Side Projects

Some years ago, after taking a sugar craft course at my local adult education centre, I thought I knew enough to perhaps start making cakes professionally. I certainly knew how to bake cakes that tasted delicious – I’d been practicing that since I was a child! – and thanks to both the course and obsessively self-teaching myself at home, I now also understood how to complete all the required construction elements to a professional standard. However, during the course, I discovered I was pregnant with my little girl, and life in general was put on hold. I was far too immersed in motherhood to contemplate throwing myself into cake making for a living – it just wasn’t possible as I had neither the free time or energy. Instead, I baked (and cooked) prolifically – for fun, at home – as I found it to be my way of relaxing. It was also an outlet for my creative urges, and a way of keeping my cake-making skills fresh.

Over time, I received the occasional request from friends and family to make a birthday cake, Christmas cake, celebratory cupcake tower and the like. Although I’m always daunted by the responsibility involved when making cakes for others – and I’m a terrible self-doubter – I rarely turned down a request, and I’m pleased to report that there have been no disasters on the big days in question! I’ve also made the effort to create special cakes for my daughter’s birthdays. I wouldn’t dream of posting recipes and step-by-step guides to making large and complicated celebratory cakes here, as this blog is intended to inspire more homely bakes; however, after recently looking through dozens of pictures of completed projects, it occurred to me that it might be fun to have some separate pages on this blog to share these pictures and show that I can make stuff that is a bit more complicated than just making cookies!

Most recently I had the honour of designing and making a wedding cake for my good friends. It was a rather daunting five-tier number for a big wedding, and required military planning – with the added stress of baking during the hottest week of the year – but I’m thrilled to say it went to plan and looked beautiful on the day. And, most importantly, it tasted as good as it looked. Despite claiming I would never undertake another wedding cake, I must confess; I think I could do it again…


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