Worth the Whisk
For most of her career, Nancy Zhou ’11 was concerned with safeguarding natural resources, working as an environmental protection specialist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). There, she spent her days analyzing financial data for New England water-quality projects, ensuring compliance with EPA guidelines, and auditing states’ financial health.
But a different passion simmered beneath the surface.
“I’ve always wanted to do something with food. I knew it was a risky move, but I couldn’t shake that feeling,” Zhou said
So instead, she chased it.
“I decided to enroll in a six-month certificate program at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, just to see if I liked it,” said Zhou, who experimented with savory cooking before discovering her talent for baking. “I ended up loving it.”
After posting a picture of her first wedding cake online, requests began to flood in.
“More and more people started to ask me to make cakes and other desserts for them,” said Zhou. “And then it just naturally evolved into a business.”
That business became Silver Whisk Bake Shop, an award-winning bakery Zhou launched in 2018. Specializing in custom cakes, confections, and wholesale desserts, the bakery quickly gained recognition for its high-quality, inventive offerings. In 2020 and 2022, Silver Whisk was named by Boston Magazine as one of Boston’s best wedding cake purveyors.
“It’s such a wonderful feeling to know that the effort I put in was recognized. Having someone appreciate and enjoy what I’ve created means so much to me. Being acknowledged like that was both surprising and deeply gratifying,” said Zhou. “It didn’t hit me right away, but when it did, I felt incredibly proud.”
One of the most memorable moments in her career was creating a cake for Brookline Booksmith, a beloved independent bookstore. She designed the cake to resemble the store itself, an iconic landmark in Brookline, Massachusetts.
“That project was special to me because I love Brookline Booksmith. It felt like I was celebrating something that’s stood the test of time—an independent bookstore that’s still thriving,” she said.
Another meaningful project involved creating a wedding cake that brought a bride to tears. The cake featured a replica of a printing block that hung in the bride’s grandparents’ house, a deeply personal touch that Zhou was honored to recreate in sugar.
“When the bride started crying, I started crying,” she laughed. “Moments like that make all the hard work worth it.”
Since opening Silver Whisk, Zhou has embraced that philosophy fully, pouring her heart into every order, from lavish wedding cakes to intricate birthday treats. The bakery has become known not just for the beauty of its designs but for its unique flavors too.
With flavors like ube coconut, masala chai, chocolate matcha, and black sesame, Silver Whisk Bake Shop offers something beyond the usual. Zhou said the inspiration behind her dessert flavors comes from her upbringing and personal experiences, particularly her background as a Chinese American.
“Growing up Asian, I was influenced by what was popular with my family. It’s interesting how different things at different times can inspire you,” she said. “When my distributor gave me samples of their chocolate, I was blown away! I thought, ‘So this is chocolate?’ It felt like I hadn’t had real, delicious chocolate until then.”
This revelation sparked her creativity, encouraging her to experiment with different flavor combinations.
“Walking through an Asian grocery store, I’d think, ‘What if?’ and just try different flavors, no matter how crazy they seemed, Zhou said.
Drawing from her Chinese heritage, she incorporates distinctive ingredients into her confections, including cupcakes and chocolate bars flavored with adzuki bean and orange Sichuan peppercorn. Another notable creation is her pork floss caramel chocolate bar (dubbed “The Floss”), an idea Zhou nurtured for two years before finally adding it to her bakery’s offerings.
“I wasn’t sure if anyone would buy it, but when they did, I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to make more of this!’” Zhou said. “It’s really about what I like to eat. If it tastes good to me, I want others to try it too.”
With plans to expand her offerings and possibly introduce catering services, Zhou is eager to bring even more of her unique flavors and personal touches to a wider audience.
“I want to start to be able to offer more of a variety of desserts,” said Zhou. “I know we’ve got the cakes down. I know we’ve got the cupcakes down. I know we’ve got the chocolate bars down. And now I’m excited to bring some additional products for other people to try.”