Lessons in Cakeology

Cakeology author and cake designer Juliet Sear has baked cool, show-stopping cakes for everyone from Prince Harry and Alexa Chung to Dizzee Rascal. Here, she talks about her love of seasonal recipes, her all-time desert island cake – and why twee decorating just isn’t her style  

How did your career in baking begin? Did you always want to be a cake designer?
Funnily enough, it was a happy accident. I love savoury food and always throw big dinner parties and celebrations, so when our son was one (17 years ago), I decided to make a birthday cake for his party. I found I really enjoyed the process and result and continued baking for parties. I got asked by friends and family to make cakes for them and soon I became obsessed with cake decorating.

Where do you get your inspiration for inventing new and exciting cake recipes?
I actually get lots of inspiration from visiting food markets and also, of course, I love to make seasonal recipes – particularly lovely rich and flavoursome ones for winter. I think using the best ingredients really helps and I always try to use unrefined or darker natural sugars which add richness and depth to cakes.

What would be your desert island cake?
I think a rich fruitcake as I like to eat that with cheeses.

Decorating books can be a bit girlie. I wanted to make a more modern and cool cake book 

Baking has gone through something of a renaissance in recent years. What is it about it that people seem to love so much?
I think it’s very rewarding for people. It’s lovely to spend time baking and decorating. It can be really relaxing. Also, with the likes of Instagram and Pinterest, I think people get competitive with themselves and love the challenge of making something really impressive. It’s also lovely when you get great comments from others about your cakes or have grateful friends or family that you bake for.

What are your favourite ingredients to work with?
I love working with modelling chocolate. It’s best for decorating and modelling because it’s so easy to use. You also get a better taste compared to a sugar paste.

Until recently you ran the cake boutique, Fancy Nancy. Can you tell us about that?
I closed the Leigh shop this year in April after six six years… the time was right. I’ve since moved to London now so I am still doing commissions for Fortnum & Mason but, after six years of running Fancy Nancy, the majority of our business had become wholesale work for large department stores and I was getting really busy with my creative consultancy. I’ve also written my second book, CAKEOLOGY, so thought it was time to move on. It can be stressful running a business and I found it hard to switch off – even on holiday I’d be getting messages about cakes back at the shop. It’s lovely now as I have time to be creative and still make some special cakes. I get to do more of the enjoyable work that I love, including edible art installations for brands or large parties.

What is the idea behind CAKEOLOGY and do you have a favourite recipe from the book?
The idea for CAKEOLOGY was to make a lovely book that would appeal to everyone. I find many cake decorating books can be a bit samey or twee and nearly always very girlie. So I wanted to make a more modern and cool cake book with eye-catching designs that would entice people who haven’t got a cake book to jump right in or, equally, have some elaborate designs that would appeal to the more experienced cake decorator. I also wanted to have lots of cakes in the book that look really show stopping but are in fact not that technical. My favourite design in the book is the Acid bights ombre cake on the front cover – but it is so hard to choose.

Can anyone be a good baker?
Yes, indeed. I think people can be scared of baking which is a shame. I always say as long as the people doing it give themselves enough time then following the recipe isn’t really too difficult. Like anything, you wouldn’t expect to get a painting or piece of art finished in ten minutes – give yourself plenty of time so you enjoy the process. And don’t rush.

You’ve built up a strong celebrity clientele over the years, from Alexa Chung to Dizzee Rascal. How did this come about?
I was lucky to be spotted by a journalist who wanted me to design an amazing cake for a wedding magazine (in fact my patchwork one from CAKEOLOGY) and it was really well received. More press and also buyers from big stores noticed me and soon enough I was lucky to get orders for high profile events and TV shows. I think an element of luck and hard work helps! For Dizzee’s cake we got the call the afternoon before they wanted the cake for a TV show. I had to work through the night for that cake but you often have to as things can come in at last minute.

Are you a fan of the Great British Bake-Off?
I do watch it when I can as you have to keep on top of what’s happening in the industry. I love Mel and Sue! And I’ve got to know many of the Bake Off contestants over the years as you always meet at shows etc, I think it is good and it’s done wonders for baking as they have such a huge audience.

With the festive season just round the corner, do you have a favourite Christmas cake recipe?
Yes my rich fruit one in CAKEOLOGY as it has tons of brandy and glace ginger – it’s almost like a Christmas pud!

Any projects in the pipeline?
Two very exciting ones for Christmas, that I can’t talk about until they are released to press but I will say that one I just finished was amazing and the most challenging job I have ever had to do!

CAKEOLOGY: Over 20 sensational step-by-step cake decorating projects by Juliet Sear (Hardie Grant, £20.00) Photography: Helen Cathcart

The post Lessons in Cakeology appeared first on Beyond Bespoke.