What do Louis Vuitton bags, Ninja Turtles and Buddha have in common? They’re all in Ailynn Santos’ repertoire of incredible edibles at her Whimsical Cake Studio.

When she was studying elementary education at the University of Alberta, she never imagined her career path would take a huge turn. Four years ago, Ailynn went to teach in New York City where she found cupcake shops everywhere. When she returned to Edmonton, teaching positions were few and far between. It was summer and she had to make a living. So she started making cupcakes and selling them at the Downtown Farmers Market.

For three seasons, her creations were so well received that people kept asking when she was gong to open her own shop. Bolstered by the support, Ailynn found the perfect location in Riverbend, close to many of her clients.

She took a few decorating and baking courses, but learned most of her skills from books. She has four staff and admits that they have skills she doesn’t. There’s no end of new techniques, but “The fun part about this job is we’re playing every day, just trying new things.” Ailynn has plans to offer classes, utilizing her teaching skills to share the fun.

To her surprise, there are more custom orders for 3D cakes than for cupcakes. The Whimsical creations are unique in the city and no two are alike. High-profile clients include Oilers’ families and local media types—even Harriett Winspear, for whom 101st and 102nd birthday cakes were created.

Ailynn happily donates her cakes and her time to a wide range of causes. Her biggest event is the What a Girl Wants fundraiser for the Lois Hole Women’s Hospital, where she takes care of the dessert stage. Her next big event is the Nina Haggerty Cake Walk in October.

The 29-year old admits, “I couldn’t draw to save my life” when she started. Now, give the Whimsical designers an idea of the cake you see in your mind, and “…we’ll pluck it out and put it in icing.”

The result? Almost too good to eat.