14 September 2009 NYSE Opening Bell 'Ace of Cakes'

Chef Duff Goldman of Food Networks Ace of Cakes rings The Opening BellSM.

Shaping cakes with drill saws and blowtorches, and staffing his bakery with fellow rock musicians, he's not your typical baker. However, he's one of the most sought-after decorative cake makers in the country. Every week at Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, Duff and his team of artists try to meet the demands of creating up to 20 cakes a week, some of which take up to 29 hours to build! From a tilted Dr. Seuss-like seven-tiered wedding cake to an almost perfect replica of Wrigley Field, Duff can build it. Go behind the scenes to see how he and his fellow cake bakers dish up sugar and spice in the most unexpected and entertaining ways.


Charm City Cakes was started in March of 2000 when Chef Duff had tired of wandering the country and decided to settle in Baltimore. At first, Chef Duff was just making a few cakes for friends and family, but as word got out about his uncommon creations, business picked up fast. In March of 2002, Chef Duff was getting so inundated with cake orders that he decided to fling off the oppression of his day job and make cake baking his full time gig! He quickly outgrew his home kitchen and two bakeries; in August of 2005 he bought a 6,000 square foot cake compound in Baltimore. Today, Charm City Cakes has grown to a staff of sixteen friends who make cakes, listen to music, and eat a lot of sushi.

Here at Charm City Cakes, we are motivated by constantly trying to outdo ourselves by making cakes that are beautiful, challenging, and as out-of-the-ordinary as possible! Our inspiration comes from everywhere: art, fabric, furniture, architecture, landscapes, science, music, anything! Most of all, our inspiration comes from you! Each cake is individually designed to match you, your personality, and the theme of the occasion you are celebrating.

We only have one rule at Charm City Cakes, and that is whatever we do, we must have fun! Charm City Cakes is a very relaxed, creative environment - and that spirit is reflected in every cake we bake. Our staff is a ragtag group of musicians, artists, and creative souls with experience in architectural modeling, graphic design, sculpture, painting, DJ-ing, coffee slingin', performance art, massage therapy, and waitressing. Our designs are unique, our flavors are unusual and delicious, and our demeanor is chill but professional. Our cakes are all individually baked to order, and every cake is always fresh, never frozen. We have over 40 flavors, and experiment with new ones all the time - - if you don't see it on our list, don't be afraid to ask, 'cause we can probably make it.

There are no limits to what we can do here at Charm City Cakes. You dream it, we'll bake it, you eat it. (Source: Food Network)