Interviews from Cakeland

After our interview with Marina Sousa of Just Cake, we wanted to revisit our previous interviews in the series, in case you missed any of them. Looking back it's been a privelege to have had the chance to talk to such a talented group of individuals within the cake community. We didn't know when I conducted my first interview, with Jen from Cake Wrecks that she would become such a well-known blogger and humorist. I had so much fun interviewing Jen that I then approached one of our favorite cake designers, Beryl Ann Byrd of Just Fabulous Pastries who was just as fabulous to interview as Jen! Next to be interviewed was Rebecca Sutterby of Sugar Creations, followed by The Great White Snark, Joan Spitler of Cake Divas, who Rick used to work with, Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes, and most recently, Marina Sousa of Just Cake. It was fascinating to learn how each person became an expert in their craft. Along the way Rick and I developed an even greater respect for the people we have long admired as some of our favorite cake designers or bloggers.

We have assembled the links to each of our interviews below. Whether you are looking for entertainment, inspiration, or humor, these interviews are a great resource to indulge in and to share. Enjoy!



cakelava Interviews: Jen from Cake Wrecks, Pt.1 and Pt. 2



cakelava Interviews: Beryl Ann Byrd of Just Fabulous Pastries, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2



cakelava Interviews: Rebecca Sutterby of Sugar Creations, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2



cakelava Interviews: The Great White Snark, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2



cakelava Interviews: Joan Spitler of Cake Divas, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2



cakelava Interviews: Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2



cakelava Interviews: Marina Sousa of Just Cake, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2

Aloha, 'til next time!

cakelava Interviews: Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes, Pt. 2

A Sock Monkey's revenge, two cookbooks, and her "favorites" list. Part 2 of our interview. To read part 1, of the Confetti Cakes interview click here.

Sasha Reichart: Confetti Cakes has no shortage of press and appearances. What has been your favorite most recent appearance or press you have received?

Elisa Strauss: Wow, they are all great. I love getting out and talking about cake.to anyone who will listen and the shows are really gracious to have me on. I would be remiss not to mention my appearance with Paula Dean. She is such a hoot and so much fun to be with. It is nice getting out of the bakery and meeting new people so I love it all. Now with the new book I will go and do book signings, radio shows, demonstrations at local culinary schools. I’ll be on (or will have been on….) the Today Show Oct. 30th for Halloween cookies and I’m going to teach a class in Savannah at Minette Rushing Custom Cakes.

Sasha Reichart: Like a number of other cake designers I’ve interviewed, you have also competed on the Food Network Challenge. We saw you compete in the “Birthday Cake Competition” where you made the completely adorable sculpted retro sock monkey. Then you came back for the “Extreme Cake Challenge”, which Rick was invited to compete in but couldn't do it. You made another sock monkey, though this one looked like he wasn’t very happy, and you called it“Revenge of the Sock Monkey.” Tell us the story behind your 6’ tall money with a vengeance.

Elisa Strauss: Well the first FN challenge I really didn’t know what I was doing….in terms of being on TV. I just went and did what I do….made a sculpted cake with a cake that I thought best fit the theme. What I didn’t realize was that it needed to be about ten times bigger for TV….each time you do something you get better….so the “revenge” monkey was the bigger, stronger incarnation of the first challenge…..

SR: How many Food Network Challenges have you competed in and how did you fare?

ES: Three. First one I lost L
Second was “Holiday Cake challenge” and I came in third
Third, extreme cakes and I won!!! Finally!!!

SR: In addition to making awesome cakes, you are also a published author of your own cookbook. What inspired you to write a cookbook, and how did you go about securing a publisher?



ES: Two books! Well it was actually one cookbook literary deal that required me to publish two books. I loved the idea of doing a book form a business perspective it is another press vehicle. But from a more personal side, since we make such elaborate cakes and are in NYC…we can’t ship our cakes, we can’t make more then a few a week so we are limited in the number of people that can have a Confetti Cake…so the book is one way to reach people who can’t have our cake…but they can have our recipes, design ideas, etc.

SR: I hear you have another cookbook about to be released. Has it already been released, and what is this one about?



ES: The new book is, Confetti Cakes for Kids. It follows the same design as our first book but with projects for Cookies, cupcakes, mini cakes and sculpted cakes but with all kid-themes….like a train, a monster, a backpack, etc. It also has more recipes including a gingerbread cookie, brownie and new cake and fillings too.

SR: Love the colors and that little monster is totally adorable! You also teach private classes as well as private parties. I’m sure people must be clamoring to take a class with you. Describe for us what you cover in one of your 5-hour classes?

ES: The best thing about our private classes is that it is up to the individual. I feel that the students get so much more out of this situation because they have me all to themselves. We work on their individual needs while making a spectacular cake. Most people come for two days and we make something they want to accomplish, or something out of our books. Many students are cake designers and come from all over the world. Others are people that just love to make cakes as a hobby and want to improve their basic skills.

SR: Ah, the question all the cake designers love. What are your top three favorite cakes you’ve made?

ES: Victorian House cake..it took so long!




Philly Cheesesteak…it looked so real!



I also like the disco Ball we made for Paula Deen on her show.



SR: Beautiful work! The other question I ask my interviewees, who are your top five cake designers, or people you draw inspiration from in your field.

ES: There are too many to name but if I had to:
Kate Sullivan
Peggy Porschen
Marina Sousa
Ron Ben–Israel
Clare Crespo

SR: Yes, all fantastic! Coincidentally, Marina Sousa of Just Cake is my next interviewee and I’m quite excited to chat with her. She's so talented and I’m sure she would be honored to hear how much you love her work… I love visiting New York and wish I had more time to do so. If I wanted to get NYC’s best cupcake and Confetti Cakes isn’t making them anymore, where would I go?

