Santa Maria Sun / Eats

Lompoc local Jayde Stamm offers unique cakes, cookies, and other baked goods through CBJ Studios

CALEB WISEBLOOD

I’ve seen every episode at least 10 times,” said Lompoc baker and entrepreneur Jayde Stamm, professing his fandom for the subject of one of his themed cookie sets, based on Avatar: The Last Airbender. Many of Stamm’s desserts tackle pop culture, from film, television, and literature—Jaws, The Office, Friends, Harry Potter—to music—Beyonce, Drake, and other artists.

Whether it’s cakes, cookies, or other baked specialties, each themed package either originates with Stamm, which he’ll offer on his website for patrons to pre-order, or comes from a customer’s direct commission.

Sweet tooth Find out more about CBJ Studios at cbjstudios.com or follow the company on Instagram (@cbjstudios).

JUMP THE SHARK “I do get quite a few pop culture requests, which are my favorite as traditional requests can get boring for me,” said Lompoc baker Jayde Stamm, founder of CBJ Studios. Many of Stamm’s desserts tackle pop culture, from films like Jaws to television shows like The Office and Friends. PHOTO COURTESY OF JAYDE STAMM

“I do get quite a few pop culture requests, which are my favorite, as traditional requests can get boring for me,” Stamm told the Sun. 

Stamm is the founder of CBJ Studios, which originated simply as Cakes By Jayde, hence the abbreviation. The name change came about when Stamm’s label, described as a creative suites company, evolved into more than just a local bakery. On cbjstudios.com, guests can peruse both edible and inedible commodities—including original clothing and other merchandise (with a fun motto: “Have your cake and wear it too”). 

At the beginning of last year, CBJ Studios was preparing to host its first set of hands-on, pop-up baking workshops, including Advanced Cake Decorating and a Sugar Cookie Master Class, before the pandemic put those plans to a screeching halt.

“In March, we had about three large workshops set up before they got canceled,” said Stamm, who hopes to offer a special to-go workshop kit later this spring for participants to complete from the comfort and safety of their own homes.

During the first few months of the pandemic, CBJ Studios barely received any orders, Stamm explained, which brought about an introspective outlook for both the company and himself.

INTROSPECTION “Since quarantine, I have struggled with the idea of doing nothing,” Jayde Stamm said, discussing the drastic decrease in CBJ orders during the first months of the pandemic. “It’s that Protestant work ethic that’s been ingrained into society, working hard for a reward at the end, especially as a young Black millennial—I don’t feel like I have the privilege to not do anything.” PHOTO COURTESY OF JAYDE STAMM

“Quarantine gave me a chance to sit with my thoughts and think of ways to better my company. Since quarantine, I have struggled with the idea of doing nothing,” Stamm said. “It’s that Protestant work ethic that’s been ingrained into society, working hard for a reward at the end, especially as a young Black millennial—I don’t feel like I have the privilege to not do anything. 

“It was a very weird time,” the 25-year-old continued. “It took a lot of self-reflection to come to grasps on why I was tying my self-worth into how much I worked.”

At the moment, a typical day-in-the-life for Stamm consists of nearly nonstop work with few gaps in between—from taking virtual college classes via Zoom (he’s currently pursuing a degree in marketing from CSU Northridge) to fulfilling CBJ orders.

“Typically I do all my schoolwork in the day and save CBJ work for the nighttime, when I’m the most productive and creative,” Stamm said. “I’m typically working until 12 or 1 a.m., listening to podcasts and music while I work.”

IN THE AIR TONIGHT “I’ve seen every episode at least 10 times,” said Jayde Stamm, professing his fandom for the subject of one of his themed cookie sets, based on Avatar: The Last Airbender (pictured). PHOTO COURTESY OF JAYDE STAMM

The origin of CBJ Studios traces back to 2014, when Stamm graduated from Lompoc High School. A baker by hobby at the time, Stamm started baking cakes for friends willing to buy them, in order to make some income.

“I wasn’t able to get a part-time job because I had no papers or documents that would aid in moving forward, like an SSN [Social Security number] or birth certificate,” said Stamm, who was born in Germany. 

He was 7 years old when his family moved to the U.S., but he didn’t become a citizen until after high school.

“I would do cakes for my friends to make enough money to pay my gym membership and phone bill, on top of finding odd jobs on Craigslist here and there,” Stamm said.

Stamm was inspired to turn his casual baking gig to an official business thanks to a thoughtful gift from some of his friends, he explained.

BE MINE One of Jayde Stamm’s most recent baking projects was a collaboration with Kings Carey Wines. The two companies combined their efforts into a special Valentine’s Day package, which included a five-pack of Conversation Heart cookies, paired with a bottle of rosé. PHOTO COURTESY OF JAYDE STAMM

“One day, for my birthday, my friends actually gave me a box of business cards that said ‘Cakes By Jayde,’” Stamm said. “After a few cakes, I had quite a few people looking to book me for their events. As a millenial, I naturally took the company to Facebook and began building a clientele.”

But to begin with, it was Stamm’s mother who originally introduced him to baking in general. She still bakes often, but you probably won’t catch them collaborating in the kitchen anytime soon, Stamm explained.

“We don’t bake together because it would be a hectic mess, as our kitchen styles are very different,” Stamm said. “I work methodically and clean as I go, and my mom is more of the opposite end of the spectrum.”

But speaking of collaborations, one of Stamm’s most recent baking projects was in conjunction with Kings Carey Wines. The two companies combined their efforts into a special Valentine’s Day package, which included a five-pack of conversation heart cookies, paired with a bottle of rosé.

“Kings Carey’s rosé goes perfect with our cookies; it has such a light sit-in-the-sun-and-tan flavor to it,” said Stamm, whose personal favorite type of pairing is between cake and wine. 

“I’m personally a syrah person,” he said. “I think it’s the best thing to ever come out of the Central Coast. I would pair that with our double dark chocolate cake.”

Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood is shaking and baking at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.