Mise en Place: Sav Brady of The C Word Cakery on boredom and MILF cupcakes

Courtesy Sav Brady

Sav Brady, owner of The C Word Cakery, is an artist whose medium happens to be cake. Good cake with bad words, to be specific. 

Based in Independence, MO, these vegan cakes are known for spicy, sassy, and badassy messages. One of my first C Word purchases was a pumpkin pie for Friendsgiving that said “thankful for you fuckers”, which was simply the standard pie offering that year. 

Sav and her partner, Mike Roy, recently sold their midtown restaurant, The Fix to focus solely on The C Word. With new beginnings on the brain, we dive into the world of cake: the fun, the grind, and the cursing.

The Pitch: Tell us about your baking background

Sav Brady: It all started with edible painting. I was in Wyoming, working as a freelance artist– painting, graphic design, etc. A baker there suggested I try painting on cookies. It turned out that was really fun. We started collaborating with cake, me doing fondant work, sugar words, and painting. And then I got hired as a vegan baker at a pie shop in Arkansas. 

Eventually, I worked at the Upper Crust in Overland Park and while I never tried the pie (they weren’t vegan) it was a great job and the people were so nice. I was extremely sad to leave because I loved working there, but it only lasted two months before my side business, The C Word Cakery, took off and I needed to focus fully on that.

Why plant-based?

I’ve been a vegetarian since 2004. Then I switched to being vegan five years ago or so. Even before being vegan, I was really interested in alternative baking and cooking just as a challenge. It’s really interesting. 

Now, it feels more sustainable and it feels like the direction that people should be going as far as the environment goes, and the ethical treatment of animals, all of that. As I get older I’m trying to be a better human and make conscious decisions for my life as well as the businesses that I have. Making a difference.

What challenges or opportunities does that present?

You have to really pay attention to ingredients because there are sprinkles with shellac made from bugs, or gelatin in some unexpected products. That’s honestly the biggest challenge–you gotta read the labels. I don’t think of it as a challenge in a bad, way but in a good way. It pushes you to think outside the box. 

Sav Brady // Courtesy Sav Brady

What was it like, sharing your sassy cakes for the first time? How was it received?

It turns out that it was all received well–I think people just like getting cake for random occasions and they can get something that is really pretty but also funny. It’s usually a conversation starter at a party. And I mean, everyone likes bad words and they really like cake. It works out well. 

I actually had to cancel my surprisingly-big first round of orders because I could not get it right. My buttercream kept separating, and I was sitting on the ground, feeling like a failure. It was a crazy learning curve because I really didn’t think my businesses would take off so quickly. But I recovered it and I got the orders out later–everybody was understanding, and all of those first customers still order cakes.

Once at a pop-up, somebody asked me what MILF was (because it was on a set of cupcakes). That was traumatic because I’ve never had to say it out loud… but thankfully she was like, “I gotta buy these.” She loved it. 

Where do you draw inspiration?

Really, anything. I’m never bored, ever. I can be inspired by anything with color, being outside. Even just hearing from people. Seeing their outfits, clothes, and patterns. And it depends on my mood or the season. I like being able to keep an open mind when it comes to being inspired or making things–I just love trying new things. I like going to the grocery store, walking around wondering, “I wonder if that will go together well.” 

So you’re never bored, but what about burnout?

I definitely burn out. The best way to prevent it is to value your time more. That’s something I have been trying to do more of and a huge factor in why we sold The Fix to focus solely on The C Word. When I take fewer orders, step back a little.. it allows me to breathe and step back into it with new ideas. I’m not the type to sit down and complain about being bored or tired. But I will sit down and space out. Sometimes you just get burned out. 

Even if you love what you do.

Yeah, honestly, I’ll just make a cake for myself. I think it’s really fun. Sometimes I’ll just pick up another creative thing just to be making something. Switching it up helps with burnout but it’s not an instant problem solver.

Courtesy Sav Brady

Tell us about the most unique or surprising flavor combo you’ve done.

My current favorite one is the pineapple miso one that tastes like a pineapple upside-down cake, but it’s salty and caramelized. The weirdest is probably my savory cake, which started because of a wine and cupcake pairing event at The Pairing. It went over really well. 

In fact, I just made it for a wedding. I love it when people order it because I’m like, you’re crazy. It is cheese and polenta cake with thyme. It has a slightly sweet corn flavor, with herb cream cheese and a savory whipped cream. And it has balsamic roasted grapes which are insanely good. 

Have you turned down cake requests that were too much even for C Word?

No, but I have done cakes that are really graphic for someone’s significant other, and I just don’t post those on Instagram. When I worked at a shop in Arkansas, the the only cake I’ve ever turned down was a confederate flag cake. 

Is there an occasion that you’ve been wanting to make a cake for but no one’s asked yet?

I want to make a shockingly large cake that makes people question why they got that big of a cake. That sounds that sounds enjoyable. 

Do you bake at home for fun?

Yes. If there’s a party, it is almost guaranteed that I’m bringing cake whether they asked or not.

Courtesy Sav Brady