ES: Such a good question…I don’t know…I’m not the best cake person to ask….but I LOVE Levain Cookies!

SR: Yum! They look amazing! You have a blog, obviously. Do you read blogs and if so, which ones?

ES: Yes, I read lots of blogs, especially of my students and cake and non-cake friends.

I especially love Cakespy



cupcaketakesthecake.com,




and Cake Wrecks.




SR: Those are all great blogs, and so popular! Jen from Cake Wrecks was fun to interview too! What do you like to do when you aren’t making cakes?

ES: I love spending time at home I have so little of that! Spending time with my hubby and family, seeing museums and movies!

SR: What’s next for Confetti Cakes?

ES: Who knows! We are working on a DVD now, still making the best cakes we can…but I have a few projects up my sleeve. I will let you know when its ready!

SR: Please do. We can't wait to see what you do next!

END, Pt. 2

** On Wednesday November 26th, our Interviews From Cakeland series will chat with Marina Sousa of Just Cake, based in Capitola, California. Since it's opening in 2003, Just Cake has taken the cake world by storm, designing gorgeous cakes and architectural masterpieces, appearing in numerous publications and competing regularly on the Food Network Challenge series. Join us back here right before Thanksgiving as we talk Just Cake!

cakelava Interviews: Joan Spitler of Cake Divas, Pt. 1

All photos courtesy of Cake Divas

Rick and I have known L.A. cake designer Joan Spitler of Cake Divas and her partner Leigh Grode for 6 years. Joan was the last person Rick and I saw before moving to Hawaii to open cakelava -- she drove us and our dog Mikey to the L.A. airport. Cake Divas was only 4 years old at the time Rick started working there and had already made a huge name for itself in L.A. Thousands of cakes and countless magazines, celebrity functions, television shows and public appearances later, they are practically a household name and will be celebrating their 10-year anniversary this month.

I’ve been looking forward to interviewing Joan ever since our series began. I knew with her fun, outrageous, design-without-limits approach to cake design that she would make a perfect interviewee, full of interesting stories and experiences. On a personal level, Joan is an absolute sweetheart and we love her to death. She is warm and genuine, she would do just about anything for you and she has a great energy. She and Leigh and the rest of the Cake Divas team finished filming “Amazing Wedding Cakes” which recently aired on We TV, and they are already off on their next big adventure!

Sasha Reichart: Tell us about your earliest experiences with cake design. How did you get into the field and where was your first job?

Joan Spitler: My mom was really into home crafts in the 70’s (macrame, decoupage, tile ashtrays, and of course, cake decorating!) I was inspired by the Wilton style cakes she used to make for our birthdays, and entered cake decorating classes at my elementary school. I won 3 years in a row, and I still have the trophies! My first job cake decorating was at a grocery store. I was working the bakery counter and one night all of the decorators were sick, so I just jumped in and improvised and they promoted me.

Sasha Reichart: When did you and Leigh Grode open Cake Divas? How has it changed since the beginning?

Joan Spitler: Leigh Grode and I started Cake Divas in 1998. Leigh kept a full time job to pay the bills, while I made cakes. We literally owned a small mixer and a table and rented space part time in a catering kitchen. Every cake we sold bought the pan we needed to bake it in. Our business grew one cake at a time. We just celebrated 10 years in business this month. We now have our own kitchen, 2 offices, a large staff, and lots of equipment!


SR: Congratulations on making 10 years! Your artistic style of cake design is one the main reasons Rick seeked out Cake Divas when we moved to Los Angeles. Do you have a background in fine arts?

JS: Both of my parents are artists. I have been an artist my whole life, and went to college at UC San Diego, where I received a BA in fine arts. I am a self-trained cake decorator, so most of my skill set originated from my art background. I look at cake as another art medium.


SR: How would you describe the Cake Divas style of cake design?

JS: Our Cakes are Delicious on the inside, enchanting on the outside. Our cakes are filled with love.


SR: What a perfect description! Rick and I see a difference between a cake decorator and a cake designer, just as there is a difference between a cook and a chef. What is your opinion on this, and at what point in your cake career do you think you crossed over from a cake decorator to a designer?

JS: I think all people have a creative side. Some of the most amazing cakes I’ve seen have been done by people with no experience whatsoever. I think I crossed over the line when my art life and cake life began to merge.

SR: I agree, that artistic ability is far more important than being classically trained. Due to the volume of orders at Cake Divas, it is essential as the lead designer that you delegate cakes to your staff. How do you feel about relinquishing some control over your designs?

JR: I am always in the kitchen, and have my hand in everything. At first, it was really hard to let go. Now I actually enjoy seeing the creativity and collaborations that come out of working in a team environment. It has been my great joy to see other designers find their own style while working at Cake Divas!


SR: Congratulations on your recent marriage to Leigh! (Grode)! I have two questions. Did you and Leigh celebrate with a wedding cake at your nuptials and have you noticed an increase in same-sex couples coming to you for wedding cakes since California legalized gay marriage?

JR: Leigh and I did not have wedding cake at our legal nuptials. We had pie. We have been making a lot of cakes for same-sex weddings since California legalized gay marriage, and it has been just fantastic. The majority of couples getting married now have been together for many years, so there is a wonderful peace and satisfaction in celebrating a commitment that has already stood the test of time.

SR: You’ve made countless celebrity cakes and are in high-demand in Los Angeles. We loved the wedding cake you designed for Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. What are some recent celebrity cakes you’ve made that you are particularly proud of?

JS: We love all our cakes, and clients!


SR: That was a very classy answer. We saw you on a televised wedding in Turks and Caicos with “Mr. Fabulous”, Preston Bailey. Tell us about that wedding and any other exotic locations you have flown your cakes to. How is it for you and Leigh to travel with your cakes?

