September 4, 2025 • 18 mins
The sweetest episode of Tasting Arcadia with Karen Mac Nair has arrived! We're diving fork-first into the delicious world of Nothing Bundt Cakes with owner Ingrid, who shares the heartwarming story behind her successful bakery business in the San Gabriel Valley.
For more information and tickets to the Taste of Arcadia visit TasteOfArcadia.com.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
John Villa (00:04):
Welcome to Tasting Arcadia, the official podcast of
Taste of Arcadia.
Taste of Arcadia is anall-inclusive event featuring
food and drinks from the SanGabriel Valley restaurants, all
for one price Sample food, wine,beer and spirits.
Check out our brand new cars,visit our business showcase
booths, smile at our photo boothand shake it on the dance floor
(00:24):
with me, john Villa from DanceSyndicate DJ Entertainment.
Taste of Arcadia is September13th at Santa Anita Park.
The fun goes from 2 to 6 pm,with special VIP entrance at 1
pm.
Don't forget this isa 21 andover event.
Get your tickets today attasteofarcadia.
com.
Now let's hear it for our host,Karen McNair.
Karen Mac Nair (00:47):
Thanks, John.
It's so exciting to have you aspart of our team and do that
great introduction for me.
And, talking about Taste ofArcadia, I'm so happy that
everyone is here on the podcastTasting Arcadia.
So everyone who has a sweettooth, this is the day for you.
I'm here with Ingrid, who isthe bakery owner of Nothing
(01:07):
Bundt Cakes.
Welcome, Ingrid, thank you, soexcited that you're here.
I'm excited.
Ingrid Kuo (01:13):
This is my first podcast.
Karen Mac Nair (01:15):
Yay.
Those of you watching onYouTube, you can see the
wonderful spread in front of us.
I'm very excited.
So let's start off.
Tell us a little bit about yourbusiness.
Ingrid Kuo (01:24):
So I'm a bakery owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes,
which is a national franchise.
We have over 700 locations inthe United States and I have
three of them here Pasadena,Rosemead, and the newest one is
in Monrovia that we just openedin March Wow.
Karen Mac Nair (01:39):
Yes, how did you decide to get into this
business?
Ingrid Kuo (01:44):
I grew up in the restaurant business with my
family.
Karen Mac Nair (01:46):
Okay.
Ingrid Kuo (01:47):
And about just over 10 years ago, my father and I
who was the restaurateur?
We wanted to look into someother opportunities here in
California.
Okay, and so we tasted thecakes and thought it was
fabulous and I said why don't wehave one here in this area?
And so then I submitted myinterest to Nothing Cakes, and
(02:08):
it was a very quick evaluationprocess and then I was approved.
So we opened Pasadena 10 yearsago.
Karen Mac Nair (02:16):
Wow, congratulations Round of
applause for that, thank you.
10 years, yes, and there wasthat little hiccup year in there
too.
Oh, yeah.
Sure, that was fun, that wastough.
So your Monrovia location,where is it exactly?
Ingrid Kuo (02:28):
So our physical address is 526 West Huntington
Drive.
It's in the big shopping plazacalled Huntington Oaks where the
Trader Joe's, the CrunchFitness, the Kohl's is located,
and we're in that corner, rightnext to Sola, on the cold side
great, so I can work out, buysome food, get nothing but cakes
(02:49):
and get a new pair of paintsall in one stop shop, okay I
love that.
Karen Mac Nair (02:55):
Um, you shared a little bit about your dad, and
are you the only owner in thisone with your, with your dad?
You guys are still ownerstogether.
Ingrid Kuo (03:04):
My father passed away not long after we had
opened the first location, so hedidn't get to see our dream of
opening multiple locations.
So I am the primary owner.
My family has some shares in itof course.
But I run the business mainlywith my management team and the
(03:24):
bakery staff.
Karen Mac Nair (03:26):
You know, ingrid , it's been great doing these
podcasts and all these episodes.
We have found a family tie.
I should go back and count likehow many people talk about the
family tie that is connected,definitely, where it's parents,
siblings inspiration, evencreating things, just the family
inspiration of it, which I lovebecause, even though you're a
franchise, it's great for peopleto know your story that it
(03:48):
still has that small businesstouch absolutely.
Ingrid Kuo (03:51):
It's very important to us to have that connection
because we are not a nationalcorporate office running
multiple locations.
We are, you know, local here tothe community.
I live here in the communityand I know our market, I know
our, our guests.
Karen Mac Nair (04:06):
It's very important if you're like us, I'm
sure you go out to eat untilsomeone tells you about their
favorite flavor.
Ingrid Kuo (04:11):
And then you see the cakes being brought into the
restaurants a lot that is sogood, um, okay.
Karen Mac Nair (04:18):
So question now is what is your favorite?
And now you refer to them asflavors, right, because
obviously they're all bundtcakes.
Yes, correct, so each one is aflavor.
So what is your favorite?
