The Montclair Girl Team 
A New Jersey cake-making couple known for their jaw-dropping, hyper-realistic designs is heading to Netflix just in time for Valentine’s Day. Amanda and Alex, the wife-and-husband duo behind A Couple of Layers, will appear on the Is It Cake? Valentine’s Day special, airing February 4th, where both their artistry and teamwork are put to the test. While the business is often spotted on social media across North Jersey, the couple’s roots trace back to Newark, where Alex grew up. They later moved to Sayreville, where they now live and continue to grow their cake business. Keep reading to learn about Amanda + Alex and how they ended up on an Is It Cake? episode.
The Backstory
A Couple of Layers officially began in 2020, when Alex’s sister-in-law asked him to make a cake for his twin brothers. Alex, who is classically trained with a baking and pastry degree from the Culinary Institute, brought the technical foundation to the business. Amanda soon joined him in the kitchen, contributing a creative, detail-driven perspective shaped by a cosmetology license and a strong understanding of color theory. These skills now play a major role in the couple’s realistic fondant work.
Initially focused on custom cakes, the business pivoted after the debut of Netflix’s Is It Cake?, leaning fully into hyper-realistic designs. Alex handles much of the technical baking, while Amanda takes the lead on sculpting and visual detailing, a collaboration that significantly elevated the quality and complexity of their work.
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That evolution caught the attention of the show’s casting team. Alex was first contacted in 2022 for season two of Is It Cake?, though the opportunity ultimately didn’t materialize. Rather than seeing it as a disappointment, the couple treated it as motivation to refine their craft. Shortly after, they welcomed their daughter, Isa, in 2023. Between parenting and their full-time jobs, A Couple of Layers took a brief hiatus.
A few years later, Netflix reached out again for an upcoming holiday special. Even better, it was a couple’s challenge, giving Amanda and Alex the opportunity they had hoped for: competing together. Fittingly, Valentine’s Day also happens to be their wedding anniversary.
The Show Experience
Filming the show marked several firsts for the couple, including their first trip to California. While they describe the experience as overwhelmingly positive (praising the production team for how well they were treated), it was also intense. The show’s time constraints, typically between 8 and 12 hours per cake, were a major shift from their usual process, which often spans several days.
The added pressure of cameras didn’t make things easier, but the couple credits parenthood with preparing them for high-stress environments. Amanda also brought previous on-camera experience, having worked in performance and even announced New York Lottery numbers on television (yes – how cool!).
The Valentine’s theme of the episode carries special meaning for the couple. Their real-life love story is inspired by Aladdin and Jasmine, a theme that carried into Alex’s proposal during their first anniversary. The hotel room was transformed into a magical scene, complete with a “magic carpet,” a lamp, and the words “Do you trust me?” written on the window. The couple hinted that viewers “may or may not” see a cake inspired by that very moment.
Despite their growing national exposure, A Couple of Layers remains deeply rooted in New Jersey. Alex cites Cake Boss as an early inspiration, and the couple loves seeing people’s reactions when they realize a cake isn’t the real object (and then again when they finally taste it). One standout early creation was a hyper-realistic barrel cake made in 2020 in Newark, which even contained real liquor and was so convincing that guests hesitated to cut into it.
For Amanda and Alex, cake-making goes beyond visual illusion. They aim to create desserts that feel personal and meaningful, often drawing inspiration from a client’s favorite music, memories, or interests.
Readers can support A Couple of Layers by placing orders via email, which is linked on their Instagram and TikTok pages. When asked to share some local favorites, the couple shouted out Paper Plane Coffee, V. Sosa (Alex’s barber), and Hatch 44 for brunch.
Netflix’s Is It Cake? Valentine’s special airs February 4th, 2026, only on Netflix. Watch the trailer here.
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