Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.
“There’s no shortcut to success. You really have to work hard and love what you’re doing.”
SOME careers begin with capital and credentials; others begin with borrowed money, quiet determination and a willingness to give one’s work away.
In weddings, where celebrations are as intimate as they are elaborate, cakes have quietly become storytelling centerpieces.
Behind many of those edible statements is Edmund Vidal, the creative force behind Just Frosted by EV, a homegrown cake studio that has traveled towns, crossed islands and risen from modest beginnings into one of the most in-demand wedding cake names in the region.
What started as cupcakes guided by instinct and online tutorials has grown into chandelier cakes, fondant architecture and wafer paper artistry.
Vidal’s rise was not fueled by formal reinvention or large capital, but by patience, discipline and a belief that mastery is earned through repetition.
Each tier he builds today reflects years of trial, generosity and an unwavering respect for the craft.
Quiet hustle
Vidal’s relationship with baking began academically.
He initially took up Culinary Arts at Lyceum of the Philippines University, where he learned foundational techniques and kitchen discipline.
Financial limitations, however, cut that chapter short.
After two years, he transferred to Tacloban and pursued Office Administration at Eastern Visayas State University, a course far removed from culinary practice.
The shift caused his kitchen skills to stagnate, but it also instilled adaptability.
Rather than dwell on what was unfinished, Vidal focused on survival and growth.
“When you start at the bottom, there’s no other way but to go up,” Vidal told The Manila Times.
The pandemic period became a defining crossroads.
In 2022, Vidal returned to baking, not through classrooms or seminars, but through curiosity and long nights watching tutorials.
Cupcakes became his testing ground.
He sold modestly, learned quietly and listened closely to feedback, until one satisfied customer asked him to make a birthday cake for her daughter, a request that triggered hesitation and courage in equal measure.
That first birthday cake was given away for free, as was his first wedding cake soon after.
Experience mattered more than earnings.
“I didn’t have enough knowledge yet,” Vidal said.
“I just wanted to be exposed and learn.”
Feedback proved transformative: compliments sparked confidence, confidence encouraged consistency and mistakes were not discarded but studied.
Cakes that didn’t meet his standards were shared with friends and family for tasting, with sweetness levels adjusted and textures refined, making each batch a lesson.
Financially, the beginning was fragile, with Vidal borrowing P2,000 from a friend to purchase basic ingredients like flour, butter and frosting.
His mother, a market vendor herself, challenged him to prove sustainability before offering capital.
The borrowed money funded cupcakes and little else, but it was enough to begin.
Eventually, Vidal returned to his mother with results, and she extended P5,000 in capital, enough to produce both a birthday cake and a wedding cake.
That moment marked the shift from experimentation to enterprise.
A wedding coordinator noticed his work, another booking followed within days, and income arrived modestly but steadily.
At the time, Vidal was employed at the Bureau of Internal Revenue as a document processing officer.
Balancing a full-time office job with overnight baking soon became unsustainable, fatigue accumulated, affecting both health and output, so he made a difficult decision to resign and pursue baking full time.
The leap carried risk, but it also brought clarity.
“There’s no shortcut to success,” Vidal emphasized.
“You really have to work hard and love what you’re doing,” he added.
Operating from Burauen, Leyte, Just Frosted by EV caters far beyond its home base.
Clients regularly come from Tacloban, Ormoc, Biliran, Southern Leyte and various towns across Samar.
Catbalogan alone has hosted his wedding cakes multiple times in a single year, with some deliveries requiring seven to eight hours of careful travel.
The business name emerged organically.
A late-night joke about frosting and refrigeration evolved into a brand, later paired with “EV” to represent both Edmund Vidal and Eastern Visayas.
Though Vidal once considered changing the name, collaborators advised him to keep it, as recognition had already taken root.
Wedding cakes now form the studio’s core focus, with Vidal moving away from traditional floral designs in favor of modern techniques, including fondant detailing, wafer paper and rice paper elements.
Pricing evolved alongside complexity, from early wedding cakes priced at P4,500 to commissions now beginning at P10,000 and reaching P40,000 for large-scale creations like chandelier cakes.
Client satisfaction remains central, with extras often added without charge, not as a strategy but as a principle.
“If the client is happy, that already makes me happy.”
Time management defines his professionalism.
Arrival at venues is scheduled at least an hour early, decorations are often completed on-site to avoid damage during transport, cakes travel in air-conditioned vehicles with engines sometimes kept running to preserve structure and temperature, and design elements are assembled carefully at the venue, sometimes in full view of coordinators and guests.
Multiple bookings in a single day are common.
Three events are manageable, five have been accomplished, and each requires logistical planning involving multiple vehicles, assistants and pre-event briefings.
Vidal remains hands-on, supervising designs even when delegating tasks.
“I want to see every cake on stage,” he said.
“I want to know it’s perfect.”
Vidal envisions a bigger space where clients can view dummy cakes, discuss designs and sample flavors, but high rental costs, especially during slow wedding months, make the decision complex, though the plan remains part of his long-term vision.
For aspiring bakers and entrepreneurs, Vidal’s advice is direct.
“Do it now,” he urged.
“If you keep waiting, the idea changes. Start now, then improve.”
Through discipline, humility and an unwavering respect for craft, Edmund Vidal continues to shape moments that matter.
Each cake leaving his kitchen carries not only design and flavor, but a story of persistence layered carefully, one tier at a time.
***
QUICK QUESTIONS
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
Losing the very important persons in my life.
WHAT REALLY MAKES YOU ANGRY?
Lack of time management.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO WORK HARD?
For my parents to treat them out of the country yearly.
WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH THE MOST?
Corny jokes.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTO?
Half of it is spent for investment and half of it for savings.
IF YOU COULD SHARE A MEAL WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL, LIVING OR DEAD, WHO WOULD THEY BE?
Jessica Sale (popular wedding cake artist). I looked up to her.
WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ?
“Baking Bible” by Mary Berry’s.
WHICH CELEBRITY WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET FOR A CUP OF COFFEE?
Ron Ben Israel — just wanted to ask for tips and techniques when it comes to wedding cake design artistry.
WHAT IS THE MOST DARING THING YOU’VE EVER DONE?
I was drunk, and I drove and parked safely.
WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU WILL NEVER DO AGAIN?
Doubting myself that I can do better.