And now you refer to them asflavors, right, because
obviously they're all Bundtcakes.
Yes, correct, so each one is aflavor.
So what is your favorite?
Ingrid Kuo (04:28):
flavor, so my favorite flavor is no longer on
the menu.
Karen Mac Nair (04:33):
Merp, merp, merp , sad, very, very sad.
Ingrid Kuo (04:34):
Oh sad that was our pecan praline and I know that
quite a few people did love thatflavor.
But I am happy to say that I'veseen some former flavors make
their re-emergence recently.
Karen Mac Nair (04:47):
Oh, good so.
Ingrid Kuo (04:48):
I'm hopeful.
Karen Mac Nair (04:49):
Okay, so which ones?
For all the people who loveanything you could share.
Ingrid Kuo (04:53):
Earlier this year we brought back Pineapple Upside
Down.
That was a huge hit.
I know that next year one otherflavor which I cannot name yet,
that people love, drumroll yayis going to come back and make a
visit.
Karen Mac Nair (05:12):
So I know we have a couple special things to
try today, but if I want towatch what's going on, should I
follow you on social media?
How do I know what flavors arecoming the best way?
Ingrid Kuo (05:22):
to know all of the activities happening at Nothing
but Cakes is to be in our emailclub, oh, okay so you can go on
our website nothingbutcakescomand then sign up for the e-club
and that's where all thepromotions, all the
announcements will be.
But, we also have an app, whichis really nice because the app
is now also rewards tied.
(05:43):
So every time you make apurchase you get points, and
then you can trade the points infor free product or a discount.
And then there can be some youknow, last minute things like oh
, today is National ChocolateDay, Come in for a chocolate
chocolate chip, Right, and thenyou get an extra bonus of points
.
Karen Mac Nair (06:01):
Oh my gosh, that is so smart, it's really fun
bonus of points.
Ingrid Kuo (06:07):
oh my gosh, that is so smart.
Yeah, it's really fun.
So your email and your uh appshould all be on the same email
address, and then you get allthe same benefits.
Karen Mac Nair (06:11):
Love that, yeah, okay, so we're going to learn
more about flavors and somethings that are coming question.
I ask a lot because we talkabout small business, big, big
businesses.
What is the best way as acommunity we can support you and
make sure you're around for 10more years?
Ingrid Kuo (06:25):
yes, so of course, traffic to the bakery, whether
it's in person, online, okay,phone order, we want you to come
into the bakery okay, I wantyou to skip us and go someplace
else.
Karen Mac Nair (06:39):
Okay, so shop from the app, from the website,
website, in person, phone call.
There's tons of options.
How can you not Now?
You shared a little bit earlier.
You have three locations now.
Is there plans for the future?
What's your future vision?
Ingrid Kuo (06:55):
Yes, so we are growing.
Our fourth bakery will be inMontebello.
We're anticipating an openingnext month Yay, at the end of
the month, hopefully.
Karen Mac Nair (07:09):
Okay, Karen, fun fact for everybody out there
who knows me I went toMontebello high school.
Ingrid Kuo (07:11):
Yahoo, I'm so excited you're gonna be in
montebello where the location isnear.
So we're going to be on on thatwilcox and via campo corner
where the um currently it'salbertson's yes shopping mall.
We're in that space right nextto the post office.
Okay, so the actual addresswill be 2545 via Campo.
Karen Mac Nair (07:30):
So if anyone goes to Topgolf or the golf
course right, it's right there,correct you can stop get nothing
but cakes, mm-hmm, um.
And we're still supporting ourcommunity owner, which makes me
excited.
Yes, yay on that.
So, ingrid, have you been attaste of arcadia before?
I feel like you have many years.
Oh my gosh, tell me a littleabout any stories back in the
day.
Ingrid Kuo (07:50):
So fun, so much fun.
Karen Mac Nair (07:53):
I make it my number one job to always feed
the dj oh my gosh, he's gonna beso happy about that, john, yes,
he's gonna be there again.
Good, he's gonna love that.
Yeah, um what?
What do you plan on bringing totaste of arcadia this year?
Ingrid Kuo (08:08):
so we will have our assortment of buntinis.
Karen Mac Nair (08:10):
I don't know what flavors yet, okay, but we
will have buntinis so for thepeople listening, if I haven't
been there, describe what is abuntini.
Okay, can I show from here?
Ingrid Kuo (08:19):
yes, yes, yes, you can so buntinis are the smallest
of our cake sizes, and theycome by the dozen, okay, and so
today we're going to samplethese, and then the next size up
is going to be the buntlet,which you also have one on your
desk, oh yes, so this is a giftwrapped one, which is very nice.
It's a very affordable gift,okay, and we can make these in
(08:41):
single, doubles or triples.
Karen Mac Nair (08:42):
Meaning they stack on top of each other.
Ingrid Kuo (08:44):
Yes, and then we cellophane wrap them and you can
choose your ribbon.
