Laura Carusone creates an amazing array of cakes for all imaginable occasions at Stomach Cakes in Queensbury.
By Maureen Werther
If anyone who hears what Laura Carusone named her new business doesn’t immediately ask why she chose that name, it would be amazing. But, the answer will surprise – and amuse – as well.
“Even though I grew up loving to bake,” Laura said, “I always knew that I also wanted to be a school nurse.” When Laura got her nursing degree and accepted a job at a local elementary school, she encountered a steady influx of kindergarteners in her office telling her, “I have a stomach cake!” Prophetic? Or just a serendipitous reason to launch her home-based baking business?
Whatever the reason, Stomach Cakes – Cakes So Good It Aches – is the culmination of a lifetime of baking, combined with a love of and talent for art. Laura began experimenting with baking as a very young child. From there, she progressed to cooking and baking for luxurious resorts out West, such as Alta in Utah and the Grand Tetons. “Much of my experience in designing and decorating cakes came from ‘back of house’ work in these wonderful places. My motto was ‘will work for food!'” Laura gained valuable experience working as a wedding planner, ice sculptor, and floral designer. Artistic creativity is one of her strong suits and complements her culinary artwork.
Whenever Laura has had to clear her head or solve problems, she has turned to the kitchen for solace and inspiration. In addition to her gorgeous cakes, Laura creates delectable cupcakes, cookies, and pies as well. Another one of Laura’s mottos is, “If I can bake it, I can make it!”
“After I’d settled down and got married, I had four children and it began to cost more to send them to daycare than my nursing job paid.” So, Laura decided that the best thing she could do for her family – and her career – was to quit nursing and bake full-time while raising her young family. “Staying home was my option and it is perfect! I get to be with my kids and play in my kitchen!”
“My husband quickly got tired of me trying to run my new business out of our family kitchen.” “And besides,” Laura notes, “in New York State, you are not legally permitted to sell products from a home kitchen.”
So, Laura’s husband built her a commercial kitchen and she was officially in business. “My kitchen is a 15×15 foot box and I have everything I need totally organized so I can really max out and not feel overwhelmed.”
Laura goes on to say that, “It took a bit of work to get the kitchen certified, because there are some very important factors in safe food handling.” But, they passed the rigors of NYS Department of Health. Now, Laura gets much of her business through word of mouth, as well as through social media.
According to Laura, social media is almost as good as word of mouth. She also uses cake as one of her key marketing tools. “I try to market with cake,” she told me. “If you try Stomach Cake, you will love it and use me as your very own personal bakery!”
Laura credits the popularity of her products with her unique approach. She sees each cake as a work of Art. In effect, her cakes become the pallet upon which she produces individual works of art. Whimsical, captivating, and meticulously designed, her cakes demand attention because of their beauty and uniqueness. “Creating a piece of artwork from cake is a passion that was born out of my unrelenting need to bake and my creative desire to paint.” When asked how she got so proficient, Laura responded, “Practice, practice, practice.” She goes on to note that she “never says no to a challenge.”
She adds that, “Cake people are really friendly. Competition doesn’t get in the way and we all help each other and rely upon each other to get through tough orders and difficult clients.” Asked how long it typically takes to produce one of her one-of-a-kind cakes, she responded, “That all depends on the cake. Each job offers a different and unique challenge.”
If you want to learn more about Stomach Cakes, you can check out some of Laura’s amazing creations by visiting her website at www.Stomachcakes.biz. You can also call Laura at 321-7815.