The Start of Something Sweet

For many, baking is a hobby. For Alicia Taylor, it’s a lifesaver. When her husband died unexpectedly in 2019, Alicia was faced with the urgent need to provide for her household. The mother of two turned to her childhood pastime to provide for her family. She is now celebrating three years as the sole owner and operator of Rori Paige Sweets.

“My grandmother baked cakes back before it was cool,” Alicia said. “I remember sitting at the bar in her kitchen while she was decorating cakes for people, and I fell in love with it. My grandma and my mother taught me all that I know.”

Alicia credits a casual Facebook post for fueling her business idea. “One day I posted a cake I had made on my personal Facebook page,” she said. “It got a lot of attention and comments and it really got my mind going. I thought, ‘Why not?’ And that’s how it started.”

Though opening a business at the beginning of a pandemic sounds daunting, Alicia says Oklahoma’s amended Cottage Food Law and an influx of Valentine’s Day orders gave her a strong start. “It was a steady take off because Valentine’s Day is a big one for bakers,” Alicia said. “Spring slowed a bit, but by summer I started doing letter and number cakes, which have become my specialty.”

Building from her grandmother’s sheet cake creations, Alicia has adapted her skillset to meet modern trends and demands. Ornately decorated with flowers, French macarons and fruit, Alicia’s number and letter cakes are a festive way to celebrate birthdays and milestones. Her delicate chocolates, over-the-top cakes, and skillfully decorated desserts are beautiful to look at. Her steady flow of customers say they are delicious to eat.

In the colder months, Alicia’s hot chocolate bombs are a popular pick. She started making them in October of 2020, and by Christmas she had made over 2,000. Though tedious, Alicia says it is truly a labor of love. Alicia says Rori Paige Sweets, named after her 15-year-old daughter, saved her life after loss.

“Once you get past the shock of a tragedy, you just get up and put one foot in front of the other. I didn’t have a choice,” Alicia explained. “Baking has always been a stress reliever for me, and through this business I’ve really found myself again.”

Alicia also enjoys how her baking opens the door to bless other people. “I am honored when someone contacts me to be a part of any celebration in their life,” she said. “It’s just my thing. Some people have art. Some people have music. I have baking.”

Find Alicia’s pies, cakes, cookies and more on her website roripaigesweets.com, on Facebook @RPSweets, or Instagram @RoriPaigeSweets.