Oh my goodness, you can choosea flower, it's great, and we
have little flags that say likehappy birthday or thank you and
things like that.
Karen Mac Nair (08:52):
That is adorable yeah.
And you pick your flavors, okayum, but you have the gluten-free
one which, okay, I amgluten-free and it gives
gluten's give me a headache, soit's not that big of a deal.
I'm okay in life, but it is sogreat that I can have this whole
whole thing.
(09:12):
Sorry everybody out there, Ican have this whole thing and it
tastes wonderful.
I have no side effects ofthings that other you know
gluten products yes, can, yes,can have.
So a standby.
Now I'm going to ask agluten-free flavor.
I feel like there's threeflavors, there's two, there's
two.
Ingrid Kuo (09:29):
Okay, I don't know which one you have there.
I have chocolate chip.
Okay, chocolate chip cookieCookie.
So, it's supposed to be like achocolate chip cookie.
Okay, not like chocolate,chocolate chip cake Okay.
Different flavor Okay.
And then we have ourgluten-free lemon raspberry.
Karen Mac Nair (09:43):
Okay, yes, oh, perfect.
Is there ever specialgluten-free flavors?
Ingrid Kuo (09:52):
It's very difficult to make our cakes the way we
want them, to the standard andquality of excellence that we
want in gluten-free.
So those are the two that havesurpassed all the tests Okay,
and those will be consistentlyoffered at our bakeries at least
.
Karen Mac Nair (10:04):
Okay, thank you for the clarification too,
because, like I say, noheadaches yay any side effects
that you have.
Ingrid Kuo (10:10):
This has already, yeah, helped me okay, we do have
two more sizes so this one isthe eight inch.
Right here that's decorated andright here we have arcadia high
school colors in time for thehigh school football season.
Karen Mac Nair (10:22):
So just describe that.
It's the Bundt cake with thedelicious piping of icing.
Yes, with a red and yellowflower on top.
Yep, with a football and anall-star flags and MVPs.
Such a great thing.
And as we're going back toschool, take care of those
teachers, coaches.
Ingrid Kuo (10:48):
Like this will get you a good seat in the football
stadium.
Okay, so this cake comes ineight inch size as well as 10
inch size.
Karen Mac Nair (10:51):
Just okay, a larger, larger size of this one
wow, and if I want to have onespecial, how?
Ingrid Kuo (10:58):
soon, should I order it whatever?
So we have cakes all the timein our bakery.
Okay, you can walk in andyou'll see a display case filled
with cakes of different sizesand mostly our top selling
flavors.
But if you're looking for aflavor that isn't carried in the
display case, we can have thatready for you very, very quickly
.
Karen Mac Nair (11:15):
Okay, like 30 minutes to an hour, but
gluten-free, you have what youhave, right.
Ingrid Kuo (11:20):
Gluten--free.
We only carry it in the buntletsize, the buntini size and
eight inch cakes only.
Okay, so we just have to stack,yes, and those you want, to the
eight inch cakes you want topre-order.
Okay, pre-order that, yeah, sothat we can have it ready so now
, this is just confirmation.
Karen Mac Nair (11:34):
I need to download the app.
Yes, so that I can pre-orderand have it exactly and get
points, and get points.
Yes, and get points.
Yes, oh, it's a double win.
Yes, okay, it's tasting time.
Yay, all right, this is what wedo.
Tell me a little about, well,announce what is a flavor.
Ingrid Kuo (11:50):
I'm tasting.
Yes, okay, so we just announcedyesterday a very special
marketing collaboration withSnickers.
Ooh In time for the NFL season.
Karen Mac Nair (12:01):
That is amazing.
The box is adorable too it's ablue box.
Ingrid Kuo (12:04):
It looks like a football so huge for us.
Karen Mac Nair (12:06):
Yay.
Ingrid Kuo (12:09):
And we have a national spokesperson who you
will see on all of our socialmedia and advertisements on
mainstream platforms ErinAndrews, really, yes.
And so we got to meet her atour national conference in July.
She came out to talk to us andhow excited she is to be our
very first spokesperson whorepresents our brand, because
(12:32):
she's a female.
She's in sports yeah, loves ourproduct.
She hosts parties yeah.
So this is like a win wincollaboration.
Love that so we just startedthis yesterday and it will be
around till the middle of augustoctober okay and what we
brought today is the snickersbontinis.
Oh, my gosh, if you order afull dozen, you can also have
(12:54):
the accoutrements on top.
Okay, but this is super specialbecause it's um.
We've been working with a lotof the candy brands and now this
one is our snickers so what?
Is the cake?
it's a chocolate chocolate chipcake okay and then it has
caramel drizzled on top, withcandies inside and on top of it
okay, I'm gonna take a bite ofone after I just did the whole
(13:16):
I'm gluten-free story.
Karen Mac Nair (13:17):
Are you people out there laughing?
Okay, I, I'm just going totaste.
And then I'm going to have ataste, as well, yay, so we have
the chocolate cake, thewonderful piped icing.