JS: Traveling with cakes is always an adventure. You never know what might happen, and you always need to be flexible. Total focus is devoted to the cake at all times. Besides going to Turks and Caicos, we have been to Costa Rica, and other destinations nationally.

SR: We recently did some traveling with a cake and can definitely relate to your perspective. Let’s talk about Amazing Wedding Cakes, your show on We TV. How did Cake Divas become involved with Amazing Wedding Cakes? Did you know who the other designers would be?

JS: We were asked to be part of the show, along with the other designers. We didn’t know the other designers beforehand. It’s been so much fun watching everyone work.


SR: [other questions I asked regarding production of the show have been omitted from this interview. To respect the confidentiality of the show’s production, Joan is not at liberty to discuss this publicly]

SR: I understand Leigh has a background in film and TV production in addition to running Cake Divas?

JS: Leigh has a background in film and TV, so it has been very helpful when we are working on television or doing movie or industry work. She keeps us on task, and knows how to handle things really well.

** END, Pt. 1. Join us back here tomorrow for Pt. 2 of our interview. In the meantime, get to know more of Cake Divas work on cakedivas.com.

cakelava Interviews: The Great White Snark, Pt. 2

All images courtesy of Great White Snark

Chicks, Snarky remarks, and blogs. Pt. 2 of our interview. Click here for Part 1.

Sasha Reichart: Let’s discuss this whole Kristen Bell obsession. When did it start and have you ever met her?


Great White Snark: Eh, “obsession” is a bit strong. For a while there, I was playing up my interest as a fixation for the sake of entertainment on the blog. But don’t try that at home: only the most skilled of greasy-fingered bloggers can take a mild stalker vibe and turn it into “entertainment.”

Thanks to my nasty case of A.D.D., though, my attention tends to wander. I’ve since been distracted by other shiny things and have turned my attention elsewhere. I’m a big fan of Natalie Portman these days.


Sasha Reichart: You regularly attend conventions. What has been the strangest encounter you’ve had at a convention?

Great White Snark: On the convention floor at Comic-Con this year, a huge, muscled-out dude in a skin-tight leopard-print shirt (not a costume, mind you) and “Friend of Corey Feldman” printed on his convention badge asked me for directions to “Thundercats. You know… Lion-O? Thundercats.” Sort of surreal. In a trip-to-a-reality-show-on-VH1 sort of way.

That’s been the most unusual actual encounter. The trick at these conventions is actually avoiding having encounters with some of the stranger characters.

SR: No kidding! I wish you had a photo of that "Friend of Corey Feldman". How many comics do you currently own and when did you start collecting them?

GWS: Hm, I do have a couple of longboxes (that’s a bit of industry terminology there, for ya…) of comics that I collected when I was a teen, but I haven’t been actively collecting for a while. Until Marvel comes out with a comic book that you can eat and convert into a one-bedroom apartment, my money will be going elsewhere.

SR: Like Rick and I, you are a huge fan of LOST. How do you feel about JJ Abrams latest project, “Fringe”?

GWS: I believe my exact words on Twitter were: “Dear Fringe: Screaming, tense music, and lots of frowning do not fool me into thinking your show is interesting. P.S. I hate you.”

So, yes, I guess you could say that I love it. Except that I don’t.

SR: We don't exactly love it either, but our DVR is still giving it a chance. You seem to enjoy making Top Five and Top Ten lists. Here are a couple for you to answer:

What are the Top Five Fantasy Geek Costumes you Would Want Your Lover (or Kristen Bell) to Wear?

GWS: I’m not really into bringing cosplay home with me, but no self-respecting, red-blooded American man is going to turn down a lady in a Slave Leia costume.

SR: Top Five Guilty Pleasure Shows you wouldn’t want to admit publicly to watching?

GWS: I have no shame. So, subsequently, there are not shows I feel guilty about watching. I probably should feel guilty about watching 90210, though. That show is crap. Fluffy, escapist, popcorn-flavored crap.

SR: Would that be old-school or the New 90210? In the same vein, we actually found ourselves watching re-runs of The O.C., partly to hear all the great indie music, but that doesn't necessarily make it right.

SR: What are some of the blogs you frequent?

GWS: I have a metric ton-load of RSS feeds in my reader, but when I’m pressed for time, these are the sites I visit for my very basic essentials:

/Film for my film geek fix.



Newsarama for happenings in the comic book world.


Topless Robot for general geek news and hilarity.


Super Punch for geek curiosities.


And when I feel like a good laugh at the expense of others: Jen at Cake Wrecks.



(Jen was my first interview victim, er, Interviewee. Click here to see my 2-part interview with Jen of Cake Wrecks).

SR: All excellent choices! What’s next for Great White Snark?

GWS: I won't stop until I've appeared before the eyeballs of every Canadian of legal voting age.

It might be an arbitrary goal... but it's my goal. So I'm sticking with it.

SR: Brilliant answer, and somehow we think that won't be a problem.

END, Pt. 2

** Join us back here on October 22nd when we explore what it means to be a Diva, a Cake Diva, that is. Rick and I are very excited about our next interviewee, who is also one of his previous employers, the fabulous Joan Spitler of Cake Divas! Joan and her partner Leigh Grode own Cake Divas in L.A. which has always gotten a lot of attention due to their high-profile celebrity clientele (a list WAY too long to mention) but now they are even more in the spotlight with their new show on the We Channel, called "Amazing Wedding Cakes". Get to know Joan as we have and YES, she is pretty much exactly like you see her on TV -- totally fabulous! Check out Cake Divas website and tune in to the show, and we'll see you back here in a few weeks! **

cakelava Interviews: The Great White Snark, Pt. 1

All images courtesy of Great White Snark

It’s hip to be a geek these days. Whether it’s a computer geek, sci-fi geek, or music geek, it’s the mentality, this needing to dissect and analyze and discuss the minutia of some topic that not everyone understands or cares about. One reason I am so greatly drawn to the Great White Snark site is because I am a geek at heart, and so is Rick for that matter. He's a bit of a sci-fi geek (though he doesn't attend conventions). Having been a record dealer, and in the Bay Area no less, I had some pretty decent music geek credentials. These days, the only thing revolving on a turntable is cake but I’m still very much in touch with my inner geek, and regularly turn to Great White Snark to get my fix.

