Originally Published February 21, 2024
The story of TC Bakery is more than just a tasty tale of cakes and muffins found at locations all around Tallahassee. It’s about the owner and head baker, Jennifer Young. With support from her family and the desire to create delicious food, Young battled through postpartum depression to build a business that not only has treats flying off the shelves but also flying around the country.
She’s been called the Cake Lady and Miss TC. but her real name is Jennifer Young. Young is the owner and Chief Baking Officer of TC Bakery. She says the name of the business originated with her sister.
“So in the beginning I was telling my sister that I needed a catchy name and she was like ‘Oh you tailored the confections to their tastebuds.’ And I was like, “Okay, girl!” grins Young. She started calling it Tailored Confections, but as the business grew, she shortened it to TC Bakery. “Now I’m known as Miss TC which has nothing to do with my name,” laughs Young.
A Labor of Love
Creating the bakery has been a labor of love for Young. In fact, it grew out of her own labor pains. Young has 4 children and the youngest are beautiful twin girls. Young says after the twins were born she went through a horrible battle with postpartum depression. She said it was then she decided to start baking to help her deal with the pressures of life at work and home. “I’m like, ‘okay, I need something just for me’ and so baking was that for me.”
It started as a side hustle, but soon, Young quit her job as a grant manager for the State of Florida. She said she started having trouble concentrating at work. “I can’t think of anything else but cake. I can’t go anywhere in the state because they’re like, ‘You’re the cake lady!’ Everyone was talking about cake.”
Word of Mouth builds TC Bakery
TC Bakery grew quickly. Southwood Sweets, then Red Eye Coffee, and then Smoothie Time began calling Young to stock her confections at their businesses. But Young hit the big time when the Tallahassee International Airport contacted her. Young says as soon as she walked into the airport, someone spotted her TC Bakery shirt. Young recalls the moment excitedly, “And they’re like “You coming in here? I’m like, ‘Yeah!’”
Young’s bakery became the first black woman-owned business at the Tallahassee airport. People now pick up her cakes once they get through security and take them as they fly off all around the country. “Now I have people in Ohio and Charlotte and these different areas around the country saying ‘Hey, I’ve had your product and I got it from Tallahassee Airport.’ That has catapulted the business to another level,” says an amazed Young.
Young says she’s surprised at the success, but says her family always believed in her, especially her late father. “He would speak things into me when I didn’t even believe in myself.” She says an hour before he died, he told her “Baby, you’re going to be a household name.’”
He was right.
Check out the full video at the top of the page to hear more of Jennifer Young’s amazing story and how her father influenced her life.
Producer’s Inside Look
by Freddie Hall
Jennifer has muffins, cakes, pies, and more that have put smiles on the faces of many people in this region. To us, it’s hard work and a job, but to her it’s family and passion!
I feel that TC Bakery has one of the sweetest and most wonderful stories coming out of Tallahassee lately. Jennifer Young has been gracing this city with her baked goods for years. As the video and article show you, she has come through so many challenges in her childhood and young adult years, but she always has pushed through to make this vision happen. Jennifer also became the first Black woman-owned business in the Tallahassee International Airport. A feat like that is something she didn’t even try to achieve, it happened because she initially wanted to create something special for herself and now wants to create something special for others. This business is something she holds near and dear, and it has deep roots in her family.
Alexander Campbell
Alexander Campbell is a Camera Technician and Graphic Designer for WFSU Public Media. His responsibilities include operating studio and field cameras for live, remote, and prerecorded television and digital productions. Alexander also creates original graphics and animations for many of these projects. He serves as one of the producers and editors of WFSU’s “Spotlight” digital series. Alexander is also the Technical Director for many of the in-house video feeds of Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra concerts as well as many of the Florida State University College of Music concerts that are seen online.
Alexander has creative, design, technical, and live on-air experience that is constantly growing. He believes in creating compelling, timely work that pushes his skills and expands his knowledge.
Freddie Hall
Freddie Hall is a Camera Technician and Photojournalist for WFSU Public Media. One of the most notable projects he's helped produce is a digital series called Spotlight, which shines a light on local artistic and musical talent. Freddie earned a Bachelor of Arts in English at Florida State University and an Associate of Arts degree from Tallahassee Community College. As a kid, Freddie always loved movies and tv shows, as well as discovering how they are made. While attending Florida State University, Freddie interned with the Red Hills Motion Picture Releasing Company as part of FSU's Torchlight Program. This is where his love for production and writing began. Freddie’s work at WFSU has helped make those dreams come to life.
While with WFSU Freddie has helped to produce content for The Florida Department of Emergency Management, FSU's Board of Trustees, The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, and FSU’s College of Music. He's also worked on studio productions as a camera operator and audio engineer. As a Tallahassee native, Freddie loves to show his appreciation for the community through his photography skills. He works on the WFSU Local Routes photo project called “Now & Then” as one of the photographers and writers. It showcases various notable historic landmarks across our North Florida and South Georgia area.
