Beating Burnout as a Cake Artist – Asia Coffee’s Journey to 100K YouTube Subscribers

Danielle:
Hello, hello! This is Danielle Ireland, and you’re catching an episode of Don’t Cut Your Own Bangs—the remedy for comparison and feeling like everyone has life figured out but you. Today’s guest is a very special repeat guest. When I moved the show from audio to video, a trusted advisor suggested I narrow my back catalog to my top 50 downloads—and today’s guest was in that top 50.

Asia Coffee is an award-winning cake artist and decorator. She appeared on Season 3 of Food Network’s Holiday Wars, and she shares her passion and artistry through baking and teaching—helping anyone at any stage improve, learn, grow, and enjoy the beauty of baking.

We looked back in the archives before recording: Asia first joined me on July 28, 2020. Since then, I’ve had two children; life has had twists and turns (hello, global pandemic), and Asia has hit some incredible milestones—all of which we get into today.

If you’ve ever felt like an imposter—“Do I really belong? Is it too late to start? How long do I try before I pivot?”—you’re going to love this. Asia has a gift. If you’re not already subscribed to her YouTube channel or following her on social, do it. Her artistry is something you need to see—and sometimes eat. I’ve even enjoyed her work personally!

What I admire is her balance: execute craft at the highest level where she has control, and then, once it’s out in the world, release the outcome. It’s one of the healthiest creative mindsets I’ve seen. This episode feels like a breath of fresh air—sweet inspiration and real talk about making space for big feelings.

Get ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy this conversation with Asia Coffee.

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Danielle:
Asia, welcome back! You’re my first guest since relaunching the podcast into video. You were one of the OGs when we were audio-only. We checked—July 28, 2020 was our first episode together. Back then you were making cakes, teaching classes, and had been on Holiday Wars. Since then—five years—I’ve had two kids, you’ve hit huge milestones, and a lot of life has happened. I’m so excited you’re here.

Asia:
I’m so excited to be back—and honored to be your first OG guest on the video version. Thank you so much!

Danielle:
One of the things I loved then—and still love now—is your sincerity and genuine sweetness. I mean that literally and figuratively. As your business has grown, that warmth is still right there. Good on you. You’re just so sweet.

Asia:
Thank you!

Danielle:
You’re an award-winning cake artist, decorating instructor, and YouTube creator—congrats on 100,000 subscribers! You appeared on Season 3 of Food Network’s Holiday Wars. You teach in-person and virtual classes. And you volunteer with Icing Smiles as a Sugar Angel—I want to hear more about that. I’m thrilled to highlight your work for listeners who are just meeting you—or welcoming back those who fell in love with you years ago.

Asia:
I’m happy to be back and share where things have gone. About Icing Smiles: I’m a Sugar Angel with the organization and briefly helped manage some of their social content. It was a bit much, so I stepped back from that but stayed active as a volunteer. Icing Smiles is like Make-A-Wish—but with cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. We provide celebration cakes for children with serious illnesses—and for their siblings, too. I’ve made five cakes so far. It’s a wonderful mission and one of my favorite ways to give back.

Danielle:
What a beautiful, tangible way to show up for families navigating complex medical challenges. We’ve had recent episodes touching on that world, and I’m always struck by how many ways there are to serve. I’ll link Icing Smiles in the show notes for anyone who wants to get involved—bakers and supporters alike.

Asia:
Yes, they’re nationwide and always looking for Sugar Angels in any city or state—and for supporters, too.

Danielle:
Let’s rewind to July 28, 2020. You were a mom, wife, and baker with big goals. Today, August 2025, you’ve reached major milestones. Catch us up—what’s changed in the last five years?

Asia:
So much. Mentally, in late 2019 I decided to take YouTube seriously. I’d posted my first video back in 2011—no plan, just a neat technique I wanted to share. From 2011 to 2019 I probably posted fewer than five videos. At the end of 2019 I committed to cake-decorating content every two weeks.

When 2020 happened, filming at home made consistency easier. I’ve always filmed on my phone—still do. Between 2020 and 2021 my channel grew the most: more subscribers, comments, and engagement. My goal was to reach more people because I’ve realized teaching is my superpower. Looking back over my life, I’ve always found myself teaching—cake decorating, knitting, basic Spanish—so teaching baking on YouTube to a worldwide audience has been incredible.

Danielle:
You said you went “all in” with a video every other Friday. Was there a strategy at first, or was it mostly consistency?

Asia:
Honestly, at first it was just: film, edit, publish—hit the every-other-Friday goal. My computer died for a couple of weeks, so I edited on my phone and posted anyway. The quality wasn’t perfect, but I refused to let perfectionism stop me from providing value. That’s a big mindset shift: focus on helping people rather than protecting myself from judgment.

