Baked by Melissa

Baked by Melissa was founded in 2008 in New York City by mom and baker Melissa Ben-Ishay. She always had a passion for baking cupcakes for herself and her friends, and after being fired from a job she wasn’t passionate about, she decided to take a chance at starting her own business. A few random lucky events landed her a tasting with a famous New York City caterer. The caterer loved her cupcakes and she started selling at a pop-up and at events and holiday markets in the city, eventually opening her first retail location, which was a pick-up window in the Soho neighborhood. Today, Baked by Melissa has 14 retail locations and ships nationwide through its website. She’s also written a baking cookbook with over 120 recipes for cakes, fillings, toppings and icings.