The humor of Great White Snark in part comes from being able to laugh at how seriously we take ourselves and our obsession with a given interest. The site is brilliantly written and the snarky commentary will entertain geeks and non-geeks alike. This past week I had the pleasure to interview The Great White Snark. In internet-y circles, he has quite a following. Given his ownership of two fantastic websites, a full-time job, and a very full DVR of programming to watch, The Great White Snark is one busy dude, and I'd like to thank him for the time and thought he devoted to our interview.

Sasha Reichart: How did you come up with the name, Great White Snark and what was your inspiration to start blogging about geek entertainment?

Great White Snark: I started Great White Snark in February of 2007. Originally I was going to call it “Snarky Fish,” but thankfully I have a friend who is much cleverer than I am who came up with “Great White Snark”. Unfortunately, you’re stuck with my writing on the blog instead of hers.

GWS began as a project to better understand bloggers, a target audience of my startup, Lootist. My first "understanding" had me realize that I enjoyed writing about geeky curiosities more than I enjoyed real work. Unfortunately, I still haven't been able to square that with my enjoyment of generously-sized paychecks.

Sasha Reichart: You make a distinction between a geek and a nerd and consider yourself a geek. Can you explain the difference?

Great White Snark: Nerds are easy to spot. They're socially awkward, wear their pants too high, and happen to be really smart. Bill Gates is a nerd.

(SR: and he's also a PC)

GWS: You can't recognize a geek so easily based on outward appearance. Geeks manifest themselves through their passions and interests.

My favorite definition of a geek comes from Fray magazine: "If you’ve ever been into something so much your friends wondered about your sanity, you’re a geek, too."

Think it's a little bit insane that I've got a tattoo of the Batman symbol? Well, you probably still think AOL is "the Internet," too, so your opinion doesn't concern me too much. But that does mean I've got a substantial bit of geek credibility. Not the kind of geek cred that would get me laid at Comic-Con, but... still. It's something.

SR: It’s no secret, we love the Great White Snark site. How would you describe your blog to the uninitiated?

GWS: I like to say that I’m “taking swipes at the soft, furry underbelly of geek culture.”

My goal is to regale my readers with hilarity and pithiness. And when that fails, I've got lots of profiles of really outlandish geeky cakes, tattoos, costumes, and other curiosities. So, at the very least, my readers won't get bored at work.

SR: Let’s talk cakes. The first cake profiled on Great White Snark, STAR WARS Max Rebo cake, was made by your mother, a cake designer, for your brother’s birthday. It was a retaliation of sorts over a sculpted Death Star cake posted on BoingBoing which you described as a “Large, pre-historic ball of turd with a dent in the side.” Can you tell us how you and your mother decided on Max Rebo, the keyboardist in Jabba the Hutt’s palace band?


GWS: It was quite an easy decision for her. I printed out some pictures of Max Rebo, pointed at them, and said, “Make that. Um... please.”

I selected Max Rebo for three reasons:
1) He and his keyboard presented a feasible form factor for a cake.
2) No one had ever made a Max Rebo cake, before. Not an awesome one that had blown up on the interwebs, anyway.
3) When in doubt, always go with the blue, piano-playing space elephant. That’s a rule. Look it up.

SR: The Jabba the Hutt cake you profiled has to be one of the strangest wedding cakes around. It’s not exactly appetizing but we are intrigued by it, and it certainly makes an impression. What are some of the most memorable geek wedding cakes you’ve encountered?

GWS: You know, I have the memory of a dead guppy, so the latest cake on the blog is usually the one I’m most excited about. That Jabba cake was definitely a landmark piece of confectionary artwork, though.

SR: I gotta ask. Where do you find your “Top Five Awful” Cakes (ie. Top Five Millennium Falcon Cakes, Top Five Awful R2-D2 Cakes, Top Five Scary Darth Vader Cakes). Have you offended anyone by posting their cakes?

GWS: You know, the internets are a wondrous place. It’s really not too tricky to find whatever you’re looking for.

Although I have been having trouble finding someone willing to trade an Aston Martin for a bag full of comic book convention swag and a notebook full of fart jokes. (Offer still stands…) So, it’s not like Google is perfect or anything.

Anyway, really awful cakes are pretty easy to find, if you’re looking. Shockingly, people have been pretty cool about my taking shots at their lame cakes. I don’t know if it’s because I’m hitting the right notes with my jokes, or if it’s because people are actually more self-deprecating than reality television programs would have us believe.

SR: What are your Top Five favorite cakes you’ve profiled on Great White Snark?

GWS: Great question. I’ll have to put some effort into ranking them at some point. There are quite a few classics that spring to mind, though.

The Alien chest-burster cake that some lady made for her baby shower. The incredibly-detailed, 1:1 scale Millennium Falcon cake. The Jabba groom’s cake. The perfect likeness of a Stormtrooper helmet cake. The epic Star Destroyer cake. And, of course, the R2-D2 cake that you and Rick made was phenomenal.


SR: Aww, we made your Top 5 list! Rick is actually making another R2-D2 this weekend. May the Force be with Him as he sculpts the droid. You revealed you have a Batman symbol Tattoo on your hip. Is this your only tattoo and were you drunk when you got it?


