HOW SARAH ZELCER WENT FROM HER KITCHEN TO SOBEWFF’S BEST OF THE BEST WITH HER ORGANIC OLIVE OIL CAKES.

Purely Baked by Sarah's original olive oil cake PHOTO BY SARAH ZELCER

“When life gives you lemons, make a lemon olive oil cake,” is a philosophy that 23-year-old founder and CEO of Purely Baked by Sarah (@purelybakedbysarah) Sarah Zelcer embraces. The entrepreneur has turned her passion for the culinary arts into a full-fledged thriving business, delighting Miamians with her homemade olive oil cakes. During the COVID-19 shutdowns, she took to the kitchen and experimented with different recipes, adding her own flair to each dish. Deterred by sugary, unhealthy ingredients found in many recipes with loads of butter and sugar, she substituted an olive oil base and perfected a fluffy, moist, sweet and savory blend of cakes that are organic and dairy-free, with a gluten-free option. The icing on the cake—literally—was when South Beach Wine & Food Festival founder Lee Schrager called Zelcer after sampling one of her creations and invited her to showcase them at the festival’s most prestigious affair—the Wine Spectator Best of the Best event. Tasked with baking over 200 cupcakes out of her kitchen, Zelcer proved that Purely Baked by Sarah is destined for greatness. Next stop: nationwide!