Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

Rachel from Planet Cake introduces us to her chickens and has some advice on choosing your perfect wedding cake.

I trained in Design and interiors but also have a love of the sweet and delicious. After years of creating beautiful rooms I decided to turn my hand to cake making. I have an eye for detail and my creativity knows no bounds.

Having now been in business for 5 years, my cakes have graced the pages of many top bridal magazines, as well as being devoured by over half of London.

I recently took on my own brood of lovely free range chickens. They lay the lovely eggs that go into my cakes. They get way too much love and attention from me and have even started to learn how to get through my catflap! I make them special dinners of broccoli with sunflower seeds to make the yolks extra yellow.

In the picture below is ‘Mable’.

I work from my home workshop in Streatham South London where I invite all potential clients to come and vist me and the chickens. We then taste cake and talk over designs. All of my cakes are bespoke to the client and designs are evloved in the studio by looking at the style, colours and theme of the Wedding.

When deciding the style and design of your cake, I would advise choosing an element that is current throughout the wedding. A colour, theme, flower or illustration. A good cake designer should be able to take that element and create a cake exactly for you.

I would say, never be afraid to experiment or go against tradition. The cake should make a statement and not only be a visual wonder, but taste good too.

My ‘Hint of the day’ would be, always taste the cake first before you book your cakemaker. It might look nice on the outside but what a waste if it tastes rubbish! And make sure the caterers serve the cake correctly. There is nothing worse than a big pile of crumbs on a platter. Laid out in individual pieces is so much more stylish…..that way it all gets eaten!

The wierdest cake I have ever been asked to make was for a couple who got engaged in New York wanted me to do the Statue of Liberty! I made the castle like base in the end and they supplied a large plastic person to go on top. Not a typically ‘pretty’ cake but they loved it!

I was also asked to make a five tier trifle cake which I decided was structurally impossible due to the nature of custard…..and I once did a cake with ‘Sponge Bob Square Pants’ on the top.

Every cake is a work of art and I am very passionate about what I do, exercising a strong attention to detail. It’s important to me that my service is extremely personal and it is me that deals with every detail, right down to the delivery.

Planet cake made it to the finals of the British Bakery Awards this year and are very proud of this acheivement, congratulations!

Visit www.planet-cake.com to see more of Rachels cakes and get in contact with her.

Next month sees the wedding of superstar wedding photographer Jessica Claire. When you’re career revolves around weddings you know that you have to raise the bar a little when planning your own big day. After seeing the photos of Jessica’s bridal shower and the gorgeous details, we at Bridal Soup are even more excited to see the photographs from the wedding itself.

Two of Jessica’s bridesmaids Chenin and Candice pretty much crafted everything here on their own. Great job girls!

The decorate-your-own cupcake bar.

Congratulations to Jessica and all the best for the wedding…

Photography (and invitation design!) by Chenin Boutwell

We’ve all seen the amazing cakes which can now be created to really give your wedding that extra wow factor - from traditional yet elegant designs to funky and fun to sculptures which truly are works of chocolaty art!

Jenny Hudson started her business, Sweet As in Warwick, with help from the Prince’s Trust.  She makes exquisite Belgian chocolate cakes for weddings and other special events.  In 2006 she was commissioned to make a cake for HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.

Her cakes reflect contemporary tastes, which have seen a decline in the use of traditional fruit based wedding cake and more often chocolate based cakes with fresh fruit, are ordered.  They can also be served as a dessert.

So we thought we’d ask Jenny about the process of creating that extra special wedding cake…

Designing a cake

Jenny meets with the bride many months before the actual wedding, to discuss the cake design.  If you have ever organised a wedding you will know the phenomenal level of detail that you have to think about from button holes to invitations.   Jenny’s creative flair means she can help the bride pick out echoes and themes that will compliment the other features of the day: such as the dresses, the table decorations and the flowers.   Sometimes the cake itself will influence the choice of, for example, the bridal bouquet.  Some choose from her portfolio of existing cakes.  For others she goes back to the drawing board and designs a cake from scratch. 

 “Every bride is an individual but it is interesting how definite people are in their tastes,” comments Jenny,  “The white chocolate with the strawberries jumps out at some people, they find it so romantic.”  Others (perhaps the incurable chocoholics) cannot resist the glossy dark and white chocolate combination of the tumbling leaves. When the bride wants something unique.  The variations of textures and decorations she can use, mean that Jenny will use her artistic skills to interpret the bride’s suggestions and create something stunning and individual.   Time spent on getting the design right ensures that the final cake will live up to expectations.

Ordering ingredients

Once the design is finalised, quantities are worked out and supplies will be provisionally ordered.  Unlike some cake companies, Jenny makes every cake from scratch using local free-range eggs and milk, Belgian chocolate of the highest quality and fresh fruit supplies from local suppliers.  As a perfectionist, she uses only the best quality chocolate.  Can you imagine working with these ingredients?  Chocoholics would be in heaven.

Countdown to the wedding day

Four days before the actual wedding, baking of the cake layers begins.  As a trained pastry chef, with experience at Claridges, Jenny runs her kitchen with military precision.  With weddings back to back through the  summer months, organisation is essential to ensure that everything runs like clockwork for every wedding. 

The basic layers are made from a moist chocolate sponge mix, which plays a crucial part as Jenny explains,  “Although the sponge is hidden inside the cake, this is where it is vital that the taste lives up to the expectations created by the design on the outside.  So I insist on top quality flours and free-range eggs.  They make so much difference to the texture and taste of the cake.” 

Next comes the ganache; the chocolate coating that envelops the sponge layers.  Made from  local double cream that is heated and  poured over the chopped chocolate mix and stirred until velvety smooth.  When poured over the cake it flows like a river. 

Preparation of decorations & fruit

The layers are assembled and then become the canvas for Jenny’s exquisite decorations.  Attention to detail is crucial during the preparation of the decorations.  Cutting corners here will let down the final display.  The fruit is washed and checked vigorously and any blemished fruit is discarded.

Then the fun begins as the individual chocolate decorations are crafted.  Some of her cakes have more than 30  individually shaped chocolate decorations.  Although painstaking, this effort is well rewarded when the final cake is assembled.  Each decoration is anchored to the cake with chocolate. 

The Big Day

Jenny will have checked out the venue before hand so that there are no delays as the cake makes its final journey.  She will even check early morning reports so that she can allow extra time for any traffic jams.  These cakes are too precious to be entrusted to couriers and as with any artist, Jenny wants to see the cake installed in person so that she can apply all the finishing touches.  When the guests arrive all they see is the beautifully finished result.  It must be heartbreaking to see the cake cut.  At least she knows that all her cakes will live on in wedding albums across the region.

 If you would like Jenny to create a cake for your special day please send an enquiry through the website www.sweet-as.co.uk or call her on 01926 490560.

If you want to learn more top tips and skills with chocolate, Jenny runs various chocolate classes and events.  To find out more or book give Jenny a call.