Dondi’s Vintage Cake Journey Featured in FAVSTYLE Magazine | Essentials By Writer On-The-Go : Lorena Binisol

At 36, Deidre Gabriel Sigoh, fondly known as Dondi, has discovered a beautiful recipe for purpose: equal parts resilience, artistry, and motherhood. Between caring for her three children aged 13, 6, and 4, she has transformed her passion for baking into a meaningful livelihood, creating cakes that feel less like desserts and more like edible heirlooms.

Dondi is passionate about cake baking and decorating

What makes Dondi’s creations stand apart is her devotion to vintage cake artistry, a style rarely seen in today’s minimalist dessert culture. While many contemporary cakes lean toward sleek and understated aesthetics, Dondi revives the romance of ornate buttercream swirls, delicate piping, pastel palettes, and nostalgic detailing inspired by the elegance of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Each cake carries the warmth of memory, evoking the charm of celebrations from another era.

Dondi enjoys the vintage-style cake decorating

Her journey, however, did not begin in a luxury kitchen or culinary academy. After completing Form 5, Dondi dreamed of pursuing hospitality studies, but financial limitations forced her to set those ambitions aside. Still, passion has a curious way of refusing silence. She began experimenting with food, first making spring rolls for family gatherings. What started as a simple request from a cousin soon turned into growing orders and newfound confidence.

Delicious Cake craft by Dondi for commercial market

By 2024, Dondi decided to take a leap of faith into home-based baking. Initially focusing on buns and bread, a teacher’s advice shifted her perspective entirely: “Cakes make more money.” Those few words became the spark that redirected her path. Despite criticism and skepticism from others, Dondi turned every doubt into determination. Rather than retreat, she quietly promised herself, “I will show you.”

Old School but high demand cake decoration

December 2024 marked her first official cake order. Through Instagram videos shared on her account, her distinctive style quickly began capturing attention. Customers were drawn not only to the beauty of her cakes, but to the emotion they carried. In a market saturated with trends, Dondi’s work felt refreshingly soulful, like lace stitched in buttercream and nostalgia sculpted into celebration.

Today, her baking business represents far more than income. It symbolizes independence, empowerment, and the ability to contribute meaningfully to her family while remaining present for her children. Every finished cake reflects her determination to balance motherhood with ambition, proving that dreams postponed are not dreams abandoned.

When asked how many cakes she has baked and how many smiles she has created along the way, Dondi answered simply:

“Countless. Each time someone sees the cake, a genuine smile is never missed. And for that, I am forever grateful.”

Yet behind the elegant frosting lies a demanding reality. Decorating intricate cakes while raising three young children requires extraordinary patience and discipline. Her kitchen often becomes a lively stage of tiny footsteps and curious interruptions, leaving her to carve out quiet moments late at night to perfect every detail.

Still, Dondi perseveres. Every swirl of buttercream becomes a quiet declaration of resilience. Every finished cake is a reminder that creativity can flourish even amid life’s chaos.

Looking ahead, Dondi dreams of becoming more than a baker. She hopes to one day teach vintage cake artistry to a new generation, preserving the delicate craft she has grown to love. To prepare for this future, she continues upgrading her skills through professional courses and is pursuing SKM certification, allowing her to teach formally in the future.

Her story is a graceful reminder that passion often blooms in unexpected seasons. For Dondi, every cake is more than dessert. It is memory, artistry, motherhood, and courage layered together beneath buttercream roses and vintage swirls. 

Dondi and her beloved family

Words of Wisdom from Dondi

“Go for your dream. Don’t let the small voices around you distract you as they’re just noise, and they will fade. Follow your heart, because that’s what truly matters and makes the journey worthwhile. Never let others bring you down; remember, you are in control of yourself.”