For Jodie Bohannon, aka The Cake Lady, Valentine’s Day is one of her busiest times of the year. Soon, she will be busy in the kitchen baking sweet treats that are perfect for anyone’s sweetheart. The Cake Lady (and cookies too) has seen her hobby blossom into a second “fun” job, and no one is more surprised than Bohannon.

Bohannon started her journey with baking cakes about 20 years ago, and in the past three years, she has added cookies and more. “That (cookies) has turned into my absolute favorite thing to do, but I still enjoy doing cakes.” She also bakes cupcakes, cake pops, chocolate dipped strawberries, DIY cookie kits and more.

“It all started because my nephew had a birthday, and he needed a cake. I made him a Mario birthday cake. I went to Walmart and got the pan and the supplies and made the cake,” she said.

From there, she began bringing cakes to family get togethers, holidays and to church. Soon, when anyone at church needed a cake, they suggested to the person to ask “The Cake Lady.”

Now, she sells her baked goods as the The Cake Lady and cookies too. She even has a personalized tag that reads- CAKE4U2. She has amassed more than 50 aprons, all while loving her dream job.

Bohannon’s baking talents are mostly self-taught. “The most formal training I have ever had was at a Hobby Lobby baking class about 15 years ago. YouTube University has been awesome,” she said with a laugh. As for the baking shows on television, she said that, despite the shows’ ability to make things look quick and easy, in reality it can take her anywhere from 15 to 36 hours to make a custom cake.

“I have a full-time job, and this is my full-time fun job. This is what I do to de-stress. For me, I can just get into the zone, and it becomes my happy place. This is an escape for me,” Bohannon said. “When I give them to clients, the excitement on their face makes it worth it. To see the little kids and their faces light up, it brings me a lot of joy.”

Bohannon’s best helper in the kitchen is her husband Dennis, whose role is quality control.

“My husband likes to supervise, and he is my taste tester. He is my biggest supporter, that is for sure. He also looks for the cakes and cookies that are slightly flawed to take to his buddies at work,” she said.

One of Bohannon’s favorite aspects of baking cakes and cookies is evolving decorating styles and new ideas.

“I am pretty open to any flavors or designs that people are wanting. We can talk, send messages or sit down and go over the design and ideas. People usually know exactly what they want. I will not completely copy someone else’s work. We will take an idea and see how we can make it fit their party,” Bohannon said. The best way to reach The Cake Lady and cookie too is through the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheCakeLady4you.

Bohannon recommends that custom orders be made at least a month ahead of any special events. For Valentine’s Day, she is not accepting custom orders but has a variety of treats available for pre-order.

“I am super excited about Valentine’s. It’s bigger than Christmas most years. It can get crazy and very little sleep the week of,” she said. Adding to the craziness of Valentine’s is the number of last-minute orders for those who might have forgotten or procrastinated. In anticipation of that happening, Bohannon is sure to have extras on hand, so when those calls come she can say, “Yep! I’ve got you covered.”