Ingrid Kuo (13:28):
Yes, it's our signature cream cheese frosting.
Karen Mac Nair (13:31):
Wonderful.
And then it looks like someonetook a Snickers and smashed it
and put nice little sprinkles ontop.
Ingrid Kuo (13:38):
Can I take a picture of you?
Yes, all right, awesome, I'llsmile.
Karen Mac Nair (13:41):
I'll try to keep talking while smiling.
Yay, okay.
Ingrid Kuo (13:46):
This is so fun, I'm going to take it this way too.
Here we go.
Karen Mac Nair (13:49):
And then on the top is a little flag that says
Snickers, official chocolatesponsor of the NFL.
Don't roll, love it.
Okay, we're going to taste Okay.
Okay, we're going to taste,okay, cheers.
Ingrid Kuo (14:06):
Cheers, mmm, mmm.
Karen Mac Nair (14:14):
It tastes like the candy.
It does Mm-hmm, and the cake isso soft.
Mm-hmm it's probably the waythey always taste it, just all
of our cakes have the signaturemoistness in it.
Ingrid Kuo (14:26):
They're not dry and they're actually not over sweet.
The frosting gives it thatsweetness, yes, but if you're
somebody who is not, um, reallyinto a very sweet dessert, just
the cake, that's probably why orone of the reasons I really
enjoy it too.
Karen Mac Nair (14:43):
What I love about this is, yes, I taste
snickers, but I also tastenothing but cakes.
Yes, it is not um, just one,because sometimes when you have
a dessert, it feels overpoweringby that one flavor and it
doesn't.
It really tastes like both?
Um flavors are present which isnice and it tastes like you
could eat a dozen withoutthinking about it.
(15:05):
Very dangerous, I know.
So then you go to the gymthat's down the street that's
right and you're able to see umthe large cake in front of us.
We don't have to open them all,but I just um what type of cake
is the red one?
Red velvet?
Ingrid Kuo (15:21):
okay, it's also a top selling flavor for us.
It is um our crowned with oursignature cream cheese frosting
as well okay but our red velvetis really really good, very
popular and it does havechocolate chips in it wow, it
looks really good.
Karen Mac Nair (15:37):
Don't you have a birthday cake?
Ingrid Kuo (15:39):
one confetti, confetti, yeah, okay you want to
know all the flavors well, I'mjust trying to think, like when
you walk in I do love yourstorefront.
Karen Mac Nair (15:50):
I feel like you walk in and it has that bakery
classic feel.
Yeah, when you walk in thedisplay cases, staff is always
so sweet, um, it just alwaysmakes me feel like you're in a
bakery, um, where some placesyou go you don't always get that
feel, so I appreciate thebrightness of it, the um, the
thing, so on, that it's once youhave anything to share that
(16:12):
you're most proud of at yourbusiness I'm so proud of our
teams we have just the mostincredible dedicated uh team
members on our staff and we havehad really tough positions like
dishwashing dishwashers whohave stayed with us more than
seven years, oh wow.
Ingrid Kuo (16:30):
So we're really, really proud of the team that we
put together and I feel thatour managers are incredible.
I trust them completely.
Karen Mac Nair (16:38):
I have been able to step away from the business,
go on vacation able to stepaway from the business, go on
vacation, not worry at all, thatis.
That is really really nice,especially as you've been adding
locations.
Yes, to still have thatconsistency at all the locations
is wonderful, because that justmakes the brand even stronger,
so that is so good.
(16:59):
Yeah, is there anything else?
We've missed anything else?
Ingrid Kuo (17:02):
I'm just so glad to be a part of our community.
Thank you for the opportunityto come and share our products.
We're super excited about thiscollaboration, as well as
anything else that we will havedown the line, so I just really
hope that people will come andfind us and think of us first
for their celebrations.
We want to bring the joy toyour families every month.
Karen Mac Nair (17:22):
There should be a reason they're seeing you,
because someone's having abirthday.
There's some reason tocelebrate.
So, yep, make sure you go toNothing Bundt Cakes.
In Monrovia, Pasadena, what wasthe other Rosemead?
Rosemead, and coming soon, theMontebello location.
Well, thank you so much forbeing here.
Just to remind everyone, ifyou've never had a taste of
(17:44):
nothing but cakes, you can go totaste of arcadia.
Get your tickets today.
You can go to taste of arcadia.
com.
Don't miss out.
Tickets are selling quickly, sowe want to make sure you have
the opportunity.
It's an all-inclusive eventthat has wonderful food and
drinks.
We're at 53 food and drinkvendors, so we're we're on that
50 plus.
So make sure you come by.
Say hello to Ingrid, talk to me, make sure that it is a
(18:08):
wonderful day.
So go to tasteofarcadia.
com today.
Now, john, why don't you takeus away?
John Villa (18:13):
Thank you, Karen, for another great episode.
You can hear us on YouTube,Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon
Music and iHeart Radio.
