inthekitchen
inthekitchen
baking beauties
Life is sweet for Jenna and Ashley, the sisters behind the stunning treats at Jenna Rae Cakes
By Laurie Hughes
When Jenna Hutchinson, a science student on the cusp of a dentistry degree, opened a chic bakery on Winnipeg’ s most fashionable street in 2014, she didn’ t expect her life to change overnight. Within hours of opening, her macarons, cupcakes, and mini cheesecakes were selling out faster than she could make them.
Behind the counter of Jenna Rae Cakes, famous for both its delicious treats and stunning design, stand twin sisters Jenna and Ashley. Their determination and hard work have built a thriving business but beneath the picture-perfect façade lies a story of creativity, perseverance and countless sleepless nights.
Jenna, a self-taught baker balanced university classes, a part-time restaurant job, and her passion for cake decorating long before the first lineup appeared. After watching an episode of Cake Boss on the Food Network, she started making cakes for friends and family, and eventually her hobby morphed into a small business. One day she received a call from the city informing her she needed to register her business and use a commercial kitchen. It was a wakeup call, marking the shift from a side gig to a legitimate venture.
Convinced cakes were her future, Jenna found a restaurant kitchen to work in at night and built a business plan. Three years later, Jenna Rae Cakes opened on Academy Road. The early days were exhausting, with Jenna baking up to 18-hour days to meet demand. After just six weeks, she enlisted her twin sister, Ashley, a graphic designer with a keen eye for aesthetics, to help with the growing business. Together they turned the bakery into a success.
Ashley’ s organizational skills perfectly complemented Jenna’ s creativity. As Jenna dreamed up new products and designs, Ashley helped create a modern beautiful aesthetic for the brand. From elegant display cases to signature pink packaging, every detail was carefully crafted to delight the senses.
Photography: Steve Salnikowski, chronic creative, Ashley Kosowan
8 ciao! / apr / may / two thousand twenty-five