GWS: Getting tattooed while under the influence is actually frowned upon by the legal authorities of the state in which I had the ink done. So, no. I was not drunk. Although that might have dulled the pain.

That is my only tattoo. And it pales in comparison to some of the other work I’ve discovered through the blog. Like the guy who plastered a huge Dark Knight symbol across his back.

SR: Wow! That’s a pretty Bad-Ass tattoo. I like the profile you did of the Librarian who got a tattoo of the Harry Potter Dewey Decimal Number. Let’s talk about your giveaways. People love to get things for free, and I imagine the Giveaways you regularly offer on Great White Snark have been very successful. What is the most popular item you have given away, based on the readers responses?

GWS: People have been going coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs over the Iron Man special edition DVDs I’m giving away right now.


SR: Speaking of getting things for free, tell us about your other site, Lootist.


GWS: Lootist is my startup company. It’s a place where you can find people who share your interests to recommend and discover cool products. It fits nicely with the theme of my blog; there are definitely a bunch of geeks (e.g., toy collectors, comic book collectors, video gamers, etc.) on there who like talking about the latest stuff that they’re enjoying. In fact, I’ve collected quite a little collection of random Star Wars swag.

END, Pt. 1

Want more loot? Check out Part 2 of our interview tomorrow. In the meantime, visit Great White Snark to see today's "Geeky Cake of the Week", and give Mr. Snark some blog love by leaving your comments here.

Interviews!!

So yesterday as I'm preparing to run tomorrow's interview with the Great White Snark -- which is gonna be a doozy by the way -- I receive an email from none of other than Rebecca Sutterby of Sugar Creations, one of my previous interviewees, wanting to share with Rick and I some news.
If you read Rebecca's interview, you know that during the time I was interviewing her, she was also frantically preparing her cake entry for the prestigious Oklahoma Sugar Show. Well, apparently all her hard work paid off because she took the Grand Prize! Rick and I couldn't be prouder of Rebecca! We encourage you to show Rebecca your support of her beautiful cake and all her hard work by leaving your comments here for her to read. I know she'd love to hear from y'all!

Here are the photos Rebecca sent to us which she has graciously allowed me to share with our readers. Please do not pull her photos off and use them without her permission.


Rebecca's winning work of art


everything on the table (except the bronze statue) is made of sugar

Here is the 2' tall statue that Rebecca took home, along with some serious moola. Rebecca tells us she will be purchasing a new washer and dryer. Whoo hoo!

If you haven't noticed on our right sidebar of the blog, we have all our interviews archived, and as the weeks go on, we will have many more to add. We have some serious talent and personalities lined up to interview, and our next interviewees and their websites are posted on the right sidebar of our blog, so you can get to know their work in advance and find out when the interview will run.

Thank you to everyone who has been posting comments, and sending emails with their appreciation about the blog and interviews. Hope you are having fun! See you tomorrow with our next interview!

cakelava Interviews: Rebecca Sutterby of Sugar Creations, Pt. 2

Things get even sweeter. Part 2 of my interview with Rebecca. Click here for Pt. 1.

SR: What are the top three favorite cakes you have made?

RS: Oh man, that’s like asking me to choose a favorite child! Normally, my answer is “the cake I’m working on right now!” LOL – but if you’re going to make me pick . . . .

I made this one for a birthday this Summer. It made the favorites list because it was really fun to look at in-person. I didn’t want to give it away:


Then I have to pick this one from the 2006 National Wedding Cake competition. It’s the one that placed “first runner up”:


And I really liked this one that I made this Spring. I’ve been getting a bunch of e-mails from people asking what cutters I used to make the flowers. I used pieces from the JEM Jacobean cutter set:


SR: Both Sugar Creations and cakelava were selected for People Magazine’s “A Cake in Every State” wedding feature. Your cake was beautiful, by the way! We noticed when the magazine was released, our all-bamboo design was even more requested than before. Did you find the same to be true with your winning cake and do you still have people asking for that design?


RS: Actually, I’ve only made a similar swag design once since then. LOL – see, I told ya I don’t like to make the same cake twice! Actually, I think the photo they chose for me was just sort of a generic design and nowhere near as memorable and unique as the one they chose for you.

SR: Rick and I love that Sugar Creations offers a clothing line for cake enthusiasts, and brides and grooms, all designed by you. What are some of the pieces you offer in the line and how can people place an order?

RS: That little project started out as an outlet for my repressed graphic design background. The “Eat Cake!” T’s were the first designs and then I sort of kept branching out to other subjects. Birthdays, weddings, graduations . . several occasions where you would want cake, you can also have a t-shirt to celebrate! The address to go there directly is: http://www.cafepress.com/sugarcreations


SR: What are your best sellers in the line?

RS: Actually, the “flower girl” t-shirts are by far the most popular which sort of surprised me. http://www.cafepress.com/sugarcreations.226320459 Next, the stuff for bakers and cake decorators sells best.

SR: We like that you are active in the cake community, writing instructional articles in American Cake Decorating magazine, giving classes and promoting other bakers all over the country on your website. What drives you to want to teach others and connect within the community?

RS: I mentioned before that a lot of what I learned came from things people where willing to share on the internet. So now, I sort of feel obligated to share as well. You know what I mean? I feel like it would be wrong to sponge up all that free information and run. Plus, I’m not finished learning, so if I share what I know, hopefully others will let me in on their tips and secrets as well!

SR: How long have you been teaching classes for? Are the attendees mostly professional decorators or people learning for more recreational purposes?


