Candace Nelson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Candace Nelson
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| Born | May 8, 1974 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Wesleyan University |
| Occupation | Businesswoman, pastry chef, television personality |
Candace Nelson (born May 8, 1974) is an American pastry chef who is famous for her delicious cupcakes. She was born in Indonesia and is also a well-known judge on the TV shows Cupcake Wars and Sugar Rush.
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Early Life and Education
Candace Nelson grew up in Indonesia. A love for baking is part of her family's history. Her French-American grandmother was famous for the amazing desserts she made at her restaurant in San Francisco during the 1930s.
Candace went to top schools, including Groton School and Wesleyan University. After college, she decided to become a professional baker and attended Tante Marie's Professional Pastry Program in San Francisco.
Before she started her baking career, Candace and her husband, Charles, worked in finance as investment bankers. When many internet companies started to lose money, an event known as the dot-com bust, Candace chose a new path. She decided to follow her passion for baking and started a custom cake business from her home.
Sprinkles: The First Cupcake Bakery
Candace and her husband moved to Los Angeles and decided to focus only on making cupcakes. On April 13, 2005, they opened Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills, California. It was the world's first bakery that only sold cupcakes!
At the time, many people were on low-carb diets and avoiding sweets, so some thought a cupcake shop was a bad idea. But the Nelsons sold 2,000 cupcakes in their very first week.
What Makes Sprinkles Special?
Candace is known for her creative and high-quality cupcakes. She uses the best ingredients, like rich butter, pure vanilla, and fine chocolate. She also makes special cupcakes for people with different diets, such as vegan and gluten-free options. She even created cupcakes just for dogs!
The stores have a modern and simple look. The famous Sprinkles logo was designed by someone who used to work for Martha Stewart.
Growing the Cupcake Empire
Sprinkles became very popular and now has 22 stores across the United States. The company also has a traveling cupcake truck called the "Sprinklesmobile."
In 2012, Candace came up with a fun idea: the Cupcake ATM. It's a machine that lets you buy a fresh cupcake any time of day, just like getting money from an ATM. This idea came to her when she was pregnant and wanted a cupcake late at night. There are now 38 Cupcake ATMs in the country.
Many celebrities are fans of Sprinkles, including Oprah Winfrey, Blake Lively, Katie Holmes, and Serena Williams. In 2014, Candace Nelson sold Sprinkles to another company.
A Star on Food Shows
Candace Nelson is a familiar face on television. She is a judge on the popular baking competition show Cupcake Wars. She was also a judge and executive producer for the Netflix series Sugar Rush.
She has appeared on many other food shows, including:
- The Best Thing I Ever Ate
- The Chef Show
- Throwdown with Bobby Flay
Candace has also been featured on programs like the The Today Show and in magazines like People magazine. Her famous cupcakes have been highlighted on The Oprah Winfrey Show and in The New York Times.
Other Food Adventures
Besides cupcakes, Candace is a co-founder of Pizzana. It is a popular restaurant chain that serves a special style of pizza called Neo-Neapolitan.
She is also an author. She wrote The Sprinkles Baking Book and Sweet Success to share her recipes and business tips with the world.
Personal Life
Candace Nelson lives with her family in Los Angeles, California, and Sun Valley, Idaho. She has two sons. Her beautiful home in Sun Valley was even featured in the magazine Elle Decor.
