Your West Midlands Wedding- June/July 2020 (Issue 68)

CAKES 83 ★  BAKERS LAURA NOLAN AT THE NUTHOUSE BAKERY Where did your journey in to baking begin? I was 17 when I created my first wedding cake for the equivalent of A Levels in South Africa. I dabbled a bit but due to the career I had at the time there wasn’t much time. In 2010 I walked away from my job to pursue a career in cakes and teaching, setting up The Nuthouse Bakery in 2011. What do you love most about your job? Seeing a couple’s cake come to life, and the reaction I get from them, and their family and friends, when they see it for the first time. That’s what puts a smile on my face! Favourite cake design: I love dark bold cakes. One of my favourite designs is a four-tier cake I made earlier this year. I love the combination of bold colours (a striking scarlet in this case with hints of gold) and texture (a wrap on the bottom tier), accentuated with gold trimming for a stylish touch. One floral arrangement and focal point of dark flowers and foliage. Less is more! Top tip: Don’t leave sourcing your wedding cake until the last minute. Book as soon as you’ve booked your venue. This avoids any last-minute stress and allows you to budget. KAREN FARMER AT CAKES FABULOUS CAKES Where did your journey in to baking begin? I started baking with my nan when I used to go and stay with her in the summer holidays (many years ago!). I then did A-level Food and Nutrition and we completed a project around baking and decorating a Christmas cake. The teacher ran it as a competition and I won! This really inspired me. I continued baking for friends and family and in 2012 my employment status changed so I had the opportunity to set up Cakes Fabulous Cakes. I went on some courses, built a website, threw myself into social media, started networking and here I am. What do you love most about your job? I think my favourite part is meeting the couples, hearing their design ideas, being absorbed into their planning with them and then turning their vision into reality. I usually meet couples at wedding fayres which I love doing. Chatting and engaging with people gives me a buzz. Couples may also contact me through social media or email and then book in a consultation to try cake flavours and discuss design ideas often bringing mood boards, Pinterest ideas and colour samples. Favourite cake design: It’s really hard to pick one design as every cake is different. The base cake maybe the same but the colours are different, or the flowers are different, or the stand it sits on is different. My favourite type would be fondant-covered. These cakes take a lot more expertise, good quality products and you generally get to use more skills. The cake I have chosen here is a reveal cake to wow guests. It looks traditional from the front, then the couple spin it to reveal the back.  This one is very personal, the couple bought together their backgrounds, hobbies and things of meaning to them. Beautiful all-sugar flowers adorn the front in a full cascade – I contact the florist, collect a list of what is being used then mimic them in sugar. I think making flowers is one of my favourite things to do, very therapeutic! Top tip: Book early to avoid disappointment. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want, you can work through ideas, themes and colours with the designer to pull ideas together. Contact Karen: cakesfabulouscakes@gmail.com | www.cakesfabulouscakes.co.uk STAR www.amaragrace.co.uk  Go-to comfort-eating dessert? I prefer savoury to sweet! My preference would be cheese and crackers! Contact Laura: info@nuthousebakery.co.uk | www.nuthousebakery.co.uk MEET THE www.nuthousebakery.co.uk | h ttps://stilllightphotography.co.uk Go-to comfort-eating dessert? I think my favourite would have to be chocolate fondant pudding – runny, gooey, gorgeous chocolate sauce in the middle of light chocolate sponge. I’d add a bit of pouring cream too just to really make it luxurious! https://stilll ightphotography.co.uk