RS: In 2004, I taught a series of beginning cake decorating classes at a local community college. Those students were mostly recreational decorators. I’m not all that comfortable speaking in front of groups, though, and didn’t really think teaching in a class format was much fun. Last year, people started e-mailing asking about classes on a regular basis, and one day after 2 e-mails and a phone call within just a few hours, I gave in and said, “okay, I’ll schedule one for pete’s sake!” LOL – anyhow, I worked out the date and the details and posted the info and had 30 people signed up within a week. YIKES! This was more of a professional level class and I hosted it here in my tiny little hometown. We rented a log cabin reception hall overlooking a pond just outside of “town” and people came from 15 different states to attend. I think a good time was had by all (including me) even though nobody’s cell phones had a signal out there. I still plan to keep the classes to a minimum because I just don’t want to be traveling a whole lot, but I am teaching one in Georgia at the end of October, and in South Texas next April.

SR: I asked Beryl (Byrd, of Just Fabulous Pastries) this as well. I know it’s a difficult question. Who are your top five cake designers, or people you draw inspiration from in your field?

RS: Ron Ben for his style, Colette for her creativity, Alan Dunn and Nic Lodge for their flowers, Kerry Vincent for her precision, and Mike McCarey for his 3D work. Okay, that was 6, but who’s counting.

SR: They are all wonderful designers and some of our favorites are in your list as well. What do you like to do when you aren’t making cakes?

RS: Well, we live out in the country on a few acres and have 3 sons ages 11, 9, and 6. Between the livestock, the boys’ activities, and daily chores like laundry there’s not a much chance I’ll ever get bored. Once upon a time I liked to cross-stitch and sew, but I think the last time I touched my sewing machine was to make my tablecloth for last year’s National Wedding Cake entry.

SR: What’s next for Sugar Creations?

RS: Hmmm . . . good question. I wish I had a crystal ball and knew the answer to that! For now, I’ll keep plugging along just baking. When the boys are a little older and less demanding of my time, I would like to travel more to teach and eventually write a book. That’s a ways down the road, though . . . . my main focus for now is just putting out a quality product and letting the chips fall where they may.

SR: It sounds like the present is keeping you plenty satisfied and busy, and the future certainly looks bright for Sugar Creations. We hope you knock ‘em dead in Tulsa!

END, Pt. 2

** For our next interview, we are getting in touch with our inner geek and who better to show us the way than the snarky caped crusader of geek entertainment, cakes and curiosities, our friend, Great White Snark. Join us back here on October 1st as secrets will be revealed, hilarity will ensue, and geeky cake curiosities will be discussed. In the meantime, indulge yourself in one of our favorite intelligent humor blogs, Great White Snark, and prepare to bust a gut laughing! **

cakelava Interviews: Rebecca Sutterby of Sugar Creations, Pt. 1

All photos courtesy of Sugar Creations

If cake designer Rebecca Sutterby’s cakes look familiar to you, it’s probably because they show up everywhere. You may have seen Rebecca, who owns Sugar Creations, in Savonburg, Kansas, competing on a Food Network Cake Challenge. Maybe you witnessed one of her spectacular cakes at the prestigious National Wedding Cake Competition in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Perhaps you were a student in one of her well-attended cake decorating classes, or if you live in Kansas, happened to catch her doing an instructional cake demo on a morning news show, which, by the way, you can find the videos archived on her myspace page . Regardless of how you’ve encountered Rebecca’s cakes, chances are they left an impression that makes her design style instantly recognizable, and if you don’t know Rebecca’s work, then you should.

This past week I had the opportunity to interview Rebecca Sutterby. Bless her heart, the same week I interview her she is frantically preparing for her upcoming competition in Tulsa next week. She was such a great sport to answer all my questions with the amount of detail given, and something about our exchanges told me she is a Really Nice Person. Rick and I would like to thank Rebecca for all her time and allowing us in to the sweet, sweet world of Sugar Creations. We hope she takes the top prize at the fair!

Sasha Reichart: Let’s talk about the beginning of your career in cake design. When did it start and what led you to focus on cakes specifically?

Rebecca Sutterby: Well, I’ve always been a baker. I started baking cookies by myself when I was 11. I was Student Council president of my high school my senior year, and at Easter, I got the bright idea that I should bake cookies for StuCo to pass out to everyone after lunch. So I did – 12 dozen iced sugar cookies – ducks and bunnies and eggs – and yes, that was enough for the whole school. In February 1998, I decided to take the Wilton I class at a local craft store so that I could make a nice cake for my oldest son’s first birthday. In May 1998, my husband’s sister got married. She figured since I took the class, I was an expert, right? LOL – well, she had to ask me 4 times, but I finally agreed to make her wedding cake. So then I started getting a few other requests from friends and relatives getting married. After about 4 wedding cakes, I started getting requests from people whom I didn’t know and quickly realized that if people were going to keep asking, I better learn how to do it correctly. I had 2 infant/toddler sons by then, so taking classes wasn’t an option. I started buying cake decorating books and absorbing anything I could learn from the internet. In 2001, I taught myself how to make gumpaste flowers and entered the Oklahoma Sugar Art show for the first time. Of course, that was a big wake-up call for how much more there was to learn, and I’ve been tackling that challenge ever since.

Sasha Reichart: Wow! You are obviously extremely driven. It’s no wonder you’ve been so successful. Is there a type of cake that Sugar Creations specializes in, like a signature style you have become known for?

Rebecca Sutterby: No, not really. People say they can recognize my cakes anywhere, so I guess I have a certain distinguishable “style”, but I rarely make the same cake twice.

SR: What are some of your most popular cake flavors?

RS: I’m in a really rural area and folks around here aren’t all that adventurous when it comes to flavor. Sour cream white is what I bake most often and chocolate fudge cake with caramel-nut filling is really popular. My personal favorite is Italian Cream. Yum!

SR: Yum is right! Ooh, caramel-nut, you are speaking my language. I know you have a background in graphic design. Can you share some of the ways being a graphic designer has assisted you in making cakes?

