Duff tours his bakery.

Duff shares his thoughts about working with friends.

Duff and company talk about working in Baltimore.

Before Ace of Cakes became an overnight sensation on the Food Network, the patriarch Duff Goldman, and his eccentric supporting staff, embarked on a unique journey to the spotlight. Chef Duff's background is a story of childhood rebellion, art, music and culinary adventures — including a raucous stint at Burger King, a wild ride at a prestigious pastry school, and a job at one of the best restaurants in the world. His diverse experiences and determination led Duff to hire his friends and open one of the most creative, successful and entertaining bakeries in the nation: Charm City Cakes.

21 cakes in a week? Sounds like a lot, but for Duff Goldman and his crew, it's just a normal week at Charm City Cakes. With cakes shaped like Jeeps, game consoles, fish and a special cake for the Preakness Horse Race; this is no easy task - can Duff and his crew pull it off in time?

Hell week has arrived at Charm City Cakes! It's the busiest week of the summer, as Duff and his team are pushed to the limit—24 cakes in seven days. Lots of weddings over Memorial Day weekend. Duff and company have their Monday morning meeting to go over cakes for the week, assign cakes and troubleshoot potential problems. The main cakes of the week are a tequila bottle cake for some girls graduating from college, a replica of a German shepherd for a groom's cake, a four-tier deconstructed wedding cake for two men, and an elaborate four-tier wedding cake in which each tier represents a snapshot from a couple's many vacations. Another big cake for the week is a six-tier wedding cake.

Monday morning—Duff and the Charm City staff meet up to go over the cakes for the week. The cakes include a four-tier wedding cake based upon a knock-off drawing of the late artist Aubrey Beardsley, a cake shaped like a vintage hat for a woman's surprise 80th birthday, a massive wedding cake accompanied by 300 eight-layer cookies, and a surprise birthday cake for Duff's dad, who's coming into town from Florida.

A benefit for the local zoo takes up time for research and problem-solving, while other staff prepare an unusual groom cake, and Duff reconnects with an old friend.

Creating a cake for Jay Leno is the focus of this episode, and the kitchen location is pretty unbelievable. Duff also helps a restaurant celebrate a birthday, tutors some Brownies, and indulges himself while in Los Angeles.

An amusement park wedding, a museum birthday and a gallery opening all require Duff's services, and the cakes are as unusual as the settings. These cakes are for kids and kids at heart.

Weddings and a birthday populate the second season premiere, as a delivery requires Duff's personal services, and the standard-bearer for groom cakes is created.

Chaos ensues while Duff is gone, since there are 39 cakes to prepare this week, and Mary Alice must deal not only with her regular duties, but dip her finger into repairs when a broken cake comes back in. Meanwhile, Duff is having a grand old time on his version of a road trip which includes using the van as his stove.

Duff employs some unusual methods to get inspiration for a Scottish wedding cake, a cake is ordered with an addition, and the team is challenged with a flower-themed cake.

Duff and his team are faced with two weddings that each want two cakes, one for the groom and one each for three brides. All of these cakes are technically challenging, but none quite as much as the wedding cake for one of the assistant decorators – emergency surgery is required. Elsewhere, Geof gets to do a repeat of a popular groom's cake.

Replicas make up this week's work. First the team must create a ship, then a famous gorilla, and last is a DJ's groom's cake. Everything still must be transferred, of course, and potholes may ruin a christening.

Duff has a special cake to make for a charity flag football event held by the Baltimore Fire Department, a theater group wants a fairy godfather, and Duff helps his father celebrate a milestone.

It's a week of complicated and artistic cakes that put Geof and Duff to the test with a cake interpretation of the Dance of the Veils, a renowned ski slope and a plane.

A cake for a tree lighting ceremony presided over by Duff guarantees fireworks; Geof gets to create a cake for one of his idols, a tennis star; and Duff creates a surprise for a party given by dear friends.

Duff and crew are experiencing their busiest week to date, with 40 cakes in the offing. A birthday party requires three cakes, Starbucks asks for a holiday-themed one, and just for a change they get to create a goth one as well.

