By Hywania Thompson | Photography by Hillary Schave
After buying cakes for her daughter’s birthday parties over the years, Linda Smith decided to take matters into her own hands and bake her daughter’s birthday cake when she turned eight years old. That was back in 2012, and it went well — and Smith kicked off her journey of baking for her family and friends. Now, Smith has turned that passion for baking into her side business called Sensational Sweetz.
By day, Smith is a payroll and benefits specialist at UW-Madison. At night and in her spare time, she whips up tasty treats. She participated in the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce’s Incubator and Accelerate program earlier this year. The program helps entrepreneurs develop their businesses and/or ideas, as well as provides coaching on how to expand their businesses.
Smith offers custom cakes, cookies, cupcakes, cheesecakes, candy tables and trending desserts like stuffed cheesecake cones.
“People like TikTok stuff,” says Smith. “Any kind of trending dessert — I will do it for you!” Smith’s banana pudding cookies and peach cobbler cookies are popular with customers. She featured them at the food jamboree during Black Restaurant Week this past summer.
“I sold out quickly,” Smith says. “My first online order was from somebody who needed the peach cobbler cookies because they had them at the jamboree! So, that was pretty cool. That was a very humbling experience.”
Smith also makes gluten-free items by request. She began experimenting with gluten-free ingredients years ago as a way to help with her son’s gluten sensitivity. She believes there’s a market for gluten-free bakery here in Madison.
“We can give our babies awesome treats, and they can be better for them,” Smith said.
Smith hopes to do more pop-up events in the future and her ultimate goals are to feature 80% gluten-free products, and, have a place of her own.
“I would love to have a storefront; something to pass down to my kids [that] would [impart] a sense of working hard and learning entrepreneurship,” Smith says.
What is your favorite comfort food?
“Curry chicken over rice. I cook just as good as I bake! I started out by making the recipe more authentically, and then making it my own by playing with it. It’s one of my favorite recipes.”
