Buddy Valastro's 4 Kids Are Growing Up Fast

It's not every kid in the world who can brag about being descendants of the one and only Cake Boss. In fact, it currently isn't any kids except Buddy Valastro's children who can make that claim. Buddy's four kids with his wife, Lisa, have been featured in the "Cake Boss" empire, making appearances on their dad's Food Network series as part of the family Carlo's Bakery operation. And while you may not have heard as much about the Cake Boss himself recently, there's online evidence of the Cake Kids growing up quickly and finding their own places in the world, even while keeping their places in the Valastro family line.

Though Buddy has undergone some career-altering challenges during his run, it hasn't deterred him from being as devoted a father as he is a baker and businessman. A bout with COVID-19 and an unexpected hand injury may have sidelined him for a while, but a sweet comeback to television with the 2023 premiere of "Buddy Valastro's Cake Dynasty" has also included more visibility for his children as they come into their own lives. This renewed interest in the Cake Boss and his clan presents the perfect opportunity to check in on the kids and see what Buddy's children have been up to, beyond growing faster than family's super-popular cake-making company!

Sofia, born in 2003, is the eldest Valastro kid and a college student making strides at the University of Delaware. She's gone further than her father as far as education, which ended for Buddy at age 17 when he left high school following his father's cancer diagnosis. Fortunately, Sofia appears to have a much easier situation and can take advantage of a college experience her successful dad wasn't able to have.

So what program of study does the daughter of a baking bigwig follow? Sofia's chosen degree is restaurant hospitality, building on her family's culinary heritage while formalizing her expertise with a forthcoming degree. Even with her studies in high gear, Sofia has been able to take part in her dad's new show to refresh the baking family's media presence. It sounds like a supremely busy time for a young college student whose devotion to her family is apparently baked into every aspect of her life. Time will tell what her role in the family business becomes once she finishes her education. Whatever it is, however, she'll have a solid base of knowledge to help take the enterprise into its next iteration.

It's always a tenuous moment when you bring your significant other home to meet your parents. Will the grown-ups who raised you approve of your choices and encourage you to build a loving relationship with someone who means the world to you? Or will they see something you missed and warn you of coming heartbreak? Fortunately for Sofia Valastro, Buddy has found much to approve of with her boyfriend, fellow University of Delaware student Anthony Manchion, making him feel like a part of the family with playful pranks and even a little good-natured scaring from the uncles at Anthony's expense.

When they're not studying up and attending classes, Sofia and Anthony appear to have fun together in their free time. Anthony frequently shares Instagram photos of the two at sporting events, beach days and formal occasions that find the young couple dressed to the nines. Buddy was pleased enough about his daughter finding someone special to spend time with to share with People how he feels about Anthony. "He's a really good kid, and he makes her happy," he said. What more could a father ask for in his daughter's sweetheart?

Even before starting at Syracuse University, Buddy Jr. had more on his weekly roster than just academics and baking. He was also captain of his Morristown-Beard High School varsity lacrosse team, inspiring proud dad Buddy to share photos on Instagram. The younger Valastro also put in work as part of both the varsity football and hockey teams. With so much athletic activity, it's a wonder he had time to help out in the family kitchen as much as he did.

Whether he was having fun, burning off energy, or just keeping fit playing three sports during his high school years, there's not much evidence that Buddy Jr. has carried this practice into his college career. It's easy to imagine that balancing a full class load, making appearances on his dad's baking show, and contributing to the family business while also continuing to hone his culinary chops is enough of a workload to take up the majority of his time. It's just another part of growing up ... only when you're a celebrity chef's son, you have quite a lot more people watching it happen.

Marco Valastro showed up on the scene in 2007 as Buddy's third child, making his first appearance on an early episode of "Cake Boss" featuring his second birthday. Though Marco has grown up as part of the baking entertainment hullabaloo, he's now a full-fledged teenager making the most of his time in high school. He's also made appearances on his mom's "Cakehouse" YouTube series, discussing his penchant for speaking his mind and explaining how it has sometimes landed him in detention. Marco explains his down-to-earth approach to making friends, as well as describing his love of activities shared with his dad like playing pool and enjoying family dinners.

As grounded as he seems, Marco's more glamorous moments are also a point of pride for Buddy. When prom time rolled around, Marco got all dressed up and hit the party like any other teen would. The difference was that his Cake Boss dad took to Instagram to share a photo of both Marco and brother Buddy Jr. readying for the event with a worldwide audience to show how impressed he was with his older boys.

So maybe not every heir to the Valastro empire is destined to stick to cake as a medium. Marco in particular shows interest in branching out into more savory fare, experimenting with dishes he shares with his family while — just maybe — practicing for his own cooking show someday. And this is no grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup kind of meal the Valastro son is cooking up. Instead, a 13-year-old Marco has prepared nothing less than filet mignon dressed in red wine sauce, a feat that would be impressive even for more seasoned chefs who don't happen to be high school freshmen.

In a delightful video clip shared on Buddy's Instagram account, Marco takes on the role of culinary instructor and host as he shares his methods for making a seared filet, which he himself refers to as "famous." He calls the red wine sauce "also famous," demonstrating considerable charm as he elaborates on what it takes for viewers to make this stunning dish for themselves. It's a winsome moment for a kid who's clearly grown up in the world of culinary television. Though the return of his family to the cake-oriented side of the kitchen includes Marco, perhaps there's a new, more savory-focused place in the restaurant industry waiting for him somewhere down the line.

Even if Carlo isn't at the age to jump into his own cake decorating endeavors, he's clearly been around enough sugary creations to know what the family business is all about. This youngster has developed both an eye and a palate for cakes that work. For instance, Carlo was all about a version of Carlo's Bakery Rainbow Cake being served at TGI Friday's. In a photo posted by Buddy to Instagram, the boy happily held up a box of the packaged mix to help promote the Valastro business while visiting the restaurant to show his support.

For Carlo's birthday, only the best cake creations will do, like the time Carlo's Bakery whipped up a full-figure Grogu cake referencing the ever-popular character from "The Mandalorian," courtesy of cake designer Ralph Attanasia, one of the wildly imaginative "Cake Boss" bakers. There's already photographic evidence of Carlo testing out his decorating skills, too, and there's bound to be more opportunities for him as the "Cake Dynasty" years unfold. Maybe he'll even start designing some master-level cakes of his own soon.