A slow week with only seven cakes turns out to be more difficult than expected when the bakery seems to be cursed. Cakes include a difficult turtle, a hamburger and the Taj Mahal.

Lettered tiles and a cake of squares add up to a famous game replica for a mom.

Duff and his staff head for Miami to create the bakery's largest cake ever for the Super Bowl.

The bakery focuses on birthdays and doctors. A radiology company asks the team to create a CT scanner, complete with patient inside. It's also a time for reflection at Charm City Cakes as the staff reflects on moments from the past with a series of flashbacks and outtakes.

The Charm City Bakery staff takes a trip to a shooting range and celebrates Sherri's wedding.

The staff creates a variety of nature inspired cakes, including a duck hunt and an armadillo dressed as an EMT. Geof must play EMT, himself, when one of this week's cakes has problems after delivery. Also, Charm City visits a tattoo museum.

Charm City Cakes tackles a carousel cake and a hospital-themed cake.

Duff, Geof and Mary Alice are tapped to serve as judges for a Food Network Challenge episode, "Extreme Cakes." They leave Anna in charge to complete the week's cakes.

The Armed Forces Foundation Gala requests a special cake from the Charm City Bakery. The bakery also has an order for a pirate ship and a thank you gift for a very special band.

The bakery makes some children's dreams come true, including a wedding couple whose children design their cake and a special young guest from the Make A Wish Foundation.

First, the staff has to make zombies. Then, the bakery has two separate orders for stadiums–Camden Yards and Raven's Stadium. Can the staff finish these complicated structures on time and deliver them to their respective owners?

Author Tom Clancy wants a Charm City cake, so the bakery scrambles to make him the Tower of London. Also, Duff's college roommate is getting married. So, this cake is special. To complicate matters even more, the bakery has a cake bound for Philadelphia when Helena requests King Tut's sarcophagus.

This week features three cakes that will get lots of publicity. First, it's the bakery's second Zoomerang cake. Next, HBO's The Wire gets a special cake for a party. And, a Lighthouse cake for a very special Baltimore school.

A special Army birthday cake brings out some special guests. Other cakes include wine and humidors.

NBA superstar and Baltimore native, Carmelo Anthony, asks Duff to participate in his charity organization. Duff agrees and brings cake Carmelo helped decorate. Other cakes include a musician's cake and a replica of the USS Carney.

The bakery is consumed with the Baltimore premiere of of Hairspray. They also recreate the tea party from Alice in Wonderland. And, Jeopardy calls on Duff to be a category.

Duff and company are put in a holiday mood after meeting with Radio City Music Hall about the cake for the Rockette's Christmas Spectacular that is also the 75th anniversary for the show. They also create a cake for a children's charity.

When the bakery is asked to create a cake for the LA premiere of Harry Potter, Duff and the gang go all out to create a complete Hogwarts.

The bakery is extremely busy this week with a celebrity softball game, a moonbounce cake and a volcano cake.

Three transportation cakes take center stage this week–Noah's Ark with a unicorn, a Delta jet, and a subway car.

The bakery makes the wedding cake for a couple who used a Charm City cake to get engaged in Season 2. Also, they have to make French toast with a French mouse.

This week has a wide range of cakes. The gang has to make a birthday cake for Sir Roger Moore's 80th birthday, recreate a scene from The Exorcist, and make a girl scout cookie cake.

Four cakes dominate Charm City this week: a pro-skater's cake, a massive wedding cake, an over the top baby shower cake, and a replica of a Porsche.

The gang has to make a lot of cakes for various celebrations. Cakes this week include: a fork cake, a 21st birthday cake wit hthe theme of cocktails and coffee, and a Bicentennial Clock for St. Mary's University.

Charm city has a host of complicated cakes this week. First, a replica police cruiser with working lights proves difficult. But, they also have to create a magnum of wine, a basket of yarn, and a Harley Davidson.

The bakery gets a backstage tour when the Broadway play Avenue Q comes to Baltimore.

This is a week filled with some serious birthdays, including an autograph book, a fishing boat that brings back bad memories, and Duff's birthday celebration. A scrapple battle features prominently.

This week, the cakes include a roller derby celebration cake, a corvette, and a manatee's whole family.

