Mmm…Cakes is holding a one-day only Evil Dead Rise Experience, and it is asking patrons to don their “deadite costume” and head to the bakery located in downtown Chula Vista, as it partners with Warner Brothers in promoting the opening of “Evil Dead Rise,” that opens nationally in theaters on April 21.
The Evil Dead Rise Experience at Mmm…Cakes will take place on Saturday, April 15 from 6-9 p.m., or while supplies last. The free event will include some gruesome surprises such as red velvet brain cakes and bloody heart chocolate cakes, as well as a non-alcoholic bloody lemonade and an alcoholic Evil Dead-themed sangria. Additionally, there will be film-related giveaways and photo opportunities.
“I grew up loving Halloween,” said Mmm…Cakes Co-owner and Executive Chef Jose Barajas. “I am a film fan of the universal monsters and growing up Halloween is just such a fun holiday. People dress up. They have those haunted houses now and it is just great. People get to be creative. People get their artistry out when it comes to their costumes.”
Barajas said “Evil Dead” is a pop-culture icon, with its installment movies, and the series.
“It is a great approach,” he said. “Getting contacted by Warner Brothers to see if we could do this event to promote the movie.”
New Line Cinema and Renaissance Pictures present a return to the iconic horror franchise, “Evil Dead Rise,” from writer/director Lee Cronin (“The Hole in the Ground”). The movie stars Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols and introducing Nell Fisher “Evil Dead Rise” is produced by Rob Tapert (“Ash vs Evil Dead,” “Don’t Breathe”) and executive produced by series creator and horror icon Sam Raimi and cult legend and “Ash” himself, Bruce Campbell.
Moving the action out of the woods and into the city, “Evil Dead Rise” tells a twisted tale of two estranged sisters, played by Sutherland and Sullivan, whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.
Barajas said in creating desserts for this event has the same excitement as creating your own Halloween costume for him.
“You think about how creative you can get, and being asked that they want gory desserts, what more can you ask for? It is way out of the normal of what we do where you want to make something look appetizing, make something look so attractive,” he said. “Going with this theme, we want something that says just ‘gross.’ It is going to be so much fun. We were thinking about what is so gross and gory? Brains, a human heart, fingers, eyeballs. It is really fun to get creative like that. It is almost making a costume, but in reality we are making desserts for the popup experience.”
Originally created as a small home-based cake and dessert business in 2013, Chula Vista native Jose Barajas has quickly become a staple in the community and in the baking world, participating in competition shows like TLC’s “Next Great Baker” and Food Network’s “Cake Wars” and “Holiday Gingerbread Showdown.” His success and passion created an opportunity to partner with his brother and sister-in-law, Miguel and Stevie, and open Mmm…Cakes in 2021 along Third Avenue in Downtown Chula Vista.
Barajas said the business is fairly new to Third Avenue, but he has worked on Third Avenue since 13, working at Standlee’s.
“I’ve been working on Third Avenue for a long time,” he said. “My business started home-based nearly 15 years ago. Now I am here on Third Avenue, we are barely turning a year and a half and it is really crazy how much we have grown so fast. It is really an honor, but it is also a lot to catch up on. Especially right now in these hard times, short staffing, the inflation of ingredients. But we cannot complain. We are really grateful for the support the community has given us.”
