Gabby Bakes is one of the most popular cake studios and market vendors in Tampa Bay. The gregarious and passionate baker behind the studio, Gabby Duncan, has accrued a devoted following in the region. Her pastry tent is a staple of the monthly Indie Flea in Ybor City. While the line can feel staggering, the baked goods from this local cake studio are always worth the wait.
Gabby’s journey into baking started young, encouraged by her mother. Her Jamaican mother, who raised her vegan, helped her develop a deep fascination with cooking. Duncan notes that her mother nurtured and encouraged her from an early age.
She made a special cake for a friend in 2019, and word quickly spread about her prowess. “There’s something special about creating something decadent in celebration of someone,” she shares. This passion is evident in her connection with her loyal customers.
Her dream came full circle when she opened her first brick-and-mortar cake studio (4404 N Florida Avenue) in 2023. That same year, Duncan received the Black Kitchen Initiative Grant. The Black Kitchen Initiative, which began in 2020 with the support of the Lee Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice, aims to preserve the legacy of black food by breaking down the barriers that keep black voices and cooking out of the American culinary pantheon. 
A sweet Tampa Bay success story
With a vibrant, perfectly pink studio, and an insatiable following, Duncan’s almost too-pretty-to-eat cakes have taken Florida by storm.
While Gabby was always aware of the vintage cake trend, she initially avoided it until a customer requested a simple design that changed everything. “I figured I’d give it a shot, and I was immediately enamored,” she says. Now, vintage piping is her signature, an endless playground of swirls, ruffles, and intricate details inspired by Lambeth-style techniques. “Other cake artists continue to expound and evolve the vintage style, and I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it.”
Her background in visual communications and sign painting gave her an edge in spacing, composition, and lettering skills that translate seamlessly into her cake designs.
Pulling inspiration from ornate Wilton Cakes of the 1970s
Gabby’s cake-making process is as organic as it is artistic. She starts with a customer’s color cues or theme but rarely has a strict plan beyond that. “I just pick a piping tip and go for it,” she says. “I let the design build itself. It’s a very organic approach, and I tend to zone out and get lost in the repetition of it all…it’s so fun.”
Her inspiration often comes from the ornate Wilton cakes of the 1970s and ‘80s, as well as modern bakers who continue to reimagine the vintage aesthetic. Whether it’s a “fairy princess” or “sparkly goth” theme, Gabby balances structure with spontaneity, layering buttercream swags and flourishes until the cake feels just right.
Custom orders are available via gabbybakes.com or Instagram. She opens dates a month at a time and books 1-2 months out. They’re mostly a cake studio, open by appointment only, but also do pop-ups and vending at the Indie Flea in Ybor City.
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