Charm City Cakes focuses on weddings with cakes that celebrate hockey, the Baltimore skyline, and a traditional four-tiered flower cake.

The Broadway premiere of Crybaby demands a huge cake. Geof has to create a giant skyscraper for Philadelphia. And, Duff is extremely busy when he's asked to appear on several other Food Network shows (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Paula's Party).

Charity takes center stage with two cakes destined for charity events–a giant cupcake and a roulette wheel. Also, Charm City designs a cake that replicates the bakery.

A book cart, a novel on the Federalist Papers and a toy tower are a few of the cakes the gang makes this week. The toy tower is extra special because Duff dresses as an elephant to deliver it.

This week's premiere cake features giant replicas of the cast and two smoke machines. A special appearance by Jack Black at the Kung Fu Panda premiere makes Duff's day.

Duff takes a cake to an aquarium where he gets up close and personal with some sharks. The bakery crew creates a dog show cake and a rubber ducky for an anniversary.

While Duff skates for charity, the staff creates some detailed cakes--a Fenway replica, a pinball machine, and a light up Goddess.

Charm City gets a visit from the NHL's actual Stanley Cup as a model for a wedding cake. The gang also creates a dirt bike cake and an island-themed wedding cake.

When Charm City is asked to make a cake for Milkbone, Geof's dog is used as the model. the gang also makes a Star Trek inspired cake and Dachshund in a bun.

Charm City creates a frog cake for the zoo. They also design a replica of the Lincoln memorial and turducken made of cake.

The movie Get Smart premieres in Boston, and Geof, Mary Alice and Duff get to attend. When the three return, the bakery is making a crazy funeral cake.

A veteran wants an Army tank. The bakery staff also makes a replica of a Mack truck. And, a couple of Renaissance Fair participants are getting married and want a Viking ship as their cake.

Charm City goes to the movies with cakes dedicated to The Coen Brothers' The Big Lebowski and Star Wars' Millennium Falcon.

This week's cakes (a giant moon, a peanut butter cup and a sandcastle) take a backseat as Duff and Mary Alice explore LA and consider opening a Charm City in the West.

The bakery is all fired up when they make a special cake for a firefighting contest and a giant fire breathing dragon.

The bakery has never had good luck with cupcakes and this week is no different. Meanwhile, Duff tries his hand at a snowboarding cake.

The crew has a variety of cakes this week: a tiki wedding cake, a couch potato and a horse cake with a pattern.

Duff builds a whisk and shoes for charities. Plus, a Star Wars cake is a lot of fun.

It's all about New York as Charm City helps Macy's celebrate. Also, a petting zoo needs a cowboy cake.

The TV show, King of the Hill orders a barbecue grill. The team makes a school locker for a teen. And, Du Pont Circle from D.C. is recreated in cake.

This week's cakes include a giant chocolate bar, a haunted chapel complete with zombies, and a Great Pumpkin cake.

Girl scouts, office chairs and plantation houses feature prominently in this week's cakes.

There's a wide range events tonight, as Duff and his crew build an anesthesia machine out of cake, channel Edgar Allen Poe, and help a client who chooses Charm City and a fortune cookie cake to propose – a first for the building.

Charm City Cakes' latest assignment includes the Philadelphia Eagles' mascot who may or may not be an asset. Elsewhere, a Nikon camera cake is perfected, and everyone attends a benefit for the Make a Wish Foundation.

There are bridal cakes galore and a Christmas stocking cake tonight, but the biggest challenge is a cake made to look like a house mid-destruction.

Duff's team goes international with a cake based on a beloved French children's book, a birthday cake inspired by Antartica, and a tricky one that recreates a bobble head pitcher from American baseball.

Duff and the Charm City Cakes team head to Hawaii when one of the actors from ABC's Lost orders an unusual cake to commemorate the show's 100th episode.

It's an astronomy-themed week as the team creates a planet and a famous telescope, and then get in touch with their charitable side. Meanwhile, Duff is on a road trip to Alaska where he will help celebrate the state's 50th anniversary.