Don't forget, join us onSeptember 13th at Santa Anita
Park for Taste of Arcadia.
You can get your tickets now attasteofarcadia.
com.
Thanks again for joining us forTasting Arcadia.
We'll see you at the Taste.
Welcome to Tasting Arcadia, the official podcast of
Taste of Arcadia.
Taste of Arcadia is anall-inclusive event featuring
food and drinks from the SanGabriel Valley restaurants, all
for one price Sample food, wine,beer and spirits.
Check out our brand new cars,visit our business showcase
booths, smile at our photo boothand shake it on the dance floor
(00:24):
with me, john Villa from DanceSyndicate DJ Entertainment.
Taste of Arcadia is September13th at Santa Anita Park.
The fun goes from 2 to 6 pm,with special VIP entrance at 1
pm.
Don't forget this isa 21 andover event.
Get your tickets today attasteofarcadia.
com.
Now let's hear it for our host,Karen McNair.
Karen Mac Nair (00:47):
Thanks, John.
It's so exciting to have you aspart of our team and do that
great introduction for me.
And, talking about Taste ofArcadia, I'm so happy that
everyone is here on the podcastTasting Arcadia.
So everyone who has a sweettooth, this is the day for you.
I'm here with Ingrid, who isthe bakery owner of Nothing
(01:07):
Bundt Cakes.
Welcome, Ingrid, thank you, soexcited that you're here.
I'm excited.
Ingrid Kuo (01:13):
This is my first podcast.
Karen Mac Nair (01:15):
Yay.
Those of you watching onYouTube, you can see the
wonderful spread in front of us.
I'm very excited.
So let's start off.
Tell us a little bit about yourbusiness.
Ingrid Kuo (01:24):
So I'm a bakery owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes,
which is a national franchise.
We have over 700 locations inthe United States and I have
three of them here Pasadena,Rosemead, and the newest one is
in Monrovia that we just openedin March Wow.
Karen Mac Nair (01:39):
Yes, how did you decide to get into this
business?
Ingrid Kuo (01:44):
I grew up in the restaurant business with my
family.
Karen Mac Nair (01:46):
Okay.
Ingrid Kuo (01:47):
And about just over 10 years ago, my father and I
who was the restaurateur?
We wanted to look into someother opportunities here in
California.
Okay, and so we tasted thecakes and thought it was
fabulous and I said why don't wehave one here in this area?
And so then I submitted myinterest to Nothing Cakes, and
(02:08):
it was a very quick evaluationprocess and then I was approved.
So we opened Pasadena 10 yearsago.
Karen Mac Nair (02:16):
Wow, congratulations Round of
applause for that, thank you.
10 years, yes, and there wasthat little hiccup year in there
too.
Oh, yeah.
Sure, that was fun, that wastough.
So your Monrovia location,where is it exactly?
Ingrid Kuo (02:28):
So our physical address is 526 West Huntington
Drive.
It's in the big shopping plazacalled Huntington Oaks where the
Trader Joe's, the CrunchFitness, the Kohl's is located,
and we're in that corner, rightnext to Sola, on the cold side
great, so I can work out, buysome food, get nothing but cakes
(02:49):
and get a new pair of paintsall in one stop shop, okay I
love that.
Karen Mac Nair (02:55):
Um, you shared a little bit about your dad, and
are you the only owner in thisone with your, with your dad?
You guys are still ownerstogether.
Ingrid Kuo (03:04):
My father passed away not long after we had
opened the first location, so hedidn't get to see our dream of
opening multiple locations.
So I am the primary owner.
My family has some shares in itof course.
But I run the business mainlywith my management team and the
(03:24):
bakery staff.
Karen Mac Nair (03:26):
You know, ingrid , it's been great doing these
podcasts and all these episodes.
We have found a family tie.
I should go back and count likehow many people talk about the
family tie that is connected,definitely, where it's parents,
siblings inspiration, evencreating things, just the family
inspiration of it, which I lovebecause, even though you're a
franchise, it's great for peopleto know your story that it
(03:48):
still has that small businesstouch absolutely.
Ingrid Kuo (03:51):
It's very important to us to have that connection
because we are not a nationalcorporate office running
multiple locations.
We are, you know, local here tothe community.
I live here in the communityand I know our market, I know
our, our guests.
Karen Mac Nair (04:06):
It's very important if you're like us, I'm
sure you go out to eat untilsomeone tells you about their
favorite flavor.
Ingrid Kuo (04:11):
And then you see the cakes being brought into the
restaurants a lot that is sogood, um, okay.
Karen Mac Nair (04:18):
So question now is what is your favorite?
And now you refer to them asflavors, right, because
obviously they're all bundtcakes.
Yes, correct, so each one is aflavor.
So what is your favorite?
And now you refer to them asflavors, right, because
obviously they're all Bundtcakes.
Yes, correct, so each one is aflavor.
So what is your favorite?
Ingrid Kuo (04:28):
flavor, so my favorite flavor is no longer on
the menu.
