PSU alum Marilyn DeVault inside her bakery, A Piece of Cake. Photo Credit: Chad Lanning
The eccentrically charming Sellwood bakery A Piece of Cake is an unmistakable extension of its owner, Marilyn DeVault (MS ‘71). DeVault is a spirited creator whose life has been guided by curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to helping others thrive.
Ironically, DeVault didn’t set out to become a baker.
A native Oregonian three generations deep, she came to PSU’s College of Education in the late 1960s to pursue a degree in Special Education. “Going into Special Ed. felt like the most positive thing I had ever done,” she recalls. “PSU was incredibly progressive, and the instructors were all so positive about the community.” Among those instructors were Dr. Jean Edwards (later founder of the Edwards Center) and Dr. Steve Brannan, who, in the years following, became a friend and a regular customer at A Piece of Cake.
After earning her combined bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 1971, DeVault worked in the classroom for five years, but found herself out of sync with the conservative teaching culture of the time. “I was too hippy. I didn’t fit in. So, I cashed in my retirement fund and started the bakery.”
Cupcakes on display. Photo Credit: Chad Lanning
It was a leap of faith, but one grounded in family history. DeVault’s grandmother baked with instinct, remembered for her honey chocolate cake and rugelach. “She didn’t use measuring cups,” Marilyn says, remembering her grandmother’s intuitiveness in the kitchen.
DeVault opened A Piece of Cake bakery in 1978 and brought the same spirit to her bakes. She started small with a simple but delicious carrot cake recipe before expanding the shop’s repertoire, approaching the venture with the same sense of joy she brought to teaching. “I tell people I want my cakes to be happy at the party,” she says. “These cakes are not inanimate. Be nice to the cakes.”
Before dietary-friendly desserts were mainstream, A Piece of Cake became known for creating desserts that welcome everyone to the table. Her first vegan cake came at a customer’s request, and Devault was initially surprised by how positively other customers responded. Soon, dietary-friendly cakes became a cornerstone of the business’s success. “Vegan and gluten-free cakes grew my business. We were the first gluten-free and vegan bakery in Portland, and we currently remain one of the only sugar-free bakeries in Portland.”
Today, 47 years after opening, A Piece of Cake has grown into a neighborhood fixture. Loyal customers return year after year, she says, including families who have ordered birthday cakes for decades, couples who trust the business with their wedding cakes, and even customers who now call from Europe to order cakes for their loved ones in Portland. DeVault is proud of the business’s longevity and dedication to quality, still baking every product from scratch (never mixes) and always using fresh, whole eggs.
DeVault’s instinct to help others extends beyond the kitchen. One of her most meaningful legacies is the Marilyn DeVault Scholarship, supporting PSU graduate students studying special education with a focus on autism. “I started the scholarship fund many years ago. I am so appreciative of what PSU has taught me about special needs. My education at PSU was an inspiration to help me develop special needs desserts.”
Marilyn DeVault (center) stands with former A Piece of Cake head baker Shelby Page (left) and PSU Professor Steve Brannan (right) after winning a Food Network challenge and donating the $10,000 prize to PSU.
Then came the Food Network. When DeVault appeared on — and won — an episode of Sugar Showdown, she knew exactly what she and her team wanted to do. “We knew immediately if we won on the Food Network, we wanted to give the $10,000 [prize] to PSU’s Special Education department.” And when the moment came, it was Dr. Brannan who helped DeVault set up the $10,000 gift to PSU.
For DeVault, philanthropy is an ongoing practice. “We enjoy giving each year. How wonderful that special education was an inspiration for my special diet desserts. A perfect match!”
Recipients of the scholarship still stop by the bakery to share how the award has helped them pursue their academic goals at PSU — each visit a reminder of the impact DeVault continues to make.
When asked what motivates her to give so generously of her time, her talents, and her resources, Marilyn answers simply, “It could be you. You could be on the other side. So why wouldn’t you help?”
The belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed runs through everything she does. From her days at PSU — to her years in the classroom — to the cakes she crafts for so many dietary needs, DeVault’s work is about meeting people where they are and making them feel included.
Whether in her cakes or her scholarship support, Marilyn DeVault lives out Portland State’s call to ‘Let Knowledge Serve the City’ — and she does it with heart.