The Send A Cake Story: Making the World Sweeter One Cake at a Time
The brainchild of James Siew provides unique gifting experiences with explosion boxes, donut towers, and more.
Mar 04, 2025
For many, the kitchen is a place that holds cherished family traditions and memories. James Siew, the founder of Seattle-based Send A Cake, is no exception. For him, though, the kitchen is also the birthplace of an outside-the-box business idea that has taken the gifting industry by storm.
Growing up in Washington surrounded by cooking and baking, Siew learned early on the joy that food — especially cakes — brings to people. Inspired by his Vietnamese immigrant parents, he was driven by the desire to become an entrepreneur and make them proud. “Mother and father came here with $5 in their pockets and worked immensely hard to give my brother and me a chance at a better life, so I dedicate my work ethic to them,” Siew says. “Making them proud has always been my lifelong goal.”
A journey of creativity and reinvention
Siew, 39, spent his 20s in fashion design, working for various brands and eventually becoming head designer at a notable outdoor clothing brand. Following that, he transitioned to the ticket sales industry, spending time at a small husband-and-wife-owned company, where he saw up close what it took to run and grow a business.
Around this time, he started to take his love for baking seriously. Courses and classes led from hobby to side hustle. His former ticket sales bosses ordered their daughter a custom birthday cake, and when his three-tiered, red velvet Sesame Street creation proved to be a hit with them and their guests, they decided to explore the idea of investing in Siew.
A business centered on an experience
In 2018, after months of perfecting cake recipes, packaging, and shipping methods, the idea for Send A Cake was born. “I have always been a big gift giver, so when I set out to create our product and brand, it was important that we offer a great, memorable experience — not only for the recipient but the sender as well,” Siew explains. “Our approach was not only about the gift but how it would make someone feel, making the sender look like a gifting superstar.”
Getting to superstar status, however, meant months of testing cake recipes to ensure they could be shipped via mail and arrive intact, along with packaging that delivered the “wow” factor. “Once the cake came to fruition, I spent a lot of time sitting on the floor cutting up cardboard boxes and trying to create the perfect vessel for a personal mini cake,” Siew says. “As a lifelong at-home crafter, I pulled inspiration from many things I made for people, such as pop-up cards and boxes with collapsible walls or explosion boxes, as they’re known in the crafting world.”
Send A Cake is more than just a cake — it’s a fully immersive gifting experience. When you open one, you’re greeted by a 3-inch personalized cake that’s been carefully crafted. But here’s the twist: The box also contains a surprise that, in Siew’s words, is designed to make it feel “extra special” for recipients.
For example, when someone opens one particularly popular explosion box, paper butterflies flutter out, creating a magical moment. “This combination of elements was totally unique, and the first experience of opening the box was like magic!” he exclaims. “That was the moment I thought, ‘This is it! This is Send A Cake!’"More out-of-the-box experiences
Creating a new cake box, Siew says, starts with a concept, a feeling, or, as he describes it, “something we think is really fun, even if its initial purpose is not for gifting. It’s our job to figure out how to make that happen.”
The Butterfly Explosion Box is one such example. Before the idea was solidified, Siew wanted recipients to feel like they were in the middle of a magical setting, floating in an ethereal forest. The butterflies, he says, were a natural choice to make this feeling come to life.
Other boxes feature such surprises as money (fake, of course) and bubbles spewing out of them. “It is in our brand's DNA to continue pushing the envelope, and offer new and exciting gifts so our customers have many options to come back to for their gifting needs,” Siew says.
The company has also recently ventured into the licensing game. Its Harry Potter Hogwarts Explosion Box features flags adorned with the crests of the wizard school’s four houses and a chocolate cake topped with an envelope you can eat. A Disney Princess-themed box opens to reveal printed images of Moana, Ariel, Snow White, and Tiana and a strawberry shortcake garnished with a candy bow.
Making a difference
For Siew, the most rewarding part of Send A Cake is hearing from customers about how its products have impacted them. “The stories we hear are the reason we do what we do. It’s not just about selling cakes — it’s about creating memories that people will treasure,” he says.
Most stories are based around a celebration of some sort — birthday, anniversary, professional milestone — but one in particular left a lasting impact on Siew. A customer ordered a Butterfly Explosion Box for their mother, who was in the hospital. The gift brought a smile to the mother’s face during a difficult time, and the family was incredibly grateful for that joyful moment before she passed. “It was a bittersweet experience, but we were so honored to be able to help create such a meaningful memory for that family.”
Looking to the future
Send A Cake isn’t slowing down. “We’re always pushing the boundaries of what we can offer our customers,” Siew says. While he keeps much of the company’s upcoming projects under wraps, he hints at more licensed products and a broader range of treat-focused gifts that will appeal to an even wider audience.
“We want to offer gifts that create an experience for every occasion. Whether it’s a birthday, a thank you, or just because, we want our products to be the go-to for people looking to spread joy and create unforgettable memories.”
As for Siew’s parents, he says they’re proud of his vision, and his business. “They love watching how the business has grown — but, of course, they still keep me grounded. I’ll always be learning from them.”
And that, to Siew and his happy customers, is the gift that keeps on giving.
AUTHOR
Colombian-born, Canadian-raised Mary Luz Mejia is a twice-nominated NATJA food, culture, and travel journalist, former TV producer, and content marketer by day. She's written for Travel & Leisure, The Globe & Mail and enRoute Magazine, and was the brunch columnist for The Toronto Star. Mejia is a Level III International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting Certified Chocolate Taster and successfully completed the George Brown College Chocolate Theory course. You'll find her enjoying a single estate varietal dark chocolate bar in her home near Toronto and dreaming of the Mediterranean.
