Monumental Cakes: custom cakes by Boston dad turned professional baker

Monumental Cakes was born in 2016 when founder Justin Pietrella decided to craft an epic 1st birthday cake for his daughter – and it was good. So good that as he continued to make cakes for his two children, friends and family came knocking! With only a bit of baking experience and an engineering background, creativity was not necessarily in Justin’s day-to-day toolkit.

However, he found that designing custom cakes was somewhat therapeutic and it gave him the rare opportunity to be creative. He also realized that his engineering background helped craft cakes that posed a structural challenge, such as a Harry Potter book or a whiskey barrel cake that actually dispensed whiskey!

With high demand and an enjoyment of the craft, Justin knew it was time to make the jump and call this a career! His custom cakes are widely popular in Charlestown, where his family calls home, but he also works with people all over Boston and New England. Justin’s commitment to this profession is unwavering – he has converted his home office into a professional, working kitchen with commercial-grade equipment so he can be sure to exceed his client’s expectations. A custom cake shop and true bakery is something Charlestown has been lacking, so we are very grateful to Justin! He can also craft any kinds of baked treats, pastries, (cookies, brownies, shortbread millionaire), etc. but the majority of his orders are for custom cakes, standard layer cakes & cupcakes.

The wedding industry has actually seen a big shift away from the classic tall, white layered wedding cake. Many people are now opting for small, custom cutting cakes and then serving their guests cupcakes or other desserts. Or, they still want a layered cake, but want it to be one-of-a-kind. Justin loves working with couples to design a cake that helps make their wedding day unforgettable. Our journalist Abbey is so excited to work with him on designing the cutting cake for her wedding!

“My goal is to help you create memorable experiences and shared moments of joy with your friends and family. I love to help people elevate major milestones or turn everyday occasions into unforgettable memories. I do this by baking my cakes with passion, creativity, and the finest local ingredients available.

I know exactly how important those moments are and I feel privileged to be a part of them, which is why I guarantee the quality of every single one of my cakes. I’m committed to your vision and to providing my customers with a great experience from start to finish.”

Justin and his wife moved from South Boston to Charlestown in 2013 and fell in love with the neighborhood immediately. (Hey, Southie to Charlestown… we know that story!) They love Charlestown for its history, vibrant neighborhood feel, and strong sense of community with a wonderful collection of small families. Justin is an active member of the community and his kids’ schools, often baking cakes for classes and functions around town!

Make sure to give Monumental Cakes a follow on Instagram so you can stay up to date on what they’re up to and their awesome new designs! Also, be on the lookout for exciting new offerings, including dog-friendly cakes for dog birthdays (Charlestown needs this!) and cake tasting boxes (yum!).