Carmen Waugh turns family recipes into a gourmet dessert brand

Custom Cakes by Carmen LLC, founded by third-generation baker Carmen Waugh, is expanding nationwide with gourmet cake mixes and its signature Cakie Bar dessert. The brand is using major marketplaces and certifications to reach consumers, retailers and wholesale partners while building a family-centered food business.

Why it matters: - Custom Cakes by Carmen LLC is trying to turn family recipes into a scalable gourmet dessert brand with national reach. - The company’s growth shows how a small food brand can use online marketplaces, certifications and wholesale channels to reach consumers beyond its home market. - The brand is also positioned around reinvention, with Waugh moving from a long healthcare career into entrepreneurship.

What happened: - Carmen Waugh launched Custom Cakes by Carmen LLC, a premium gourmet dessert company based on recipes passed down from Grandmother Lottie. - The brand is selling handcrafted gourmet cake mixes and its signature Cakie Bar®, a layered dessert that combines cake and chocolate. - The company is reaching customers nationwide through Goldbelly, Amazon and Walmart Marketplace. - Waugh said the brand reflects family, connection, celebration and the traditions handed down through her grandmother.

The details: - Custom Cakes by Carmen LLC targets dessert lovers, families, gift shoppers, specialty retailers, corporate gifting customers and wholesale partners. - The company says its products are designed to deliver homemade taste and quality without starting from scratch. - Waugh spent more than 31 years as a Certified Surgical First Assistant before moving into the dessert business. - The business lists WBENC Certification, SHE Mark Certification and Supplier Diversity Certification among its milestones. - Goldbelly handles nationwide shipping for the brand. - The company has also received recognition through entrepreneurship and business media opportunities. - The brand’s product story centers on elevated baking experiences built from tradition, innovation and family legacy.

Between the lines: - Waugh is framing the company as both a food brand and a personal reinvention story. - That positioning may help the brand stand out in a crowded dessert market where origin stories and specialty products can drive consumer interest. - The Cakie Bar® gives the business a distinct hero product that can support branding across retail and wholesale channels.

What’s next: - Custom Cakes by Carmen LLC plans to add new gourmet flavors. - The company also plans to expand retail and wholesale partnerships. - Waugh wants to introduce more customers nationwide to the Cakie Bar® experience. - The broader goal is to preserve a family tradition while building a larger national brand.

The bottom line: - Custom Cakes by Carmen LLC is using a family recipe story, a signature dessert and broad online distribution to grow from a personal passion project into a nationwide gourmet brand.