Wedding cakes: behind the scenes at Sweet As

After the dress, the wedding cake is the next most important element in the wedding spectacle: have you ever wondered exactly how those exquisite layered cakes are made? Well, here in Warwickshire we have our very own Claridges-trained pastry chef, Jenny Hudson. We take a peek behind the scenes to see how she turns the design you see on paper into a stunning, romantic (and delicious) wedding cake.

Among the rich and famous that have tasted her cakes are HRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, who had a first wedding anniversary cake designed and made by Jenny. Her mouth-watering creations are made out of Belgian chocolate which are works of art; almost, but not quite, too good to eat.

Designing your special 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 dress, 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 (see above top left) 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 and the variations of textures and decorations she can use means that Jenny uses 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 everyone's expectations.

Ordering premium ingredients

Once the design is finalised, quantities are calculated and supplies will be 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: imagine working with these ingredients. Chocoholic’s would be in veritable heaven!

Countdown to the wedding day

Four days before the actual wedding, Jenny bakes the cake layers. As a trained pastry chef 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 with 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.

Assembling the cake: intricate decorations and luscious fruit

The layers are assembled and 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, so the fruit is washed and checked vigorously and any blemished fruit is discarded.

Then the fun begins as the individual chocolate decorations are crafted.  The cherub below is made from chocolate and then a gold lustre powder is applied with a paintbrush; 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 and each decoration is anchored to the cake with chocolate.

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 for some time to follow.

So if you would like Jenny to create a cake for your special day please just contact us.