How did you get your start?

I was a psychologist and artist before getting into this field. I worked at CakeLove while doing my Masters at Marymount and fell in love with baking. I went to L’Academie de Cuisine and did their pastry program. As I worked during the day, I made cakes at night for friends and family.

A friend asked one day if I could make her wedding cake and I agreed, it was not the best cake, structure wise, but everyone loved the flavors and design. I worked out of my home for 6 years and then opened my shop in McLean about 2 years ago!

Photo Credits: Anna Muhhina Photography; Astrid Photography

What is your most popular cake flavor?

Our most popular cake flavor is Red Velvet cake filled with a dark ganache, raspberry preserves and cream cheese. Our Red Velvet is made the traditional southern way with cocoa, buttermilk and vinegar! It is chocolaty and tangy.

What is your most unusual flavor?

We make Apple and Bacon cupcakes that we top with a Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and Maple Crispy Bacon.

Photo Credits: Rodney Bailey; Porter Watkins Photography

Tell us a little about your tastings.

We have our tastings on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Our tastings are private, complimentary tastings for the bride and groom that last about an hour. During the tasting we discuss the brides vision for her cake as well as taste an assortment of cakes and fillings.

Photo Credit: K. Thompson Photography

Other than wedding cakes, what treats can you make for events?

Other than wedding cakes we also make cupcakes, mini cupcakes, French macarons, cookies, lemon bars, Mexican wedding cookies, cake pops, brownies, blondies and black and white cookies.

Brides can use them as a dessert bar or as favors to hand out to their guests. We also specialize in grooms cakes which are sculpted whimsical cakes that brides usually offer their groom at the rehearsal dinner or at the wedding.

***

Things are really moving along with our wedding planning and I cannot wait to head back to D.C. in March for more big meetings and decisions.  Over the holidays I headed to Fluffy Thoughts with my mom and wedding planner to tackle the cake.

There are so many decisions to be made for the cake including flavors, filling, buttercream, fondant and the design.  Luckily with the help of the team at Fluffy Thoughts I was able to determine the flavor and the look in under an hour – hooray!

James and I both wanted to keep the cake on the simple side and while searching on Pinterest and Lover.ly I found great inspiration.  Below are two of the photos I found, where the cake has actual ribbon wrapped around it to create a simple, elegant design.   The team at Fluffy Thoughts suggested a monogramed cake topper similar to the one below and I was sold.  The letter with the ribbon created just the look I wanted.

Moving on to flavor, I quickly determined white cake was the flavor for us.  It was light and fluffy and would nor overwhelm the fillings or be too sweet.  James and I both love Raspberry so I was drawn to the raspberry jam and buttercream fillings.

At the suggestion of our consultant I tried the raspberry fillings paired with a little lemon curd.  It was fantastic!  Since the cake would have three layers of filling we decided to go with two layers of raspberry jam and buttercream and one layer of raspberry with lemon curd.  The acidity of the lemon helped balance the tart sweetness of the raspberry, keeping the cake from being overly sweet.

I cannot wait see the final product on our wedding day, it may be too pretty to cut into!

Love this cake by Kendall’s Cakes for a wedding by A. Dominick Events! It is just so elegant!

I hope this carries you to a happy weekend! ox.

Photography Credit: Ralph Alswang Photography

As your cookbook, DamGoodSweet, is inspired by all things from New Orleans, what are a handful of the most staple ingredients or flavors that really represent the region and culture?

There are just so many ingredients; it’s hard to list them all.  In no particular order, I would say rice, cane, bananas, coffee, Ponchatoula strawberries, citrus, and of course, alcohol.  From Bourbon to rum to different flavored liqueurs such as Pernod and Herbsaint, I love to use these rich flavors in a lot of my desserts and dishes.

How have you incorporated your personal culinary style into your recipes?

My a la carte background has allowed me to revisit classic desserts that I grew up around, and manipulate them to bring out more intensity, more flavor, and mainly, more balance.  I add a pinch more salt to this, and extract a bit more sugar from that, and I try to learn the science behind these dishes that have been made for centuries.

I love to take existing desserts and adjust them without losing what it is that makes them so special.  Also, one of the most common things I hear from folks when they try my desserts is they love how there’s a saltiness that really makes the dessert more enjoyable. I love how people always say, “It’s not overly sweet.”

What are a few DIY wedding cakes that you would recommend to brides? What can they do to put special touches into their cakes?

