IQALUIT
Flour, egg-whites, baking powder, sugar and romance are a recipe for a successful bakery in Iqaluit.

Sadie Vincent-Wolfe of I Like Cake puts icing on a fresh tray of cupcakes last week. The company celebrated its one-year anniversary on Feb. 28. - Laura Busch/NNSL photo

Intimacy peaks in January and September for many Nunavumiut couples, according to baker Sadie Vincent-Wolfe, and that is good for her one-year-old family eatery, I Like Cakes.

"June and October are way off the charts for birthday cakes compared to other months," she said. "It seems like everybody's got a birthday in those months."

The high birthrate in Iqaluit keeps her, her husband, Pierre Wolfe, and niece Angela Wolfe busy year-round, bringing in an average of six to 10 birthday cake orders per week.

About 60 per cent of the territory's young population, the youngest in Canada, are under age 25, meaning there are always a few wedding cake orders on the horizon, as well.

"I really, really like doing wedding cakes. There's so much detail and so much effort put into them for that special day that somebody's going to share with their other half," she said.

Married 10 years, Vincent-Wolfe and Wolfe began their baking business downtown in a 211-square-metre venue in Tumiit Plaza. Vincent Wolfe, a former assistant manager at Baffin Building Systems hardware store, transformed the former office space into a kitchen and dining room himself.

The business was launched with a grant from the Kakivak Association, where Vincent-Wolfe used to work as a youth project officer, and a loan and grant from the Baffin Business Development Corporation.

"It's been phenomenal," Vincent-Wolfe said of their first year in business. "We only started with treats and cupcakes and squares and cookies and one day we had one of our customers say, 'Would you be interested in catering?' So, we said, 'Well, sure, we'll try it.'"

Their first catering job for 25 guests last summer has grown into a busy catering business. During the Christmas holidays, the family served turkey feasts to between 70 and 100 guests for a few corporate staff parties.

In September, the business introduced an ever-expanding lunch menu, serving soups, vegetarian and meat-based; pizzas, regular and gluten-free crusts; salads and "bunwiches." Vegan and gluten-free cakes are made to order.

"We make everything fresh from scratch. We keep it fun," she said.

Equipment investments early last year included the installation of an almost two-and-a-half-metre-tall oven that can cook 30 pizzas in 15 minutes, "a fleet" of slow cookers to warm homemade soups, and an airbrush and edible-paper printer for custom cake designs.

"We're increasingly growing, increasingly bringing in regulars and bringing in new people," she said. "It's becoming impossible to keep stock. It's wonderful. It's constantly on the go in here."

Many of their customers come from the communities, either requesting a fresh cake be frozen and shipped or dropping by in person during a visit to the capital.

"Out of town people come in and bring stuff home for people they love," Vincent-Wolfe said.

Even a few southern tourists have come in to the shop, saying they heard good things about the food from friends who had visited back home.

The catering contracts and daily lunch specials keep the trio very busy, but no one is complaining about the workload.

"Since catering has been booming so much, I'm usually here at 7:45 a.m. and we open at 9 a.m. and we're usually here until 8 or 9 p.m. in the evening," Vincent-Wolfe said, adding she may hire another full-time staff member later this year. "I think catering is going to continue to grow, which I really enjoy a lot. The rush of having it there on time hot and ready to go is a lot of fun."

As long as Nunavummiut continue having babies and falling in love, the business seems to have a bright future. The family acknowledged the importance of love to their business model last month.

"We made some handmade chocolates on Valentine's Day. They were a big hit," she said.

The family thanked customers for their business on their one-year anniversary last week, giving away free coffee and cake throughout the day.

"We just want to thank everybody in Nunavut for their support," she said, adding the company is eager to do more to serve their needs. "Don't be shy to approach us. We're easy going and open to new challenges."