Mexican-style bakery no longer just online

Co-owner in Poulsbo hopes to expand to other parts of Kitsap

When Luis Montes and his family moved to Poulsbo a few years ago, they began selling custom cakes and pastries on social media but the demand was so high they now have a bakery on Viking Avenue.

Montes, 40, and his daughter Angela, 20, co-own Cake Studio Panaderia Mexicana, which opened in late June in the space that used to be 2 Brothers Deli. The new Mexican-style bakery has been a success as many community members have been recommending it to other people, Montes said.

Cake Studio offers seasonal and custom cakes, orejas (cinnamon sugar puff pastry), concha (Mexican sweet bread), bolillo (savory bread), Tres leches (sponge cake), and empanadas, among other baked goods. They also offer options for events such as birthday parties or weddings.

“We pride ourselves in our Mexican culture and our ability to replicate its most authentic flavors,” the bakery’s website states. “Our dream is to make others happy, and this is our way to achieve it.”

For now, Cake Studio is a family business of nine employees. In the future, once the COVID-19 pandemic has somewhat subsided, Montes wants to expand the bakery to other locations across Kitsap County, such as Bainbridge Island, Kingston and Bremerton. “This is a project,” he said.

While this is the first bakery Montes has opened, he’s been baking for about 27 years but said he has more experience with cakes than bread. Montes lived in Wyoming for several years., but upon arriving in Poulsbo, he and his family sold bakery items online while also working multiple other jobs each day.

“But as we got to know more and more people, our schedules were no longer sufficient, and we had to quit our day jobs,” the bakery’s website reads. “Today, we are blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people. Our friends, family, and neighbors encourage and inspire us to keep moving forward towards our family dream.”