Sudbury baker Justine Martin was recently named Cake Designer of the Year at the Ontario Wedding Awards, beating out 39 other finalists from across the province.
“As a new, young entrepreneur, I am constantly being reminded of how grateful I am to have a community who supports us by shopping locally,” said Martin, the owner of Guilty Pleasures Bakeshop.
“I want to thank the over 100 amazing couples who’ve not only allowed us to be part of their very special day, but who also helped us by submitting a nomination for The Ontario Wedding Awards. To be recognized in such a capacity after just two years in business is both incredibly humbling and encouraging.”
Internationally recognized for excellence in cake design and decorating, Guilty Pleasures Bakeshop is a boutique bakery, specializing in crafting luxurious custom desserts.
From cakes and cupcakes to cookies, French macarons, pies and more, their specialty baked goods are hand made in house, with the best available fresh, locally sourced and natural ingredients, whenever possible, said a press release.
Martin started For Heaven’s Bake Sudbury in 2015 from her home kitchen. She opened Guilty Pleasures Bakeshop, at 82 Cedar St. downtown, in February of 2018 after being named Downtown Sudbury’s Win This Space Top Entrepreneur in 2017.
The business owner was recognized as Sudbury Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018. Last September, the Guilty Pleasures Bakeshop team took home third place in the sculpted cake category at the 18th annual Retail Bakers Association’s Pillsbury Bakers Plus Grand Champion Creative Decorating Competition. Martin also served as co-host for the Sudbury/Manitoulin episode of the LCBO mini-series "5 Stops," which premiered in October 2019.
Justine wasn’t the only Sudburian to take home hardware from the awards. Other local winners include aKaiserPhoto for Photographer of the Year, as well as Lavish Events and Florals for Florist of the Year.
