Celebrating Community with a Garden of Cakes

Our first outdoor Vancouver Cookbook Club in July was a joyful celebration of community—and cake!

Photography: @withpuii

A Sweet Dream Turned Reality

At the beginning of the year, Cynthia and I were brainstorming themes as we prepared to launch Vancouver Cookbook Club. One of the ideas I was especially passionate about, thanks to my insatiable sweet tooth (I once had a phase where I ate cake for breakfast), was to host an outdoor gathering where the only rule was: bring cake.

On July 6, 2025, that sweet dream became a reality.

For our July event, we hosted our very first outdoor gathering under the theme Cake Garden. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Cake Picnic by Elisa Sunga, we’re huge fans of her cake-filled picnic tours.

While we actually dreamed up our cake potluck idea earlier in the year before discovering her work, we drew inspiration from the thoughtful creativity she brings to her events.

A Venue Close to Our Hearts

When it came to choosing a venue for Cake Garden, we wanted a location with an iconic backdrop. We considered Stanley Park with its majestic view of the Lions Gate Bridge, and even Deep Cove with its picturesque mountain setting.

But in the end, we chose somewhere iconic to us: The Chapel at Minoru Park, the beautiful venue of our wedding ceremony.

The Chapel’s historic charm is part of what makes it so special, but what truly drew us in for Cake Garden was the lovely garden out front. A central walkway cuts through the garden, bordered by four quadrants of blooming beds—perfect for our long table setup. If you’re looking for wedding venues in Richmond, The Chapel at Minoru Park (both the outdoor garden or indoor chapel!) is worth a visit.

Live Music & Painting Under the Sky

Since July is also my birth month, we decided to make this event a little extra. Music always sets the tone, so we invited our talented friend Jaenna Cali to perform live acoustic sets throughout the day. Her performance created a warm, welcoming atmosphere that truly set the vibe for the event.

We also reached out to our friend Lynden (@pageuntitled), a brilliant artist, to do a live painting of the scene. He captured the chapel in the background with the long cake-filled table in the foreground—a sweet masterpiece and lasting memory of the day.

Every Detail, Made Personal

Every Vancouver Cookbook Club event is marked by intentional, personal touches. With about 50 guests attending, we wanted everyone to feel seen and connected.

We made custom name tags—but not your average ones. Cynthia designed and digitally hand-lettered each guest’s name in our Cake Garden branding and turned them into beautiful buttons using a button maker. Each guest also received a matching cake label featuring their name and cake flavour.

The Cake Garden Passport

The highlight of Cynthia’s designs was the Cake Garden Passport, an interactive booklet that encouraged guests to connect with one another. The passport wasn’t just beautiful, it was designed with purpose.

Inside was a whimsical “map” that encouraged guests to meet new people based on prompts. One stop asked guests to find someone who brought a “Cake from a Family Recipe”; another suggested chatting with the live artist or someone with a unique flavour. At the end, there was a Cake & Community Journal section where guests could jot down their favourite cakes and new connections. It was a meaningful keepsake designed to spark conversation and reflection.

50 Cakes, Endless Joy

And of course—the cakes! With over 50 cakes on the table, it was both thrilling and overwhelming to decide what to try. Everyone embraced the challenge, slicing small pieces to savour as many as possible.

The creativity and flavours were truly inspiring. From Nancy’s pillowy Mango Passionfruit Cake to Melanie’s elegant Lemon Poppyseed Cake, to delightful surprises like Samantha Bong’s Russian Honey Cake and Susie’s Sweet Corn Cheesecake—each dessert was made with love, care, and a story to tell.

Until the Next Slice

Cake Garden was more than just an event, it was a celebration of community, creativity, and of course, cake. We’re so grateful for everyone who brought their sweetness to the table.

Interested in joining our Vancouver Cookbook Club? Make sure to sign up for our Interest Form!

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