Cirque du Soleil demands a high flying cake. The bakery designs a cake for dummies, and Duff serves as a judge at a culinary competition.

Mary Alice parties. Katie makes an intricate surprise birthday cake. Geof and Duff spend time on the hot air balloon from the Wizard of Oz. And, the gang makes a cake for an anonymous customer.

This week is crazy at Charmed City Cakes. The week takes on an Italian theme with a Venitian gondola, gangsters, pizza and a missing pasta machine.

Elena creates a bass guitar for a special client. Erica feels a lot of pressure while creating her cake. And, Duff, Geof and Mary Alice travel to New York for the opening of the New Yankee Stadium.

The Charm City gang creates a video tribute at the Contemporary; Duff and Ben come up with the craziest video game star ever

This week Mary Alice is a nervous wreck trying to keep everything straight without spilling the beans - a bride and groom have BOTH ordered surprise cakes for each other on the day of their rehearsal dinner. Ben and Elena work on a huge Humpty Dumpty bridal shower cake and the bakery staff muses on the consequences of National Egg Day.

Big cakes and even bigger events are on order this week. Duff and his new buddy Brett make a cake for a Best Buddies International gala hosted by Superstar quarterback Tom Brady. Ben engineers an evil robot cake from the BBC TV series "Dr. Who" that spins, yells and destroys. The entire bakery staff gets to settle some workplace grievances at Splatter Hill paintball field. And Duff and Mary Alice make their long-awaited stage debut with the Annie National Tour.

Carnival Cruise Lines is coming to Baltimore and what better way to kick off the celebration than with a cake of the cruise ship Carnival Pride from Charm City Cakes! To Duff's surprise, Katie asks to take the lead on this massive project. But she's quickly overwhelmed by all the details on the Pride and falls behind schedule - can Duff and the decorators save her from going down with the ship?? And OMG! Lauren is making a cake inspired by the totally awesome 80's. Duff, Mary Alice and the decorators get radical remembering all the tubular 80's fashion. The beat is on as Duff and Geoff create another crazy cake... A giant marimba!

This week Erika is tasked with creating an extravagant, 5-cakes-in-1 anniversary cake for Philadelphia's famed Mummers Parade, only to have gravity rain on her parade as full-blown cake-meltdown strikes. Duff is asked to throw out the first pitch at an Orioles game but has to be taught how to throw a ball first. And in a bakery first, Charm City Cakes is challenged to a duel by one of their clients. Will Geof be able to defend the bakery's honor?

Katherine and Ben make a diner cake as they celebrate Route 66. A pacemaker cake grosses out Lauren. And, Charmed City has to deal with horrific humidity.

A psychic causes havoc in Charm City Cakes. An alien wedding cake commands attention. And, Duff plays with fireworks.

This episode finds the CCC team hard at work creating cakes that will be photographed for an upcoming book about the bakery. Hilarity ensues as the decorators are given free REIN to make the cakes of their dreams!

CCC hits the Big Apple for a special episode of witchcraft, cranberry bogs, fishing and cakes. Duff and the gang go bogging with Ocean Spray and Duff is once again invited to celebrate with the Hogwarts crowd as he makes a cake for the US premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blkood Prince. Mary Alice and Duff deliver a cake for the publication of the new Ghost Girl novel.

It's a testosterone-filled bakery as the crew of "DIY Network's Man Caves" invades the bakery to outfit Duff with a new guy-themed basement. Duff, Elena and Geof road trip to the Windy City to deliver a cake and wow the lovers of the independent music scene with some Baltimore rock.

Duff doesn't even own a tie, yet he gets to ring the opening bell on Wall Street when he is commissioned to do a cake modelled after the New York Stock Exchange. Plus, he delivers a whisky celebration cake to the famous James Beard kitchen.

Duff helps a romantic fireman find a very memorable way to propose. Then he lets Joe tag along for a taste of big city life as he prepares a dessert buffet for a high end New York PR firm celebrating Christmas in July. And, the bakery staff become silent film comedy stars.

Elena goes all out creating a cake of Han Solo frozen in carbonite while the entire bakery staff chips in to help mould a 70-plus pound chocolate likeness of the famous Civil War statue, Moment of Mercy. Musician Jewel stops by Charm City cakes and shows off her skills with fondant.

