Cake specialist Trina Galvan opens Drizzle Bakery in SLO 

Hard work and artistic flair are second nature to Trina Galvan—who has operated a registered cottage kitchen called Drizzle Cakes from her home in Oceano off and on since 2021.

In March she took a leap of faith, expanding her portfolio beyond cakes, rebranding as Drizzle Bakery, and opening a larger-scale business at The Kitchen Terminal in San Luis Obispo.

Her ambitious goals are twofold—to offer exceptional products for all events and all diets, including vegan and gluten-free, and to "make this my only job so I can spend more time with my son," she said.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Drizzle Bakery
• IT'S A GIRL! Drizzle Bakery proprietor Trina Galvan has fun with a baby shower order, jazzing up cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, fondant, and edible pearls.

Currently a one-woman show, Galvan hopes her business will grow to employ other family members, "because what is mine is theirs," she added.

"I was born in Santa Maria to Pedro Galvan and Luciana Bautista, both immigrants from Mexico," she said. "My siblings and I were raised in Arroyo Grande—more specifically, Huasna Valley. My parents were both farmers, and I had the privilege to grow up farming. We had small plots of land throughout the Central Coast, but Huasna Valley was my home.

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• Courtesy Photo By Terri Lajda
• SIDE TRIP WITH SIDEKICK Trina Galvan and her 3-year-old son, Rio, visit the Lompoc mission during time off from her newly opened Drizzle Bakery at The Kitchen Terminal in San Luis Obispo.

"Farming was backbreaking at times, but I wouldn't change it for the world. It taught me independence, responsibility, freedom from societal pressures, a strong work ethic, and a free spirit, with endless outdoor adventure time.

"When I was young, I remember I enjoyed three things: farming, browsing through National Geographic magazines—I loved their photography—and watching the Food Network. I loved anything dessert-related, but I also watched cooking shows—Martha Stewart before she got canceled, Ace of Cakes, Unwrapped, Good Eats, and Emeril, just to name a few. Let's just say my sister and brother got annoyed with my show preferences."

After Galvan graduated high school in 2003, she landed her first job in the bakery department at Vons in Grover Beach—"and the rest is history," she said.

"I'm self-taught—everything I have learned has been from hands-on experience," she continued. "I've held various roles from associate baker, sous pastry chef, bakery manager, pastry chef, and now bakery owner."

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• Photo Courtesy Of Drizzle Bakery
• FOR EVERY OCCASION Peruse Drizzle Bakery's extensive portfolio of traditional and trendy cakes or work with proprietor Trina Galvan to custom order the dessert of your dreams.

Employers, large and small, from whom Galvan has gained "new insights and experiences I've used along the way are Vons, Costco, Chumash Casino, Cal Poly, Splash Café, House of Bread, La Bodega, Bang the Drum, Linnaea's, and SLO Baked," she said.

She added that while she's had some great employers, she has also experienced "some very toxic and unprofessional work environments," and gently reminds locals to support businesses that treat their employees well.

Galvan's professional pledge is to promote "diversity, transparency, human kindness, community, trust, and authenticity," she said.

However, her top priority is producing quality baked goods, and customers say she exceeds expectations on that front.

"I think that those who are having an event will be really happy with Trina and her products," said Christy Bedayan Costello. "She takes so much care in her work ... and makes a point to deliver what's promised, often going above and beyond."

Costello, a former resident of SLO now living in Boulder Creek, California, hired Galvan to create her wedding cake—a naked carrot cake topped with fresh flowers. Naked cakes have little or no frosting on the sides, allowing the layers to show through.

The end result "was delicious and meticulously decorated," Costello said. "I subsequently recommended her to a friend who also hired Trina to make their wedding cake and cupcakes in multiple flavors including options for dietary restrictions like gluten-free or vegan."

Customers can select from cakes listed on Drizzle's Facebook and Instagram pages or request a special wedding-specific order form.

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• Photo Courtesy Of Drizzle Bakery
• GUILT-FREE PLEASURES Options abound at Drizzle Bakery for customers with special diets. Watch for seasonal items such as gluten-free wild blueberry lemon almond muffins, and inquire about gluten-free and vegan cakes, cupcakes, and cookies.

In addition to cakes and cupcakes, Galvan offers a wide range of seasonal goodies, including cookies, muffins, scones, granola, and more, some of which can also be found on Harvestly, SLO's online farmers market.

Galvan's deadline for orders is Wednesday at noon, with extra lead time requested for large functions. She bakes and decorates her products on Friday and offers pickup at The Kitchen Terminal on Saturday morning.

Local delivery options are available for weddings, corporate events, and case by case for customers "who absolutely can't make it to the kitchen," she added.

"In the future, I would like to be able to make morning pastries such as croissants and Danishes," she continued. "I have a lot of cake photos, but my favorite thing to do in a bakery is the laminated doughs.

"[At a prior job] I loved watching the process from start to finish. I used to roll in the butter, shape the Danishes and croissants, and the next day I'd proof and bake. I then garnished and filled the cases. It was so satisfying seeing the cases fully stocked."

Galvan's also excited about the transition from a cottage kitchen—which follows county-mandated ingredient restrictions—to a commercial facility that allows perishable items.

She looks forward to hitting local markets for fresh, seasonal products, "and I love harvesting, so I will most likely go to you-pick farms where I can pick my own berries."

She added that eventually she plans to open her own storefront.

"Becoming a mom has really pushed and motivated me to continue on this journey," she said. "I'm excited for this new chapter in my life ... and I'd be forever grateful for any support." 

Trina’s Flourless Chocolate Cake

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• Photo Courtesy Of Drizzle Bakery

Gluten-free

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the semisweet chocolate and butter together.

Whisk the rest of the ingredients in to the chocolate/butter mix.

Spray a 10-inch, parchment paper-lined springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour in batter.

Bake for 16 to 20 minutes until the cake reaches 200 degrees.

Cool. Top with ganache and fresh berries.

For the ganache, simmer 1 cup heavy cream, remove from heat, then whisk in 1 cup finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate until smooth. You can use dark chocolate as well.

Let cool before spreading. ∆

Flavor Writer Cherish Whyte will be ordering a slice of Trina's flourless cake on Harvestly for immediate gratification. Reach her at [email protected].