Jubilee Cake Studio Grows into a One-of-a-Kind Family Destination in Cumberland Valley

When Tawnna and Shawn Dorman set out to rename their cake studio after relocating to Pennsylvania, they didn’t have to look far. Originally named “Bake Me A Cake/Happy Baking,” the business rebranded to avoid confusion with a similarly named operation, adopting the name Jubilee Cake Studio in honor of their youngest of six children. Jubilee, whose name is as sweet as the business itself, has since become the studio’s ambassador, with a very dedicated fan base of her own.

That heartfelt decision has defined Jubilee Cake Studio from the start. Tawnna launched the business as a hobby from her home in the early 2000s. In late 2009, the operation moved into a 10-by-10 booth at a local farmers market; by 2010, the family had saved enough to open a small brick-and-mortar shop. Today, Jubilee Cake Studio occupies a 9,100-square-foot space featuring a cake-decorating area, an expansive play space, and a coffee bar serving frappes, fountain sodas, slushies, and a variety of snacks. This impressive expansion from a hobby to a thriving small business reflects both the family’s determination and the community’s embrace.

That growth recently reached a new milestone, supported by the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation’s (CAEDC) Tourism Product Development Grant Program. In 2024, CAEDC awarded the studio $57,208 to create Jubilee’s Mini Mansions indoor play area, designed to complement the studio’s signature cake- and cookie-decorating experiences. The funding helped purchase five of the area’s 10 custom playhouses and interactive accessories that invite children into a world of imaginative, sensory play.

The following year, CAEDC awarded an additional $87,020 through the same program to further expand the play area and add a digital display to the studio’s storefront windows. Today, Jubilee’s Mini Mansions area has grown to 21 custom playhouses, play centers, and transportation-themed structures, complemented by a large soft-play area and a carousel. Bright LED window displays now showcase the studio’s workshops, birthday parties, and special events to passersby.

The enhanced space has enabled Jubilee Cake Studio to host more birthday parties, workshops, and events, and to become a welcoming environment for neurodiverse families seeking a safe, engaging space for sensory play.

The results were immediate and measurable. Jubilee Cake Studio began tracking visitor zip codes in 2024 and found that 21 percent of its guests were arriving from outside Cumberland County. In 2025, that figure rose by another four percentage points. Those check-in numbers have remained strong, but they are only part of the story. The enhancements over the past two years have transformed what was once a one-hour cake-decorating experience into a half-day visit, encouraging overnight stays and additional tourism spending in the region.

Like many capital projects, the expansion brought unexpected challenges. The carousel and LED displays required additional electrical work, and shipping complications and installation delays added both time and cost. The investment ultimately exceeded initial projections, largely due to the infrastructure upgrades required to safely power the new attractions. Through it all, the Dormans remained committed to delivering a high-quality experience, adapting along the way to bring their vision to life.

“The CAEDC Tourism Product Development Grant really helped us create an even more exciting and fun place for kids—and adults—to play,” Tawnna says. “Because of the grant, we were able to make several improvements that significantly enhance the visitor experience.” With grant funding offsetting a portion of the costs, the studio was also able to reinvest in other enhancements, including exterior building updates that have helped boost foot traffic.

For the Dorman family, the truest measure of success isn’t square footage or visitor counts. It’s the relationships the studio has built. “Customers have simply turned into friends,” Tawnna says. Whether they’re two miles from the studio or two hours away on a family vacation, the Dormans are regularly greeted with joy by guests who keep coming back. “We never knew just how much our small business could have such a huge impact,” she reflects, “or how many friends, near and far, would travel to see us.”

That impact hasn’t come without sacrifice. Running a business, Tawnna notes, carries far more responsibility than most people realize, including long hours, missed milestones, and the discipline to keep going even on the hardest days. “When you want to give up, work even harder,” she says. The family has learned to pivot through slow seasons, embrace new trends and social media, and above all to “remain real, true, humble, and grateful.”

Looking ahead, the Dormans show no signs of slowing down. Whether that means a larger studio or multiple locations, they remain focused on driving Jubilee Cake Studio toward continued success.

As it grows, Jubilee Cake Studio continues to reinforce its place as a one-of-a-kind, inclusive destination that serves its local community while strengthening Cumberland Valley’s appeal as a family-friendly tourism hub. It’s a story that began with a hobby and, thanks to imagination and hard work, is still being written.

For more information: Jubileecakestudio.com