Cake Man Raven facts for kids
Raven Patrick De'Sean Dennis III (born in 1967) is a famous American baker. He is much better known by his nickname, Cake Man Raven. He used to own a popular bakery called Cake Man Raven Confectionery in Brooklyn. Now, his bakery is located in Harlem, New York City. Many people say he is the best at making red velvet cake in America. He even helped make red velvet cake a popular dessert in Brooklyn!
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Early Life and Learning
Raven Dennis was born in Harlem, New York City. His love for baking started when he was young. He lived with his grandmother, Evelyn Nowlin Murrelle, in South Carolina. She was his inspiration to bake.
He baked his very first cake when he was only nine years old. By the time he was 13, he sold his first cakes! His school secretary bought two coconut pies from him.
Raven went to Mount Pleasant High School. He graduated in 1985. Even before graduating, he was busy with baking. He joined cake shows and competitions all over South Carolina. He also took part in business competitions. His business plan won top awards in 1984 and 1985. This helped him earn a scholarship for college. He got the nickname "Cake Man Raven" from a newspaper article.
He later studied at Johnson & Wales University and Brown University. Both of these colleges are in Providence, Rhode Island.
Starting His Career
After college, Cake Man Raven moved back to Harlem. He started baking cakes, especially for children's birthday parties. He even started his own cake business called "All Occasion Cakes."
He also has a talent for carving ice sculptures. His ice sculptures have been shown in famous places. These include the Windows of the World at the former World Trade Center. His work was also featured at the Grammy Award ceremonies in 1986 and 1988.
His Famous Bakery
Cake Man Raven baked full-time in Harlem for a while. Then, in 2000, he opened his own shop. It was called the Cake Man Raven Confectionery. It was located on Fulton Street in Brooklyn. There, he sold his famous red velvet cake and many other delicious cakes.
Many famous people have enjoyed his cakes. These include Bill Cosby, Jay-Z, Katie Couric, Michael Bloomberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Morgan Freeman, and Patti LaBelle. He has also been on national TV shows like The View and Good Morning America.
In 2002, when Marty Markowitz became the Brooklyn Borough President, Cake Man Raven baked a special cake. It was shaped like the Brooklyn Borough Hall for the inauguration party!
Amazing Cake Creations
Cake Man Raven is known for making huge, detailed cakes.
- He made a giant wedding cake for the TV show Bridezillas.
- In 2003, he baked a huge cake of the Brooklyn Bridge. It was seven feet tall and 12 feet long! It took 20 people five days to put it together.
- For Mary J. Blige's birthday, he made a four-foot-wide cake. It had edible symbols of her career and life.
- He baked a cake shaped like a Bible for Al Sharpton.
- For Cab Calloway, he made a cake shaped like a grand piano.
- When Jam Master Jay passed away in 2002, Cake Man Raven baked a cake shaped like a large Adidas sneaker.
- In 2005, he created the world's tallest wedding cake. This amazing sponge cake was 15 feet high and weighed 5,000 pounds! It was big enough to feed 30,000 people. This giant cake was shown on ABC's Good Morning America.
- In 2008, Raven appeared on the Food Network show Throwdown! with Bobby Flay.
Moving the Bakery
In 2012, the owner of the building where the Brooklyn bakery was located wanted to raise the rent. After 12 years, Cake Man Raven moved his store. He now operates out of his baking facility in Cypress Hills.
