By Sylvie McCarthy
Divine Dessert by Tamara is a locally owned bakery on the Westside of Jacksonville that has been in business since 2019.
Tamara King, owner of Divine Dessert, knew from a young age that she had an interest in baking and a desire to make people happy.
“When my grandmothers would bake around the holidays and we would have family gatherings, I noticed how everyone really enjoyed that,” she said.
Originally from New Jersey, King grew up around a lot of bakeries. She and her sister would often walk to a neighborhood bakery to look at all the beautifully decorated cupcakes.
After enlisting in the Marine Corps, King was stationed in California where she met her husband Eric, who was also in the Marine Corps.
The couple eventually got stationed in Colorado where King attended Pikes Peak Community College. At Pikes Peak, King began working towards an associate’s degree and a baking certificate.
“That was one of the best years of my life because there is something about being around other creators and learning different skills. It was a lot of fun,” she said.
After King’s husband retired from the Marine Corps, the couple moved to Jacksonville in 2012. King started taking cake-decorating classes after giving birth to her first daughter.
“With baking and cake decorating you have to keep at it. Even now I love to learn new techniques and skills,” King said.
King knew she had been blessed with a gift and was determined not to waste it. She continued refining her baking skills, and in 2019 she opened her own bakery.
Since 2019, King has done about six weddings and several baby showers and gender reveals. She has also made a lot of birthday cakes. Her bakery offers specialty cakes, including pound cake with different flavors including strawberry, lemon and chocolate. She also offers different fillings, including cream cheese, lemon curd, passion fruit curd and cookies and cream. King has also made several cupcake bouquets.
Within the last couple of years, King has started doing wedding expos where she offers cake samples and answers any questions potential clients may have. Her next wedding expo will be on Feb. 28 at Mayport Naval Air Station from noon to 3 p.m. She will also be at the Clay Bridal Expo at the Thrasher-Horne Center on March 8.
If you are interested in learning more about Divine Dessert by Tamara or to set up a consultation, go to www.divinedessertbytamara.com