Lloyd's Carrot Cake Owner Betty Campbell-Adams Dies Suddenly

HARLEM, NY — Betty Campbell-Adams, who co-founded Lloyd's Carrot Cake in an East Harlem basement and helped build it into a beloved neighborhood fixture that shipped its treats across the globe, died suddenly last week, the store announced.

She was 65, according to ABC7.

"We are deeply saddened to share the news of the sudden passing of our beloved leader Betty Campbell-Adams." the store wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.

"Betty has tirelessly been the foundation for us here, nearly 15 years since the passing of her husband, and our founder Lloyd Adams."

Campbell-Adams and her husband started the business in the 1980s, running it out of a five-story building her father owned. They borrowed the recipe from Lloyd's grandmother, adapting it to include more cinnamon as well as eggs for extra fluffiness, according to a 2016 New York Times profile.

As their cakes grew more popular, the couple opened a storefront shop in Riverdale in 1986. After Lloyd died in 2007, Campbell-Adams continued to expand, opening an East Harlem bakery in 2011 followed by a juice shop, Joosed by Lloyd's, next door on Lexington Avenue near East 99th Street.

They attracted a devoted following for their flavorful carrot cakes, muffins and cupcakes, while Campbell-Adams became known for her work in the community, the Riverdale Press reported.

"She was a phenomenal woman and her commitment to serve was unmatched. This was epitomized by the community that loved her so much," the store wrote on Friday.

In February, when a CBS reporter asked Campbell-Adams what made her cakes so delicious, her answer was simple.

"The secret to a good carrot cake is carrots," she said.