August Cake Decorator Spotlight
Caked By Katie
For August, I am pleased to be featuring a fellow cake blogger/recipe developer, Caked By Katie! I’ve been following Katie for a long time, and I’m always salivating over her cake flavors. At one point, I asked her when is she launching a blog? Good thing for you guys that she did! Read on to see which cakes are her faves and some tips about cake decorating! (Side note: her answers are in Canadian English)
How did your cake decorating journey begin?
I was on maternity leave with my oldest daughter, and to pass the time during the long and cold winter months, I would put her on the kitchen counter, and we would bake together. I started trying new recipes, learned how to make buttercream, and how to frost a cupcake. We would jump in the car and drive around town and drop off baked goods at all of our friends houses to test out.
You come up with some interesting and creative flavors that make me drool. Where do you draw inspiration from?
A lot of my flavour profiles are a random spur of the moment craving. Or I’ll see a fun food ingredient/flavour in the store or at a market and the idea pops “gosh, that would make a delicious cake!” I also adore re-creating much loved treats from childhood memories or classic desserts into cakes.
What made you to decide to launch a blog?
I love creating fun and flavourful cakes. But as only one person, I can’t physically make enough cakes to share my ideas with everyone, so I figured what better way to share my ideas than by sharing my recipes on a blog. Now you don’t actually need me to make you a cake. You can make it yourself! I also discovered that I really love to write and wanted a different/bigger platform to do exactly that. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m having a lot of fun with it so far.
What is your favorite process of baking/cake decorating?
Besides the eating part, I love the process of playing with new flavours and seeing what works together. Dreaming up a delicious combination and having the experiment taste as yummy as I imagined/hoped it would be. I always say the fun is in the flavour.
What are your must-haves cake tools?
An offset spatula and a turntable. I think I could do without everything else except those two items.
Do you have a favorite cake flavor that you created?
Oh gosh! There’s so many to choose from, but if I had to pick a favourite from this year I would have to go with either the Butter Tart cake or the Bacon Biscoff Toffee cake. Both were out-of-this-world dreamy.
Is there a baking/cake decorating technique that you would like to try soon?
I have had rice paper sitting in my pantry for probably 6 months now waiting on me to attempt a rice paper wrap or sail. Soon!
What are your favorite cake trends?
Palette knife painted cakes will forever have my heart. I also adore a good drip and a mile-high buttercream swirl.
Can you share some tips about cake photography?
Cake photography has been really fun to explore and learn as I go. So far, I’ve learned that natural light is your friend, and a few dollar store backboards can go a long ways. You don’t need a closet full of fancy props or cake stands to set a scene. Use what you have: cake pans, ingredients, dessert plates, or cutlery. Sweet and simple is my motto. Let the cake be the star of the photo. And have fun with it.
What do you like to do to unwind after a long day?
My absolute favourite thing to do after a long hectic day is to go on a family walk after supper. The kids will jump on their bikes or rollerblades and my husband and I will walk behind them. It’s simple, but there’s something about the fresh air and sunshine that relaxes me.
My Favorite Cakes
Balsamic & Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake
I have wanted to use my beloved balsamic vinegar in a cake for a while now and my cake idea lightbulb went off when I saw a box of cherry jell-o in my dad’s kitchen cupboard. I immediately knew that the sweetness of cherry would contrast beautifully with the zing of balsamic. Link to the recipe here.
Bacon Biscoff Toffee Cake
The secret behind this salty-sweet Bacon Biscoff cake is bacon fat. Check out how I used the bacon fat here.
Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cake
The cake was three layers of soft raspberry chocolate chip and filled and covered with raspberry buttercream with a dark chocolate ganache drip and sky-high buttercream swirls. She’s a classic beauty!
Caramel Cinnamon Roll Cake
Sharing this vanilla bean cake with brown sugar and cinnamon swirls baked in each layer, cinnamon buttercream, and a caramel drip. A cinnamon bun in every single bite!
Lemon Cake
My sister, Josie, requested this lemon cake for her birthday this year and specifically asked for extra curd. I doubled the lemon curd recipe below and jarred it up for a special birthday gift to her. Check out the Lemon Cake recipe here.
Root Beer and Salted Peanut Cake
I think it’s safe to say that my soul is craving all the colour. (Love this gorgeous deep green colors! Colors made with Wilton Color Right System)
Espresso Oreo Cake
This is a decadent and moist chocolate cake layers made from scratch all deliciously wrapped up in whipped espresso cookies and cream buttercream frosting. If you’re a chocolate lover, click here.
Black Licorice and Orange Cake
This cake was crafted with orange cake layers, shortbread cookie crumb filling, and the smoothest black licorice buttercream.
Key Lime Pie Cake
I created this Key Lime cake for a Sunday family cake using a cake mix. Using some extra ingredients can really spice up a cake mix! Check out what I did with this recipe.
Sangria Cake
This cake flavour is most definitely in the “Top 5 Fav” list. It’s ridiculously delicious. Red wine cake layers. Mixed berry filling. Sangria buttercream. I wish I could send you all a slice of this. It’s a cake game-changer!
Butter Tart Cake
My husband loves butter tarts, so I created this sweet and savory recipe just for him. Click here for the recipe.
Omg, all of these cakes just sound so amazing. I can’t just choose one. I want to try them all! Thank you, Katie, for sharing your wonderful cakes and recipes!
Be sure to check her blog and follow her on IG. She will have more delicious recipes to share in the future! Don’t miss out!
