US Bakes, Spanish Streets: How Susan Kellerman Built Tasty Cakes Abroad

You know those big, bold moves that start with a little nudge—and maybe a cupcake? That’s exactly how Susan Kellerman went from baking Christmas cookies in Madrid to running one of the city’s most beloved American-style dessert businesses: Tasty Cakes.

But this isn’t your average “follow your dream” story. Susan moved from the US to Spain, taught music full-time, and somehow ended up elbow-deep in frosting with a business that now serves Madrid’s expat crowd (and plenty of sweet-toothed locals too). She didn’t have a plan—just passion, grit, and one fearless friend who refused to let her say no to starting.

In this episode, Susan spills the real tea (and maybe a little vanilla extract) on what it’s really like to run a product-based business in a country that doesn’t exactly crave cupcakes. From time management chaos to cultural baking clashes, she shares the behind-the-scenes moments that make entrepreneurship messy, magical, and totally worth it.

Key Takeaways:

🧁 Why “just one order” from a friend can change your entire career

🧁 The real hustle behind pretty pastries—think spreadsheets, not sprinkles

🧁 What happens when your product doesn’t fit the local taste (hint: you don’t change it)

🧁 Ingredient drama, expat marketing, and running a business in your second language

🧁 Why Susan refuses to sacrifice quality—even if it means growing slower

Susan’s story is a delicious reminder that building something meaningful doesn’t require a million-dollar plan—just the guts to show up, the smarts to learn as you go, and the courage to keep baking your way forward (even when the frosting melts).

Hungry for more? Visit tastycakesmadrid.com and get a slice of the magic yourself.