Even in a city as big as New York. I took to Instagram for recommendations. ... I had no idea New York had such a vibrant underground cake scene.

That’s what led the former political science and law student to pivot into making cakes and eventually start an Instagram ...

The cakes were from Valencia Bakery, which has five locations in New York City, including the Bronx and Brooklyn.

I tried a slice of Ayu Bakehouse’s Chocolate Babka King Cake last Carnival season, and the lusciously dense, layered cake instantly took me back to my early adult days living in New York City.