Karen Mac Nair (04:33):
Merp, merp, merp , sad, very, very sad.
Ingrid Kuo (04:34):
Oh sad that was our pecan praline and I know that
quite a few people did love thatflavor.
But I am happy to say that I'veseen some former flavors make
their re-emergence recently.
Karen Mac Nair (04:47):
Oh, good so.
Ingrid Kuo (04:48):
I'm hopeful.
Karen Mac Nair (04:49):
Okay, so which ones?
For all the people who loveanything you could share.
Ingrid Kuo (04:53):
Earlier this year we brought back Pineapple Upside
Down.
That was a huge hit.
I know that next year one otherflavor which I cannot name yet,
that people love, drumroll yayis going to come back and make a
visit.
Karen Mac Nair (05:12):
So I know we have a couple special things to
try today, but if I want towatch what's going on, should I
follow you on social media?
How do I know what flavors arecoming the best way?
Ingrid Kuo (05:22):
to know all of the activities happening at Nothing
but Cakes is to be in our emailclub, oh, okay so you can go on
our website nothingbutcakescomand then sign up for the e-club
and that's where all thepromotions, all the
announcements will be.
But, we also have an app, whichis really nice because the app
is now also rewards tied.
(05:43):
So every time you make apurchase you get points, and
then you can trade the points infor free product or a discount.
And then there can be some youknow, last minute things like oh
, today is National ChocolateDay, Come in for a chocolate
chocolate chip, Right, and thenyou get an extra bonus of points
.
Karen Mac Nair (06:01):
Oh my gosh, that is so smart, it's really fun
bonus of points.
Ingrid Kuo (06:07):
oh my gosh, that is so smart.
Yeah, it's really fun.
So your email and your uh appshould all be on the same email
address, and then you get allthe same benefits.
Karen Mac Nair (06:11):
Love that, yeah, okay, so we're going to learn
more about flavors and somethings that are coming question.
I ask a lot because we talkabout small business, big, big
businesses.
What is the best way as acommunity we can support you and
make sure you're around for 10more years?
Ingrid Kuo (06:25):
yes, so of course, traffic to the bakery, whether
it's in person, online, okay,phone order, we want you to come
into the bakery okay, I wantyou to skip us and go someplace
else.
Karen Mac Nair (06:39):
Okay, so shop from the app, from the website,
website, in person, phone call.
There's tons of options.
How can you not Now?
You shared a little bit earlier.
You have three locations now.
Is there plans for the future?
What's your future vision?
Ingrid Kuo (06:55):
Yes, so we are growing.
Our fourth bakery will be inMontebello.
We're anticipating an openingnext month Yay, at the end of
the month, hopefully.
Karen Mac Nair (07:09):
Okay, Karen, fun fact for everybody out there
who knows me I went toMontebello high school.
Ingrid Kuo (07:11):
Yahoo, I'm so excited you're gonna be in
montebello where the location isnear.
So we're going to be on on thatwilcox and via campo corner
where the um currently it'salbertson's yes shopping mall.
We're in that space right nextto the post office.
Okay, so the actual addresswill be 2545 via Campo.
Karen Mac Nair (07:30):
So if anyone goes to Topgolf or the golf
course right, it's right there,correct you can stop get nothing
but cakes, mm-hmm, um.
And we're still supporting ourcommunity owner, which makes me
excited.
Yes, yay on that.
So, ingrid, have you been attaste of arcadia before?
I feel like you have many years.
Oh my gosh, tell me a littleabout any stories back in the
day.
Ingrid Kuo (07:50):
So fun, so much fun.
Karen Mac Nair (07:53):
I make it my number one job to always feed
the dj oh my gosh, he's gonna beso happy about that, john, yes,
he's gonna be there again.
Good, he's gonna love that.
Yeah, um what?
What do you plan on bringing totaste of arcadia this year?
Ingrid Kuo (08:08):
so we will have our assortment of buntinis.
Karen Mac Nair (08:10):
I don't know what flavors yet, okay, but we
will have buntinis so for thepeople listening, if I haven't
been there, describe what is abuntini.
Okay, can I show from here?
Ingrid Kuo (08:19):
yes, yes, yes, you can so buntinis are the smallest
of our cake sizes, and theycome by the dozen, okay, and so
today we're going to samplethese, and then the next size up
is going to be the buntlet,which you also have one on your
desk, oh yes, so this is a giftwrapped one, which is very nice.
It's a very affordable gift,okay, and we can make these in
(08:41):
single, doubles or triples.
Karen Mac Nair (08:42):
Meaning they stack on top of each other.
Ingrid Kuo (08:44):
Yes, and then we cellophane wrap them and you can
choose your ribbon.
Oh my goodness, you can choosea flower, it's great, and we
have little flags that say likehappy birthday or thank you and
things like that.
Karen Mac Nair (08:52):
That is adorable yeah.
