If you walk past the Riehm household in Waseca during the early mornings, the air doesn’t just smell like a typical neighborhood; it smells like a high-end patisserie. The scent of vanilla bean, toasted sugar, and freshly baked dough wafts from a warmer than average kitchen where Amanda Riehm, her husband Andy, are busy managing a burgeoning empire built on flour and grit.
Known locally as The Tattooed Baker, Riehm’s journey from a twenty-year career in corrections to a professional baker is a story of passion, precision, and a heavy scoop of artistic flair. The business officially launched in July 2025, and within months, the demand outpaced the capacity of a standard home kitchen, necessitating the installation of a double convection oven to keep up with the flurry of orders. By November 2025, The Tattooed Baker became an official LLC.
The Tattooed Baker handles everything from half-pound stuffed cookies to “mini cakes” for local farmers’ markets like Farmamerica; however, it’s the customized creations where her true passions lie, “Custom cake orders allow me to be truly creative,” Riehm delightfully shared. “Getting to design them is a lot of fun.” For Riehm, baking isn’t a new hobby—it’s a lifelong language. She grew up in a family that baked constantly, learning the fundamentals from her Great Aunt Darlene. What started as bringing treats to work functions or donating to bake sales eventually turned into a professional calling, spurred on by the relentless encouragement of friends who recognized her talent.
Having spent two decades as a corrections officer and Lieutenant at federal facilities in Waseca and Rochester, she is used to being in environments where discipline is paramount. That discipline translates perfectly to the “science” of baking. “Baking requires a lot of patience,” Riehm explained, noting that a typical order starts two days before an event—one day for baking and cooling, and a second for the painstaking decoration.
Some of her most intricate work involves cake pops, which she describes as her most time-consuming task. Her portfolio includes everything from Halloween-themed eyeballs and expressive Jack-o’-lanterns to specific dog and cat breeds rendered in edible paint and icing. Perhaps her most challenging project to date was a “tree stump” wedding cake for an October 2025 ceremony which took two full days of focused labor to complete. . The woodland-themed masterpiece featured initials “carved” into the bark, edible moss, and 96 exquisitely crafted mushroom cupcakes.
The name “Tattooed Baker” isn’t just a catchy handle; it’s an authentic reflection of Riehm’s identity. Her own tattoo journey began at 27 in honor of her son, Mason and two acquired matching American traditional wolf pieces on his 18th birthday. Her aesthetic often bleeds into her work. One of her most striking designs was a “Trash Polka” birthday cake, a style characterized by high-contrast red and black ink splatters and surrealist imagery. “Most people see me and assume I’m a tattoo artist,” she laughed. “But the culinary world has evolved. The art of cooking is incredibly artistic—it’s about colors, design, and establishing a flow with your creations.”
While Waseca has completely embraced The Tattooed Baker with open arms, Riehm is ready to take her sweet and succulent show on the road. After the successful debut of her “Treat Trolley”–a build your own cake station–concept at Farmamerica, expect to see this confectionary cart at an event near you.The next big step? Converting a camper into a food trailer in hopes of an “on-the-go experience” at regional fairs and communities beyond Waseca by Summer 2026.
With love in full bloom, Riehm is preparing for Valentine’s Day with her signature “skull candy” cake pops in waffle cone bouquets and chocolate breakable hearts. And she isn’t doing it alone. “My husband offers so much support—labeling, packing, loading, and staying up with me during the late-night baking sessions,” she shared. “The community has welcomed me as their Tattooed Baker, and I’m just excited to see where the trailer takes us.”
The Tattooed Baker offers custom orders including gluten-free, low-sugar, vegan, and dairy-free options. Follow her on social media to see her latest creations and find out where the Treat Trolley will head next.
