Celebrating Life’s MomentS | One Bake at a Time
Hi, I’m Jessie!
Self-taught baker, blogger and cookbook author – here to help you celebrate life’s sweet moments, one bake at a time.
I’m all about creating easy-to-follow recipes using everyday ingredients and the kind of kit you probably already have at home. You’ll find step-by-step photos, handy tips, and troubleshooting advice with every bake – so you can crack on with confidence and end up with something that looks (and tastes!) absolutely fab.
Got a baking question or need a hand with a recipe? Feel free to drop me a message on Instagram – I’m always happy to help!
BEHIND THE BUTTERCREAM
Meet my two “assistants” — Ralphy and Robin. Fluffy, funny, and always underfoot when there’s cake involved.
My first-ever cake? A slightly wonky but very proud 7-layer rainbow cake, baked back in 2012.
Here’s where the behind-the-scenes action happens – my home studio in Nottingham, UK! Where I photograph and film all of my recipes.
I’m a huge Swiftie, and always have Taylor playing when I’m baking in the kitchen! Usually, either the Midnights or the Folklore album.
THE STORY SO FAR
2013
THE YEAR IT ALL STARTED…
Dear Diary: I Baked a Blog
Baby-faced and full of baking ideas! I started my blog back in 2013 while I was at university, calling it Jessie Cakes’ Diary. It began as a cosy little corner of the internet to jot down baking ideas, scribble out recipes and ramble about life in general.
At the time, I think it was mostly just me, a few friends and family clicking through – until I posted a Malteser Brownie recipe that changed everything. Suddenly, readers poured in and the comments started rolling. That one recipe marked the moment my blog grew from a personal diary into something so much bigger.
2017
READY FOR THE ‘REAL’ WORLD…
BYE BYE BAKING
Throughout university, I had the luxury of time – to bake, to blog, and to balance it all around my studies and socials. But that luxury quickly vanished after graduating and stepping into the world of work!
With my focus on kick-starting a career as a UX designer, baking sadly took a back seat, and my blog sat unloved, gathering dust… until the world turned upside down in 2020.
2020
A PASSION REIGNITED…
When One Door Closes…
You know the saying, “when one door closes, another one opens”? During the pandemic, I was furloughed from my job for four months – and in that unexpected pause, I found the time and space to re-discover my passion… baking and blogging!
But this time, I was determined to do it properly. I took an intensive online food photography course, rebranded to Jessie Bakes Cakes, and rebooted my Instagram account, hosting virtual bake-along lives every week during the lockdown. Within three months, I’d landed my first paid recipe development and photography client project – and that’s when it clicked… I could actually do this as a job!
2023
DREAMS DO COME TRUE…
I WROTE A COOKBOOK!
After a few years of juggling part-time work as a baking blogger and content creator alongside my role as a UX designer, 2023 was the year everything changed. With a social following of over 100K at the time, I was incredibly lucky to land a cookbook deal with Penguin Random House – a true pinch-me moment!
I decided to take the leap, leave my part-time job, and throw myself fully into writing the book and growing my business. It was intense, emotional, and a huge amount of hard work… but also one of the most rewarding and proudest accomplishments of my life.
2025
PRESENT DAY…
WHAT’S NEXT?
It’s now been five years since I revived my blog – and over a decade since I first created it. In that time, I’ve shared hundreds of recipes, collaborated with some incredible brands, hosted several in-person baking masterclasses, and seen my work featured on Canon Creators, The FeedFeed, and British Baker.
I still can’t quite believe I get to bake and share recipes for a living – grateful doesn’t even begin to cover it. My blog has just had a fancy new makeover (thank you, Jennifer Holt Designs – you website genius!) and I truly hope you love it. I’m so excited for what’s ahead… and so glad you’re here to be part of it.