And you pick your flavors, okayum, but you have the gluten-free
one which, okay, I amgluten-free and it gives
gluten's give me a headache, soit's not that big of a deal.
I'm okay in life, but it is sogreat that I can have this whole
whole thing.
(09:12):
Sorry everybody out there, Ican have this whole thing and it
tastes wonderful.
I have no side effects ofthings that other you know
gluten products yes, can, yes,can have.
So a standby.
Now I'm going to ask agluten-free flavor.
I feel like there's threeflavors, there's two, there's
two.
Ingrid Kuo (09:29):
Okay, I don't know which one you have there.
I have chocolate chip.
Okay, chocolate chip cookieCookie.
So, it's supposed to be like achocolate chip cookie.
Okay, not like chocolate,chocolate chip cake Okay.
Different flavor Okay.
And then we have ourgluten-free lemon raspberry.
Karen Mac Nair (09:43):
Okay, yes, oh, perfect.
Is there ever specialgluten-free flavors?
Ingrid Kuo (09:52):
It's very difficult to make our cakes the way we
want them, to the standard andquality of excellence that we
want in gluten-free.
So those are the two that havesurpassed all the tests Okay,
and those will be consistentlyoffered at our bakeries at least
.
Karen Mac Nair (10:04):
Okay, thank you for the clarification too,
because, like I say, noheadaches yay any side effects
that you have.
Ingrid Kuo (10:10):
This has already, yeah, helped me okay, we do have
two more sizes so this one isthe eight inch.
Right here that's decorated andright here we have arcadia high
school colors in time for thehigh school football season.
Karen Mac Nair (10:22):
So just describe that.
It's the Bundt cake with thedelicious piping of icing.
Yes, with a red and yellowflower on top.
Yep, with a football and anall-star flags and MVPs.
Such a great thing.
And as we're going back toschool, take care of those
teachers, coaches.
Ingrid Kuo (10:48):
Like this will get you a good seat in the football
stadium.
Okay, so this cake comes ineight inch size as well as 10
inch size.
Karen Mac Nair (10:51):
Just okay, a larger, larger size of this one
wow, and if I want to have onespecial, how?
Ingrid Kuo (10:58):
soon, should I order it whatever?
So we have cakes all the timein our bakery.
Okay, you can walk in andyou'll see a display case filled
with cakes of different sizesand mostly our top selling
flavors.
But if you're looking for aflavor that isn't carried in the
display case, we can have thatready for you very, very quickly
.
Karen Mac Nair (11:15):
Okay, like 30 minutes to an hour, but
gluten-free, you have what youhave, right.
Ingrid Kuo (11:20):
Gluten--free.
We only carry it in the buntletsize, the buntini size and
eight inch cakes only.
Okay, so we just have to stack,yes, and those you want, to the
eight inch cakes you want topre-order.
Okay, pre-order that, yeah, sothat we can have it ready so now
, this is just confirmation.
Karen Mac Nair (11:34):
I need to download the app.
Yes, so that I can pre-orderand have it exactly and get
points, and get points.
Yes, and get points.
Yes, oh, it's a double win.
Yes, okay, it's tasting time.
Yay, all right, this is what wedo.
Tell me a little about, well,announce what is a flavor.
Ingrid Kuo (11:50):
I'm tasting.
Yes, okay, so we just announcedyesterday a very special
marketing collaboration withSnickers.
Ooh In time for the NFL season.
Karen Mac Nair (12:01):
That is amazing.
The box is adorable too it's ablue box.
Ingrid Kuo (12:04):
It looks like a football so huge for us.
Karen Mac Nair (12:06):
Yay.
Ingrid Kuo (12:09):
And we have a national spokesperson who you
will see on all of our socialmedia and advertisements on
mainstream platforms ErinAndrews, really, yes.
And so we got to meet her atour national conference in July.
She came out to talk to us andhow excited she is to be our
very first spokesperson whorepresents our brand, because
(12:32):
she's a female.
She's in sports yeah, loves ourproduct.
She hosts parties yeah.
So this is like a win wincollaboration.
Love that so we just startedthis yesterday and it will be
around till the middle of augustoctober okay and what we
brought today is the snickersbontinis.
Oh, my gosh, if you order afull dozen, you can also have
(12:54):
the accoutrements on top.
Okay, but this is super specialbecause it's um.
We've been working with a lotof the candy brands and now this
one is our snickers so what?
Is the cake?
it's a chocolate chocolate chipcake okay and then it has
caramel drizzled on top, withcandies inside and on top of it
okay, I'm gonna take a bite ofone after I just did the whole
(13:16):
I'm gluten-free story.
Karen Mac Nair (13:17):
Are you people out there laughing?
Okay, I, I'm just going totaste.
And then I'm going to have ataste, as well, yay, so we have
the chocolate cake, thewonderful piped icing.
Ingrid Kuo (13:28):
Yes, it's our signature cream cheese frosting.
Karen Mac Nair (13:31):
Wonderful.
And then it looks like someonetook a Snickers and smashed it
and put nice little sprinkles ontop.
