While scrolling through Instagram one day, I came upon a post from American Cake Decorating Magazine. They were having a special competition and would be choosing 10 finalists to compete for cash prizes and a cover feature. The finalists would each be given a fictitious couple, a design brief, and a box full of goodies for creating a dream wedding cake. They were looking for people who could design “out-of-the-box” cakes, literally out of a box of stuff!
I thought it sounded like a fun idea, but I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to apply. I mean, I receive American Cake Decorating Magazine, and I didn’t think I had what it took to compete on that level. But on the last day for entries I decided to give it a shot. I filled out the online form and sent 10 photos of my work. You can imagine my surprise when I got an email saying I was in the top 10!
I was tasked with creating an upscale wedding cake for a couple in Houston who loves interior design, architecture and fashion, with a color scheme of black, gold and emerald green. It was so exciting when my box of goodies was delivered! I had lots of fondant from Renshaw, molds from Katy Sue Designs, Rainbow Dust colors, edible fabric, and a gold cake stand from Opulent Treasures.
This cake had to be modern and cutting-edge, and I thought it should have the feel of a piece of artwork in a museum. I love using texture and color, and this was the perfect opportunity to incorporate both. The cake design features offset tiers with a variety of textures, including concrete with bas relief moldings, green velvet, and a distressed leather wrap. Gold hoops have been trending on Pinterest, so I decided to include one with a couple of sugar magnolias to soften the design.
I was beyond pleased with how well this cake turned out. And even though I didn’t win the competition, I am incredibly proud of the design I created. My cake was featured in the magazine, along with a tutorial on how I achieved some of the design elements. And being a part of this competition has opened the door for so many other opportunities. I am so excited to see what happens next!
