Farrah Miller recently opened her new cake shop, Chic Sweets By Farrah, at 310 Water St. in Eau Claire.

Eau Claire’s newest “Cake Boss” has opened up a specialty bakery on Water Street. Farrah Miller, proprietor of Chic Sweets By Farrah, draws inspiration from the changing seasons, mythical creatures, and bewitching Tim Burton characters. She focuses on – but isn’t limited to – birthday, wedding, and baby shower cakes of all sizes, perfectly personalized down to the last detail. No matter the occasion, Farrah’s got you covered.

Starting a new business is no easy feat, but this supermom of three claimed the startup was easier than anticipated, affectionately mentioning how her mother has been a big help. This self-taught Southerner found her calling, and got her start at Eau Claire’s Simply Cakes as the head decorator, filling “all custom orders, everything and anything,” and now has Chic Sweets, a space to call her own.

Farrah’s storefront was obtained in a twist of fate, as she discovered she knew the woman who originally owned the space. She stated how it really came full circle when an ex-Water Street chocolatier helped Farrah with the startup. Farrah’s expanding business has “been really awesome” as she missed the customer service aspect of baking, and continued, “I love the college kids who come in.”

“I want my store to be a gourmet experience with chic and extravagant flavors.” – Farrah Miller, Chic Sweets By Farrah

Considering her intricately designed baked goods – which also include cupcakes, cake pops, and cookies – it might surprise you to learn that Farrah is self-taught. “I had no training, none at all,” she says. “I went into (Simply Cakes) and showed her a few cakes I had done for my friends, and I got hired right on the spot. That was five years ago, and now I have all this,” she adds, referring to her new storefront at 310 Water St.

When asked how Farrah originally jumped into the cake-making business, she replied, “Well I always had an Easy-Bake Oven as a kid, so everyone knew me from my 2-inch-tall cakes that were probably really gross, but that’s where it all started. Then as an adult, my mom took a class, and that’s how I kind of got into it. I saw her trying to decorate a cake, and I was like, ‘Oh! I could do that!’ ”

Farrah’s dreams go well beyond her childhood hobby, as she aspires to open up several storefronts. “My ultimate goal would be to have a food truck in California,” she says. “I like this idea because as a kid I always looked forward to the ice cream truck coming through my neighborhood, and that was a really great memory for me. So I’d love to do that, only in cupcake form.”

Farrah stated how she enjoyed the challenge of creating something new, and her most intricate dessert was an R2D2 cake for her husband’s birthday. Oddly enough, R2D2 was her claim to fame. Many people have contacted her to make the same Star Wars-inspired cake for their weddings. “I like to do it all!” she says.

While the traveling cupcake truck idea is temporarily parked, Farrah describes her dreams for this particular storefront. “I think I personally would like to move towards specialty items, like the specialty cake pops, and really decorative cakes and desserts, and train other people to do the everyday cupcakes and cookies (for walk-in customers).” Farrah is attempting to bring the big-city dessert style to Eau Claire. “I want my store to be a gourmet experience with chic and extravagant flavors,” she says.

Farrah’s new motto appeals to the sweet tooth in us all: “I want to bring a sweet little sugar rush to everyone’s life.”

Chic Sweets By Farrah • 310 Water St., Eau Claire • (715) 895-8181 • chicsweetsdesserts@gmail.com • Find it on Facebook