Your Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wedding - June/July 2020 (Issue 83)

80 CLARE HARTLAND-BROWN AT BETTY BEE BAKES Where did your journey in to baking begin? I’ve always baked cakes. My mum, my nan and my gran were all brilliant bakers so they taught me. I still ring my mum now to ask her for tips (her scones are amazing!). I started my business four years ago because I wanted to do something for me. I work as a Border Force Officer in my other job and I’m mum to a six-year-old who was an early prem. So the first year of her life was filled with hospital stays and appointments. She is totally fine now, but after that, I felt I needed to have a focus for me, completely different to the work I do, so my business was born. What do you love most about your job? My favourite part is engaging with the couples. I love getting to know them and being a small part of their big day. I like their design to reflect their personalities and their relationship, so it is unique to them. This might be in the flavours, rather than the look of the cake, but it’s exciting to go on that journey with them. Favourite design: It’s difficult to pick just one, but my favourite last year was a semi-naked cake I made for a barn wedding. The couple were so lovely to deal with from start to finish and when I finished setting up the cake it just sat so beautifully in the barn and with their décor that I knew they would love it. And they did. KATE LIEBERMAN AT DOLCE LUSSO CAKES Where did your journey in to baking begin? I’ve had a passion for baking from a very young age. But it wasn’t until 14 years ago that I took it to the next level: making birthday cakes for my son and his friends swiftly became something more – my true creative outlet. What you love most about your job? I love dreaming up and delivering bespoke designs that reflect the individuality of my couples and their own special days. I’m particularly passionate about handcrafting intricate sugar flowers to match their bridal-flower orders. Top tip: Ask your venue if they have a recommended supplier list – this is a great place to find trusted suppliers. Book a personalised tasting appointment – I’m confident in the look and taste of my wedding cakes, but you need to be sure for yourself. Meeting face-to-face – in person or online – gives you the opportunity to sample up to six flavours from my menu. For those who can’t attend a session physically, I can send taster boxes! In either instance, the goal is the same: to get to know each other, and really understand your vision, requirements and budget in more detail Top tip: Your wedding is about you and your relationship. If you don’t like fruit cake, then don’t feel you need to have it just because Great Aunt Edith is expecting it. She might find out she actually likes the flavours you’ve chosen – although fruit cake is one of my favourites, so I’m more than happy to make you a fruit tier! Have what you want, and who you want, to celebrate your love and life together. Go-to comfort-eating dessert? Gosh, that’s a tough one for someone with a sweet tooth! It’s a toss up between a treacle sponge or a rhubarb crumble – both with custard! But if I had to pick one, the latter with a nice kick of ginger. Contact Clare : https://bettybeebakes.wordpress.com | bettybeebakes@outlook.com Favourite cake design: Difficult question. Over the years, I’ve created so many favourites. It’s not just the design that I get attached to – but the overall wedding cake – with its unique look, taste, texture and tiering. That’s the joy of this business for me: bringing a couple’s vision to life. If I had to list one wedding cake design that I’m most proud of I’d pick the example I created for a recent photo shoot. It was inspired by the work of William Morris, and his textile ‘The Strawberry Thief’. I wanted to incorporate its detail onto the cake, and decided to use an edible image, which I then contrasted with delicate climbing sugar roses from his beloved garden. A match made in heaven, if you ask me. Go-to comfort-eating dessert? Unsurprisingly, I’ve always had a sweet tooth, but in summer, I’m especially partial to a slice of lemon sponge, drizzled with Amalfi lemon syrup, and filled with Sicilian lemon curd. In winter, it has to be a slice a Marsala-infused fruit cake, any day. Contact Kate www.dolcelussocakes.com | kate@dolcelussocakes.com www.chlo eelyphotography.com