ALEXANDRA

photo by Dominique Attaway

When I first met Alexandra and Jeremy, it was on a cold winter day at Montfair Resort to do a tasting. We were in the lodge huddled around the large stone fireplace tasting cake and dreaming of their September wedding. Thoughts of fresh figs and raspberries danced in our heads. I could tell right away that they were passionate about food and wanted a cake that would be a really delicious dessert. I also knew they wanted it to be gluten free. I love to make all different types of cakes, but my absolute favorites are ones that celebrate the beauty of cake! So when Alexandra told me of her vision of an open sided Italian style polenta almond cake with loads of berries, I knew I was going to be in heaven! We moistened the layers with cognac and filled them with raspberry curd and mascarpone cream. I picked the figs myself the evening before the wedding and the berries were bursting with ripeness. Just thinking about it makes me want to run to the kitchen and make it all over again. I anticipate many orders for the "Alexandra"....actually the owners of Montfair already have!

LAURA B.

Laura and Tim were married at the hip downtown 2nd Street Gallery/Live Arts Space in late August. Appropriately, the cake was dramatic inside and out! I am in love with the brown ribbon and orchid combination. And the inside, so daring! Dark chocolate sour cream layers filled with lemon cream and fresh raspberries and iced with vanilla buttercream. Congratulations Tim and Laura!!!

TAYLOR

Taylor and I designed this cake, drawing elements from different designs, and when it all came together, I have to admit, I was impressed. I am usually my hardest critic, always striving for better, but I left King Family Vineyard after delivering this cake feeling very proud. It came together beautifully. The deep brown of the icing, oyster white ribbon and love birds, and the green orchids were striking! For the inside, dark chocolate layers filled with two fillings in each tier, chocolate mousse and triple cream with fresh strawberries, iced with dark chocolate buttercream. Again lots of elements that came together brilliantly! Thank you Taylor and Nick for inspiring what is sure to be a Cakes by Rachel classic!

MEGAN

This five tiered cake was a presence in the room! There was no doubt that there was a wedding going on! The autumn colors of the rose petals were perfect with the pale yellow of the piping. The inside was fall inspired also-almond layers moistened with amaretto, fresh pumpkin mousse and pecan praline. Since all concerned wanted to have chocolate also, every other tier was dark chocolate sour cream cake filled with triple cream and fresh raspberries. For the icing we chose a light white chocolate buttercream as a complement. The 4 inch top is a nice little cake for the bride and groom to enjoy after all have gone home. A little late night treat!

JENNIFER

This cake is wonderful example of how fresh flowers can take a simple cake and raise it to elegance. The soft pastels of the dahlias and the ranunculas were perfect the stone platter and the brick and wood of Sweely Vineyard. Jennifer and Brendon also chose an elegant flavor combination for their cake; vanilla chiffon layers moistened with framboise, raspberry mousse filling and vanilla buttercream. For an August wedding in the height of raspberry season here in Viginia, it just doesn't get much better.

RACHEL A.

The name of this cake could be the J.R. since it was the groom who created this flavor combination. Kudos to Rachel for letting her man be the one to decide. At their tasting we all did agree it was delicious and filled us with childlike delight. Chocolate sour cream layers filled with marshmallow cream and strawberry buttercream. It made me think of what would happen if the Fathers of French cuisine had run a Good Humor ice cream truck! The cake was pink and had cornflower blue ribbon. Very unique and beautiful. I smile everytime I think of this cake. Also, I remember how much marshmallow I ate it the process.

REBEKAH

I am not exactly sure where to start with Rebekah and Jason's cake, but I am sure this is one of my most favorite. Firstly, the couple live too far away from this humble baker to have a tasting, so we flew two sample cakes to the big city. This was very exciting and I learned all the details of dry ice. Second, my close friends know that trees are a recurring theme in my non edible art projects, so when Rebekah said she wanted a tree design, I was ecstatic! A tree cake! On the inside are almond sponge layers soaked with Amaretto, filled with hazelnut cream and iced with vanilla buttercream. The nest for the love birds is made of marzipan colored with a touch of cocoa. Scarlet runner bean blossoms from my garden were the finishing touch. What fun I had with this cake. Thank you Rebekah and Jason. This cake also proved that you can have a meringue buttercream cake in an un-air-conditioned room in July without panic.