Mona and Craig Cake Sketch (Framed)

Premise

Each cake design is a journey into the imagination and in some ways, perhaps, a portrait of the mind of its maker

Mona and Craig,

I wanted to send over your cake concept and sketch! Whenever we went in the direction to use exotic foliage as a backdrop for traditional garden flowers, and largely incorporating your new love of Great Dixter, we had to re-evaluate. I appreciate you giving us time to do this. I’ll start with the concept.

The cake is six tiers tall. Currently with white fondant as the background. If there was something slight that could work ever so slightly better color wise for the fondant color than white, we could always tweak later. The makeup of the foliage/ background are the majesty palm fronds, the acacia tree branch, and the papyrus in the bottom right. I know you guys were engaged at the pyramids. Ultimately, I do think the exotic foliage is the best way to tie in the Egyptian elements you wanted. I cross referenced all of the exotic foliage and many of the items with an article/ blog I read with descriptions of Egyptian gardens. I found many images of palm trees. I also found wisteria growing up palm trees in Egypt. There are lots of images of wisteria growing on walls in Egypt, with a palm tree adjacent, as well. For these reasons, I see the wisteria as a big tie in to the Egyptian/ English cottage garden crossover. Something not native, but the contrast works and it grows. Which means it must go! The greenery that grows with the wisteria has been included, as has all the other foliage that belongs with each flower. I think this helps build the layering in front of the palm fronds. I also knew the palm fronds may work somehow since we layered fresh ones with Queen Anne’s Lace in our chandelier this summer. Opposites totally, but it worked. We have included direct tie ins of flowers and plants growing near each other in a location for this cake design, which should strengthen the concept even more.

I noticed lots of acacia trees in the same blog and from general searching. Then found images of the acacia trees near mounds of papyrus in Egyptian landscape etc. So, the exotic greenery definitely started and was influenced by the style of the Great Dixter exotic garden in England that you both loved, but then I tried to cross reference to tie in elements that can be found growing specifically/ additionally in Egypt to tie in the elements you wanted. Mulberry branches are also found growing there and were included too. In two branches near the bottom left.

I also included ivy as that goes well with both the cottage garden concept and works very well with palm fronds and other vines. So, I thought this helped bridge the exotic and English together too. Included one fern frond, but really the acacia tree branches have a fern like appearance and structure, so this is an addition, but could stay or go. If we need filler leaves, there is a reference in one of the Great Dixter images that I could pull from.

From there, I mixed in the other cottage elements. The black and white anemones. Anemones blend well with such a wide variety of foliage. Some blush climbing roses that bob and weave through the greenery, taken from one of the Great Dixter reference images. The campanula/ Canterbury bell flower is used in one longer stem, but also in more segmented pieces near the bottom tier. There is a peony adjacent to the papyrus that is included. Which seems to balance it visually as they are both larger items.

I view the bottom front of the cake nearest the stand as the ground basically. So, I have included some segments of the bell flower. Ranunculus and tinier ranunculus buds that start there and snake their way upwards into the next tier. The papyrus is on that level too. I wanted to make some edible moss, if possible, to kind of blend the bottom of the items growing from the board and then have the moss blending it all together. I use it in all my pots at home and with my indoor bulbs. All of our cakes always look like the arrangement is alive and breathing basically, so why not make the base more like actual ground. Just something I was considering, if possible!

All in all, I think this encompasses all of the traditional and romantic elements you loved, but in an exotic and daring way. Great Dixter has been included, as has the Egyptian element. Tried to nail the major flowers you requested too! I was nervous about it several times throughout doing it, but it all seems to check out and cross reference. Let me know what you think!