First, start with recipes that you love.  What do you love to eat?  Think outside the box, as your DIY wedding cake or dessert does not have to be a standard wedding cake.

For me, I absolutely love the Lemon and Chocolate Doberge Cake and the Brown Butter Shortcake with Ponchatoula Strawberries from my book.  These are not your average wedding cakes, yet I know anyone attending a wedding will love the flavors.  For me, a wedding cake is just a cake on your wedding day.

I’m a big advocate of simplicity, so fresh flowers and nice satin ribbon for the layers, border or just top, go a long way.  You should aim to be as stress-free as possible, so stick with things that are store-bought and avoid those complicated gum paste decorations and sponge sugars.

What advice do you have for brides who have a budget, but still want amazing flavor and presentation for their wedding cake?

My biggest piece of advice when it comes to budgeting?  Spend more time to prepare and coordinate your wedding cake and approach it the same as all your other pre-wedding plans.  Get two prices for everything, and leverage online sources that have great prices for decorations or ingredients for your cake.  Go into stores and explore.

The reason why I emphasize giving yourself time is because when you find yourself rushing and doing things at the last minute, you end up throwing in the towel and just paying whatever.

Flavor-wise, stick with fresh ingredients. Their costs are not nearly as high as extracts, gels, pastes, and the clean and simple tastes really shine through.  If you do not bake and are attempting this for the first time, definitely involve experienced baker friends or family.  It’ll be more fun, plus you can have someone on hand to help you with certain steps you are not familiar with.

As many brides are branching out from the traditional wedding cake, what other sweet and scrumptious ideas could they offer their guests at the wedding?

There are so many great send-off gifts that you can offer your guests either as a favor or as a parting gift after the reception.  I love anything DIY, so think about making your own hot chocolate mix and putting all the dry ingredients in a metal tin with the recipe and direction on a sticker.

Or say do a brownie mix and follow the same steps you would with the hot chocolate.  Depending on where you’re getting married or where you’re from, use those as points of direction and inspiration. The great thing about weddings today, especially during this recession, is that people are realizing you don’t have to follow tradition anymore.

Weddings are now smarter and more efficient, allowing you to get back to what’s more important.  You definitely want to uphold the ceremonial cutting or feeding as that is an important tradition to keep, however everyone is getting something sweet, it’s not just about the cake.  I’d love to see a giant beignet cake sooner or later.

Luckily for us, David is soon opening the Bayou Bakery in Northern Virginia. Don’t you worry- District Weddings will keep you posted! But, if you are already in the kitchen ready to bake, see one of David’s original recipes below for Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake…

DamGoodSweet by David Guas

Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake

2 pounds (6 cups) strawberries, hulled and quartered if large

Zest of 1 orange

1 1⁄4 cups sugar

1 1⁄2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 cup buttermilk

Chantilly cream for serving

Bring a large pot with 1 inch of water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir the strawberries, orange zest, and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a large stainless steel mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place on top of the pot (the bottom of the bowl shouldn’t touch the water). Reduce the heat to low and let the strawberries macerate over the simmering water for 20 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pot (leave the pot and water on the stove but turn off the heat) and refrigerate until chilled (the strawberry sauce can be made up to 1 day in advance).

Heat the oven to 350°F. Place a 10-inch cake pan on parchment; trace and cut out a circle. Grease the pan’s bottom and sides with the tablespoon of butter, press the parchment into the pan, and flip the parchment over, buttered side up. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and tap to coat the bottom and sides; discard the excess.

Cut the remaining 11/2 sticks of butter into small pieces and melt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer, whisking often to incorporate any solids that sink to the bottom, until the butter is a golden-amber color and smells nutty, 4 to 6 minutes. If it sputters or spatters, reduce the heat. Set the butter aside to cool.

Bring the pot with water back to a simmer over medium-high heat. Whisk the eggs and remaining sugar together in a large heatproof bowl and place over the pot of water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Reduce the heat to low and whisk the mixture until it has tripled in volume, 4 to 5 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer (or into a large bowl if using a hand mixer) and whip on high speed until it is thick, and pale, 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, sift the remaining 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt together. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and slowly drizzle in the warm butter (adding it too quickly will cause the batter to separate), using a rubber spatula to scrape the browned bits into the batter. Turn off the mixer. Using a whisk, gently fold in one-third of the dry ingredients, fold in half of the buttermilk, and then repeat, ending with the last third of the dry mixture, gently folding in until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan, tilting the pan to make sure the batter spreads evenly. Bake until the cake sides pull away from the pan and the center resists light pressure, 22 to 26 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before running a paring knife around the edges of the pan to release the shortbread and inverting it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Transfer the cake to a plate and slice into wedges. Serve topped with strawberries, sauce, and a dollop of chantilly cream, or slice each wedge in half horizontally and sandwich the halves with strawberries and sauce, then top with cream.

