Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Kazali.
Hi Christina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Baking has been a passion of mine as far back as my own high school years, and it has stayed with me ever since, though not at the forefront of my life until more recently. When my kids were little, I was one of those moms that signed up to make treats for their school bake sales. I would always look forward to them, and started researching what treats would go with whatever theme or season they were celebrating. During the holidays, treat boxes containing some of my favorite sweet treats were given out to friends and families as an annual tradition.
A self-confessed “dessert snob”, I was always looking for creative, unconventional, not-too-sweet, melt-in-your-mouth desserts. The turning point for me in wanting to explore creating healthier dessert options for people was when my doctor told me that I had borderline prediabetes. Hence in early 2020, during the beginning of the pandemic, I started looking into cakes using almond flour. While it’s a relatively unknown thing in American culture, countries like Spain, Italy, and Israel have been baking cakes with almond flour. I came across a lemon blueberry almond cake recipe that was intriguing, so I tried it, and it was quite a revelation! There was something special about the cake texture that was truly magical. It was so moist and flavorful! Most importantly, given that they are almond-based, I was happy to learn that I am able to cut down on the carbs somehow. A small serving of any of my cakes is all I need to cure my sweet tooth!
Given that prediabetes affects about 1 out of 3 adults in this country, I came to realize there are many people who are in the same plight as myself. I had the potential to provide something sweet for others dealing with the same health challenge. And, the business idea was born! It took me a while to figure out the direction that I wanted to go in, but I’m happy to stay within my own niche as a baker specializing in guiltless, almond-based cakes!
Fast forward to 2024, I am in my fourth year doing this cottage bakery, and I am happy to report that Lemon Blueberry remains on the menu in the spring and summer, and is very popular.
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?
I would say 2023 was a somewhat challenging year for my business. Customer’s spending power and discretionary income went down, so luxury and non-essential businesses like myself were affected. I noticed that most of the customers who ordered on impulse were cutting back and only ordered for special occasions. I offset that by doing more pop ups and securing a corporate account with a new wine tasting establishment, which I am quite happy with.
We’ve been impressed with Cakes by Christina, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started a cottage bakery in the summer of 2020 specializing in almond-based cakes. What I mean by that is that I incorporate almond flour into my cakes in varying amounts, anywhere from 50% to 100%. I call them tea cakes, a commonly used term in the UK referring to little cake morsels that can be eaten with tea or coffee. Unlike a cupcake, there is no buttercream frosting on top of the cake. Instead, I glaze the cakes with either chocolate ganache or a light drizzle of icing. Popular and classic flavors offered year-round are Chocolate Olive Oil, Orange Almond, and Banana Almond.
Seasonal flavors which vary by season are Raspberry Amaretto, Lemon Blueberry, Lavender Earl Grey, Cherry Pistachio, Bourbon & Berries, Spanish almond, Italian Pear Almond, French almond cake, and a few others.
I am most proud to be using only the best ingredients, i.e. California-grown almond flour, premium non-GMO all-purpose flour, organic cane sugar, homegrown unwaxed citrus, and no artificial coloring of any kind. I use Belgian chocolate for my chocolate ganache. My best-selling flavor to this date remains my Chocolate Olive Oil cake. Some customers claimed this cake to be “the best tasting chocolate cake they have ever tasted”! It’s made entirely with almond flour, extra virgin olive oil, good quality cocoa powder, and glazed with chocolate ganache. It’s naturally gluten-free and popular for all ages. I am pleased to announce that Chocolate Olive Oil Cake is featured on the menu at West Tasting Room in Thousand Oaks.
For the past year, I have added shortbread cookies to my offerings. Made with 25% almond flour and grass-fed butter, the shortbread has a tender bite, making them delicious and highly addicting. Flavors offered are Coconut Almond, Lemon Almond, Lemon Lavender and coming soon Lavender Earl Grey.
I do around 15 pop-ups a year throughout Ventura County but I also venture to Santa Clarita, Woodlands Hills, and Santa Barbara. My biggest events are the Santa Barbara Lavender Festival on June 29, 2024, and The Holidays in the Village, a European Marketplace in Westlake. Calendars of events are posted on my website for my pop ups through summer.
What were you like growing up?
I was born and raised in Indonesia, and came to this country at the age of 13. I come from a family who loves food! My mom is a great cook and I have an auntie who owns a bakery in Indonesia. My youngest brother, Budi Kazali, is a pretty known chef in Santa Ynez Valley. I hope one day I get to pass my love of baking to one of my kids but for now it will just be me.
Contact Info:
- Website: cakesbychristinak.com
- Instagram: cakes.by.christina.
k - Facebook: CakesbyChristina
