The final touches can make all the difference. With a steady hand, sophomore Charlie Loper applies the last details to his signature Basque cheesecake. Using a pair of tweezers, he places delicate flowers and arranges fresh berries, turning a once simple, caramelized surface into a canvas of vibrant colors and textures, making each cake a hand-crafted masterpiece. For Loper, each cheesecake is more than just a dessert. It is a balance of love, passion and precision baked into every bite.
Loper’s love for baking began with his mother, an exceptional cook who spent countless hours in the kitchen preparing meals for the family.
“I wasn’t born a baker,” Loper said. “But after seeing my mom in the kitchen cooking all these amazing foods, I really wanted to learn how to do that.”
His earliest experiences with cooking began with eggs, a simple yet foundational skill given the versatility of the ingredient. From there, his culinary journey expanded to making baked goods like chocolate chip cookies. However, it was during the 2024 winter break that his journey into baking took a more definitive turn. Instead of traditional presents, Loper and his younger brother, Oliver Loper, decided to bake Basque cheesecakes as gifts for friends and family. Their mother played a crucial role in guiding them through the process, teaching them the intricate balance of ingredients and techniques required to perfect the dessert.
“Seeing my brother and mom hard at work in the kitchen was a spark for me,” Loper said. “All the dots seemed to line up, and I was having fun baking.”
Choosing to make Basque cheesecakes was not random. Loper’s father is a huge cheesecake fan, and both Loper and his brother had always enjoyed the dessert as well.
The first batch of cheesecakes was a hit. Friends and family raved about the flavor, and the overwhelming positive feedback helped inspire the idea of making it into something bigger.
“Seeing people’s faces light up when they got a cheesecake and getting texts asking if they could buy more motivated me to continue making cheesecakes,” Loper said.
Encouraged by his family, he decided to take the leap and start selling. With Oliver as his business partner, Charlie officially launched Basque It, their home-run cheesecake business, on Jan. 15. They promoted their product through word-of-mouth and Instagram, offering cheesecakes of different sizes and flavors to cater to different customers.
“It’s delicious and outstanding,” customer Ally Kim said. “Compared to typical seasonal businesses, it has an advantage: the types of cheesecake they offer are unique. The Basque cheesecake, for example, originates from Spain and has a distinct texture that sets it apart from standard cheesecakes found in other cafes.”
Like any new venture, Basque It has faced its fair share of challenges. The biggest hurdle was simply getting started. Initially, the brothers weren’t completely sure if they wanted to pursue the idea, but instead of overthinking, they embraced a hands-on approach, launching a 3-month-long pilot phase from Jan. 15 to March 1 to test the waters.
Although the brothers run the business together, their schedules often prevent them from working side by side.
“We actually don’t get to work together that often since our schedules are different,” Oliver Loper said. “But when we do, it’s always fun and a great bonding experience.”
Despite these obstacles, Basque It continues to grow, with customers appreciating both the quality of the cheesecakes and the effort behind them.
“I think it’s wonderful that the boys are actually baking,” customer Denise Ta said. “Usually it’s a girl thing, but I think it is great that boys have interest in it. I think they’re very brave, so it’s cool to support that.”
Looking ahead, Loper plans to keep Basque It as a neighborhood cheesecake company rather than expanding into a larger operation.
“We’re not looking to expand because it’s not possible with our schedule,” Loper said. “That said, we would love to be our neighborhood’s super-small batch, bake-to-order, home-delivered Basque cheesecake bakers.”