Serves 8

Chantilly Cream

2 cups heavy cream

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar

Not only does the new Fluffy Thoughts Cakes store offer an array of delectable delights, but it is also equipped with private tasting rooms for brides and grooms, as well as tastings for parties over 75 guests. Or, if you are looking for a great excuse to enjoy some Fluffy Thoughts creations, these rooms can be rented for birthday parties, bridal showers, baby showers…or any reason to celebrate!

Photography Credit: Susan Hornyak Photography

In case you are not very familiar with Fluffy Thoughts Cakes, it is a top-notch novelty bakery. With a background in art and a long-time resident of McLean, owner Lara Stuckey has the ability and creativity to create customized wedding cakes that are both gorgeous and delicious. Made with both fresh and natural ingredients, cakes by Fluffy Thoughts have been featured by both Martha Stewart and the Washingtonian Bride & Groom magazine.

With cupcakes flavor including Sweet Cherry Cake (inspired by DC’s cherry blossoms), Chocolate Chili, and Mai Tai, there is sure to be something that will surprise and delight your taste buds. Read more on Fluffy Thoughts Cakes’ website, and make sure you stop by the new store at 1320 Old Chain Bridge Road in McLean… I know I cannot resist!

An honors graduate from L’Academie de Cuisine, Kendall creates all of the cakes for the elegant Hay Adams Hotel and has been noted by several significant DC metro publications. Using only the best ingredients including European-style butter, French chocolates, King Arthur flour and the freshest fruits and berries available, Kendall is sure to create a wedding cake that exceeds all expectations. Read on to hear more from Kendall…

What kinds of questions do you ask a couple when you begin working with them to create the image, design, and flavor for their wedding cake? What kind of information can they initially provide for you?

The very first part of the consultation is simple. We discuss dessert, flavors, textures. What cakes do they just LOVE to eat. I have my favorite flavors (lemon and Tupelo honey…) and they have theirs.

I frequently design new flavors with my couples while we are talking about their cake. We discuss what things about the cake are most important to them. Are there any food allergies? Would they like for me to get the ingredients locally or organic?

Then we go over the details of the wedding. Invitations, dresses, linens, flowers. This is usually where the designs come from. But sometimes the designs come from the venue. The John Hay room at the Hay Adams has a lovely ceiling and I have designed cakes for that room based on the architecture.

I ask the couples to bring with them any details of their wedding that they have ready and any photos of cakes that they are drawn to.  When we are designing the cake I let my couples know that I make my cakes a bit larger than the usual cakes are made at no additional charge to them. I have found that guests want seconds when the cakes taste really good!

What are a few of the most outrageous cakes that you have ever made?

I have been doing some celebrity “heads” as grooms cakes. They are amazing. Ray Lewis saw a photo of the bust of him that I made and wanted to order one right away.

I also made a birthday cake for Maya Angelou that was a copy of the mosaic tiles on the cover of her new book. That was certainly a high point for me in my studio.

Can you tell us about the process of how you create your beautiful and delicious cakes?

I equate designing and baking a cake to creating a piece of art that the couple gets to share with their guests.  Edible art. Quality and taste are first priority.

Once the cakes are baked and built I get to play. I always listen to music while I am decorating. Oddly each cake seems to require different music. I think it is about the rhythm of the design.

I have a special spot for decorating in the studio. It has my favorite art on the walls and is painted beautiful colors.  I line up all of my tools and let myself go into the art of each cake. I find the decorating to be very relaxing and playful.

What are a few new ideas or areas of inspiration you have thought of recently to creatively decorate your cakes?

A few weeks ago I did a grooms cake that was wheels of cheese stacked like a wedding cake. Real cheese! It was beautiful. I was able to add some fruits to it that mirrored the sugared fruits on the wedding cake and it tied in very nicely. We served it with Tupelo honey, dried apricots and nuts. The wedding cake was my new Tupelo honey cake and that was a nice tie in also.

