Kriti Mehrotra
Having been a part of the competitive baking world since the early 2010s, it was only a matter of time before cake artist Timbo Sullivan made his way to Netflix’s ‘Is It Cake? Holiday.’ He made his debut in season 2 of this original production, where he dominated his challenge and made it all the way to the finale, only to walk away with $15,000. However, it’s not the money that motivates him to keep returning to such competitions; it’s the adrenaline rush of being time-bound, the complex tasks, and the thrill of creativity under stress.
Timbo Sullivan Always Knew He Wasn’t Going to Follow a Traditional Path
Hailing from a loving and proud family in Columbus, Ohio, Timbo Sullivan reportedly always felt like he could pursue his passions because of the unwavering support in his household. Therefore, the moment he realized he wanted to be an artist instead of following the traditional corporate path, he began making efforts to acquire the necessary flair and skills. In fact, with the backing of his parents, he was able to attend an art trade school during his senior year at Mifflin High School in 2007 before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Art in 2011.
Timbo had realized art school wasn’t for him early on because it felt too repetitive and restrictive, but he stuck to it because he was unsure of how to navigate his next steps. Little did he know that the reality competition series ‘Cake Boss’ on Food Network – particularly season 5 in 2012-2013 – would inspire him to blend his artistic knack with the kitchen. That’s when he began baking cakes; not long after, he started dabbling in sculpting, painting, and airbrushing his masterpieces to make them look as hyper-realistic as possible.
Timbo was enjoying the process to such an extent that he knew he had finally found his calling. Still, he initially had trouble monetizing his talents because no bakery would hire him. They didn’t have any issues with his work; however, they didn’t know how to sell his pieces in their stores, which drove him to establish Cakes by Timbo to sell a mix of traditional and custom treats. He gradually garnered such success here that he caught the eye of the Food Network for ‘Duff Till Dawn’ in 2015, which sparked his interest in participating in competitive baking shows.
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Timbo Sullivan Remains a Force of Nature as a Cake Artist
When Timbo competed on ‘Duff Till Dawn’ alongside partner Sarah Myers, they won a lifetime of bragging rights, the coveted Golden Whisk, and numerous other open opportunities. Amongst them was a chance to compete in ‘Skin Wars’ (2016), ‘Ridiculous Cakes’ (2018), and ‘Crazy Cakes’ (2018), following which he appeared in ‘Macy’s Thanksgiving Cake Spectacular’ (2019). In the latter, he served as a judge alongside the legendary baker-businesswoman Martha Stewart and the iconic Buddy Valastro, and later also appeared as a judge on ‘Baketopia’ (2021).
Timbo revealed he chose to step away from television in the early 2020s because he was primarily being offered baking projects in which he would be a judge. He hadn’t suddenly changed his mind about the benefits of competitive baking, and he didn’t have anything against judging per se; he just found it boring as he wished to get his hands dirty. He wasn’t ready to give up being a contestant, so when he was approached with Food Network’s ‘Super Mega Cakes’ (2025) as well as Netflix’s ‘Is It Cake? Holiday’ season 2 (2025), he immediately said yes. In between this period, though, it’s imperative to note that the baker expanded his wings by launching his own line of airbrush colors.
Thus, today, in his mid-30s, Timbo continues to thrive as a cake artist, competitive baker, television personality, and the proud owner-operator of his own independent bakery, Cakes by Timbo. We should mention that apart from still making traditional treats while primarily focusing on creating custom, hyper-realistic masterpieces per clients’ demands, he is now also an educator. The Ohio native offers decorating classes to kids and adults alike, both online and around the Columbus area, with the sole aim of spreading the joy of baking and hopefully inspiring a whole new generation of cake artists. His website offers several pre-recorded classes, tutorials, and workshops that you can purchase as well. With his impeccable skills and passion for baking, Timbo remains focused on his path to even greater success.
