Celebrity Cake Studio, a family‑owned bakery in Tacoma, Washington, has reopened the community space that was destroyed by an arson fire in 2024. Sisters Mary Ann Quitugua and Odette D’Aniello, who have been baking together since childhood, announced that their custom cake shop is once again hosting cake‑decorating classes.
The Quitugua‑D’Aniello family’s baking heritage began in the Philippines, continued in Guam, and eventually settled in Washington. “Our family migrated to Guam and helped our aunt and uncle with the bakery there,” Quitugua recalled. “We started our own family bakery in 1991, and then my sister and I moved to Washington in 1999.” After opening a shop in Lacey, the sisters and their cousin launched Celebrity Cake Studio in Tacoma, promoting themselves as the longest‑running custom cake bakery in the Pacific Northwest.
In addition to custom wedding and celebration cakes, the studio offers cupcakes, cookies, and a sister company, Dragonfly Cakes, which distributes petit fours and other treats to grocery stores. The business also served as a gathering place for local residents, offering hands‑on decorating lessons and community events.
Arson Attack and Rebuilding
“In 2024, that building was set on fire by arsonists,” said Odette D’Aniello. “Our building was completely demolished.” The loss forced the family to pause both the retail bakery and the educational space. The rebuilding effort took nearly two years, during which the owners described the experience as “devastating” because the studio had been a hub for the neighborhood.
New Space, New Opportunities
Now the renovated space is “way more beautiful” and “super functional for our teaching classes,” marketing director Milana D’Aniello said. The studio has already scheduled a weekend class where participants will learn to create a Highland cow cake, a nod to the region’s agricultural roots.
Local residents have expressed gratitude for the studio’s return. “It’s wonderful to have a place where families can learn a skill together and support a local business,” said a longtime customer who attended the reopening celebration.
Celebrity Cake Studio invites anyone interested in baking or cake decoration to visit their Tacoma location for classes, custom orders, or simply to enjoy a treat. More information, including class schedules and registration details, can be found on the studio’s website.
Original reporting: KIRO 7 (Tacoma / Pierce County stories) — read the source article.
