Dawn Debuts ‘Cake Boss’-inspired Creations

Dawn Foods and Discovery Communications Inc. have formed a licensing agreement to create a line of ready-to-sell cakes inspired by the popular TLC series “Cake Boss.”

Master baker, cake decorator and “Cake Boss” star Buddy Valastro worked closely with Jackson, Mich.-based Dawn to create a selection of celebration and dessert cakes based on his personal recipes and designs featured on the show.

In tandem with the return of new episodes for the series’ fifth season, a selection of buttercream iced cakes will roll out this summer at bakeries, grocery stores and warehouse clubs nationwide, followed in the fall by fondant iced cakes -- marking the first time fondant has been used in mass production in the United States. The ready-to-sell cakes and cupcakes will be available year-round in a variety of designs and flavors. Additionally, the “Cake Boss”-branded cakes and packaging will incorporate the traditional charm of Valastro’s business, Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken N.J.

“I have been working hand-in-hand with Dawn Foods to recreate some of my popular designs from the show in local bakeries and supermarkets,” said Valastro (left), a fourth-generation baker. “The ready-to-sell cakes are perfect for fans of the show who want to taste one of my cakes, but may not be able to visit Carlo’s Bakery.”

Added Dawn U.S. bakery products president Kirk Trofholz, “At Dawn, we are always looking for innovative concepts to bring value to the in-store bakery, and this is exactly the kind of thing that gets our customers excited.”

Although the partnership is a new venture for all parties, the connection between Dawn and Valastro is well-established: Carlo’s Bakery has used the company as a supplier of bakery ingredients for more than two decades

The Dawn deal for “Cake Boss” was brokered on behalf of Silver Spring, Md.-based Discovery Communications by Big Tent Entertainment, the New York-based North American licensing agent for the TLC brand.