Cake! magazine by Australian Cake Decorating Network May 2019 Cake! Magazine | Page 38

techniques of decoration with all kinds
of edible materials and ingredients.
Your style is the epitome of haute
couture. Each cupcake is so
beautifully decorated. Do you plan
your designs beforehand or do you
like to create them as you go?
Written by Kellie Rudland
Combining sugarcraft with high class
fashion is the passion of Spanish
couture cake designer and author
Patricia Arribalzaga. We spoke
with Patricia about where she finds
inspiration, the books she has
authored, and her design process.
How did you become a cake
designer?
I have been a Pastry Chef for more
than 16 years. From the beginning
I always thought that the delicious
flavour of the cakes and their artistic
presentation should go together.
I have a background in fine arts, so
I incorporated the artistic design into
my patisserie and became a cake
designer who aims to create edible
works of art.
Do you prefer baking or decorating?
I love both baking and decorating
- experimenting with the flavours
and textures and creating unique
Thank you. I start with an idea and
a concept of the creation, giving
consideration to both flavour and
design. I find it very important to
plan from the beginning the different
types of shades of colors and
decorative elements that will take
part in the design like ornaments or
flowers. During the design process I
harmonize, blend and match all the
elements until I get a final result which
satisfies me.
You first started your business in 2002.
How have cake trends changed since
then? Where do you find inspiration for your
designs? Tell us about your design
process
I think that in the last 5 years there
is a huge demand that prioritise
pastry flavours and the use of natural
ingredients, and decoration is a little
relegated. On the other hand there is a
trend where the cake is an ornament of
the celebration, exposed like a big art
sculpture. First I find inspiration in fashion. My
company´s name is Cakes Haute
Couture, from my idea of linking the
world of confectionery with a high
fashion design. All my pâtisserie
begins, like any haute couture outfit,
with a unique, tailor-made design. I
try to create all my pâtisserie with the
same refinement as an haute couture
fashion designer devotes to a dress.
What advice do you have for someone
starting out in the industry?
Be serious about your training in
sugarcraft and pastry education. In the
beginning I advise to practice a lot -
bake and decorate at least 10 cakes
a month. Try to be original, you don’t
need to be unique - it just needs to be
yours!
What are your three favourite cake
decorating tools?
• My designed stencils,
• Flower cutters,
• A rolling pin.
You’ve written three cake decorating
books. Tell us about how the
publishing process.
At the moment I am working on my
fourth book. My books are like a
course - the idea is to present my
method of teaching in the creation
of products involving baking and
decoration techniques.
For each project I consider the recipe,
ingredients, sugarcraft decoration and
the best way to fuse all of them. My
first book titled ‘Cupcakes, Cookies &
Macarons’ focuses on these products.
In my second book ‘Pasteles de Alta
Costura’ (Haute Couture Cakes) I teach
cakes and French pastisserie baking
and decoration techniques together
with original recipes and innovative
flavours. My third book, ‘Fiestas Dulces’
(Sweet Parties) is a book devoted to
covering all kind of celebrations and
seasons, considering decoration and
flavors too. The last two books won
Gourmand World Cookbook Awards for
best books of Spain in the Pastry and
Entertainment categories. Regarding
the editing process, I plan the content
of the books, including projects and
recipes, outline the graphic design,
and my team take photographs. I then
give the book to the publishing house
ready to print.
Who are some cake decorators that
you look up to?
I really look up to all my students who
have set up their own cake businesses
around the world. They deliver a large
number of cakes of all styles, working
very hard and with great success.
Many of your cake and cupcake
designs feature sugar flowers. Are
they something you love to create?
Yes, they’re something I love to create.
I enjoy creating peonies and some
‘fantasy flowers’ I created using my
own designed cutters.
MORE INFORMATION
Cakes Haute Couture
cakeshautecouture.com
facebook.com/patriciaarribalzagaCHC
instagram.com/patricia_arribalzaga