Dr. Nneka Onuma, cake designer, baker and owner of Sweet Heaven by Nne, who is known for her jaw-droppingly artistic and delicious cakes, has taken on a new project this year – to create cake replicas of several Minnesota landmarks.
She’s launched Sweet Heaven Minnesota, a campaign to make cakes resembling landmarks in collaboration with Zandolee Media owner, Ryan Daniel, an award-winning wedding videographer and photographer. Their hope is to build local good will around the state and create new connections along the way.
“If people come across cool monuments that would be a great addition to the project, please reach out and let us know,” said Onuma, who is open to ideas.
The pair, who met at a networking group for BIPOC wedding vendors, baked up the campaign to help celebrate their beloved state, and spread positivity, fun, joy and inspiration to others. Their vision is to feature both well-known and lesser-known landmarks as part of their endeavor.
“As immigrants, we raised our families here and the state has given us so much – we wanted to create something that will inspire the state,” said Daniel. “We said why not go to various landmarks and have cakes there and let people interact with her (Nneka’s) artwork.”
Onuma plans to use different cake design techniques along the way as she designs each frosted landmark. Her first landmark cake creation is the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and incorporates 3-D cake toppers as part of the design.
Her second landmark cake features the Carlitos Brown statue, located on Cesar Chavez Street outside the Boca Chico Taco House in St. Paul. Video of the landmark cakes can be seen on Onuma’s Instagram page @sweetheavenbynne.
Onuma is a second-generation Nigerian American immigrant, and Daniel is a first-generation immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago. Both have a shared desire to celebrate the state through cakes, and an ambition to travel to a variety of Minnesota landmarks, statues and monuments to create cakes of them.
“Part of what gives me joy is elevating brands of other diverse creatives,” said Daniel, who is a sought-after vendor in the Minnesota wedding scene. “I’ve seen Dr. Nneka around working, and she has a bold brand. As folks of color, we can be easily overlooked, so we decided to put our heads together and create something that would have broad value and help build her brand.”
Onuma and Daniel are open to partnering with sponsors to help cover some of the costs associated with their campaign efforts. They hope organizations or companies interested in collaborating on the project will reach out because they’d love to connect.
They’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback on the initial cake landmark creations, with many folks stopping to snap photos and chat with Onuma. While they won’t spill the beans on what the next landmark is going to be, they encourage fans to follow Onuma’s Instagram page for updates.
For the Sweet Heaven Minnesota project, all of the cakes are display cakes, and while Onuma is not making them for real edible purposes, the exterior of each cake is real buttercream.
“I’ve always made cakes – my cake designing started in high school when I worked at a local Dairy Queen in the Twin Cities, and took classes at a JOANN craft store,” said Onuma.
When Onuma isn’t designing cakes for all occasions or baking, she is busy being a mom and working full-time for Hennepin County. She has a PhD in multidisciplinary human services, and specializes in police and community engagement, working with families in crisis, youth in the foster care system and vulnerable adults and youth who are living with mental illness and disabilities.
Both she and Daniel are excited to participate in the broader narrative as Minnesotans and help build local good will for the state and its various landmarks.
For more information about Sweet Heaven Minnesota landmark cakes, follow Sweet Heaven by Nne on Facebook and Instagram.