The Cheesecake Lady

The Cheesecake Lady Hand made specialty desserts for any occasion

Tuesday was my absolute favorite out of all of our port days! We docked at Icy Strait Point just outside the tiny villa...
09/04/2026

Tuesday was my absolute favorite out of all of our port days! We docked at Icy Strait Point just outside the tiny village of Hoonah. This town was once the home of a large salmon cannery and the Tlingit native tribe. The tribe is still a part of the livelihood there to this day.
It felt so different than the other ports - slower, less touristy, and more comforting.
Immediately upon entering the village, smells of smoked fish, evergreen, and the sea wafted through the brisk autumn air creating a sense of peace and calm that dug deep into my soul and consumed every part of my being. It carried me to a place within myself that I had long since forgotten where the ticking of clocks was drowned out by the rustling of leaves and the sounds of joy, laughter, and family; where beauty was all around me like a sanctuary of peace and an open door for clear thinking.

It stuck with me… and I can’t let it go. Somehow… I have to bring that feeling, that moment home with me and live within it.

I have a special cheesecake flavor in mind that will hopefully bring you close to what I felt in the little village of Hoonah. (Don’t worry - it’s not the crabby Bloody Mary, although that was an experience all on its own!) Think fresh, cool, mildly citrusy with the subtlest hint of forest lingering on your tongue, then pair it with a gentle splash of woodland berry and a drizzle of sweet wildflower honey.

We landed in Skagway, AK on Monday. It’s a fun little town full of history and best known for the Yukon Route Railroad ...
09/02/2026

We landed in Skagway, AK on Monday. It’s a fun little town full of history and best known for the Yukon Route Railroad and its deep roots with the Klondike Gold Rush.

There were a lot of great sights and tastes in the area. The first being the Red Onion Saloon which has stood since the time of the gold rush. It used to be the home of the town’s brothel, and to this day, they really play it up!

We wanted to go in for one of Alaska’s most well known drinks - the Duck Fart. Alas, it was far too busy for us to breach with five people and two wheel chairs, so we decided to try it on the ship that evening instead.

With a layer of Baileys, a layer of Kahlua, and a layer of crown royal, this is definitely one you will see in cheesecake form when we return!

Today we docked in beautiful, foggy Juneau, Alaska. They have an exciting flavor that is really big here, much like lav...
08/30/2026

Today we docked in beautiful, foggy Juneau, Alaska. They have an exciting flavor that is really big here, much like lavender and hibiscus is in the central states. Here, Fireweed is all the rage! It’s a a very mild flavor that is fruity and smooth with a hint of floral. They make everything with it from honey to ice cream, coffee, and more! So of course I had to pick up some fireweed honey to bring back home!

We had a cute little pigeon follow us shopping at port and I found a moose for Venice! She loves these little wiggly animals!

Looking forward to seeing you all after the 8th! In the meantime I’m answering texts and messengers as I can! Please be patient with me on that one though. Reception is t always the greatest and I’m also enjoying the sites and family time too!

Ahoy Matie! And hello from beautiful wintery Alaska! Just a friendly reminder, we are closed today and will remain so ...
08/28/2026

Ahoy Matie! And hello from beautiful wintery Alaska! Just a friendly reminder, we are closed today and will remain so until September 8th.

My family and I are fixin to get on that big boat right there and sail around Alaska. In the meantime, I’m on a mission to find the best, and most beautiful flavors Alaska has to offer and bring them back home to share with you!

I’ll keep you posted!

These orders both went out our door today, and there is such a stark difference between the two that the thought of deco...
08/19/2026

These orders both went out our door today, and there is such a stark difference between the two that the thought of decorating them back-to-back is almost mind-blowing.

One was an adorable Tigger cake for a Grammy who has always cherished the character. Tigger was hand-painted in buttercream to look as though he were bouncing around collecting the flowers falling all around him. Look closely and you’ll even find little springs delicately painted among the flowers. There’s a wistful nostalgia playfully woven throughout the whole cake, right down to the dancing words:

“Just a Tigger doing what Tiggers do best — saying Happy Birthday, Grammy!”

And then… there was Freddy.

Our second order was one of our slasher-movie-themed cheesecakes, this time centered around Freddy Krueger. The tar-black street nearly disappears into the burnt, charcoal appearance of the cheesecake itself, broken only by the yellow centerlines and marked with a blood-spattered Elm St. sign. Freddy’s blades rip through the scene from inside the cheesecake, as though the nightmare beneath the surface has suddenly become reality. His abandoned hat rests above it all — a grim little reminder that not every nightmare stays inside our dreams.

Oddly enough, decorating these two simultaneously felt pretty par for the course today.

With so many things happening at once — my daughter moving into her dorm tomorrow, a cruise to prepare for in just one week, and somewhere around 6–8 weddings waiting for me — my brain has been bouncing from one detail to the next like I have a Tigger tail of my own.

I’ve managed to keep all the dessert details straight so far.

Personal details? Not so much.

As I was walking through Schnucks this morning, it suddenly became quite clear that the shirt I chose for the day was dirty…

…and my pants were on backwards. 🤦🏽‍♀️😂

Well, I guess if I’m going to drop the ball somewhere…

In any case, here’s your reminder that we will be CLOSED tomorrow while we move Venice into her dorm, but we’ll reopen Friday and Saturday.

Next week we’ll be open Tuesday and Wednesday, and then closed for vacation through September 7.

