Meet Mili
I am a proud mother to two amazing boys and a dedicated Venezuelan bespoke cake artisan. With a heart for ethics and sustainability, I craft exquisite celebration and wedding cakes using the finest local ingredients right here in Suffolk.
My interest in cake making began at a young age in my hometown of Mérida, Venezuela, where I learned about quality ingredients and the magic of good baking from my mother.
After many years, I rekindled my passion for baking in London when my friends and family convinced me that I could easily leave my property career to become a cake baker and so I did, and Mili Mendez Cakes was born.
I combine self taught tricks with techniques I have learnt from courses from amazing bakers such as Peggy Porschen, Emily Hawking and the Squires Kitchen as well as gaining valuable work experience at the Ritz Carlton in London which has helped me perfect the skills I need to create beautiful cakes
Ethos
Following the birth of our first son and the amazing news of a second one on the way, we decided to finally move to Suffolk to be near family.
Embracing the marvels of British nature and the bounty of local farmers, I embarked on a journey of understanding – growing my own ingredients, exploring the art of floriculture, and foraging with intention. Through it all, I've woven unique touches into my cakes, all while cherishing my paramount role as a mother.
Deeply anchored to my Venezuelan heritage, many of the ingredients I select and masterpieces I craft are imbued with the vibrant fruits and distinct flavours of that enchanting region.
Mili Mendez Cakes is more than just about creating beautiful bespoke cakes. It is about creating cakes that are in harmony with what our beautiful land has to provide. It is about cakes that create unforgettable memories of those special and important moments in our lives, after all, a cake is made to make us happy!
Ingredients
Local & Traceable
My cakes are a blend of ingredients and products sourced from local farmers and artisans within a 25-mile radius of my kitchen.
Those that cannot be grown locally are thoughtfully chosen with organic origins, fair-trade marks, or B certifications. As a dedicated cake baker, this is extremely important to me.
Commitment
Every cake I create is baked fresh and made to order.
The process is the same: I use only the highest quality ingredients, many of which are carefully sourced from local producers, farmers, or from my very own home, Toadrow Farm.
Heritage
Growing up in Venezuela with Colombian parents exposed me to many exotic and delicious flavours, which are rare to find here. That's why I incorporate these flavours while utilising local produce whenever feasible.
My chocolate cakes are made using high-quality cacao from Venezuela or Colombia, without sacrificing the ethical origin of the products. The same is true for the coffee I use for flavouring. I have been in person to the farms from which my coffee and cacao come from.