Wedding dresses have more architectural aspects these days and I love incorporating those into the cakes.

Thanks again Kendall, it was a pleasure (and mouth-watering experience) chatting with you! After enjoying one of Kendall’s amazing cakes, no dessert will ever quite taste the same!

So what do you cut your beautifully elaborate and expensive cake with?  A regular knife simply will not “cut” it on a special day like today.  Personalized cake knives or knives that go with the theme of your wedding, can add something special to the day and serve as a keepsake for years to come.

Vera Wang for Wedgwood, April Reed Cakes, Waterford

Cake knives are a beautiful way to add something extra to your special day.  If you are lucky enough to match them to your china pattern, they can quickly become a staple at any dinner party.  If not, you can always bring them out on your first wedding anniversary to cut the top layer of cake that tradition tells you to save.  Either way, personalized cake knives can be an inexpensive detail that you will cherish not only the day of your wedding, but for years to come!

weddingaccessories.net

And, like anything Occasions does, these cakes are second to none.  They are gorgeous, unique, and absolutely delicious.

Aren’t they fabulous?!?

These cakes look so nice sitting atop the clean, white cake stands.  (I found white cakes stands for our wedding here.)

Oh, I love them all!

A special thanks to Danielle at Occasions for passing on this incredible news.  Occasions does everything so well; I just can’t say enough about them.  The service, the food, the creativity…Occasions is just fabulous.

Cake is one of those funny things that you either love or don’t.  I’ve been to several weddings where the bride skipped the cake in favor of another sweet treat, or even a dessert bar filled with lots of sweet treats.  I, on the other hand, l-o-v-e cake — so much so that we had five cakes at our wedding (pictures coming soon, I promise!).

Julia is one of those brides who just isn’t into cake.  Here’s what she plans to do instead…

From Julia…

I hate cake. Ok, I don’t actually hate the entire thing. I’m just not a fan of icing. Even when I was little, my sister would eat the icing and I’d eat the cake. So, having a cake at my wedding wasn’t a priority. I think cakes are beautiful and can be a wonderful centerpiece to the wedding, but not for mine.

So, how is this translating into my wedding? I’m having pie! (Yes, I heard you gasp.) Even though my fiancé was dead set on having a groom’s cake (more about that later), he’ll get his cake and I get my pie. It’s a win, win. My mother bakes award-winning pies. I just love everything about them. And, especially in the winter, what could be better than warm pie with ice cream? Yum!

Not everyone was excited about this idea when I first mentioned it, but I think everyone is now on board. We’re going to serve Apple, Cherry, Cookies ‘n Cream and Key Lime pie with ice cream. Even my wedding coordinator, who is part of a stellar planning team in Washington, DC, wrote an entire blog post on unique wedding dessert ideas. Who says you have to be conventional?

What I love is that you can even have pie or cake in mini form. I keep reading that candy buffets are so last year (who knows if that’s true – I think they’re still so much fun!), but another idea is a dessert buffet. I’ve already “hinted” to my bridal shower crew that I’d love to have these.

Photos: Bash Eco Events and Luxirare.

And our fabulous cake artist makes the cutest mini cupcakes on a stick…

Photo: Cakebee

As for the groom’s cake, we’re having a friend who runs her own cake business “Cakebee,” design a very special cake for us. My fiancé wanted it to be half of a hockey rink and half of a football field – his two favorite sports. It’s certainly going to be a challenge to combine 2 different ideas into one cake, but I think Sally will be able to pull it off.

He’ll be the coach on the football field and I’ll be the hockey fan. Although it wasn’t originally in our budget, we just couldn’t resist including such a fun and edible “sculpture” in our wedding. I can’t wait to share the picture of the real thing with blog readers in February.

LOVE the pie pops, Julia!  And the groom’s cake — what a unique idea!  Thanks so much for sharing your ideas with us.

Today, we have a real treat (pun intended!) – Clara of Clara’s Designer Cakes is here to share her ideas behind her incredible cakes. They are almost too beautiful to cut into and eat!  Without further ado…

How far in advance do you first meet with a couple who is interested in your cake design services?

I typically meet with couples anywhere from six months to a year or more in advance of their wedding date.

