Cake Decorator

Katella Deli; Los Alamitos (CA); On-site; USD 27,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Katella Bakery is seeking a Cake Decorator to design, decorate, and prepare cakes, pastries, and desserts while maintaining high-quality artistic presentations. The role includes customer interaction for custom orders, ensuring freshness, and keeping bakery counter presentation appealing.

Requires minimum 3 years of pastry/cake decorating experience and fondant knowledge; must follow food safety practices and handle up to 30 lbs. Availability for days/evenings, weekends, and holidays is needed.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of pastry and/or cake decorating experience.
• Experience working with fondant is required.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced team environment.
• Knowledge of cake stacking and customization; carving cakes is a plus.
• Must follow safe food-handling and sanitation practices and maintain cleanliness.

Responsibilities

• Create and produce pastries and design new cake creations.
• Prepare cakes, pastries, icings, fillings, and other decorating items.
• Decorate all cakes within customer order timeframes.
• Decorate cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods for display and counter sales.
• Inspect finished bakery products for quality, weight, specs, and presentation.
• Set up, ice, and decorate cakes of all sizes from start to finish.
• Demonstrate icing borders, flowers, writing techniques; work with buttercream, fondant, chocolate.
• Design custom cakes and assist customers through the custom-order process.
• Enhance bakery reputation by owning responsibilities and pursuing value-added opportunities.
• Maintain positive relations through respectful two-way communication within team.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and ability to obtain information and decide course of action.
• Maintain excellent organization and prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
• Assist the Bakery Manager as needed.

Skills

Pastry decoration

Fondant work

Buttercream icing

Cake design

Multitasking

Organizational skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Tools

Mixers

Blenders

Food processors

Smallware

Job description

Cake DecoratorThe Cake Decorator is responsible for preparing cakes, pastries, and desserts by designing, producing, and maintaining high-quality artistic presentations. The Cake Decorator may also perform other assigned duties, including but not limited to providing superior customer service, maintaining an attractive bakery counter presentation, ensuring products are fresh and high-quality, rotating baked goods, and maintaining clean bakery cases in accordance with Katella Bakery’s standards and expectations.

Job Duties

• Create and produce a variety of pastries and design new cake creations.
• Prepare cakes, pastries, icings, fillings, and any other necessary items required for decorating.
• Decorate all cakes within the specified time frame for customer orders.
• Decorate cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods for display and bakery counter sales.
• Inspect finished bakery products to ensure they meet Katella Bakery’s standards for quality, weight, specifications, and presentation.
• Set up, ice, and decorate cakes of all sizes and shapes from start to finish.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various icing borders, flowers, and writing techniques, including color combinations, the color wheel, and color mixing. Experience working with buttercream, fondant, and chocolate is required.
• Design custom cakes and consult with and assist customers throughout the custom-order process.
• Enhance the reputation of the pastry/bakery department by taking ownership of responsibilities, successfully completing new and different requests, and identifying opportunities to add value.
• Maintain positive employee relations through respectful, open, and effective two-way communication at both the individual and team levels.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to obtain information, determine an appropriate course of action, and follow through.
• Demonstrate excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and work effectively in a sometimes fast-paced and high-pressure environment.
• Assist the Bakery Manager as needed.

Hours

Must be available to work days or evenings, including extended hours, weekends, and holidays as needed. Holidays are peak business periods, and time-off requests may not be accommodated during these times.

Skills & Qualifications

• Passion for working in a bakery environment.
• Minimum of 3 years of previous pastry and/or cake decorating experience.
• Experience working with fondant is required.
• Must be able to work effectively and maintain a positive attitude in a fast-paced team environment.
• Knowledge of cake stacking and customization; experience carving cakes into various shapes is a plus.
• Working knowledge of basic bakery equipment, including but not limited to mixers, blenders, food processors, and smallware.
• Superior organizational skills, with the ability to follow through, multitask, and prioritize responsibilities.
• Fluency in English and Spanish is preferred but not required.
• Ability to continuously use hands and arms, as well as bend, reach, and twist throughout the workday.
• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs. as needed.
• Knowledge of safe food-handling and sanitation practices, as well as safe baking procedures.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule, including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• A valid California Food Handler Card is required for all food service employees who prepare, store, or serve food.