Kirkwood-based Cott Studio offers buttercream cakes and flowers for delivery

Owner Nakyung Lee is a multi-talented baker and florist.

BY IAIN SHAW NOVEMBER 5, 2020 9:11 AM

PHOTO BY NAKYUNG LEE Cott studio owner Nakyung Lee

PHOTO BY NAKYUNG LEE Bakery and flower studio Cott has just opened, offering buttercream cakes and flowers for delivery within a 12 mile-radius of its Kirkwood base. Owner Nakyung "Naky" Lee describes Cott as an “online gift shop hoping to help daily lives bloom.” Lee creates stunning cakes, both full size and cupcakes, intricately decorated with buttercream icing flowers. She also specializes in flower arrangements, including for small weddings and corporate events. If you want to make giving flowers a habit, sign up for a subscription with deliveries spread out across several weeks, months, or a year. Delivery is free on all items, and deliveries are currently made Tuesdays through Thursdays.

PHOTO BY NAKYUNG LEE Lee graduated with an art degree from Seoul’s Institute of the Arts, before working in TV production and copywriting. She moved toward baking and floral arrangements after leaving South Korea for the United States in 2018. “It was hard for me to continue my field because copywriting focuses, obviously, on language and culture,” Lee said. “But I still wanted to use my creativity in my work. I figured I liked arranging flowers as a hobby, which ultimately led me to a job in a flower shop. Also, I like baking so I kept baking cakes for my friend’s birthdays, and people started asking me to sell them.” The idea for Cott Studio came when the flower shop that Lee was working in closed during the pandemic. “Staying in the U.S. without income and family really scared me,” she says. “A month of not working allowed me time to think about my future and what I want out of life.” That grew into a conviction to launch her own business.

PHOTO BY NAKYUNG LEE

PHOTO BY NAKYUNG LEE Lee chose the name Cott, which means "flower" in Korean, as a nod to her home country’s culture. She began learning to decorate cakes when she was still living in South Korea. “In Korea, it’s common to eat rice cakes with decorative sweet bean paste,” she says. “I learned flower piping by using sweet bean paste, because it is easier to use to decorate than buttercream. After I got used to making flowers by piping with bean paste, I learned how to pipe flowers with buttercream.”

PHOTO BY NAKYUNG LEE Cott Studio’s standard three-layer cake serves eight to 10 people. They are baked using quality materials, including USDA Grade AA butter and cage-free organic eggs. (A full list of ingredients is published on Cott’s website.) Each cake takes Lee around five to seven hours to bake and decorate. “I’m still learning and developing my technique,” Lee says. “I’m working on becoming faster without sacrificing quality and attention to detail.” In addition to offering her signature flower cakes, Lee has ideas for holiday-themed cake decorations including chrysanthemums for Thanksgiving and poinsettia for the holiday season. Cott Studio will also take custom orders, and Lee says she’s always trying to improve her technique and working on creative new ideas. “If you look on our Instagram, I made a 2020-themed cake (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and added a mouse using fondant because 2020 is the Year of the Mouse,” she says.

PHOTO BY NAKYUNG LEE Cott’s floral arrangements are just as colorful and creative as Lee’s cakes. “I like natural, organic, and environmentally friendly arrangements; I try to make those types of arrangements whenever possible,” she says. She tries to avoid using foam to hold arrangements together, preferring natural materials instead. “I learned this method from Constance Spry, a British floral designer from the mid-20th century,” she says. “She believed beautiful flowers should not be limited to just those with a large budget. She felt that everyone’s life could be enriched by flowers. That’s my goal, especially with my subscription flower service. I want to provide beautiful and eco-friendly arrangements at reasonable prices.” For more information, visit Cott Studio, or follow on Instagram at @cott.stl.

PHOTO BY NAKYUNG LEE Click here to read the article on STL Magazine