My business specializes in custom couture cakes, so we limit the number of orders we take on.   I believe this is the best way to be able to continue to offer the highest level of quality and service we are known for.  The sooner couples schedule a tasting appointment, the better chance they have of securing their date.

I have done our share of last minute orders, though, especially for military personnel. Schedule permitting, I will always do my best accommodate last minute orders.

Photos: Lidia Miller Photography

Can you tell us more about the planning, designing, and execution of making one of your masterpiece cakes?

Creating a ‘masterpiece’ cake involves a great deal of planning and meticulous attention to detail. I draw inspiration from just about anything around me. I am always finding new ways to incorporate ideas and design elements into my next cake project.

The best part of my work is taking on the challenges that are presented to me by my clients. They have usually called several bakers and have been unable to find someone to create a difficult or unusual cake. Non-standard cake designs can require spending a significant amount of time doing research and creating templates to ensure accurate dimensions.

I strongly believe that everything on a cake should be edible and emphasize this to my clients. Sugar flowers are often indistinguishable from real flowers.

They are made by hand and must be created weeks in advance to allow for proper drying time. Once dry, each petal is hand painted, and carefully assembled, petal by petal, into a realistic looking flower. It can be a very time consuming process, but definitely worth it.

Other than edible flowers and custom sugar pieces, the cake itself is baked and decorated no more than 72 hours prior to the wedding. Once the cake is baked, filled and iced, the fondant covering is applied and the decorating process begins.

When decorating the cake, I work directly from the sketch that I created during the wedding consultation with the bride and groom. Very large and elaborate cakes can take several decorators, working simultaneously, up to two days to decorate.

What information can a client provide that helps you bring their vision to life? How do you incorporate a couple’s wedding theme into their cake?

Planning a wedding cake begins with the couple’s description of their dream cake. Some couples know exactly what they want and provide pictures or magazine clippings. Others are not so sure and are counting on my experience to help them design their cake.

It is very helpful for me to have as much as information as possible. Some of the items and information that I recommend couples bring to their cake consultation include: Wedding invitations, pictures of inspiration cakes or design elements that appeal to them, fabric swatches or paint chips, reception and venue details (reception time, number of guests), lighting, preferred cake placement, wedding theme, if applicable.

I use a variety of techniques to incorporate the couple’s theme into their dream wedding cake. Most couples are inspired by the details and colors of the wedding décor. Here are some examples of how I incorporate these ideas into the cake:

• Invitation Design: Custom stencils can be made to transfer the exact design onto the cake

• Textured Fabric: Embossing tools are great for creating texture on fondant

• Bride’s Bouquet and Floral Arrangements: The same flowers can be made out of sugar to adorn the cake or as a floral topper for the top tier

• Satin Ribbons: Fondant bands can be painted with edible pearl sheen

• Delicate Beading: Edible pearls, dragées and intricate piping can be used to create the beaded design on a bridal gown

• Painted Designs: Gel pastes and food colors are applied with a brush to hand paint a design onto a fondant ‘canvas’

Once I have an idea of what the couple wants, I create a sketch during the consultation. The couple can see their vision come to life on paper. We discuss each design element in detail until they are satisfied with the overall design of the cake.

Photos: Lidia Miller Photography

Have you ever had a cake mishap or kitchen disaster that you had to fix last minute?

One summer, I was delivering a cake on the hottest day of the year. I was cut off by another driver and had to break unexpectedly to avoid a collision. I think I aged 20 years when I looked in the rear view mirror and didn’t see the cake – It had toppled over!

Luckily, I always deliver my cakes ahead of schedule. I returned to the kitchen to assess the damage. While the cake itself was intact, the fondant exterior was not.  I have never worked faster.

To start, I had to made several pounds of fresh icing. I re-iced the cake, covered it with fresh fondant and then decorated it. Thank goodness, it was a relatively simple design. The cake was delivered on time and the bride never knew of my horrifying experience.

That same evening, I sat down and created a unique ‘disaster’ back-up plan. I wanted to make sure that my clients would have a wedding cake available to them at any cost, even when the unimaginable happens.

I now discuss my emergency back-up plan with all my clients during their consultation. To date, I have not had to execute it, but it is there if I need it.

Thank you so much to Clara for stopping by today – she has so much to share – I certainly cannot hear enough from her – so please leave comments and questions so that we may keep the conversation going!

Clara’s Designer Cakes is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland.  Clara invites couples to make an appointment for an initial consultation (301-624-0027).