ANDY

So this is the cake that started it all. My marriage to Andy that is. And in a way, my passion for wedding cakes. Andy decided to ask me to marry him after I made the combination for his birthday. It was originally created for my good friend Chris W. after a request of an extra chocolaty German chocolate cake. It is my chocolate sour cream cake, dense and rich, slathered with a pecan coconut bourbon icing. It is so rustic and beautiful on its own that I don't ice the sides. I love this look. And I do believe it is the best cake I make. No one will ever think this cake is dry, flavorless or too sweet. The best part is it gets even better with time. Great for an outdoor wedding in the heat of the summer. Our wedding was in September '03 so we decorated with autumn flowers out of friends' gardens and even the humidity of hurricane Isabelle couldn't dampen this cake!!!

A beautiful bride named Amy created an even more elegant version of this cake for her August wedding. As with my wedding cake, we separated the tiers a little to stuff in flowers, this time with orchids! The five tiers were very dramatic and fed 250 people. I really like the look of the square on the bottom and the lady slippers that adorn it. The contrast of the rustic cake, the porcelain topper and tropical flowers came together to create a truly unique and beautiful cake. My father helped me deliver it while he was visiting and I will always remember the look on his face and what he said as we carried this cake up 3 flights of marble stairs to the tent. "Why do you always have to choose such difficult professions?"