Today we’d like to introduce you to McKenzie Kenrick.
Hi McKenzie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started baking when I was 14 years old. I grew up in a very health-conscious household where desserts were a rare treat, so I became fascinated with figuring out how to make them myself. I loved science just as much as I loved creating, and baking felt like the perfect combination of both. There was something magical about taking simple ingredients, mixing them together in just the right way, and watching them transform into something completely new.
With the help of YouTube, I taught myself how to make tiered fondant cakes, macarons, cupcakes, and just about anything that challenged me. The more complicated the recipe, the more excited I was to try it. Baking quickly became my happy place—a space where I could get lost in the creative process and turn ordinary ingredients into something beautiful.
As I got older, I loved making desserts for my friends and family, and many people encouraged me to pursue culinary school. Although it was always my dream, I worried about whether I could build a stable career doing what I loved. Instead, I chose a more practical path. I earned a degree in advertising and marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship, believing those skills would help me build the business I dreamed of owning one day.
Then COVID changed everything. I found myself with a degree I wasn’t passionate about, applying for jobs that didn’t excite me, and feeling uncertain about my future. During that season, I naturally gravitated back to baking—the one thing that had always brought me joy. One day, while watching the Cooking Channel, I had a realization: I could do this. I could build a life around something I genuinely loved. The thought alone gave me butterflies. I realized that even if I failed, my love for baking would never disappear, and because of that, I could never truly fail.
The very next day, I started researching culinary schools. I moved back home to Michigan and enrolled in the pastry program at Schoolcraft College. For the next year, I balanced school while working as a pastry chef assistant. Some days I woke up at 2 a.m. to be at work by 4, spent 12 hours in the kitchen, and then came home to study late into the night. I didn’t have much of a social life, but for the first time, I felt completely alive. I had finally chosen a path that excited me, and I was determined to see it through.
I graduated with my pastry degree in April 2023, but a few months earlier, in January, I had already taken another leap by starting my baking page on social media. At first, it was simply a way to prove to myself that I could put myself out there creatively. It quickly became a passion project. While working full-time at For the Love of Sugar in Detroit, I spent my days off fulfilling custom cake orders and creating content for Instagram. I dreamed of one day earning a living not only from my cakes, but from sharing the creative process behind them. I believed that if I stayed consistent, eventually the right people would find my work.
Ironically, the moment that changed everything wasn’t the viral video I had imagined.
About a year later, one of my videos exploded online after I shared the story of a client who rejected a cake because I had accidentally gotten the colors wrong. Rather than waste the cake, I froze it, redecorated it, and sold it to another client. The internet was convinced I had committed the ultimate cake crime. Thousands of people criticized me for serving what they called a “hand-me-down” cake, and I genuinely thought I had lost everything I had worked so hard to build.
Instead, the opposite happened.
My audience grew, my business became more visible, and I realized something important: most people simply didn’t understand how professional cake artists work. Practices that are completely normal within the industry were unfamiliar to the general public. Rather than hiding from the criticism, I leaned into education. I began sharing more behind-the-scenes content, cake tips, and honest stories about running a cake business. I stopped fearing negative comments because I realized they often helped my videos reach even more people. More importantly, I found an incredible community of fellow bakers who understood, supported, and encouraged me. Hearing from young girls who told me they were inspired to start baking because of my content made every difficult moment worthwhile.
In 2025, I expanded my business by launching my first apron collection. It became another creative outlet and a natural extension of my brand. I wanted to design aprons that helped women feel beautiful while creating—pieces that celebrated femininity while embracing the joy of getting messy in the kitchen. Romanticizing the creative process has always been important to me, and bringing that vision to life through a physical product was incredibly rewarding. Designing, manufacturing, and launching my own collection taught me so much, and I’m excited to continue growing it in the years ahead.
Today, three years after starting Kitch by Kenz and two years after officially forming my LLC, I’m fortunate enough to create content full-time while making custom cakes from my home. Looking back at where I was just a few years ago—uncertain about my future and wondering if I was making the right decisions—it’s hard not to get emotional. Every message I receive from someone who tells me I’ve inspired them reminds me of the 14-year-old girl teaching herself to bake from YouTube videos. She would never have imagined that one day she’d be living this life, and I hope she’d be proud.
