Although well-known in south central Kentucky, Shanon Camille O’Banion’s bakery, Cakes by Camille, has acquired a national reputation. It all began in June 2018 when a casting agency for the Food Network’s Winner Cake All baking competition show discovered the Campbellsville business online. Impressed, a representative left Shanon a voicemail and email to ask if she would be interested in an audition.
Sweet Surprise
“I just about fell over,” Shanon recalled. Although “cautiously excited,” she first verified that the call and email were legitimate. When Andrea Harmon arrived for work at the bakery, she urged Shanon to call. An application, introductory video, and four or five telephone and online video interviews followed.
Around 6 p.m. on Aug. 1, 2018, Shanon received a call: “We need you to make us a cake by 2 p.m. tomorrow.” The sculpted cake required a superhero theme with a cape. Both Shanon and Andrea had birthday parties planned for their children. Back-to-school preparations for the women’s kids were in full swing. Their baker, Cheryl Mings, was out with a sick child. Shanon had gone home for the day, and Andrea was at church. However, they met at the store that evening to plan their design. They made the cake and sent their photo between attending to customers the next day. Appropriately, they chose “Mighty Mom” as their hero. She wore red lipstick and juggled multiple responsibilities, represented by a baby bottle, coffee mug, pile of laundry and smartphone.
Though they were excited, Shanon and Andrea were not allowed to tell anyone, other than immediate family, what was going on until network promotion began.
On Oct. 17, they flew to California to tape episode nine. The set for the show was “just as crazy as people imagine,” according to Shanon. Each of the four competing teams had one hour during the first round to make a feast-themed cake topper. Shanon and Andrea decided to go with “who we are—Southern and country.” Remembering their grandmothers’ Sunday dinners, their cake topper included fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread, dressed eggs and tomatoes. They survived the first team elimination.
However, they had no time to celebrate, with only five hours to create a Guy’s Grocery Games cake. Andrea, who had watched many of Guy Fieri’s shows, was thrilled with the theme. In spite of the pressure of a national television appearance, their time crunch, and uncertainty about on-site baking ingredients and supplies, Shanon said they had to overcome their fears and just do what they knew to do.
Because the filming took place in an outdoor tent, Shanon and Andrea refrigerated their individual cake pieces as soon as they made them. Otherwise, the Pacific Coast heat would have ruined the butter cream and fondant. Because they had to wait until the last minute to put their cake together, it looked like they had nothing to offer during most of the competition. The two other teams did not refrigerate. One suffered a major cake catastrophe; the other successfully regrouped and won the competition.
Andrea said that she and Shanon “wanted to make something their brand, city and families would be proud of, and I think we did that.” So did their audience. Although their cake did not win, it wowed the crowd.
Sweet Beginnings
Shanon worked in the auto industry until her son’s birth. For a brief time, she sold cooking supplies and worked in medical transcription. Then, the woman who was supposed to bake her son’s first birthday cake went out of town. Shanon, who had always enjoyed baking, decided to make the cake herself. Recalling her grandmother’s artistic flair with cakes, she released her creative DNA. The result: a three-tiered fondant cake with topper, followed by a never-ending flow of requests for her creations.
After she made around 100 cakes, baking and decorating supplies spilled from every drawer and door in Shanon’s kitchen. With a business management degree, she had hoped to own her own business eventually. She met Chef Buddy Valastro at a book signing. He looked at pictures of her work and encouraged her to follow her dream.
In 2012, with her husband Jonathan’s support, Shanon installed a commercial bakery in their basement. In February 2016, she moved to her first downtown Campbellsville store. Eleven months later, she set up shop at 111 East Main Street, her current location. Constructed in 1887, the building has an exposed brick interior and revitalized exterior that add to Main Street’s historic charm. Shanon’s brother, graphic design artist Jeffrey Mardis, chose Shanon’s middle name for her business title and design.
As Cakes by Camille grew, Shanon knew she needed help. Andrea, who had baked from home for about nine years, joined the Cakes by Camille team. With Cheryl’s baking talent added to the mix, satisfied customers keep spreading the word.
Sweet Dreams
Shanon never imagined such success. With calls for weddings and parties, plus a constant flow of walk-ins, Cakes by Camille has become the go-to business for community events. When the Taylor County Public Library celebrated its 40th anniversary, Cakes by Camille created a stack of classic books that appeared as ready to read as they did to eat. Former library Director Elaine Munday said, “Who could forget that cake? It was wonderful—so realistic and so fitting.” The Cakes by Camille team also made Campbellsville’s bicentennial cake with local scenes, signs, and buildings, and topped with the bicentennial seal.
Campbellsville recognized Cakes by Camille as its 2019 Business of the Year.
Winner Cake All gave Shanon and Andrea new perspectives and increased their confidence. “Shanon’s mind is always churning,” Andrea said. “Every day, we walk into something new.” As their fan base expands to other cities, they continue to experiment with new recipes, decorations and social media promotion.
“Who knows what 10 more years will hold—what God has in store?” Andrea said. Who knows, indeed? The bakery’s cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, cookie sandwiches, chocolate-dipped treats and more keep customers coming back to share in the sweet taste of success.
Cakes by Camille
111 East Main Street, Campbellsville, (270) 789-0672
cakesbycamille.com | info@cakesbycamille.com
Store Hours:
Tuesday–Friday, 10AM–5PM
Saturday, 10AM–2PM
Closed Sunday and Monday