Many people have hidden talents that just need to be found. A few go undiscovered, while others are found and become a lifelong passion. Some are even able to turn their new skills into a job. Juli Rojas is one of those people to turn her hidden talent into more than just a hobby.
Rojas baked a birthday cake for her daughter Sofia and received many compliments on it. She tested out a few other baking recipes—experimenting with different cakes, cookies and even macarons. Her friends loved them and told Rojas that she needed to start a business.
“I really had nothing to lose,” Rojas says. “I was already doing it for free, so why not give it a try?”
She started Bake Me Love by Juli in 2020 and has been baking custom goodies ever since. Many of her cakes are created for birthday parties or other celebrations with most of her customers in the Woodbury area. Though, she notes that she’s open to business to anyone in the surrounding area.
Not only are Rojas’ creations delicious, but the decorations are artistic and creative—it almost feels wrong to cut into them. She has created many different designs, ranging from cakes inspired by Harry Potter to cookies decorated like seahorses.
Out of everything she makes, Rojas says sugar cookies are her favorite because of the detail she can put into them. She also enjoys cakes because there’s endless options for designs and decorations.
While Rojas didn’t discover her love for baking until a few years ago, she’s always enjoyed making things with her hands. As a child, Rojas loved to make things out of clay or Play-Doh. Now, she’s traded the clay for frosting and still gets the same feeling. “I really love the creation process,” she says.
Baking became a way for Rojas to find her niche in Minnesota. Born and raised in Colombia, she moved to Woodbury in October 2018 after her husband transferred here for work. Though Rojas says it can be daunting to move to a new country, between her new passion and the community, Rojas has enjoyed the process. “The people here are super nice and willing to help,” she says.
“It’s a united community.”
Bake Me Love is still a side gig for Rojas, and she does all of her baking in her own home. As the company establishes itself in the community, Rojas hopes she’ll be able to open her own bakery and turn it into a full-time gig in the next few years. For now, she enjoys showing off her latest creations on her Facebook page, where customers can browse her work and get more information about ordering.
As much as she wants to grow her business, Rojas loves baking so much so that the extra income is just icing on the cake. Getting in the kitchen and baking is a way for her to relax, and she finds it very rewarding. “I love seeing the customer’s smile and just how happy they are with the product,” Rojas says. “It brings me a lot of joy.”
Rapid Fire Q&A
What’s your favorite restaurant in the community?
I love Crave. [Its] lettuce wraps are so good.
What’s your favorite store to shop at?
Either Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics. I love the baking sections in those stores.
Where’s the best place to spend some time outside?
I really like Ojibway Park. It’s a really nice area, and there’s a great playground for kids.
What’s your favorite part about the Woodbury community?
The people. They’re lovely everywhere you go, and I feel safe.
Instagram: @bakemelove_byjulir