Danielle:
That reframing is powerful—perfectionism as self-protection. So was growth slow or steady?

Asia:
I kept going and let go of expectations. In food content, seasonality is real—holidays spike views; back-to-school can dip. I don’t chase “viral.” Most of my videos take 4–6 months to gain traction. Patience matters. Early on, a few simple, imperfect videos still brought value—and comments/subscribers showed me it was working. I hit 1,000 subscribers around July 3–4, 2020—right before our first interview—which felt huge. Getting to 100,000 took about five years, with stretches of inconsistency, moments I wanted to quit, and live streams where only a few people showed up. But I kept experimenting and returning to value.

Danielle:
Two themes stand out: detaching from outcomes and relentlessly serving. Also—context for listeners—Asia has videos with massive views (e.g., “5 Mistakes to Avoid Before Decorating Your Cake”). Slow-and-steady adds up.

Let’s talk artistry. Your illusion cakes—like the pancake stack you made for your son—are exquisite. Years ago I asked you what it’s like to create something beautiful that gets eaten. It’s like building sandcastles. Creatively, you seem to have two modes: exacting excellence when you can control the variables, and surrender when you can’t—especially in teaching and content. How do you balance that?

Asia:
When I’m making a cake, I can control a lot. Teaching a class or filming content involves other people and more variables—so I focus on what I can control and let go of the rest. I give my best, then release it so others can take the seed and make their own thing. I’m fully focused when I’m creating; when I’m teaching, I’m focused on the student’s outcome. It’s a different kind of presence—and a healthy letting go.

Danielle:
That’s such a healthy model: master your zone of control; surrender what’s not yours. What keeps you inspired to keep creating?

Asia:
Helping people—at any stage. If you’ve never baked a cake or you’ve made thousands and can’t nail a single technique, I want my content to meet you where you are. Knowing it helps is the fuel.

Danielle:
What delicious thing have you made for your family lately?

Asia:
After Holiday Wars, I hit a low point. Being in the national spotlight shook my confidence, and in 2022 everything I made felt “not good enough.” At home I shifted to prioritizing delicious over “spectacular.” We have a peach tree, and I just made peach cobbler—everyone loved it. Getting back to basics and honing fundamentals has been grounding.

Danielle:
Thank you for sharing that. It resonates. What’s easier for you now—and what’s still a challenge?

Asia:
Easier: giving myself grace. I can do hard things—but I also ask, “How hard do I want to make this for myself?” Sometimes that means ordering an ice cream cake and enjoying the moment.

Challenge: deciding where to go next. I paused teaching in 2025 to reorganize and be intentional about 2026. Distraction and procrastination are real, so I’m building a plan and working the plan.

Danielle:
If you could speak to the 2020 version of you, what would you say?

Asia:
“The best is yet to come. Keep going. Things will change, and they’ll change for the better.” I never imagined I’d be on TV or have a six-figure YouTube audience. Also, cake decorating isn’t my “traditional” background. I learned when my oldest was seven. It wasn’t decades in the making. But patience and purpose—serving people—kept opening doors.

Danielle:
Amen. Last question: a fresh “don’t cut your own bangs” moment?

Asia:
Holiday Wars changed me. I’d never worked on a team like that. My teammates were pros with bakeries and TV experience. One teammate told me I was very talented—and it landed differently because of who she was. It nudged me deeper into baking (not just decorating). The lesson: don’t sell yourself short. You can be great at one thing and grow into another. Take the learning and make it work for you.

Danielle:
Receiving belief from someone you admire is its own vulnerable act. You wear confidence and humility beautifully. Thank you for sharing your story—and congrats on all your success. I’m excited to see what’s next (and I’m holding space for that future book!). We’ll link everything in the show notes.

Asia:
Thank you for having me—this was fantastic and fun.

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Danielle (closing):
Thank you for joining me on this week’s episode of Don’t Cut Your Own Bangs. I adored this conversation. Before you hop off, please rate, review, and subscribe—on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you listen. Subscribing makes life easier—you won’t have to hunt for new episodes—and it helps the show grow.

Got a question? Email me at da******@*************nd.com with the subject line BANGS—whether it’s about this episode or a topic you want me to cover in a future solo cast.

If you’ve heard me talk about making space for big feelings, you know journaling is one of my favorite tools. Check out Treasured: A Journal for Unearthing You (link in the show notes), along with the companion guided meditations. I also have my children’s book, Wrestling a Walrus (for little people with big feelings)—available on major retailers and linked in the show notes.

Thanks for being here. I appreciate you, and I’ll catch you next time. Have a wonderful day.