RS: I think an overall artistic vein is a definite must for cake decorators. During college and for a while afterwards, I worked for a couple printing companies in their art departments and became proficient with several types of design software. So although they weren’t teaching web design at my university in the early 90’s, knowing those types of software really well made it easier to make my own website. Also, part of my college curriculum included photography classes, so that comes in pretty handy with cakes. And I guess, most importantly, being able to visualize a design and draw it out in 3D before I start baking is a huge help.

SR: Yes, being able to visualize the design in 3D would be a huge advantage. We completely agree about the necessity of having an artistic background for cake design. Let’s talk about the cake competitions you participate in, including the Grand National Wedding Cake Competition and the Food Network Challenges. The National Wedding Cake Competition is the most prestigious in the country, and you’ve been a 1st place winner in the past. Congratulations! What is it like to compete in such an important show?

RS: Ha! Not the best time to ask me that question! This year’s show is on the 27th and I’m not anywhere near finished with my cake. The show is awesome and I wouldn’t miss it for the world, but good grief, it’s stressful! Like I mentioned, 2001 was the first year that I entered and I haven’t missed one since. I’ve always used it to teach myself new techniques and push myself beyond the familiar. I nearly always have to do everything on my entry twice – once to figure out what I’m doing and again to get it correct. But really, if anyone out there is thinking of entering, you don’t have to come out on top to be a “winner”. Don’t worry about what other people might be entering, just concentrate on making a cake that you’re proud of and everything else will fall into place. Kerry Vincent does a phenomenal PR job with the show and gets the cake photos out to more food magazines than you can imagine even existed. She sends all the photos not just the top winners, so each magazine can pick their favorites and anyone with a unique design has a great chance of getting published.

SR: How far in advance do you begin the preparations on the cake you are entering into the competition?

RS: I start looking for ideas shortly after the previous year’s show ends. Well, right after that little phase where I say, “I think I’ll sit out next year” which lasts about 2 weeks. I like to have a firm plan in mind by January or February. By April/May, I want to have a detailed sketch and have usually ordered the dummies and a tablecloth. Then I always say I’ll start on it in my free time and get a jump on things, but you know how that goes! With Summer weddings, baseball games and swim lessons, there ain’t a whole lot of free time. So I always try to cut way back on orders in August and September to give myself time to work on the entry.


SR: We saw you compete in the “Celebration Cakes” challenge on the Food Network. That was a fun and pretty cake! This was a difficult challenge because you hadn’t met your working partner until minutes before the competition. What was it like working in such a high-pressure environment with someone you didn’t know?

RS: Ack! I hated that cake! You know how marathon runners just want to finish the race without walking? LOL – well, I just wanted to finish this race without making a fool of myself! Gawd, I was so nervous. I even put some of that Rescue Remedy stuff in my bottled water – you know, that stuff that they give to jittery puppies. Seriously, I was sick-to-my-stomach nervous. The FN crew were awesome, though, and Mike McCarey and Nic Lodge were fantastic to have as judges.

SR: Did you have any idea prior to the competition what kind of cake you would be making?

RS: I had sketched out several ideas. I wasn’t about to walk in there empty-handed. I had decided what sizes of cakes I would bake, then sat down and drew out like 10 different ideas using those sizes of cakes. The one we ended up making was a variation of the baby shower cake idea I had drawn.

SR: You won your challenge! It must be absolutely magical to receive a check for $10,000 from the Food Network as Grand prize winner for all your hard work. Did you notice a change in your business after you started competing and how so?

RR: The cash prize definitely made the trip worthwhile! I had to split the $ with Julie, of course, but I still have the giant check sitting here. LOL – I sent my husband to saddle-maker’s school with part of the money, bought a new dishwasher, and put the rest in the bank. Change in business? Well, I’ve been gradually bumping up my prices all along and each competition win sort of helps to validate that. I noticed a big jump in the number of other decorators e-mailing me to ask questions since I started competing, though. Most people are super polite and I always try to help, but some people are awfully blunt. Like the lady who e-mailed and said, “I would like all of your recipes, please.” Uhhhh . . . okay??

SR: We get emails like that as well. What are people thinking asking for your recipes?? Your cake chosen by BRIDE'S magazine as one of “America’s 50 Most Beautiful Cakes” is absolutely gorgeous! Can you tell us about the inspiration for that design?

RR: I have a box under my desk. It’s full of crap – pages torn from magazines, party invitations, party plates, buttons with unusual designs, greeting cards, gift bags, and who knows what else. Anytime I spot a unique pattern or design and can “see” a cake in it, I throw it in the box. When BRIDE’S magazine e-mailed and said, “we want you to submit design sketches”, I pulled out the box and started sketching. I submitted 8 different designs and they chose one. The one they picked was inspired by a chair slipcover I’d torn from a bridal magazine.


END PT. 1

Come back tomorrow for Pt. 2 of my interview with Rebecca Sutterby. Get to know her beautiful cakes by visiting Sugar Creations.

cakelava Interviews: Beryl Ann Byrd of Just Fabulous Pastries, Pt. 2

All images courtesy of Just Fabulous Pastries

The Fabulosity continues. Part 2 of our interview.

Sasha Reichart: We saw the Surprise Birthday Cake Challenge you did. That was some feat to design a cake for someone you previously never met before under such pressure. Did you formulate design possibilities in your mind prior to meeting the boy, and then did they change after meeting?

Beryl Ann Byrd: That was our first competition so, as they say, ignorance is bliss. We didn’t even attempt to guess as to who the person might be and went in with absolutely no preconceived ideas. We noticed, however, that all the other competitors arrived with ideas that could be adapted somehow to whatever the situation might become. That was really smart. During the 5 minutes we were each given to interview the little fellow, I just listened to all of his answers and then my assistant and I proceeded to design a cake which incorporated almost everything he said he was interested in! Some of the other competitors asked VERY leading questions skewed towards the designs they had envisioned such as “Do you like exotic animals”, oh, just happen have a safari theme cake plan complete with gorilla molds and everything! Or, “do you like parrots” oh, just happen to make amazing sugar parrots! No, no, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not being a sour grape. We should have been as prepared but, it was our learning experience. Having only 30 minutes to design our masterpiece was the scary part.

