have been easy — but building a creative business is incredibly challenging.
When we opened Cake By Jason, we took on a major financial risk with a large loan to build out the shop. We also had a pretty large footprint to support, so there was immediate pressure to make the numbers work while also building a creative team that was talented, reliable, and aligned with the standards we wanted for the brand.
Then of course COVID happened, which completely changed everything. Like many businesses, we were forced to shut down temporarily and really rethink how we operated. Before COVID, we had a much broader model with coffee service, pastries, donuts, and more day-to-day retail offerings. After reopening, we realized we needed to streamline and focus more heavily on custom cakes and desserts. That meant major operational changes, expensive equipment shifts, and costly renovations to adapt the business to a new reality.
Honestly, one of the reasons we survived that period was the incredible support from our community. Baltimore really showed up for us, and I’ll never forget that.
Even after COVID, the challenges didn’t stop. The cost of ingredients and commodities over the last several years has been brutal. When we first opened, butter might have been around $1.50 a pound — now we’re lucky to find it for around $4. Cocoa prices have skyrocketed as well. But one thing we’ve been very committed to is maintaining quality. We’ve never wanted to cheapen the product just to protect margins.
There were definitely periods where my business partner Kelly and I had to make difficult decisions personally — including cutting or delaying our own paychecks at times to make sure the business, our staff, and our standards stayed strong. That’s probably one of the less glamorous realities of entrepreneurship that people don’t always see.
But at the same time, those struggles also shaped the business into what it is today. They forced us to adapt, become more disciplined, and really understand who we are as a company.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Cake By Jason, we specialize in custom cakes, sculpted cakes, wedding cakes, and edible art. We’re especially known for combining strong pastry technique with artistic design — creating cakes that not only look impressive, but actually taste great too.
A lot of my work focuses on large sculpted and illusion-style cakes, detailed fondant work, and creative designs that push beyond traditional cake decorating. I’ve also had the opportunity to compete on and be featured in over 20 national television shows and media appearances, including Is It Cake?.
What I’m most proud of, though, is the team and culture we’ve built. We’ve created a group of talented, creative people who genuinely care about quality and the customer experience.
I think what sets us apart is that we refuse to cut corners. Even with rising ingredient costs, we’ve stayed committed to scratch baking, quality ingredients, and creating cakes that feel personal, artistic, and memorable.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happiest is honestly the people around me. I’m incredibly lucky to have an amazing support system between my family, friends, coworkers, and the community of people around me. Building a business can be stressful and demanding, so having people who genuinely support and encourage you makes a huge difference.
My husband has also been a huge source of support and stability for me through all the ups and downs, and honestly my dogs bring me pure joy every single day. No matter how stressful life or work gets, they have a way of grounding me and reminding me what really matters.
I also love traveling and experiencing new places. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many destinations around the world, and I try to challenge myself to explore somewhere new every year. I think traveling keeps you inspired creatively and personally — seeing different cultures, food, architecture, and art always gives me new perspective and inspiration.
And beyond all of that, I genuinely love creating things and making people happy through what we do. Being part of someone’s wedding, birthday, or major life moment is something I never take for granted.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cakebyjason.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cakebyjason/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cakebyjason/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cake-by-jason-hisley-timonium
