Alabama baker experiences sweet success at a young age
Klarissa Hendrix of Klarissa's Cakery shows off one of her cupcake creations. (Michael Tomberlin / Alabama News Center)
When Klarissa Hendrix launched her cupcake business and took it on the road in a renovated camper as a 17 year old, she said some may have thought she was too young to make it a success. But she never had any doubts.
“I was asked at the time if I was scared,” Hendrix said. “But that never crossed my mind. I was just excited. I guess because I was young, I never even thought what if it fails. I just expected it to do well, and I knew I would do everything in my power to make the best products I could.”
That was four years ago. In December, the young entrepreneur took another “bold” step, with the opening of Klarissa’s Cakery in Odenville, a tiny community outside Birmingham.
Although Odenville is off the beaten path, Hendrix’s first storefront bakery has become an “instant” hit.
“It’s amazing to see what God has done here,” Hendrix said. “We have the best customers. It’s humbling to see how many people come in every day. We have trouble keeping the cases full.”
Klarissa’s Cakery brings original sweet treats to small-town Alabama from Alabama News Center on Vimeo.
Hendrix has even been forced to hang out the closed sign early because she has nothing left to sell.
“I remember during the Christmas holidays, I walked up to the front, and all the cupcakes were gone. The day was only half over, so I rushed back to the kitchen and began baking as fast as I could,” Hendrix said. “It’s aggravating that we sell out so fast, but it’s a blessing, too.”
Along with her signature cupcakes, Hendrix’s bakery features custom cakes and other goodies, including sausage balls, cheesecake bars, and cookies and brownies stuffed with butter cream.
Hendrix regularly creates custom cakes for birthday parties, weddings and other events.
She said one of her proudest moments, and perhaps her biggest challenge to date, was when she was recently commissioned to design a “James Spann” cake for the ABC 33/40 chief meteorologist’s visit to Leeds Elementary School.
The top layer of the cake featured a tornado blowing through a house. People watching the weather on television while taking shelter in a basement were the centerpiece of the bottom tier.
There was also an accompanying cake featuring Spann – who also does weather forecasts for Alabama News Center – standing in front of a green screen while giving his TV weather forecast.
Hendrix said she and her grandmother worked on the cakes for two days, making it their most “time-consuming” effort yet.
“We were aiming for James Spann to say that was the best cake ever, and we got that,” said Hendrix, adding that Spann displayed the cake during his TV broadcast and on his Facebook page.
Hendrix believes the secret to her success is the use of the freshest ingredients and her team’s commitment to providing high-quality products.
“We try to bake everything as close to opening time as possible, and we really take time to make sure all the ingredients blend,” she said. “Everybody raves about how moist our cupcakes are. Fresh ingredients and high quality are what sets us apart.”
At only 21, Hendrix said her youth has also contributed to her success.
“I keep up with trends, and I can draw a younger crowd,” said Hendrix, who promotes her business on Facebook. “Social media has been key, too.”
An early start in the kitchen
Hendrix said she was inspired to learn how to bake as a 9 year old. She was an avid fan of “Cupcake Wars,” which appeared on the Food Network at the time.
After watching each episode, Hendrix’s mom allowed her to try her hand at concocting the recipes in the family’s kitchen. Orange Dreamsicle cupcakes were her first foray into the world of baking, Hendrix remembers.
When she began thinking about her future after high school graduation, Hendrix’s mom suggested that she consider becoming a baker.
“I wasn’t sure I could make my passion my career,” said Hendrix, who was 17 at the time. “I started baking cakes at home, and it was so successful that we began praying about the next step. That’s when the camper came into play.”
Hendrix’s family purchased a retro 1970s-style camper from a friend. They outfitted it as a “rolling” headquarters for the new baker’s camper cupcake party business.
Hendrix then took her camper to birthday parties, where she showed kids how to decorate their own cupcakes. She also set up her camper at other events, including weddings and craft shows.
“After a couple of years, I was staying so busy that I had to begin saying no to requests. That’s when I decided to take a leap of faith and open my own storefront,” she said.
Finding the bakery in Odenville was a “God thing,” Hendrix said. It came up for rent at the perfect time.
Hendrix said the bakery has been “insanely” busy since it opened on Dec. 1, 2022. In the beginning, Hendrix carried most of the load, although her mom and grandmother were on hand to help.
“For the first two months, I would get here before the sun came up and would leave after it went down,” she said. “Now my sister, another baker and assistant baker are working with us, so we’ve got a good team rolling.”
Hendrix said she is on her feet all day, creating sweet treats in the kitchen. When she goes home at night, she spends several hours answering emails, ordering supplies and handling the bookkeeping end of the business. Despite the hard work, she wouldn’t trade her job for any other, she said.
“I just love what I do. Putting love into it – that makes all the difference.”
Hendrix offers different specialties every day. To check out her selections, visit her Facebook site.
Klarissa’s Cakery is on U.S. Highway 411 in Odenville. (Michael Tomberlin / Alabama News Center)
11500 U.S. Highway 411, Odenville, Alabama
(205) 629-5683
Email: klarissascakery@gmail.com
Facebook: klarissascakery
Instagram: @klarissascakery
Hours:
Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon
