Welcome to Blush blog!: Vendor Spotlight: Cakes by Danielle

It's vendor spotlight day!

Today I welcome Danielle from Cakes by Danielle, a home-based cake baker and decorator who has become well-known in York Region for her incredible designs. Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Danielle and am pleased to shared her story.

Tell us a bit about yourself: I am a married mother of two boys who are my world. I have a full-time career in education and as a hobby I began creating artistic cakes.

Location: I am located in Stouffville, Ontario just north of Markham

How long have you been a cake baker? I began my journey baking and decorating cakes when my husband and I were engaged. We have been married for five years now so my cake decorating hobby began about six years ago.

What got you started in wedding cakes? Wedding cakes began when my husband proposed basically. My mother and I decided we would try to make my wedding cake so we took a basic course at our local craft store and everything beyond that is self-taught through trial and error.

Three favourite wedding cakes you have made recently.

Last year a wonderful bride asked me to create a cake that was 4 tiers and my choice. All that mattered to her was that it was ivory, black and a touch of red. I absolutely love having creative allowance. I created a four tier cake with a quilting design on the bottom tier with a black ribbon mid-way, a stencil on the second tier, the third tier matched the first and the fourth tier matched the second. I topped it off with a gumpaste red rose and a few red petals. Since making this cake I have created it twice more, and this summer I have the joy of creating it 4 more times in different colours and stencil designs.

My second favourite I created just a couple weeks ago. It was a very simple and elegant ivory three tier cake with fondant ribbons wrapped around each tier with a fondant ribbons and tails on each tail. Each bow was adorned with an antique broach. The entire cake was sprayed with a light fairy lustre dust. It was simple but so elegant.

Another favourite would be the wedding cake I created for my brother and my sister-in-law. It was a 3-tier light pink fondant covered cake which had 1750 mini 5-point flowers cascading down each tier – almost to look like the flowers were dropped at he top and fell down and landed wherever. The cake was definitely a labour of love, I worked on it for almost 2 days straight and the eve before the wedding I began at 7pm and worked through until 7am the morning of the wedding. It was worth it, they loved it. On top of the cake I created fondant carrictures of Marc, Peggy and Hunny (my brother, sister-in-law and their cockapoo) which they were able to keep after their special day.

Your favourite cake of all time? That’s a tough one, I have so many and each week when I create more cakes I end up with another new favourite. I recently made a butterfly that looked as if it was in flight. I received great feedback on my facebook fan page and at this point think that is my favourite non-wedding cake.

What are some of the 2011 trends you are seeing? I am finding brides are looking for tall cakes, something that will make a statement. Most of this seasons wedding cakes are four tiered with the odd five tiered cake. Cupcakes are still popular but now they are becoming a favour as couples move towards the edible favours.

How would you describe your style? I would describe my style as perfectionist. I really do put my all into my cakes and if it is not perfect and not something I would want to present at my wedding or party then I take the extra time to make it perfect. That may mean I have to start from scratch or I may have to decorate over again. Whatever it takes to make it perfect I do and I hope it shows in the finished product. I like clean cut cakes and try to do make mine that way everytime.

How do you keep yourself motivated and your designs fresh? I just keep going (chuckle). I love what I do and allows me to express myself artistically so no motivation is required. As for designs, clients help me. They come with inspiration and designs and I feed off of them. I also come up with lots of ideas myself or use the internet to freshen up ideas.

What is one piece of advice you have for brides? One piece of advice…..Enjoy your day, it goes by way too fast! If I can add one more piece of advice, book your cake well in advance too, I know for me I fill up 8-9 months in advance.

One thing that makes you different from other wedding cake bakers? I work from home. I invite clients into my home and work with them personally one on one. I am a one woman show as they say and so I only take on the quantity I am able to produce in order to give personalized and fantastic service.

What flavours do you offer? For cake flavours I offer, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, red velvet, banana and swirl. For buttercream flavours I offer vanilla, chocolate, coffee, raspberry, creamcheese and strawberry.

What do you feel is the most challenging thing about weddings cakes? The most challengjng thing about wedding cakes for me is not the cake. It’s the delivery and set-up. Sometimes I have three weddings on one Saturday, I have to deliver those cakes and set them up usually within a few hours of each other all over the GTA. I do not have a delivery driver, I do it all myself to ensure they arrive safely and are set-up in a way that presents them at their best.

Something you’re still learning? I am constantly learning. There is always something new that I want to try. Defying grafity is my latest interest, creating an in-flight butterfly and a tipping teapot has got the ball rolling.

What or who is the greatest love of your life? My greatest love is my family. My husband encourages and supports me and my children bring smile to my face and warm my heart all day long.

Where you’ll find me on a Friday night at 9pm? I try my very best to relax on Firday’s but more often than not I am in the kitchen til 1-2am making the finishing touches on all the cakes that are going out the next morning.

Five words your friends would use to describe you? Well I am going to feel a little uncomfortable answering this one…but I sure hope they would say, loving, a reliable friend, creative, always on the go, and dedicated to all that is in my life.

What did you do before professional baking? I am an Early Childhood Educator, and actually I currently work full-time with the school board in a Kindergarten classroom.

What ambition have you not yet achieved? One day, in the future I would love to open an actual store, still enabling to have a one on one relationship with all clients. I would love to offer cakes, cookies and cupcakes as I do now but also expand into supplies and instructional classes. I would love to have celebrity teachers and I would love to take my teaching to a whole new level and teach inspired bakers. This summer I will be teaching my first fondant figure class and hope it is successful and I am able to continue doing it.