Daisy Cakes

Daisy Cakes is one of Shark Tank’s great underdog stories. What started as a small-town Southern baker shipping homemade cakes from her kitchen has grown into a nationwide business doing $4 million a year in revenue, all from a $50,000 investment that four out of five Sharks passed on.

What is Daisy Cakes?

Daisy Cakes is a mail-order cake company based in Pauline, South Carolina. Every cake is made from scratch using family recipes passed down through generations, with all-natural, American-sourced ingredients. The cakes are shipped frozen on dry ice anywhere in the United States, arriving ready to thaw and serve. The range has expanded well beyond the original four flavours. Today you can order lemon, carrot, red velvet, chocolate, coconut, birthday cake, and seasonal rotating flavours, along with gluten-free and vegan options. The company also sells MiniKins, which are individual cake and frosting portions in jars.

Who is Kim Nelson?

Kim Nelson grew up in Pauline, South Carolina, learning to bake from her mother, grandmothers, and her Great Aunt Daisy, who became the company’s namesake. Before starting Daisy Cakes in 2009, Nelson worked in catering, taught cooking classes, and ran her own restaurant. She still uses the same family recipes and even some of the same kitchenware, including her mother’s vintage enamel kettle for making lemon curd.

The Shark Tank Pitch

Daisy Cakes appeared on Shark Tank Season 2, Episode 6, which aired on April 29, 2011. Kim Nelson walked into the tank seeking $50,000 in exchange for 25% equity, valuing the company at $200,000. At the time, the company had generated around $27,000 in sales over three months. Nelson’s pitch was as much about charm as it was about business. She passed out samples of her cakes to every Shark. Three of them called it the best cake they had ever tasted, and all five devoured every last crumb. Despite this, four Sharks passed. Kevin O’Leary, Kevin Harrington, Daymond John, and Robert Herjavec all felt the business was too small to invest in. Barbara Corcoran was the last Shark standing. She pointed out that every Shark who had turned the deal down was still eating the cake. She offered $50,000 for 25% equity with two conditions: a $1 per cake royalty until she recouped her investment, and that Kim’s mother had to stay on the baking team. Kim accepted immediately.

What Happened to Daisy Cakes After Shark Tank?

The Shark Tank effect hit Daisy Cakes hard and fast. Within the first weekend after the episode aired, Kim sold over 2,000 cakes. The company’s website crashed under the traffic surge, and phone lines were overwhelmed. Barbara Corcoran quickly recouped her $50,000 investment from the royalty arrangement. The media attention snowballed from there. Nelson and Daisy Cakes were featured on Good Morning America, the Today Show, the Rachael Ray Show, Food Network, and The Chew. Within a year of the episode airing, the company was generating over $100,000 per month in sales and had to move into a larger commercial bakery. The growth was not without setbacks. When Nelson tried outsourcing production to scale faster, a contract bakery’s mistakes resulted in the loss of nearly 7,000 cakes, a $165,000 hit that would have represented $300,000 in revenue. Nelson made the tough call to bring production back to South Carolina where she could maintain quality control. That decision proved critical to the company’s long-term survival. In 2019, Nelson opened a second bakery in Las Vegas to reduce shipping costs for West Coast customers. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the company adapted by launching vegan and gluten-free cake options along with plant-based savoury pies. Nelson has also published two cookbooks sharing her family recipes. By the time of a Season 12 check-in, lifetime sales had reached approximately $8.5 million. Nelson has expressed interest in potentially franchising Daisy Cakes into physical bakery shops, though she remains cautious about scaling too fast after her earlier outsourcing experience.

Daisy Cakes Net Worth 2026

As of 2026, Daisy Cakes has an estimated net worth of $5-8 million, with annual revenue of approximately $4 million. The company produces cakes with strong margins. Each cake costs around $18 to make and retails for $44.50. The business has a loyal nationwide customer base with repeat orders. Barbara Corcoran’s original $50,000 investment for 25% equity is now worth an estimated $1.25-2 million, making it one of her most profitable Shark Tank deals relative to the initial outlay.

Where to Buy Daisy Cakes

Daisy Cakes ships nationwide through their official website at ilovedaisycakes.com. Kim Nelson’s two cookbooks are also available on Amazon for anyone wanting to try her family recipes at home.