The delicately placed flowers made of sugar icing and white silky drapes that line the cakes displayed in Celebration Cakes bakery's window are like heaven for a bride-to-be. Their specialty is making dream cakes for memorable occasions.

The store is designed with celebrations in mind. They design cakes for weddings, anniversaries, sweet sixteens, baby showers and more. Three tier cakes with flowers made of sugar icing are showcased in their window. Visitors will feel pampered in the rich surroundings as they enjoy a bakery treat or cake testing. 

Celebration Cakes opened 12 years ago as a cake decorating supply store. However, original owner Bonnie Yarbrough soon realized that supplies weren't in demand.

"People didn't want [supplies] to make cakes themselves," Yarbrough said. "They wanted beautiful cakes."

The problem was she didn't know how to make cakes. Determined to deliver what customers wanted, she turned the store into a bakery. She taught herself how to bake and design cakes. Her cakes were such a hit that customers needed to order wedding cakes six months to a year in advance.

In January 2011, Yarbrough sold the store to Eric Pinson. He purchased the store as a gift for his dad, Patrick Pinson.

"My dad is a French pastry chef. He's always wanted his own bakery," Pinson said. "It's been a dream of his."

A professional welder for the last five years, the younger Pinson is learning the bakery business from his dad. Yarbrough continues her role as a cake artist with the new owners.

Their signature wedding cake is a replica of an off-the-shoulder wedding gown made of fondant. The cakes come in a variety of decadent combinations.

"The most popular is chocolate with mocha fudge," Yarbrough said. "The second is marble cake, a bavarian cake with creme filling and then French vanilla with raspberry. "

They create cakes for any occasion, such as birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baby showers, bridal showers, holiday parties or office events.

“We’ll make cakes in any flavor or design,” Pinson said. “We’ll do our best to design whatever they want. If it’s a flavor we haven’t made before, we’ll get the recipe and make it.”

Last week Pinson received a request for an unusual design. 

“We just got an order for an armadillo cake in Red Velvet," he said.  

In addition to specialty cakes, Celebration Cakes also offers pies, English Trifle, cupcakes, muffins and mini loafs.

The Pinsons added a continental breakfast to their menu. Everything is made from scratch.

“Making it fresh is very important,” said the senior Pinson. “In France, that’s how it’s done. Fresh ingredients, made by hand. Nothing is frozen. Croissants take 12 hours to make.”

The breakfast menu will include fresh pastries, Belgian waffles, crepes, muffins, pies, and Patrick’s flourless, crust less, gourmet cheese mousse.

Celebration Cakes is located at 14100 Walsingham Road, #34, Largo, FL. 33774. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. They are closed to the public on Monday and Sundays which are reserved for pre-arranged cake delivery.

For more information, call (727) 517-7260.

Celebration Cakes Menu

Pastries: fresh fruit tart, Key lime tart, Napoleon, Petit four, individual Apple tart, cream puff, cannoli, chocolate mousse, éclairs, fruit blossoms and more.

Entrees: Foccacia bread, ham croissant, Quiche Lorraine, Chicken a la King, French Noukie, and a bread basket with dozens of dinner rolls.

Beverages: coffee, espresso, orange juice, and soda.