WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — WPTV is sharing stories that honor tradition and inspire future generations this Black History Month.
In downtown West Palm Beach, one bakery has become a sweet symbol of perseverance, culture and community.
WATCH BELOW: Baker turns childhood dreams into sweet success
RELATED: Read more Black History Month stories
Ganache Bakery is the realization of a childhood dream that began thousands of miles away in St. Croix.
Owner Jamal Lake still remembers standing in the kitchen as a young boy, watching his grandmother bake. He would peek over the counter, eager to learn, soaking in every movement.
"Well, as a kid, I always wanted to bake," Lake said.
He baked for friends and dreamed of one day becoming a professional chef — though leaving his close-knit island community was not easy.
After moving to Florida, he pursued culinary training and worked at high-end restaurants including The Breakers and BiCE.
Eventually, he opened Ganache Bakery with a friend. What started as a small dream quickly gained attention and even earned Jamal a spot on the Food Network's Halloween Baking Championship.
"After the show aired, we've been getting a lot of people from the community coming in," Lake said.
But the journey to success was far from simple.
"Financially, it was very hard," Lake explained. "Going to the banks to get funding was really hard. Even getting people to believe in you — believe I could actually do what I was telling you — that was one of my biggest challenges."
Despite those obstacles, Lake pushed forward, determined to become a face of Black entrepreneurship in downtown West Palm Beach.
Today, he and his wife run Ganache together, transforming the café into a boutique cake shop known for custom designs and island-inspired flavors. Their menu includes freshly shucked coconuts, key lime tarts, and their famous rum cakes, each dessert infused with culture and love.
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Lake shared his signature rum cake and chocolate-covered strawberries with WPTV, even laughing as he added a little extra rum.
From rum-infused white chocolate to colorful sprinkles, every creation carries a piece of his story and his hope for the future.
When asked what advice he would give to aspiring Black entrepreneurs, Lake didn't hesitate.
"If you're going to do it, do it 100%. Some people won't believe in your dream, but you have to prove everybody wrong," he said.
From a small kitchen in the Caribbean to a beloved storefront in West Palm Beach, Ganache Bakery is more than a place for desserts; it's a reminder that dreams, when nurtured, can rise into something truly extraordinary.