Sasha Reichart: The winner of the Surprise Birthday Cake Challenge was selected by the boy whose birthday cake you made. Was it more difficult to have your work “judged” by a kid than the panel of Food Network’s judges?

Beryl Ann Byrd: Not at all. He was diplomatic far beyond his years and had really nice things to say about our cake. Except that we didn’t put in the moat that we had shown in our original drawing. Sheesh. We had every single thing but the freaking moat!

SR: Who are your top five cake designers, or people you draw inspiration from in your field?

BB: My idols are: Margaret Braun, Colette Peters, Ron Ben-Israel, Elizabeth Faulkner, and Polly Schoonmaker. That was tough. If you read the Links page on my website, you’ll see that I admire many MANY designers. But you MADE me pick!

SR: I know, that was a tough question. Your idols are some of our favorites as well. Let’s talk about cake styles. Do you prefer making one type of cake over another?

BB: I like designing completely original creations. I don’t care how difficult they are the first time but sometimes I know I would NEVER EVER want to make them again.

SR: What about your top three favorite cakes you made? I know it’s incredibly difficult to narrow down, but do you have favorites?

BB: I think the Faberge Cake, the Fender Stratocaster tableau, and the most recent Grand Versailles. So much detail and they were just FUN to create.



SR: They are just beautiful! Three of the categories you have listed on the Just Fabulous Pastries website, under All About Weddings are Exquisite Cakes, Extraordinary Cakes, and Extravagant Cakes. How do you decide if a cake is an extraordinary cake, versus an exquisite cake or an extravagant. I’m not sure I would know the difference

BB: Only the cost. But thank you!

SR: Tell us about your Fabulous Blog, The View from the Top of the Cake.

BB: I started my Blog because I’ve always wanted more of an interactive outlet to be able to share, well, whatever I want to share. People see your website but it’s static and doesn’t really project the real “you”. It focuses more on your work because that’s what it’s supposed to do. It’s a selling tool. Whereas the blog is whatever you want it to be. Want to talk about the debate over whether cakes should explode or not? Want to know how I accomplish a certain technique? Want to brag about your latest accomplishment? The Blog is the place where anything goes. Although, I do try to keep it “family friendly” just in case my Dad reads it!

SR: What are some of the blogs you read regularly?

BB: Quite honestly (and sheepishly), I don’t have much time to read them. There are so many! But I’m planning some downtime in the very near future so I’ll probably get to research them a bit. Oh, gotta say, Annie’s Blog, Confessions of a Burnt Out Pastry Chef is at the top of my list. Her irreverent humor just cracks me up. But my Dad can’t read it.


SR: We love Annie Welch’s blog as well and have it linked on our site. Rick used to work with Annie when we lived in Washington State, and they remain good friends. Feel free to brag a little. What are some of the cakes you’ve made recently that you are most proud of?

BB: I have become less of a hands-on person and more of a designer so I gotta give a HUGE shout-out to my super talented staff for interpreting my sometimes off the wall ideas. The pink sports car with Betty Boop and Hello Kitty is beyond adorable.


“There’s A Cat in My Cake” with the Cat in the Hat bursting out of the cake was spectacular.


And one of my favorite wedding cakes of all time was the Greek Wedding with all the saints and gold scrolly stuff and starburst jewels. I was really proud of that one. And no, I wouldn’t want to make it again!


SR: Those are some fantastic cakes! What do you do when you aren’t making pastries?

BB: My business is basically my life so even when I’m not working, I’m subconsciously analyzing things that would make a great cake. Maybe I’m reading a fashion magazine (by the way I LOVE fashion design) and a piece of fabric draped, pleated or ruffled a certain way, or a fabulous Pucci print, a jewel encrusted bracelet or chandelier earrings, some incredible handbag with detailed metal hardware, Louboutin heels-they all beg to be translated into a cake. Shelter magazines like Elle Décor or House and Garden might offer beautiful carpet patterns, passementerie (braid, cord, beading, tassels), wallpaper designs, architectural detail. There’s an ad for some china pattern, I don’t even remember what it is but it’s a stack of cups and saucers in various beautiful patterns and I want to make a cake that looks like that! I know, it’s kind of demented but I truly love design for the sake of design. Don’t worry. I always make SOME part of the cake taste incredible.

OK, I love surfing the Net. Great TV shows like House, CSI (the original of course), Daniel Boulud’s After Hours, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, Food Network Challenges and (duh!) Ace of Cakes. Movies. Playing with my cool cat Mr. Brown.

SR: What’s next for Just Fabulous Pastries?

BB: Right now, I’m living in the moment because one never knows exactly what the future holds. Whatever happens is supposed to happen and we will accept, hopefully with grace and dignity, whatever that might be. Cryptic enough for you? Stay tuned. And thanks Sasha and Rick for inviting me into your world! You guys are awesome!

SR: I love your answer about living in the moment. That’s all any of us have, really, and we should embrace that concept rather than fight it. Hey Beryl, you’re pretty awesome yourself! We look forward to your next fabulous cake!

END, Pt. 2


** Our next interview will occur in two weeks – we have a business to run after all. You won’t want to miss our interview with Rebecca Sutterby, owner of Sugar Creations in Kansas. Rebecca is an award-winning cake designer who’s been in numerous magazines and, like Beryl, has competed in the Food Network Challenges. Take some time to get to know Rebecca and her beautiful cake designs on the Sugar Creations website. **