Charm City Cakes is bitten by the crossword by as they concoct a living crossword wedding cake. Duff and his decorators hob nob with celebrities as they participate in a star-studded USO gala then deliver the cake to the everyday service men and women.

Charm City Cakes gets a visit [and performance] from the country rock trio The Avett Brothers. Lauren pesters Geof to oversee her work on a crazy groom's cake, a band bus. And Duff gets an impossible deadline to make a cake to take to a TV set in Chicago...

Duff and his bakery staff concoct an elaborate cake to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Monday Night Football and Duff gets to deliver the cake to "Redskins' field" on game day. Then, Duff puts his chef skills on the line when he battles Michael Symon in the Iron Chef kitchen stadium.

CCC gets its biggest cake challenge EVER when Duff and his bakery are commissioned to do a life-sized motorcycle groom's cake, complete with ignition! Plus, it's paired with a sky-high 10-tiered photo cake for the same wedding.

Haloti Ngata of the Baltimore Ravens drops by the bakery to fix up a pre-game cake for his teammates. And, the bakery staff muses about pets as cakes go to the dogs... dogs on airplanes, dogs in armchairs, and fabulous Arnie, the growling Chihuahua.

Charm City Cakes practices its foreign language skills as the decorators take on two formidable historic figures... a Terra Cotta warrior from China and huge replica of Russia's Saint Basil's Cathedral.

A guitar cake is made to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Also: Duff creates a cake for the pediatric unit of the Aflac Cancer Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

Star Wars geeks unite! Duff and his team travel to California to because they've been asked to make an R2-D2 Cake at Big Rock Ranch located at Lucasfilm for the season two wrap party for The Clone Wars. Not only do they get a behind-the-scenes look at the animation process, but a certain someone drops by the party.

Duff and the rest are challenged with creating a roller coaster cake; the bakery staff looks back on past episodes.

An Egyptian pharaoh cake proves to be difficult when they forget one important ingredient and try to move it to its destination.

Duff and his staff are invited by Tina Fey to make a cake to star in 30 Rock for their season finale.

Tommy envisions how to make a KITT car; Duff and Geof get a last minute birthday cake order.

One of the biggest architectural challenges to date; Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria.

Duff delivers a cake to the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a tuxedo; runs into a Boston legend and throws out the first pitch in one of the Red Sox' season openers.

Chef Duff and the decorators hit the high seas to create a sailing cake.

The first ever rocket cake by Chef Duff; rocket lessons from the Blue Angels.

Mary Alice gets a tour of Geof's hometown when they deliver a cake for "Relay for Life"'; Duff takes a Grammy inspired cake to New York's famous singing public school.

85th anniversary cake for the Grand Ole Opry with a real mic inside; the cake is a problem after it begins sagging and the mic stops working.

Chef Duff heads to Franklin Grove, IL to make a 175th year anniversary cake; difficulties arise when the bakery is the size of a large closest.

Duff makes a Nascar cake for one of the country's hottest racing teams at the Charlotte Speedway.

Charm City Cakes gets in the holiday spirit by decking the halls, sipping the eggnog and hitting the gold course... literally. The bakery staff chop a tree, decorate ornaments and sneak around town playing Secret Santa. But evil Christmas elves cause some damage when Katherine's snowflake wedding cake takes a hit.

A cake for Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London by Charm City Cakes.

Chef Duff presents a cake at the US Open Grand Slam Tennis Tournament in Flushing Meadows; cake for 30th Anniversary of Motorweek.

A cake balancing contest; Betty White receives a cake for her favorite animal charity.

Two enormous cakes due at the same time; 1500th anniversary of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' cake'; cake for the indie band "Pavement".

Duff is a surprise guest on "The Price is Right", creating three huge cakes for the show.

Chef Duff makes 85 cupcakes for the 85th anniversary of the New York Rangers'; a knight cake to Medieval Times.

"Back to the Future" celebrates its 25th anniversary starring Michael J. Fox, Leah Thompson and Christopher Lloyd; DeLorean time machine cake.