On April 25th, 1992, Jay Qualls decorated his first cake for his daughter’s first birthday party. Little did he know that experience would blossom into a passion for creating delicious, beautiful and distinctive cakes. Since then, this passion turned into a full time successful business known as Maples Wedding Cakes, which lead to the multi-faceted company, Jay Qualls Holdings, LLC and creator of the Jay Qualls Fondant Fabric.
After graduating in 2003 from Middle Tennessee State University with a business degree, Jay decided to put both his new found business expertise and his passion for baking and designing to good use and open a high end wedding cake boutique. With his belief that cakes should not only be beautiful, but equally as delicious, Jay quickly turned Maples Wedding Cakes into a leader in custom designed wedding cakes. He has studied and worked alongside some of the greatest sugar artists in the industry. Jay, himself, continues to be one of the leaders in the cake industry with his unique sense of style in cake design, teaching, product development, and business consulting.
Achievements:
Founded Maples Wedding Cakes, LLC in 2005 and has become known as one of the premier celebrity cake designers/artists in the country
Teaches classes and demonstrates his methods of cake design all over the U.S. as well as Canada to shop owners, cake enthusiast and hobbyist
Has designed wedding cakes and special occasion cakes for country music celebrity artists like Martina McBride, Jo Dee Messina, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert/Blake Shelton, and most recently Hillary Scott and Chris Young of Lady Antebellum
Featured in Martha Stewart Weddings 15th Anniversary issue - Less than 10 designers have been invited to collaborate with Martha Stewart Weddings in the history of the magazine.
His cakes have been featured in many national publications, national wedding blogs and websites such as:
Bridal Guide Magazine 2012
Southern Living Weddings 2012
New Essentials Weddings July 2011
Country Weekly Magazine July 2011
Us Weekly Magazine June 2011
People Magazine Country Edition June 2011
Southern Living Weddings 2011
Bridal Guide Magazine 2011
Town and Country Weddings 2010
Southern Weddings Magazine 2010
Get Married Magazine 2010
Country Weekly Magazine 2010
InStyle Weddings 2009
The Knot 2008
People Magazine 2008
He was a cast and top competitor, finishing in 4th place on the hit spin-off reality cake decorating/baking competition with Buddy Valastro, Cake Boss on TLC’s Next Great Baker.
