The Sweetside, Seattle

While other children were out playing in the mud, Kara Burfeind was inside her kitchen, pawing through bowls of cake batter and flour. It was during those early years that Kara watched her mother transform recipes and ingredients and plain cakes into multi-tier masterpieces.

As an adult, and after a brief detour in public relations, Kara returned to her childhood passion and opened The SweetSide. There, she engineers transcendent cake designs for special occasions, as well as finger-friendly treats such as ice cream sandwiches, french macarons, and chocolate-covered pretzels. Kara's work has garnered much praise, too, including being named the winner of "Best Wedding Cakes" in 2015 by Seattle Bride Magazine and earning the honor of #1 Cakes in the 2012 Best of Western Washington awards.