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Weddings

About

Dawn's Couture Cakes is a small, in-home bakery located in Ottumwa, Iowa. Specializing in wedding cakes and other dessert needs, Chef Dawn creates custom-desserts from scratch. She bakes cakes that mirror the couple’s style, personalities, and unique tastes, made using the freshest ingredients.

Experience
From a start washing dishes, serving tables, and working as a sous chef in Green Fountain Inn, Dawn Kappelman became a professional pastry chef when she graduated from Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. She received two associate degrees in hotel restaurant management and the culinary arts, with a baking certificate.

Products Offered
As a full-service bakery, Dawn's Couture Cakes offers consultations, custom designs, private tastings, delivery, and set up. Dawn offers a variety of dessert options including:

  • Cakes
  • Cupcakes
  • Dessert buffet
  • Groom's cake
  • Woman-owned
illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

What is the starting price for wedding cakes with buttercream frosting (per slice, without tax)?

$3

What is the starting price for fondant wedding cakes (per slice, without tax)?

$3

Which of the following are included in the cost of the cake?

Cake Stands

What types of desserts do you provide?

Cupcakes
Dessert Buffet
Groom's Cake

What services do you provide?

Consultations
Custom Design
Delivery
Setup
Tastings - Open House
Tastings - Private

What cake items do you provide?

Cake Stands

What dietary needs can you accommodate?

Gluten Free

Are you licensed by the state health department?

Yes

Reviews of Dawn's Couture Cakes

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

Desserts were consistently praised as beautiful, moist, and incredibly flavorful, with guests raving about cupcakes, cheesecakes, and specialty cakes. The baker was professional, responsive, flexible with last‑minute changes, and handled setup/delivery flawlessly. Many reviewers called her their go‑to and highly recommend booking.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Desserts were consistently praised as beautiful, moist, and incredibly flavorful, with guests raving about cupcakes, cheesecakes, and specialty cakes. The baker was professional, responsive, flexible with last‑minute changes, and handled setup/delivery flawlessly. Many reviewers called her their go‑to and highly recommend booking.

J
Josie Sent on 06/26/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing! 10/10

Dawn was so incredible for our wedding. She emailed back in a timely manner, was so sweet and professional, she also rolled with it when we had a specialty cake request for the wedding. And boy oh boy did she not only meet our expectations, she exceeded them. We got 4 different types of cupcakes and got our special mousse cake. And the pricing was amazing. And the taste of all of them was incredible. Our guests loved them so much also.
K
Kelsey Sent on 06/02/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Delicious!

Highly recommend Dawn for all your wedding dessert needs! All of the flavors are absolutely delicious and we had hard time narrowing down the flavors for our cupcakes. Everyone raved about how delicious our cupcakes were. Our wedding cake was so beautiful too. We went with a lambeth style cake and Dawn knocked it out of the park. She is so talented at what she does.
Nancy
Nancy Sent on 10/24/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Delicious and pretty!!

We are from out of the area and were not familiar with Dawn’s Couture Cakes but she came highly recommended. We wanted a sizable dessert bar along with a small cake for the bride and groom to cut. And that’s basically all the instruction we gave her … and OH MY WORD she nailed it!!! Everything was delicious, absolutely the best I have ever tasted!!!! The desserts were disappearing so fast, I snatched a box of cupcakes to hold back in the kitchen because I wanted to make sure and be able to try some of everything myself at home! All the guests were impressed and continually commented on how delicious everything was. I was otherwise busy with ceremony prep while Dawn was setting up and before I knew it she was gone and this beautifully decorated cake had appeared along with a table adorned with cheesecakes and cupcakes galore .. I was blown away! Not only was everything delicious, it was all so pretty!!! Best experience ever! Book her, you will not be disappointed!
L
Lindsie Sent on 10/04/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Goodvin wedding

Dawn did an amazing job, she assembled and set up the cake perfectly! Everything tasted amazing, I had so many compliments on how good the cupcakes were! Very pleased with our experience with her and will use her for all of our future cake orders!
H
Hannah Sent on 09/30/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Stunning!!

My husband and I were so amazed by both the decoration and delicious taste!
Nikole
Nikole Sent on 06/04/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely top notch amazing 🤩

When my husband now asked me to marry him I knew who I was calling right away for our cake and treats for our wedding and it was Dawn! Dawn is absolutely amazing, her cakes and cupcakes along with her other treats she makes and offers are out of this world delicious, Dawn and her work are very professional and so elegant and beautiful as well as flexible and we absolutely loved that about her! Our wedding cake was absolutely delicious and breathtaking and our cupcakes and and treats where out of this world delicious, our guests where so pleased with our desert table it literally gone with in seconds all night dawns work was complimented on, on how the desert table was the best they have every tasted! If you are looking for someone to do cakes and any desert Dawn is your best choice she is top notch and absolutely Amazing 💗
Adrienne
Adrienne Sent on 01/27/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Phenomenal every time!

Dawn has been our go to for cakes for 5 years now! Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, you name it we call Dawn! I just got married in November and she made our cake, it was flawless! We had a situation last week where we forgot to order a cake for a family birthday, Dawn was still able to help us out and got it done super last minute! I definitely recommend going through Dawn for all your sweets needs!
H
Heather Sent on 01/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Very accommodating and full of great ideas

Dawns couture cakes were fantastic to work with! She had great ideas because of her experience and helped guide me to the perfect decision. Her cake was so moist and flavorful! Absolutely the best! Perfect in my eyes! And she set up also! Took the stress away from me!
C
Cora Sent on 12/07/2023
5 out of 5 rating

The best of the best!!

Dawn does not disappoint! She provided our wedding cake and cupcakes and they were absolutely perfect! We had so many people compliment how good everything tasted!
Anjelica
Anjelica Sent on 11/01/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Amazingly talented

Dawn is AMAZING! She was super easy to work with and very accommodating. I had a red velvet geode cake (which everyone ate, not one piece left!) and my husband had a vanilla point cake with raspberry filling. We also had yummy s'more cupcakes.
I made the mistake of forgetting to update Dawn on the location AND date of the wedding. I also didn’t notice this until the week of the wedding!! Dawn was still able to make the cakes and deliver them for us! She is that awesome!! I found my forever person for any future occasions and I am recommending her to everyone! Thanks again so much Dawn! You helped make our special day so perfect!!
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Awards

128
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2012 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

3 Endorsements
Whippoorwill Acres Whippoorwill Acres Barn & Farm Weddings

Dawn is a true professional and her cakes and cupcakes are absolutely mouth-watering! I find that it is sometimes hard to have a really gorgeous cake that tastes just as amazing as it looks, but Dawn gets it done every time!

Brett Leemkuil Design Brett Leemkuil Design Wedding Florists

Beyond tasty! Her cakes are unforgettable! True artistry at its best!

FlourGirl Patissier FlourGirl Patissier Wedding Cakes

Dawn's cakes are creative, gorgeous, and made from scratch. Call Dawn for a FABULOUS cake and a wonderful experience!!

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