Christina Layden is the owner of Whisk and Wood, the Charlotte bakery she started in 2014. Layden delivers her cookies, scones, loaves, donuts and muffins to coffee shops around Charlotte and whips up vegan and gluten-free options for her many customers.
How did the business begin?
Whisk and Wood was born in April of 2014 when I brought samples of Kanelbullar (Knotted Swedish Cardamom Buns) to James and Miracle Yoder of Not Just Coffee and asked if they’d think about letting me provide pastries once a week for their Atherton location. They’ve been my longest, and some of my most supportive, customers since.
What is your specialty?
We’re known for filling pastry cases in local coffee shops, juice bars, markets, etc. with breakfast pastries: scones, muffins, cookies, and morning buns.
When did you know you had a passion for baking? And how did you know you could make a career of it?
I grew up loving to bake with my mom here and there, but it was during undergrad that I realized I wanted to give professional baking a go. I went to UNC to work toward becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist and found myself baking to regain sanity when I wasn’t busy with school work (sometimes when I should have been). I honestly didn’t know whether I could make a career of it, but I had the support of family and friends (and knew that “worst case” scenario, I’d fail and go back to school).
Do you do any special baked goods for winter? Anything that we can’t get the rest of the year?
Our Vegan Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are currently in the HEX and Clean Juice Birkdale and Stonecrest pastry cases and will be there through the end of winter! We’re also serving up a Vegan Cranberry Orange Muffin through the winter months.
Outside of your business what are your other interests?
Psychology/sociology are still passions of mine, though I have significantly less time to explore new research these days. When I have a good stretch of free time, I love traveling with my husband to explore food/coffee scenes in other cities. We also love to host friends in our home for simple meals and good conversation.
Visit whiskandwood.com to find out more about Christina’s business and to purchase her baked goods.
