Cheryl Leong Poi was a creative and talented person, turning every hobby into a successful project. This included building furniture, fixing appliances, knitting, and baking delicious homemade bread and cakes.
Her only child Kristle “Krissie” Garcia called her the Jill of all trades.
Krissie remembers her mother hurrying home from work to prepare her famous sponge cake, or cheesecake to fill orders for the next day. She said the happiest part for her was indulging in the leftovers.
Her mother eventually obtained a certificate in culinary skills and continued to broaden her offering.
“My mom’s orders and their details grew, which compelled me to try and help in some way, albeit being very green in the field. Being a people-person, I managed the orders, organized the raw materials and groceries, and was the delivery girl,” Krissie said.
Concerns but their lack of social media presence led to the launch of a Facebook page and the birth of Cheryl’s Delectable Bakehouse/CD Bakehouse.”
Krissie said the business was founded out of the sheer joy and love her mother had for baking.
As time progressed, seeing the need to apply herself in a more meaningful way, Krissie began to explore her creativityby designing cakes with her mother’s guidance.
As they collaborated on designs, Krissie’s skills and confidence increased.
Then things took a tragic turn.
“In 2023, production was disrupted owing to my mom’s cancer diagnosis in March,” she said.
“She succumbed in October, which left me heartbroken.”
Krissie got married amidst the pain of losing her mother and made her own wedding cake, Love & Strength.
“It was the first time I ever made a cake without my mom being present, but she was in my thoughts guiding me along every step of the way,” she said.
“It was a remarkable experience as I had questioned whether I had the ability to complete it on my own. The result of the wedding cake showed me that I was ready and able to move forward with the business to keep her sweet spirit alive.
“Another feat was making my tallest cake of five feet, Tower of Love.
“My mom built her legacy on sponge cake and cheesecake. One of her main hopes was that I would continue to follow in her footsteps. It was a topic she spoke about quite often. I just never anticipated that it would present itself so soon,” Krissie said.
She hopes to live up to and surpass her mother’s expectations. She now specializes in themed cakes carrying on the legacy.
More information about the business can be found online atFacebook @Cheryl’s Delectable Bakehouse; Instagram @cdbakehouse; email: cdbakehouse@hotmail.com; call (868) 384.7018.