Cake! magazine by Australian Cake Decorating Network August 2016 | Page 134

ACDN Member Spotlight
Amanda Lee of Sugar Sugar Cakes
My mother never said it, but I suspect I came out of her belly holding a cupcake in
my hand. For as far back as memory goes, creamy cakes, hot cinnamon doughnuts,
caramel popcorn and fudge almond ice cream had certain knee-weakening pulls
that were difficult to fend off. It wasn’t long before I was “cheffing” as a peewee
apprentice at home, then experimenting more (and burning up a few appliances) as
a restless teen, finally onto pastry school abroad at Le Cordon Bleu which drew me
to the sunny shores of Sydney.
After clocking up some work miles in pastry & hospitality across various states, I
finally put down roots and fell in love with Adelaide (and subsequently, fell in love
in Adelaide). It was during a work sabbatical that I was approached by a friend to
make my first novelty cake. That cake led to another, and then to another... which
resulted in me becoming my first ever wedding cake client!
With the success and euphoria of that first wedding cake bake, Sugar Sugar
Cakes was born. Four years into this cake odyssey, and there are a number of
feathers in my cap for which I am incredibly humbled and grateful for. Some lovely
acknowledgements include 3rd Place ACDN Decorator of the Year 2014, 1st Runner
Up ABIA South Australian Wedding Cake Supplier 2015, 1st Runner Up Cake
Masters UK Colourful Cakes Competition and ACDN Member’s Monday Winner May
2016.