But don’t worry — we’re not going to leave y’all high and dry! We have some fun things planned for Tuesday and Wednesday to help keep your days sweet while we’re gone. ❤️

The Roasted Pineapple & Brown Butter Cheesecake was one of our August flight selections that I was most excited about.It...
08/18/2026

The Roasted Pineapple & Brown Butter Cheesecake was one of our August flight selections that I was most excited about.

Its deep pineapple and brown butter flavor pairs perfectly with our cool, creamy cheesecake to create something truly unique.

The combination tastes like everything good about August—the tropical sweetness of pineapple feels like a long summer evening filled with laughter and friends, while the smooth richness of brown butter brings a quiet warmth as summer begins to wane, leaving just the faintest breath of autumn on your tongue.

This time of year is magical. And somehow, this cheesecake brings all of it to your taste buds.

It’s available by the slice today—but, like our summer nights, it won’t be here for long.

Yesterday was such a meaningful day for our family as we celebrated Venice graduating high school and getting ready to s...
08/17/2026

Yesterday was such a meaningful day for our family as we celebrated Venice graduating high school and getting ready to step into college. ❤️

Every detail of her cake was chosen carefully, each piece telling a part of who she is in this very special season of her life.

The soft salmon pink, pearls, and delicate feminine touches reflect Venice so beautifully, while her accomplishments take center stage: graduating with honors, earning her CNA certification, maintaining a 4.3 GPA, and being one of only two students honored with a Bilingual Achievement Award.

None of this came easily. Her high school years held real challenges behind the scenes—from her dad’s declining health after surviving COVID to her mom practically living in the bakery after her freshman year. There were heavy moments she could have used as reasons to slow down or give up. Instead, she chose perseverance, grace, and quiet determination, continuing to pursue excellence through it all.

The large cross at the back represents the gentle, steady presence of God that carried her through every season. She learned to lean on Him, trust Him, and keep going even when things felt uncertain.

And of course, there had to be cookies. ❤️ Venice is our cherished cookie baker, and she puts her whole heart into every batch—carefully perfecting flavors, textures, and every small detail until they’re just right. They’ve become such a sweet reflection of her love and creativity.

Cakes are never just dessert. They hold stories. They capture moments. They reflect a life, a journey, a person.

And sometimes they are the best way to say, I see you. I love you. And I am so deeply proud to celebrate exactly who you are.”

Well it’s that time of the day again where the heat in this bakery gets a little more than we can safely or efficiently ...
08/13/2026

Well it’s that time of the day again where the heat in this bakery gets a little more than we can safely or efficiently handle. We will be closing today by 4 pm. Sorry guys. We’ll try it again tomorrow.

We had to close a little early today thanks to this heat! 🥵☀️ But we’ll be back tomorrow with the cases stocked with all...
08/11/2026

We had to close a little early today thanks to this heat! 🥵☀️ But we’ll be back tomorrow with the cases stocked with all sorts of goodies, including Snickers Cheesecake, Salted Caramel, Turtle, Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip, Brown Sugar Peach and more! 🍰

We also wanted to give everyone a heads-up about a few upcoming closures this month:

🎓 Thursday, August 20th — CLOSED

Our cookie baker (and my daughter!), Venice, is officially moving into the dorms at SIUE! ❤️ We’ll be closed that day so I can help her get moved in and settled for this exciting new chapter.

And don’t worry — college isn’t stealing your cookie baker completely! 😂 Venice will still be baking all of her delicious cookie flavors in between classes.

🏖️ August 27th – September 6th — CLOSED FOR VACATION

We’re taking a little time away to rest, recharge and enjoy some much-needed vacation time!

If you’ll need a dessert while we’re gone, you can absolutely order ahead for pickup on or before August 26th and tuck it into your freezer. Just pull it out the day before you need it, let it thaw in the refrigerator, and it’ll be perfectly ready for you!

And for our brides and event customers — don’t worry! All weddings and previously scheduled setups during that time will go out exactly as planned, with the help of our wonderful employees who will still be here holding down the fort. ❤️

Thank you, as always, for keeping us so busy — and for understanding when life, family, college move-ins, vacations… and occasionally Mother Nature 😂… require us to close the doors for a day or two!

We had 21 DOZEN decorated sugar cookies go out the door this week—and I think almost all of them were for bridal showers...
08/10/2026

We had 21 DOZEN decorated sugar cookies go out the door this week—and I think almost all of them were for bridal showers!

If you know anything about decorating cookies, you know just how time-consuming they can be. From rolling out the dough (which has to be chilled overnight), to layering the icing, adding hand-painted details, and putting on those final touches of gold (which, fun fact, has to be mixed with another color to actually show up!), every little detail is a process—repeated over and over again to create a finished set.

You may have noticed that our cookies look a little different from most decorated sugar cookies. They have a softer, more organic, handmade look—and that’s intentional.

We choose not to use traditional royal icing. Instead, we use a softer, more flavorful icing, similar to what you might make at home for decorating Christmas cookies. It doesn’t give us the perfectly crisp edges or teeny-tiny piped details that royal icing does, so instead, much of our detail work is painted by hand.

What it does give us is a soft, delicious cookie with a flavor that feels wonderfully familiar. Paired with our tender shortbread sugar cookies, that lightly sweetened vanilla icing has a nostalgic, timeless taste—the kind that brings a little comfort with every bite.

Here are just a few of the sets that went out this week. ❤️

Address

333 N Wood River Avenue
Wood River, IL
62095

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 6pm
Wednesday 11am - 6pm
Thursday 11am - 6pm
Friday 11am - 6pm
Saturday 11am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+16184010310

Website

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