Cakes & Bakes with JULIET SEAR

Looking to create a showstopper for a special occasion? Look no further than Ju lie t's pretty f loral cake sw ith two on-trend techn iques for you to try –m ake a fau lt line cake or why not have a go at palette kn ife art!

Photograph © David Loftus

Hello Baking Heaven friends! I hope you’ve been having a wonderful summer filled with baking, and I’m so excited for this issue wh ich is all about my favourite type of caking…showstoppers!

Showstopping cakes are what kicked off my career in the world of cakes and baking in my baker y, Fancy Nancy many years ago! Since then, much of my work involves showstoppers of all kinds for events, tv, print and film. Some of them are very tricky and scar y, like the time I had to create the world’s first edible Christmas jumper! Check out my Instagram to see many of the showstoppers I’ve created over the years.

Don’t wor r y, the recipes I’ve written for our September issue aren’t as challenging, but they are still really eye catching and will be sure to wow your guests.

My first showstopper is a fault line cake, but this one is baked with a slightly smaller cake placed in the middle to accommodate a ring of flowers. Right now, there is an abundance of incredible British seasonal edible flowers. You can use any kind you like, and create any colour scheme. This showstopper is wedding-worthy in my mind! I hope you’ll love it.

Last ly, for a simple showstopper (it really is easy to decorate, trust m e!), have a go at buttercream palette knife art to create my watercolour brushstrokes cake, then top with more edible flowers or add a topper of your choice to finish. It’s a work of edible art.

I hope you’ll enjoy baking this month and I look forward to seeing you in next month’s issue. Do get in touch if you have any baking related questions or any photos of your bakes to share. You’ll find me on Instagram @julietsear

Happy Baking!

Juliet xx

Edible flowers fault line cake

Photography © Juliet Sear

This is one of the prettiest ways to make a fault line cake! In September, there is an abundance of incredible British seasonal edible flowers so you can use any kind you like, and create any colour scheme. The trick with this design is to use a cake slightly smaller in the middle, to allow for the depth of the edible flowers, so they can be nestled inside the outer coating, which makes it easy to get good finish!

SERVES 20-24

PREP AND DECORATING TIME: 1 HOUR PLUS

SOME CHILL TIME

BAKE TIME: 20-25 MINUTES