Jennivee's Bakery makes Charli XCX cake

Jennivee’s Bakery & Cafe in Chicago spent four days designing, baking and decorating a birthday cake for Charli XCX after the singer’s team sent a late-night request tied to Lollapalooza, according to Block Club Chicago. The Lakeview bakery delivered the cake to Charli XCX’s hotel hours before her headlining performance in Grant Park, the report said. The order stood out because Jennivee’s own website says special orders generally need at least three days’ notice, while custom cakes typically require more lead time and payment five days before pickup. ### How fast did the bakery have to move? Block Club Chicago reported that Jennivee’s owner Jenni Vee received the request from Charli XCX’s team late Sunday night, with the cake due for Friday delivery. Acting general manager Suhail Kahn told the outlet he did not see the email until Monday morning, leaving the bakery four days for a project that would “normally take at least eight.” (blockclubchicago.org) Jennivee’s website says preorder items must be ordered by 8 p.m. three days before pickup, while custom orders such as themed cakes require additional notice because the shop gathers details, discusses the design by email and sends an invoice that must be paid five days before pickup. That makes the Charli XCX order notably tighter than the bakery’s standard process described online. (blockclubchicago.org) ### What exactly did Jennivee’s make for Charli XCX? The cake was an all-black, tiered replica of Charli XCX’s Lollapalooza stage, Block Club Chicago reported. The design included stacked rectangular platforms, a tall center tower and blue icing spelling out “Happy Headliner Birthday Charli.” Inside, the cake was vanilla with raspberry filling, which the report described as two of the singer’s favorite flavors. (jenniveesbakery.com) Cake artist Emily Mercer began work on Tuesday, with other staff helping complete the order before Friday’s delivery, according to Block Club. Kahn told the outlet the team first had to adjust the structure after Charli XCX’s team asked for a sponge cake, deciding instead on a traditional layer cake that could support the multi-tiered stage design. (blockclubchicago.org) ### Where did this happen in Chicago? Jennivee’s Bakery & Cafe is at 2925 N. Halsted St. in Chicago’s Lakeview area, according to the bakery’s website and Block Club Chicago. The shop’s website lists the business as Jennivee’s Bakery & Cafe and says it operates custom cake and preorder services from that address. Block Club said the cake was delivered to Charli XCX’s Chicago hotel before her Lollapalooza set in Grant Park. (blockclubchicago.org) The local report placed the bakery story inside a broader festival weekend in which Charli XCX was also seen around the city, including a surprise appearance with Lorde during Lollapalooza, according to a separate Block Club report. (jenniveesbakery.com) ### Why did the cake become part of the Lollapalooza story? Block Club Chicago said the order was tied directly to Charli XCX’s 34th birthday celebration after her headlining performance. Kahn told the outlet the project was “one of the coolest” the bakery had handled, and said staff stayed upbeat through the compressed production schedule. (blockclubchicago.org) The timing also linked the cake to a high-profile Chicago festival weekend. Block Club reported that Charli XCX joined Lorde on Thursday for “Girl, So Confusing” before headlining later in the weekend, adding to the attention around her appearance in the city. ### Can customers still order a similar custom cake? Jennivee’s website says the bakery’s custom cake calendar is currently full through October 20 and that it is not accepting new custom inquiries for now. (blockclubchicago.org) The site says it expects to reopen custom intake toward the end of September. The bakery’s homepage says customers can still use its preorder system for available items, with a minimum three-day advance window. (blockclubchicago.org) Its listed hours are Tuesday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (jenniveesbakery.com 1) (jenniveesbakery.com 2)