In the words of girl group sensation, Seduction, “it takes two to make a thing go right,” and that it did for Cake Canteen. Baked out of the desire for ‘collaboration over competition’, Nikki Albertyn of Sweet LionHeart and Jandri van Zyl of The Velvet Cake Co. joined forces to create Cape Town’s cutest cake emporium. Since the grand opening at the Hertex Fabrics Bellville Showroom last year, their confectioneries have been selling like hotcakes – in fact, they’ve just launched their second branch in Gardens, merely months later! We chat with Nikki and Jandri from Cake Canteen about their drool-worthy cakes, the beauty of collaboration, and what it’s like serving success on a silver platter.

How did Cake Canteen come to life? Give us the juicy deets.

Jandri: Cake Canteen emerged from twelve years of experience, where lessons from past mistakes were crucial – I began as a young entrepreneur in a very competitive market; I had to learn fast! So, when Hertex Fabrics approached me in August 2023, with the proposal to open a cake shop at their beautiful showroom in Bellville, the idea intrigued me. While a sit-down cake shop wasn’t initially part of my plans, I contemplated the concept of a collaborative cake space, and the very first cake company I envisioned working with was my cake crush, Sweet LionHeart.

I reached out to Nikki on Instagram and proposed a “crazy idea,” to which she said “YES!” Fast forward to 1 November 2023, and Cake Canteen officially came to life.

Collaborations aren’t unique, but we rarely see them between strong competitors; why did you want to join forces?

Jandri: The exact idea was that two strong female entrepreneurs are better than one. We envisioned a space where we could share our expertise, with both of us being well-acquainted with the cake industry after many years.

Sweet LionHeart and The Velvet Cake Co. both have unique brand identities. When it comes to Cake Canteen, how do you ensure that they don’t overpower each other?

Nikki: Both Sweet LionHeart and The Velvet Cake Co. embrace a culture of openness and collaboration, creating a seamless integration within Cake Canteen.

This symbiotic relationship is fostered by a shared understanding that there is enough space for each brand’s unique identity, each attracting its dedicated fan base. By joining forces, we’re not only introducing each of our followers to something novel and distinctive, but also tempting them to explore the other brand.

We approach the collab with careful curation of designs and flavours from both The Velvet Cake Co. and Sweet LionHeart – this certainly contributes to the harmonious blend and ensures that each creation retains its individual charm, while complementing the other. The decision to house both brands within Cake Canteen further reinforces a sense of unity, allowing them to coexist and thrive together, while creating a fun and cohesive experience for customers.

From your drool-worthy cakes and cookies to your Instagram feed, everything oozes yumminess. What’s your secret to running Cape Town’s cutest cake emporium?

Nikki: I would say the key lies in a strategic combination of company culture and customer experience – these are two of the pivotal elements we constantly work on.

Fostering a company culture that champions collaboration, idea sharing and a positive attitude towards our work has been instrumental. We believe in channelling feedback into catalysts for positive change, ensuring a continuous commitment to improving the customer experience. This dual focus not only inspires us to keep improving and innovating, but also shapes an environment where creativity thrives and customer satisfaction comes first.

Cake Canteen hosts birthday celebrations, kitchen teas, book clubs, and more. Was it part of the initial plan?

Jandri: I wouldn’t say it wasn’t part of the plan, however, we wanted the customers to guide us a bit in how they would like to use the space and our offerings. It just so happened that small bookings of ten were very popular.

The Hertex Fabrics Bellville Showroom location is sort of a ‘coming home’ for The Velvet Cake Co. How does it feel to be back with Cake Canteen this time?

Jandri: It’s a kind of full-circle moment; Hertex Fabrics Bellville is the location where all my cake dreams began. At 25 (about ten years ago), I got the opportunity to open my first little cake shop inside their beautiful showroom. That’s where I dreamt up most of The Velvet Cake Co. menu. Fast forward to today, a better, stronger Cake Canteen continues the legacy.

With lots of lessons learned along the way, I am now ready to take the sit-down cake shop to the next level. I thought I would stay in the online space and never return to the ‘coffee shop space’, but unfortunately (or fortunately), it’s in my blood – it’s what I know.

You both run successful businesses; do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to break into the food industry?

Jandri: The most valuable advice I can offer is to go easy on yourself. You can only navigate a situation with the skills and knowledge you possess at that moment. Giving advice is simple, but every person’s entrepreneurial journey is unique. The motivation for becoming an entrepreneur varies for each individual — discover your ‘why’ and let it be your guiding light.

Nikki: I second Jandri on this one! I might also add that understanding food costing and what you need to charge to build a sustainable business is incredibly important as well.

You’ve just launched your second Cake Canteen store at the Hertex Fabrics Showroom in Gardens – congratulations! Is the mission to take over Cape Town? *Asking for a friend (me).

Nikki: Haha, we love how hungry Cape Town is for cake! All we can say is that Cake Canteen is housed within Hertex, and there are quite a few Hertex’s around…

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Just For Fun…

This is a popular meme doing the rounds on socials – tell us what it’s really like…

Jandri: LOL, I love this – it’s not for the faint of heart, that I can tell you.

Nikki: Uhm, YES! Can we add “also a Cat Café” to this? But seriously, I love how this idea connects with people all over the world. It just goes to show that everyone, no matter where they’re from, shares a love for creativity and beauty. At the end of the day, we all want similar things and this just really underpins that desire!

If you could have only one type of cake for the rest of your life, what flavour would it be?

Jandri: Lemon Meringue… is that a cake or a tart?

Nikki: Clementine cake – hands down!

What three items are in your baking pantry at all times?

Jandri: Palette knife, tin of Caramel Treat, piping bag.

Nikki: Turntable, buttercream, cake – I always have some backup in the freezer for when the craving hits!

Complete the sentence: The key to baking is …

Jandri: FUN!

Nikki: Precision! Weigh out your ingredients, always.

What’s your best baking hack?

Jandri: Bake each cake layer individually and don’t bake and cut – Nikki don’t steal this! *Jokes*

Nikki: Don’t try to do it all in one day. Make your frosting and fillings, and bake your cake the day before you frost your cake – and frost the day before the party! This is mostly relevant to moist cake sponges (like we work with), not a light chiffon cake, which typically is best served the day it’s baked.

What has been your career highlight to date?

Jandri: I’ve experienced many, from receiving the Canal Walk Retailer of the Year (2019) award to creating epic amounts of cakes over the last twelve years. I feel privileged to still be doing what I love, even through the last few tough years. Cake Canteen is also up there.

Nikki: Collaborating with my exceptional team to consistently improve on what we do!

Left to right: Nikki Albertyn, Jandri van Zyl (back); Natalie Pinto Lebotschy, Robyn Gamble (front).

*Follow @cake.canteen on Instagram for updates on their daily menu and all things yummy. 

Locations: Hertex Fabrics Cape Town Showroom, 87 Upper Buitenkant St, Gardens | Hertex Fabrics Bellville Showroom, 12 Bella Rosa St, Bellville, Cape Town | Hours: Mon-Fri: 08h00–17h00 & Sat: 09h00–14h00 | Email for bookings