Hi, I'm Tawonda!

It all started with a $600 Nintendo cake quote from a well-known bakery in Baltimore. As much as I admired their work, it simply wasn't in my budget. So I decided to make the cake myself.

After one cake decorating class and countless YouTube videos, I created my very first custom cake. It wasn't perfect, but my friend loved it and I was hooked.

What started as a way to make one birthday cake quickly grew into a passion for baking. Wanting to learn beyond cake decorating, I enrolled in the Baking and Pastry Arts program at Anne Arundel Community College.

There, I discovered what truly inspired me. I fell in love with artisan breads, laminated pastries, chocolates, confections, and the craftsmanship behind classic pastry techniques. That education gave me the foundation to grow from a self-taught cake decorator into a professionally trained pastry chef.

After graduating, I worked in bakeries and restaurants throughout the DC metro area, where I continued to refine my skills and deepen my appreciation for handcrafted baking.

Today, Sweet Treats DMV has evolved into what I always dreamed it could be: an artisan bakery focused on buttery croissants, seasonal pastries, fresh breads, cookies, and small-batch baked goods made from scratch. While custom cakes were an important part of my journey, my passion has always been creating exceptional pastries and breads that bring people together.

When I'm not in the kitchen, I'm spending time with my husband, John, our daughters Camryn and Torrei, our senior cat Doobie, and our goldfish, Caillou.

Thank you for being part of the Sweet Treats DMV story. I can't wait to share what's coming next.