Ingrid Kuo (13:38):
Can I take a picture of you?
Yes, all right, awesome, I'llsmile.
Karen Mac Nair (13:41):
I'll try to keep talking while smiling.
Yay, okay.
Ingrid Kuo (13:46):
This is so fun, I'm going to take it this way too.
Here we go.
Karen Mac Nair (13:49):
And then on the top is a little flag that says
Snickers, official chocolatesponsor of the NFL.
Don't roll, love it.
Okay, we're going to taste Okay.
Okay, we're going to taste,okay, cheers.
Ingrid Kuo (14:06):
Cheers, mmm, mmm.
Karen Mac Nair (14:14):
It tastes like the candy.
It does Mm-hmm, and the cake isso soft.
Mm-hmm it's probably the waythey always taste it, just all
of our cakes have the signaturemoistness in it.
Ingrid Kuo (14:26):
They're not dry and they're actually not over sweet.
The frosting gives it thatsweetness, yes, but if you're
somebody who is not, um, reallyinto a very sweet dessert, just
the cake, that's probably why orone of the reasons I really
enjoy it too.
Karen Mac Nair (14:43):
What I love about this is, yes, I taste
snickers, but I also tastenothing but cakes.
Yes, it is not um, just one,because sometimes when you have
a dessert, it feels overpoweringby that one flavor and it
doesn't.
It really tastes like both?
Um flavors are present which isnice and it tastes like you
could eat a dozen withoutthinking about it.
(15:05):
Very dangerous, I know.
So then you go to the gymthat's down the street that's
right and you're able to see umthe large cake in front of us.
We don't have to open them all,but I just um what type of cake
is the red one?
Red velvet?
Ingrid Kuo (15:21):
okay, it's also a top selling flavor for us.
It is um our crowned with oursignature cream cheese frosting
as well okay but our red velvetis really really good, very
popular and it does havechocolate chips in it wow, it
looks really good.
Karen Mac Nair (15:37):
Don't you have a birthday cake?
Ingrid Kuo (15:39):
one confetti, confetti, yeah, okay you want to
know all the flavors well, I'mjust trying to think, like when
you walk in I do love yourstorefront.
Karen Mac Nair (15:50):
I feel like you walk in and it has that bakery
classic feel.
Yeah, when you walk in thedisplay cases, staff is always
so sweet, um, it just alwaysmakes me feel like you're in a
bakery, um, where some placesyou go you don't always get that
feel, so I appreciate thebrightness of it, the um, the
thing, so on, that it's once youhave anything to share that
(16:12):
you're most proud of at yourbusiness I'm so proud of our
teams we have just the mostincredible dedicated uh team
members on our staff and we havehad really tough positions like
dishwashing dishwashers whohave stayed with us more than
seven years, oh wow.
Ingrid Kuo (16:30):
So we're really, really proud of the team that we
put together and I feel thatour managers are incredible.
I trust them completely.
Karen Mac Nair (16:38):
I have been able to step away from the business,
go on vacation able to stepaway from the business, go on
vacation, not worry at all, thatis.
That is really really nice,especially as you've been adding
locations.
Yes, to still have thatconsistency at all the locations
is wonderful, because that justmakes the brand even stronger,
so that is so good.
(16:59):
Yeah, is there anything else?
We've missed anything else?
Ingrid Kuo (17:02):
I'm just so glad to be a part of our community.
Thank you for the opportunityto come and share our products.
We're super excited about thiscollaboration, as well as
anything else that we will havedown the line, so I just really
hope that people will come andfind us and think of us first
for their celebrations.
We want to bring the joy toyour families every month.
Karen Mac Nair (17:22):
There should be a reason they're seeing you,
because someone's having abirthday.
There's some reason tocelebrate.
So, yep, make sure you go toNothing Bundt Cakes.
In Monrovia, Pasadena, what wasthe other Rosemead?
Rosemead, and coming soon, theMontebello location.
Well, thank you so much forbeing here.
Just to remind everyone, ifyou've never had a taste of
(17:44):
nothing but cakes, you can go totaste of arcadia.
Get your tickets today.
You can go to taste of arcadia.
com.
Don't miss out.
Tickets are selling quickly, sowe want to make sure you have
the opportunity.
It's an all-inclusive eventthat has wonderful food and
drinks.
We're at 53 food and drinkvendors, so we're we're on that
50 plus.
So make sure you come by.
Say hello to Ingrid, talk to me, make sure that it is a
(18:08):
wonderful day.
So go to tasteofarcadia.
com today.
Now, john, why don't you takeus away?
John Villa (18:13):
Thank you, Karen, for another great episode.
You can hear us on YouTube,Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon
Music and iHeart Radio.
Don't forget, join us onSeptember 13th at Santa Anita
Park for Taste of Arcadia.
You can get your tickets now attasteofarcadia.
com.
Thanks again for joining us forTasting Arcadia.
We'll see you at the Taste.
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