Hello and welcome to my brand new website!
I am so excited I can finally show it off! It’s been a long process but I think it’s definitely been worth it.
I thought to start off my blog I’d answer 10 questions so you can get to know me a bit better so here goes:
- When did you start baking?
I have been baking cakes as long as I remember! My Grandma taught me how to bake when I was a toddler and I’ve had the bug since then. We used to always bake together. I started Gabriella Grace Cakes in 2016, after taking more and more requests from friends and family I decided I wanted to take baking more seriously and start my own business. - Where are you based?
I’m based in a town called Redcar in the North East of England and I cater throughout the North East. - What is your favourite cake you make?
I LOVE Grandma’s Chocolate Cake – it’s a classic. It reminds me of home. My favourites always seem to change – at the moment I’m loving Red Velvet. I make mine with Salted Caramel which is just a win-win combination. Also Clementine, Star Anise and Cinnamon is pretty high up there I love anything with a hint of aniseed or liquorice. - What is your specialty?
I specialise in sugar flowers and ruffles. I’ve taken classes with some of the top UK wedding designers to learn how to make beautiful flowers and I pride myself in their detail. Sugar flowers are so time consuming but definitely worth the effort. As for ruffles I just love them – again they take so much time but they add a dreamy, pretty element to cakes. I definitely want both on my wedding cake when it happens! - Who is your idol?
It may be a bit cliché but Mary Berry. I adore that lady. I once was at a cake exhibition and saw her being interviewed a few feet away – I was so excited I cried! I dread to think what I’d be like if I met her. - Where do you get your inspiration?
From all over! I have to say seeing so many cake designers creations on Instagram and Pinterest really inspires me – there are lots of ideas I want to try and make my own but it’s having the time to do them. I also get a lot of inspiration from wedding dress designs. My style is quite girly with a modern twist – I like clean lines, sharp edges and lots of flavour. - What are your tips for choosing wedding cake flavours?
I have quite a range of flavours and I am always told by brides and grooms that they find it so hard to choose. Each tier can be a different flavour so I’d choose a bit of everything. Classic flavours always go down well for the larger tiers as you can please almost everyone with a Victoria sponge or a chocolate cake. For smaller tiers I’d choose flavours you particularly like – it’s your wedding! One couple that recently booked with me are keeping the top tier for themselves – chocolate and peanut butter – great choice! Some couples want to keep things traditional and go with Aunty Sheila’s fruit cake. I always check that they like fruit cake before booking and aren’t just choosing it to conform to tradition. What’s the point of having a flavour you don’t like at your wedding? Go with your gut instinct and choose for yourselves. - What is your most useful tool?
My ball tool for thinning out and making flower petals look more realistic. My first ball tool snapped a couple of weeks ago and it was like losing a friend! - How long does the wedding cake process take you?
Much longer than you would think! After cake consultations, designing and prepping the average wedding cake takes 4-5 days to make. I spend a day baking, a day torting, filling (plus making the fillings) and covering in ganache, a day covering in fondant and finally decorating. Sugar flowers can be prepared in advance but that can take days depending on the amount and style. - What is the most rewarding part of being a cake designer?
It’s got to be seeing people’s reactions to my cakes. When you have put so many hours and so much effort into making it special and a client loves it that’s definitely the best part!
Keep checking back for more blog posts and thanks for reading!
