With bright turquoise eyeshadow and a beaming smile, Liz Nagel makes a bold impression. The creative talent is a baker, sculptor, artist, and LGBTQIA advocate impacting the Central Coast community in a beautiful way simply by being herself. Three decades of baking have taught Liz (fondly known as The Cakestress) a thing or two about delighting people, as evidenced by her stunning under the sea creation.

Liz has long been fascinated with oceans and her face lights up when asked about the imaginative cake, “Baking gives me an indescribable amount of joy. When I go into the kitchen and put on my apron, suddenly it’s like magic. I’m alive. There isn’t anything else I can think of doing.” 

Liz completes her works of art from scratch. All details are done free hand to ensure each piece is unique with a character all its own. “I was really into ceramics and clay when I was little. I need touch as a tactile learner. When I discovered modeling chocolate and fondant it translated naturally into sculpting.” 

In her edible ode to the ocean, Liz started with multiple sketches before sculpting the body of the whale from Rice Krispies treats. From there she covered the whale in a layer of ganache and set structural pins in place. After drying overnight, Liz covered it in two layers of sugar paste before carving eyes and lines. Then it was on to sculpting the fins, which she attached to the body with fresh sugar paste to hold its shape. To achieve the illusion of waves, Liz added diagonal ruffles across the base of the cake. Finally, she hand-painted a water color blend of blues for texture. 

Icing on the Cake: Meet baker Liz Nagel
and her tribute to the sea

WORDS BY CHRISTY wolff
PHOTOS BY Hugo martinez

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Originally published in Edible SLO Magazine. 

What advice would you share with someone looking to make a career change? 
“If you’re unhappy, learn a new skill. Learn a new language. Plan a trip - even if you don’t have the resources to go there yet. Dive into whatever you’re doing 100%. If you’re miserable, quit. Quitters are awesome. Don’t be afraid to quit until you find your thing.” 

Beyond cake, what’s your favorite canvas? 
“Sugar cookies are magical. Flat and smooth, you can do anything with them. Macarons (aka macs) are fun too! I recently took a hand lettering class from Raina of Fête & Quill and that’s allowed me to try new designs.” 

What do you love to bake right now? 
“One of my favorite things ever to make is a dark chocolate avocado cheesecake brownie. It’s delicious. You just gotta try it.” 

Surprisingly, baking was a hobby for Liz until recently. For years she would come home from the office and stay up mixing, baking, and decorating until the early hours of the morning. “I was a queer kid growing up in Atascadero in the 90s. It never occured to me that I could be creative as a job. I was herded into office work.” Not anymore. Liz is now a full-time baker doing what she loves. 

She shares, “Growing up it was very much a culture of, ‘You can be queer, but please don’t be queer out loud.’ It’s cool to see how much has changed in the past few decades. Now we’re creating a really amazing queer community here in San Luis Obispo County. I belong to the Queer Crowd. We’re a social politically active queer group. Members include the founders of SLO Queerdos - a totally rad local drag troupe. We’re inclusive - all are welcome.” 

Smitten with Parisian culture and 1960s cookbooks, she’s a quick learner who adapts well to change. A single parent, Liz’s daughter inspires her, “My kid is my world. I love her so much. She’s what keeps me going.” 

Today Liz shares her skills and enthusiasm at Libby Ryan’s renowned Just Baked cake studio and bakery in Santa Margarita, located directly next to the Ancient Peaks tasting room and restaurant at 22730 El Camino Real, Suite A. Hungry visitors will find her frosting Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10:00am to 5:00pm. 

ASK LIZ 

What advice would you share with someone looking to make a career change? 




Beyond cake, what’s your favorite canvas? 



What do you love to bake right now? 

MISC. QUOTES

“I’m lucky enough to have found a career I love.”
“I talk to my art, including this whale. She took on her own identity like a living breathing thing.” 
“I love the work and I get really attached to projects. As a creative, I’ll do anything to make it work.” 
“Whales swim, sing, and play all day - they have the life.”

WEB DESIGN + PHOTOGRAPHY: Kendra Aronson Creative Studio

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