'Cakeoholic': Basking Ridge Business Woman Turned Home Baker

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Basking Ridge mom and owner of Cakeoholic Akanksha Behari may be a small business owner, but she is dreaming big with her passion for baking.

For about 16 years, Behari worked at the financial services company Moody's where she brought home a six-figure salary and bonuses. However, her successful career required her to leave her kids with a nanny and commute four hours a day.

That's when it hit Behari.

"That is not the way you bring up children. That is not the way I want to live my life," said Behari.

She decided to walk away and right as she did, the pandemic hit in 2020. This enabled her to focus on her passion for baking.

She always made cakes for family and friends so she expanded it to make cakes for frontline workers during the pandemic. She expanded further to teach children at her home how to bake to help with their mental challenges of having virtual schooling. The money she raised through teaching went into a GoFundMe to send overseas to kids in need.

"I thought, 'Wow this is my cause. This is what I want to do'," said Behari.

People were still celebrating birthdays and events at home during the pandemic so Behari offered her baking services for free. She estimated baking 30 cakes in 2020 allowing her to hone her skills with each cake.

It wasn't until 2021 when New Jersey became the last state in the U.S. to allow home baking with the cottage business law. That's when Behari decided to take on her passion full-time.

"I just realized this is absolutely something I am so passionate about. Anytime I do a cake for anybody. I just picture the kid's reaction, that's my reward," said Behari.

Before even getting to the baking phase, Behari spends a lot of time talking with clients to understand what they are looking for and also ask questions to delve into their personalities.

"I don't want to just make a carbon copy of a picture of a cake. I always think, 'What can I add as a value?'," said Behari.

Behari pours herself into every cake, spending close to 30 hours on a cake.

"Every time I finish I step back and think ,'Sh*t did I just make this?!" said Behari.

Along with cakes and classes for kids in the summer, Behari also makes cake pops, cupcakes and other desserts.

Now a couple of years into her business, Behari said sitting at a desk working was so much easier. But she got no gratification from it.

"Every time I make a cake and bring joy and excitement into someone's life that stays as a memory for life for me," said Behari. That is the reward for me."

To learn more about Cakeoholic visit facebook.com/aksbehari or instagram.com/cakeoholic_i_want_my_cake or email cakeoholic2020@gmail.com.

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