An Interview with Cakes on Cakes.

There is nothing more heavenly than cake for breakfast. I spent last Saturday morning in the kitchen with Hinna and Sarah of Cakes on Cakes as they put the finishing touches on a wedding cake that was being picked up that afternoon. We had the opportunity to chat about their inspirations, favorite flavours, near disasters and what it takes to make a great cake.

Sarah and Hinna had been baking together for a handful of years when they decided to turn their love of cakes into a part time business. I can tell you first hand that there is no better place to be than in the Cakes on Cakes kitchen in downtown Toronto on baking day. The smell of vanilla, chocolate and buttercream will bring you to your knees.

On baking day the duo share the baking responsibilities. They bake the cakes together, Hinna assembles the cakes, Sarah makes fondant (sweet tasty dough) icings and flowers and they share the piping and buttercream duties. But the creative process of making a cake starts long before anything goes into the oven. Read on!

I know Cakes on Cakes evolved from baking cakes for friends and family. Do you remember the first cake that you baked together?

Hinna: Was it Monica? Was it the giant softball cake?

Sarah: I think the FIRST cake we did was your sister’s wedding cake. But the first “Cakes on Cakes” cake was Monica’s!

At what point did you decide to make a business out of your love for baking?

Hinna: After a wonderful response to Nousheen and Kate’s wedding cake we started taking orders from friends and family

Sarah: Because we were told to take it more seriously. We decided to pop up a website for kicks, for ourselves. But it started to evolve quickly. Word of mouth is a wonderful thing.

Where do you start when someone calls and says they want to order a cake from you?

Hinna: I ask if they have any ideas, if not, see if there is anything we can draw inspiration from that is either a part of them or their special event.

Sarah: We ask for colours, flowers, favourite things or hobbies. Simply ”What do you like?” is a good opening question. It’s so wide open, and we can pull so much from the answer. (See Diamond’s red and black cake- ”My party is red and black.”  Or Ren and Lynn’s cake “It’s a surprise.” What’s more surprising than the first spring flowers on a branch?)

Do you have baking rituals?

Hinna: Tea, music, on occasion matching aprons

Sarah: We like to tape up our sketches/drawings/prints of whatever cake we’re working on all over the cupboards as inspiration. And listen to music that reminds us of the people we’re making the cake for – and sing – really loud.

Your cakes are the most beautiful, elegant cakes on the planet. Where do you find your inspiration?

Hinna: Everywhere! Beautiful china, vintage textiles, greeting cards, nature, dresses.

Sarah: Since we work mostly with friends or friends of friends, we can pull inspiration directly from the people we’re creating the cake for-extra special details and elements and make the cake custom to the person.

*SC side note: Vic Hearts Mike was written on the back of our wedding cake so only we could see it when we were cutting the cake. This sweet surprise detail is one of the many things that make Cakes on Cakes so special. They really understand their clients and personalize every detail for them.

What is the most joyful part of the process?

Hinna: Seeing what we draw on paper come to life and spending time with a good friend in the process.

Sarah: I agree with Hinna completely but I also think putting the finishing touches on a cake is really wonderful. Adding flowers, piping trim, affixing ribbons-It’s like dressing the bride.

Do you still bake for yourselves?

Hinna- Any excuse to bake!!

Sarah: Ourselves, our friends, our neighbours, our coworkers…

Do either of you have a favorite cake? To eat or to make?

Hinna- Hinna favours decadent chocolate or the lemon sour cream cake.

Sarah: Dark chocolate cake with a heavily whipped vanilla butter cream. I love the contrast in slicing- especially if there is a layer of fruit compote in there for colour. Also a big fan of the pineapple brown sugar reduction we did for my Gramma’s cake…

The wedding cake you made for us was beautiful and the combination of tastes was stunning- (Chocolate cake with chocolate butter cream, lemon cake with homemade cherry preserves and vanilla butter cream, vanilla cake and vanilla pod butter cream.) How do you decide what combos will work and what won’t?

Sarah: I think sometimes it’s trial and error, but in a lot of ways you can’t really go wrong. Chocolate has so many layered undertones and vanilla is so genial and complementary. Apricots go so beautifully with spices, so a spice cake would be a natural – or bringing out the warmth with a cinnamon or candied ginger butter cream… Chances are, if it *sounds* good, it will probably taste good!

Any funny baking stories you would like to share?

Hinna: Marla ate a sample off every cake on the table on one of our earlier cakes.

Sarah: Hah, yeah. I though Hinna was kidding when she called and told me that 1/2 of a 14″ cake was gone. Monica’s entire wedding cake was a funny baking story. It was huge and the entire cake behaved like a toddler going through terrible twos. Hinna biked to the 24 hour grocery at 2am to buy 6 lbs of butter and 10 kilos of icing sugar after watching the fondant melt off in front of our very eyes, despite the air conditioning, during a late May (very humid) heat wave. Hinna was my hero – I was practically in tears. I imagine her in line at the grocery store at 2am with nothing but sugar and butter…

What was your strangest cake request?

Sarah: A Louis Vuitton Handbag. But we don’t do novelty cakes in that respect.

Any advice for someone is baking a cake for the first time?

Hinna: Always let your eggs and butter come to room temperature. Don’t be afraid to try new things.

Sarah: If there is a will, there IS a way! Keep your cream cold! Always sift your icing sugar, “measure twice, and cut once.” Always make extra -for breakfast.

For more information on Cakes on Cakes you can visit their website at http://www.cakesoncakes.com/ or join the Cakes on Cakes group on Facebook for even more great cakes pics!

Here’s a few of my favorites!