TOAST rounds up some of the very best cakes for serving up at your stylish do this season!
Whatever time of year it is, no celebration is complete without a show stopping cake, and there is no denying that autumn and winter provide inspiration for some truly beautiful creations. Here is a selection of our favourite designers to feast your eyes on.
Let Them Eat Cake!
Marie Antoinette Cakes specialise in contemporary cake design and from cake studio in Heaton Chapel, Cheshire, owner Rachel designs and makes everything from hand with a passion for sugarcraft and design, taking inspiration from a wide range of sources including fashion, interior design, floristry and nature. The result is a selection of stunning, elegant creations and it would be tough to choose just one, but this exceptionally precise two tired deep blue cake adorned in orange florals and dark green foliage is just perfect for stylish autumn/winter entertaining.
(Image Credit: Marie Antoinette Cakes)
The Return of The Rabbit
When Robin isn’t busy making Gary Barlow’s birthday cake, a special creation for this year’s Bake Off winner, or one of multitude of completely brilliant bespoke cakes in pretty much any design you can imagine, she also puts together dessert tables with wow factor. With the hotly anticipated release of the new Peter Rabbit film early next year, featuring the voice of James Corden, this charming children’s tale is seriously ‘in’ this season. Cakes by Robin can bake you the Peter Rabbit cake of your dreams, or a Peter Rabbit-themed dessert table if you’d prefer. For grown-up events, their totally tropical cake adorned with flamingos, and their opulent Marie Antoinette themed dessert table are both seriously on trend, too.
(Image Credit: Cakes By Robin)
Christmas Cake
No, not that kind of Christmas cake (the fruity one that no one really likes) – we’re talking about Tuck Box’s fun and fabulous Christmassy creations – from a beautifully crafted Father Christmas to mini turkey cake canapés! Tuck Box’s Chris is the King of sweet treats, from beautifully hand iced biscuits and creative cake pops, to towering custom made show stoppers and unforgettable special occasion cakes. We love pretty much everything that he makes, but his fun, colourful Christmas pudding cakes are a must for any festive celebrations this year. His gorgeous cookies and biscuits also make a super stylish addition to beautifully wrapped gifts too…
(Image Credit: Tuck Box)
Fabulous Florals
This year we saw fresh flowers a-plenty on beautiful cakes and, no matter the season, it is a truly gorgeous look. Based in the Georgian market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire is Emily Harmston, whose stunning cake creations vary from elegant polished fondant cakes with exquisite detailing to fabulous flamboyant naked creations bursting with colour and flavour. Her use of edible flowers and handcrafted sugar flowers is exquisite and not only do her cakes look incredible – how about a chocolate and orange sponge with cardamom infused orange liqueur syrup layered with rich velvety chocolate buttercream this Christmas? Or perhaps a moist apricot and almond sponge layered with vanilla buttercream and a beautifully fragrant Amaretto liqueur syrup? Yum.
(Image Credit: Emily Harmston)
Party Perfection
Super cool London baker Lily Vanilli is well known for her show stopping celebration cakes, dripping with fresh fruit, flowers, glittery cherries and sparkling sea shells, but her smaller cupcake creations and beautiful tarts are also perfect for any parties that you might have lined up this season. Her picture perfect blackberry and apple cupcakes are divine, her lime meringue pollen tarts are an on trend delight and if you serve up her sticky toffee puddings with custard and salt caramel, well, you might not ever get rid of your guests!
(Image Credit: Lily Vanilli)
Cakey Collaboration
What do you get if you mix one of London’s best bakeries with the coolest meringue makers in town? Seriously awesome cakes, that’s what. Fondant Fox Cake Design has teamed up with none other than the Meringue Girls to create an exclusive collection of show stopping edible creations that are set to be the talk of the cake town this winter. There are several designs to choose from but if you’re feeling creative and want something totally unique for your festive do then all colours, flavours and sizes can be customised, and personalised toppers, candles and sparklers can also be added for extra fun and added wow factor. The Blue Watercolour effect with white chocolate drip and edible paper fans is perfect for a seriously cool yule…
(Image Credit: Fondant Fox Cake Design)
Danish Deliciousness
We all love a bit of stylish Scandinavian influence at Christmas, and Danish bakery Ole & Steen have a selection of tempting and truly delicious cakes that are prefect for cosy, seasonal entertaining. Choose from tasty cinnamon swirls, carrot muffins, caramel puffs, mini apple pies and fresh strawberry tarts, but for a celebration cake guaranteed to delight your guests then why not go for their beautiful and unusual Christianshavner cake – a delicious caramelized hazelnut base swirled with plenty of strawberry mousse and a generous helping of gorgeous fresh fruit on the top.
(Image Credit: Ole and Steen)
A Sparkling Showstopper
Anges de Sucre founder Reshmi Bennett, who trained as a chef at the prestigious École Grégoire Ferrandi in Paris, bakes every element of her towering creations from scratch and her super-sized Croquembouche cakes caused a mild sensation on Instagram this year. Take a look at her Christmas Croquembouche Cake and it’s easy to see why; this showstopper is made from layers of chocolate and vanilla sponge, silky Swiss Meringue buttercream, Belgian chocolate drip glaze, and decorated with glazed profiteroles and éclairs, ‘wreath’ doughnuts, gingerbread men and houses, glittery chocolate flakes, chocolate baubles, Maltesers AND macarons. Well it is Christmas after all…
(Image Credit: Anges du Sucre)
Guilt Free Goodness
Well, almost. Using no more sugar and fat than required, Cutter & Squidge’s creative cakes are carefully flavoured and beautifully decorated too; their limited edition Festive Dream Cake consists of 5 glorious layers of moist vanilla sponge, a light pistachio buttercream and handmade raspberry jam filling, finished with white chocolate buttercream and pistachio Christmas Trees, and to make it even more special, it’s topped with a crown of 24 carat gold covered stars! Their Chocolate Yule Log Dream Cake, topped with biscuit holly leaves, rose petals, 24 carat gold dust and sugar snow is a real festive showstopper too.
(Image Credit: Cutter and Squidge)
Don’t forget to tag @ToastLifeUK in all your cake-filled festivities – we would love to see your photos!
For further information about our featured vendors, visit TOAST's Little Black Book.
And for more ideas and inspiration this Christmas, visit TheEDIT!