As I continue to grow, my biggest goal is to use this platform to make a positive impact beyond baking. I’d love to become more involved in charitable work, creating cakes for children, teens, and young adults in my community who could use a little extra joy. If there’s one thing I hope people take away from my story, it’s that creativity has the power to change lives. Mine certainly did. If I can continue inspiring others to create, dream bigger, and bring a little more magic into the world—one cake at a time—I know I’ll be exactly where I’m meant to be.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but looking back, I wouldn’t change it because every challenge taught me something I needed to learn.
One of the biggest obstacles was simply giving myself permission to pursue baking in the first place. Like many creatives, I worried about whether I could build a stable career doing something I loved, which is why I initially chose a more traditional college path. It took a lot of courage to trust that I could create a life that felt both fulfilling and financially sustainable.
Once I committed to that path, the work was relentless. While I was in culinary school, I balanced long shifts as a pastry chef assistant with classes and studying. Later, I was working full-time while taking custom cake orders on my days off and spending countless hours creating and editing content. There were many moments when I questioned whether all the hard work would ever pay off, but I kept reminding myself that consistency compounds over time.
One of the most unexpected challenges came after one of my videos went viral for the wrong reasons. I shared a behind-the-scenes story about redecorating a cake after a client rejected it, and the internet had a lot of opinions. At first, I was devastated. I thought I had ruined the business I had worked so hard to build. Instead, it became one of the biggest turning points in my career. It taught me not to fear criticism and reminded me that transparency and authenticity resonate with people far more than perfection ever could.
Today, I still face challenges, especially as a small business owner wearing so many different hats. On any given day, I’m not just a cake artist; I’m also a marketer, content creator, photographer, videographer, editor, customer service representative, product designer, and business owner. It can be overwhelming at times, but I genuinely love the process. Every challenge has helped shape both my business and who I am, and I think that’s what makes the journey so rewarding.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Today, I own Kitch by Kenz, a cake business and creative brand centered around inspiring people to fall in love with baking and creating through beautiful cake artistry, storytelling, and thoughtfully designed products that make creating feel magical.
While I still create custom cakes, my work has grown into so much more than that. I create educational and entertaining content for millions of people online, sharing everything from decorating techniques and recipes to the behind-the-scenes realities of running a cake business. I love pulling back the curtain and showing both the beautiful moments and the messy ones because I believe authenticity inspires people to pursue their own creative passions.
In 2025, I also launched my first apron collection, which was born from the idea that creativity should feel beautiful. I wanted to create aprons that flatter the feminine figure and help women feel confident while baking, painting, gardening, or doing anything creative. To me, those everyday moments deserve to feel special.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a specific cake or product—it’s the community that has formed around my work. Every time someone messages me saying they’ve tried baking for the first time because of one of my videos, gained the confidence to start a business, or rediscovered a creative hobby they had forgotten about, I feel like I’ve accomplished exactly what I set out to do.
I think what sets me apart is that my business has never been just about selling cakes. My goal has always been to tell stories, educate, and inspire. Whether I’m decorating an elaborate wedding cake, designing a new product, or sharing a behind-the-scenes moment online, I want people to walk away believing that creativity is something worth making time for. If I can help someone see creating as a source of joy rather than perfection, then I know I’m doing what I was meant to do.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are so many wonderful ways to support my business! If you’re local to Metro Detroit, I’d love to create a custom cake for your next celebration. If you’re outside of Michigan, you can still be part of my journey by following along on social media, @kitchbykenz, where I share decorating tutorials, recipes, behind-the-scenes moments, and the stories that come with building a creative business.
For fellow bakers and creators, I hope my content inspires you to try something new, pick up a piping bag, or simply enjoy the creative process a little more. I also have my apron collection available for anyone who wants to bring a little extra beauty and magic into their time in the kitchen.
I’m always excited to connect with brands that align with my values of creativity, quality, and inspiring others. Whether that’s through content creation, product collaborations, or creative campaigns, I love partnering with companies that genuinely believe in making people’s lives more joyful through creating.
Above all, the greatest way anyone can support me is simply by engaging with my work. Every comment, message, share, and story from someone who has been inspired to bake because of something I’ve created means more than I can put into words. Knowing that my work encourages others to create is the reason I do what I do, and I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has been part of this journey.
Pricing:
- Custom Celebration Cakes: Starting at approximately $110+ (pricing varies based on size, design, and complexity)
- Wedding Cakes: Custom quoted based on guest count and design.
- Once Upon an Apron Collection: $130 USD with free U.S. shipping.
- Brand Collaborations & Content Creation: Custom quotes available based on project scope and deliverables.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kitchbykenz.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kitchbykenz/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kitchbykenz
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kitchbykenz
