December Cake Decorator Spotlight
Cocoa And Silk
Hello everyone! I am introducing Jaina @cocoaandsilk from London, UK for the December Cake Decorator Spotlight! She has an unparalleled talent with showcasing her gorgeous creations such as gold covered cakesciles to gold chocolates! Definitely make sure to check her Instagram page out to see the beautiful grid of colors and textures. (Side Note: her answers are in British English)
Hi Jaina! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hello lovelies! I’m Jaina Patel and I am a born and bred Londoner. I’m a Product Manager by day but baking is my biggest passion. I love to travel any opportunity I get, I wouldn’t survive a day without my family, I am obsessed with cooking programmes and I genuinely believe food is LIFE.
How did you get started with cake decorating?
I made profiteroles during a school home economics class some 20 years ago and absolutely loved it. I never really got fully into baking however until after university when I started my first full time job and made cakes for colleagues. Fast forward a few years and in 2017 I decided to start my Instagram and really push myself to learn how to decorate cakes. Of course I’ve never looked back!
I am always inspired by your beautiful color schemes and accents. Where do you find inspiration?
Firstly, thank you SO much! I can’t tell you how much that means. I’m a huge colour advocate in any part of my life. Fashion, makeup, bags, you name it. I love to take inspiration from any of those aspects of my life, as well as seeing beautiful floral designs or stunning artwork which always gets my creative juices flowing.
Can you share your favorite cake decorating tools?
Gold leaf is probably my most prized possession, I just couldn’t live without it. That and my Wilton 2D tip with a piping bag!
What is your favorite part of the cake decorating/creative process?
I think my favourite part is just seeing the entire end to end process and knowing that you made something from nothing, and made it unique to you. It’s so liberating and pushes you to want to be better each time.
Is there a baking/cake decorating technique you are wanting to learn but intimidated by it? (For example, I put off the process of making macarons for so long because I was intimidated by them!)
Wafer paper! Oh my gosh are there some stunning creations out there but the whole process intimidates me! I funnily bought a 100 pack of it a few months back and am yet to try!
Do you plan your creations ahead of time or are you spur of the moment person?
I am a total spur of the moment person. Sometimes I have about 10 designs in my head but can never hone them down so I always find it easier to just get in front of the cake and see where my mind takes me at the time. Sometimes a mix of all of those original thoughts makes an even better design than the singular ones!
What is your favorite cake trend right now?
I don’t think I have a favourite trend honestly – I love to see people going outside their comfort zones and trying new things organically and so I love the variety you see these days.
What do you enjoy the most besides making gorgeous creations?
Eating them hahaha (no but really chocolate is a real weakness)… other than that, travelling and meeting new people! I have a travel bucket list and am adamant to make it to at least 1 new place on my list a year. Also I love going to new restaurants and I also have restaurant bucket list!
What is your favorite dessert?
This is a tough one but its between vanilla bean crème brûlée and a chocolate melt in the middle pudding! All depends on the weather and my mood haha!
My Work
Autumn Ombre Cake
I came up with this little autumnal beauty. It’s a remake of my favourite style I’ve made this year with rich @rainbow_dust_colours Terracotta and Orange tones, stunning @slofoodgroup gold leaf and the beautiful gold dragées from @sprinklepop.shop! I wanted the cake itself to feature an ombré design, but also wanted the flowers to be in a reverse ombré to the cake and I loved the final look.
Gorgeous 40th Birthday Cake
One of my absolute favourite parts about this journey is being able to create something unique for someone I love. This past weekend I had the opportunity to make this cake for my cousin/best friend’s 40th birthday. She gave me complete free reign and so I wanted to bring back my favourite design of late in a more fun party design. The inside is chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, dulce de leche and salted caramel crispearls.
Gold, Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cakesicles
Chocolate, peanut butter and gold… it doesn’t get much better than this.
Fruity Chocolate Cake Top View
Most definitely my favourite top view ever… chocolate fudge buttercream swirls, fresh berries, @lindtuk excellence squares and the one and gold leaf.
Colorful Textured Cake
This was a chocolate cake filled with chocolate buttercream, dulce de leche and @callebautchocolate salted caramel crispearls all dressed up in the autumnal hues of berry, forest green and mustard. Of course I finished it with @fancysprinkles gold caviar and gold leaf. I don’t know about you guys but this style of buttercream is my absolute favourite, I truly love the free reign it gives you!
Gold Spider Halloween Cake
Buttercream piping, gold leaf stripes, the most elegant gold octopus and stunning sprinkles, what more could you want?!
Gorgeous Pink Faultline Cake
This is a raspberry and lemon cake finished in shades of Creamy Peach and Rose from @wiltoncakes, in a textured style. I took inspiration from an absolute beacon of creativity @by.aletoso and I just couldn’t adore this look more.
Peach & Pink Cakesicles
Most definitely, they are my favourite cakesicle set to date.
Chocolate Birthday Cake
This little baby is the first of 2 birthday cakes I made myself. It has chocolate cake layers, peanut butter buttercream, nutella ganache and crushed roasted peanuts, all wrapped up in a chocolate fudge buttercream. I wanted to keep the decor simple with a bit of texture, because it’s what I love the most.
Red & Floral Cakesicle
My creation with @nurturedinnorfolk featuring their festive floral wheel and my favourite @slofoodgroup gold leaf.
Thank you so much, Jaina, allowing us to get a peek of your life and sharing your wonderful creations.
Be sure to visit her Instagram for lots of color & texture inspiration!
Check out the recently featured bakers below!
