Chef Susie Sarich, who launched SusieCakes 20 years ago in Brentwood inspired by her Midwestern grandmothers’ recipes, recalls how she grew her beloved bakery brand.
What made you start SusieCakes?
I wanted to share the desserts I grew up with. My philosophy was simple: bake everything from scratch every day, using real ingredients like slow-churned butter, premium chocolate and nothing you can’t pronounce. More than that, I wanted to help turn life’s milestones and everyday moments into memorable celebrations.
SusieCakes has always been about more than great cake. It’s about the relationships we build and the moments we have the honor of being part of. Over the years, we’ve watched families grow up with us: the engagement cake that led to the wedding cake, then the baby shower and later, the birthday cakes. Those are the moments I cherish most. At the end of the day, that’s what SusieCakes has always been about for me: bringing people together and helping them celebrate the people they love.
Credit: Courtesy SusieCakes
How did your grandmothers inspire your love of baking?
I grew up in Chicago and spent every afternoon enjoying a glass of milk and a fresh-baked treat with my two grandmothers, Mildred and Madeline, who lived across the alley from each other. Those daily baking rituals and the time we spent together in the kitchen left a lasting impression on me.
Years later, when I moved to California and was beginning my career, I turned to their handwritten 3×5 recipe cards to open a bakery and bring my favorite childhood desserts to the tables of families in my new community. Through SusieCakes, I strive to honor my grandmothers — both by preserving their baking traditions and by creating meaningful career opportunities for women in the food and hospitality industry. I’m incredibly proud to share that women make up more than 80 percent of our SusieCakes team today.
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Credit: Courtesy SusieCakes
Why do you think people really responded to your desserts? What makes them special and unique?
There have been so many food fads and viral desserts over the years, but a really good chocolate cake never goes out of style. Today’s guests are also more thoughtful about what goes into their food. They want simple, recognizable ingredients they can trust, and that’s always been the foundation of SusieCakes.
I also believe people come to us because our desserts feel familiar. They remind them of a treat their grandmother used to bake or a cake that they grew up celebrating with. We bake everything from scratch every day because those classic recipes deserve to be made the right way.
SusieCakes in Woodland HillsCredit: Courtesy SusieCakes
How has SusieCakes grown over the years since you set up shop in Brentwood?
In the 20 years since we opened our first bakery in Brentwood, SusieCakes has grown to more than 30 bakeries across California, Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma. Along the way, we’ve had the privilege of being part of countless birthdays, bridal showers, graduations, weddings, baby showers, milestone celebrations and everyday moments that simply called for cake. While we’ve grown, what hasn’t changed is our commitment to baking everything from scratch each day and creating desserts that bring people together. That’s something I’ll never take for granted.
SusieCakes on Day 1 in BrentwoodCredit: Courtesy SusieCakes
Which are some of your most popular items, and what’s new?
Our bestselling cake is our SusieBlue Vanilla Celebration Cake. It’s made with six layers of vanilla cake baked with colorful sugar confetti and frosted with our signature SusieBlue vanilla buttercream. It also happens to be my favorite because it captures the true essence of SusieCakes: pure celebration. The SusieBlue buttercream is especially meaningful to me because the color was inspired by the blue Pyrex mixing bowls my grandmothers baked with.
SusieCakes Summer Strawberry Whip CakeCredit: SusieCakes
This summer, we’re featuring seasonal favorites like our Summer Strawberry Whip Cake, Key Lime Pie and Raspberry Vanilla Cupcakes. In August, we’ll also celebrate our annual Dog Days of Summer campaign, where a portion of the proceeds from every Dog Frosted Sugar Cookie sold will be donated to local animal shelters and rescue organizations in the communities we serve.
SusieCakes Dog Frosted Sugar CookieCredit: SusieCakes
What are some of your favorite memories and milestones from the past 20 years?
Opening our first bakery in Brentwood will always be my favorite milestone because it was the realization of a lifelong dream. But opening our second bakery was the first time I remember thinking, “Okay, this business actually has legs.” We had proven that people loved what we were doing, and from that point on, it became much easier for others to believe in the vision, too.
Another memory that has stayed with me happened the week before “Pie Day,” which is what we call the day before Thanksgiving, our busiest day of the year. One guest ordered more than 50 pies to donate to a nearby nursing home. Our entire team came together to make it happen, and it was a beautiful reminder that what we bake is often part of something much bigger than dessert.
SusieCakes frozen apple pieCredit: SusieCakes
And then there are moments that still surprise me. I was once touring the Teotihuacan Pyramids outside of Mexico City wearing something with the SusieCakes logo on it when a group of young women from Los Angeles ran over to tell me how much they loved SusieCakes. When I told them I was Susie, they started screaming and asked to take a photo together. We were in this incredible, historic place thousands of miles from home, and the fact that they recognized the brand there was surreal. It’s one of those moments I’ll never forget.
What’s next for you and the brand?
We’ll continue building on the success we’ve had over the past 20 years by staying true to our values and true to my grandmothers’ recipes. While we’ve grown over the years, the things that matter most haven’t changed: baking every day from scratch, using high-quality, real ingredients and creating desserts that bring people together.
SusieCakes’ bestselling SusieBlue Vanilla Celebration CakeCredit: SusieCakes
As we look ahead, we’ll continue growing thoughtfully and organically while always looking for new ways to reach more guests. Whether that’s opening new bakeries, introducing new seasonal offerings or finding new ways to celebrate alongside our communities, the heart of SusieCakes will always remain the same.
At the end of the day, my hope is simple: to bring more cakes, cookies and celebrations to more people, and maybe even a few more states along the way. As long as there are birthdays to celebrate, families gathering around the table and people looking for a homemade dessert made with care, I hope SusieCakes will always be part of those moments.
SusieBlue Whoopie PiesCredit: SusieCakes
SusieCakes is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the return of its iconic Whoopie Pies, available through Sept. 7 at all locations, including the 16 Southern California bakeries. Apple Crumble Pie, available baked or as a take-and-bake, will be sold for Rosh Hashanah starting Sept. 8.