Muddy Paws Cheesecake gives back in St. Louis Park, Minn.

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (KMSP) - Tami Cabrera of Muddy Paws Cheesecake is holding her annual cheesecake tasting party Wednesday at the bakery in St. Louis Park.

It almost didn’t happen this year, but thanks to supporters who came to her aid at a critical time, the community will gather to enjoy tasty treats. And it's all for a good cause, as attendees bring donations for charity.

In the kitchen at Muddy Paws Cheesecake, they’re mixing and baking hundreds of cakes all for their big party.

“We have 232 [cheesecakes] on the menu, but 400 we’ve developed with Twitter audiences and social media audiences that they have created with us,” Cabrera said.  

For 26 years, Cabrera has held a holiday sampling party all tied to charity. Those who bring a toy or a bag of dog food get samples of cheesecake.

“The charities get a lot of donations, and people get to try to cheesecakes and it’s a fun event,” she said.

But the event almost didn’t happen.

Back in April, burglars broke into the bakery, coming through the roof and ransacking it. They were actually targeting another business nearby, but stole from Muddy Paws anyway.

Cabrera didn’t think the business would survive, but supporters started a GoFundMe page and kept it going.

“One hundred percent we would not be here if it had not been for all of the people who came forward to help us,” she said.

So, more than a tasting, Wednesday’s event is a celebration of giving.

“You gave us the strength and the numbers and the powers to the people to move forward and we’re here. We’re here to stay,” Cabrera said.

Scheduled from 4-9 p.m., attendees are collecting toys for the St. Louis Park Step program and food for the Pets and People Together.