Written by Kellie Rudland
Your background is fine art and advertising . How did you make the jump to sculpting using cake and chocolate ?
My friend opened Highland Bakery here in Atlanta , and the first time I went in , I noticed she didn ’ t have anything colourful in the cases ! All I knew how to do in the pastry realm at the time was royal icing cookies . I was also a stay-at-home-mom at that point , so I offered to make cookies at home for her to sell in the case . She did not like the idea AT ALL at first , but eventually she gave in . Soon I was icing cakes , and it has all snowballed from there !
How different is working with edible materials than to non-edible ?
There are a few differences , and a few similarities . Working with modelling chocolate is a lot like working with clay . It ’ s soft and easy to sculpt with . With clay , however , there are many more steps to get to the finished piece ; clay has to be fired many times , glazed , fired again , etc . Chocolate is immediate . And it smells better !
Tell us about your design process .
It depends , of course , on the piece . If I have a lot of freedom with design , and I ’ m excited about it , then the design process begins with sleepless obsession . I wake up all night , and it ’ s the first thought in my head . My very best ideas ALWAYS come first thing in the morning , before I open my eyes . Perhaps my mind is less cluttered then . I like to look at images for inspiration and detail and will usually grab a pile of books , or scroll around the internet . From there I create a truly horrible sketch that would make absolutely zero sense to anyone but myself ! Then it ’ s a trip to the hardware store . When I start on a piece I usually forgo sleep or proper nutrition , I have a hard time pacing myself . So my design process is not pretty , but it works for me !
Your clients have included celebrities such as Usher , Sir Elton John , Jane Lynch , Demi Moore , T-Pain and many more . Have you had any surprising requests from your famous clients ?
Well , one of the cardinal rules to maintaining the trust of people in the public eye is discretion , so I keep my client ’ s secrets . I can tell you about one strange request , though . I had a locally famous client who celebrated the “ birthday ” of her kidney transplant , which was on the same day as her friend ( both radio personalities here in Atlanta ). One year they requested a dual birthday cake of one of them driving a boat , pulling a water skiing kidney . It ’ s hard to top that for surprising !
You ’ ve starred in television programs such as Food Network ’ s Cake Challenge , Bizarre Foods , Cake Wars and Halloween Wars . What ’ s it like working on cakes in that sort of environment ?
It ’ s hard to choose which word to pick first in describing the experience . Stressful ! Exhilarating ! Exhausting ! Hilarious ! Exciting ! It really is a unique experience , knowing you are competing , being filmed , being timed , being judged and trying to do your best work all the while . We all worry about cake disasters , but television loves them , so it ’ s almost hard to get it wrong . If the cake is amazing , it ’ s great . If the cake falls over , it ’ s still great !
" I always tell people who have a chance to do it that they should DO IT ! Who cares if you win ? You ’ ll always regret not giving it a go !"
You have created many cakes on stage in front of a crowd . How do you find sculpting intricate details with an audience watching ?
I really enjoy it . I think it ’ s the teacher in me . So many people are intimidated by the thought of making a large figure or sculpting a face . It ’ s always my thinking that if they get to watch someone do it while staying relaxed and focused , it may help them see that it ’ s just cake , and there ’ s nothing to be intimidated about . Watching someone make a big cake from beginning to end is enlightening for people who are new to cake and worry that it ’ s all too complicated . I ’ m fortunate enough to not have stage fright , and I really love teaching , so being on stage working with a big crowd is FUN !
You spend a lot of your time teaching around the world . Is there a country you would love to visit but haven ’ t yet had the opportunity ?
Japan ! I really want to teach in Japan ! So if you have a shop in Japan , and you ’ d like to host me , email me right away ! I ’ ve only been there in the airport on a layover , but bought more in the airport in Japan than I did in either of the countries I was working in before or after the layover . The art , the fashion , the food , the architecture , the history , the culture ... Japan .
What are your most-used cake decorating tools ?
The PME Dresden leaf and flower tool , and my fingers .
Do you have a favourite cake to date ?
I just did a big Goblin character for The Centre for Puppetry Arts here in my city . There was an anniversary celebration masquerade ball for the movie Labyrinth , and I got to do the cake . I really enjoyed that one . I always have to mention the giant Octopus cake I did years ago , because that cake went viral and opened a lot of doors for me , so it has a special place in my heart !
Have you ever had a cake disaster ?
Every cake I make goes through the moment where I think it ’ s a disaster ! I think that ’ s just part of my process . Usually it passes . I did have a cake break apart on the way to delivery once , though . I was able to rush back to the bakery and fix it , fortunately . Every long time decorator knows the feeling of amazement at how a cake that takes 10 hours to make can be remade in about 20 minutes !
What inspires you ?
I am inspired by anything well and thoughtfully executed . It could be a beautifully carved fireplace mantle , a well-orchestrated piece of music , an elaborate costume , anything that represents a high level of effort and achievement in a craft . It may inspire me visually , but the biggest inspiration comes from witnessing what someone has achieved by working hard and succeeding at creating an amazing thing . It expands my vision of what is possible .