Welcome to Day 2 of our captivating mini-series dedicated to the vibrant world of cake artistry! Here at The Cake Blog, we frequently delve into the wellsprings of inspiration and the mastery of diverse techniques. But the true art lies in transforming these abstract concepts into tangible, breathtaking cake designs that reflect a unique artistic voice. This journey, a continuous evolution of skill and self-discovery, is fundamental for every aspiring and established cake designer striving to forge their signature style. At its heart, genuine cake artistry is built upon a robust foundation of technical proficiency, which then blossoms magnificently through unbounded imagination and innovative creativity.
To illuminate this fascinating process, we’ve brought together three exceptional contributors: Allison Kelleher, Erin Gardner, and Erica OBrien. This exciting collaborative project challenged each artist to design a distinctive cake, masterfully incorporating the signature techniques of the other two. Each of these incredibly talented ladies embraced the opportunity to expand their repertoire, acquiring new skills by exploring their peers’ highly acclaimed online cake decorating classes at Craftsy – a platform where all three proudly serve as Craftsy Instructors. Following this immersive learning experience, each designer embarked on creating a cake that remained authentically true to her personal design aesthetic, all while seamlessly integrating these newly acquired techniques. Unified by the sophisticated Pantone Fall 2014 color palette, the result is a collection of three truly gorgeous cakes, each possessing a distinct personality and style, yet harmoniously constructed upon a shared foundation of innovative techniques. This series is a testament to the power of artistic collaboration, demonstrating how diverse talents can intertwine to create something truly extraordinary in the world of designer cakes.
Erin Gardner’s “Sweater Weather” Cake: A Fusion of Textures and Modern Design
Today, we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on the creation of Erin Gardner. Erin shares her personal journey through this inspiring project, revealing how she approached the challenge of blending her unique vision with the signature styles of Allison and Erica. Her enthusiasm for this collaboration is palpable:
“It has been an absolute joy and incredibly fun for me to work alongside Erica and Allison on this special collaboration! I’ve admired both of their distinctive design portfolios for a long time, and getting to know them personally has only deepened my appreciation – I’m an even bigger fan now! While the three of us undeniably possess very unique design perspectives and approaches to cake decoration, there’s a strong, underlying thread that connects us all: a shared attraction to clean lines, modern aesthetics, and vibrant, compelling color palettes. This common ground made the creative exchange all the more rewarding.”
The Inspiration: A Cozy “Sweater Weather” Theme
Erin’s cake, lovingly dubbed “Sweater Weather,” immediately evokes a sense of comfort, warmth, and autumn charm. The concept emerged from a deep appreciation for the cozy textures and inviting feelings associated with the changing seasons. To bring this vision to life, Erin enthusiastically embraced Erica OBrien’s distinctive approach to cake texture. “Erica’s textured winter cake has always been a particular favorite of mine,” Erin explains. “In fact, I believe it was that very cake that first introduced me to her incredible work. When the opportunity arose to finally try out her specific technique, I knew I had to seize it!” For years, Erin had pondered the precise method behind Erica’s signature texture, often attempting to reverse-engineer it in her mind. Watching Erica’s comprehensive Craftsy class, “A Cake for Every Season,” proved to be a revelation. “I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised by just how quick and straightforward the technique was to execute,” she adds, highlighting the accessibility and effectiveness of online learning from expert instructors.
Mastering Geometric Precision: Allison Kelleher’s Triangle Mosaic Technique
Integrating Allison Kelleher’s renowned triangle mosaic technique presented Erin with a different kind of artistic challenge. Known for her free-flowing, organic designs, Erin admits, “Straight lines and absolute precision cuts have never truly been my forte. I’ve always admired Allison’s remarkable ability to make such intricate geometric work appear utterly effortless, even though I know it requires immense skill and attention to detail!” Despite the initial apprehension, Erin dove into Allison’s “Modern Mosaic Cakes” class, and the experience proved to be transformative. “After spending some time experimenting and playing around with the triangles, I found myself completely hooked!” she exclaims. “It’s incredibly enjoyable to rearrange these geometric shapes, exploring the endless possibilities of patterns and forms you can create.” A particularly delightful element of Erin’s design features charming “triangle hearts” – a brilliant way to merge Allison’s precise mosaic techniques with one of her own cherished design motifs, adding a touch of whimsy and personal flair to the geometric rigor.
Erin’s Signature Touch: Balancing Texture and Sophistication
With Erica’s inviting texture and Allison’s captivating geometric mosaic firmly in mind, Erin had a clear vision for incorporating these elements from the outset. However, the most significant hurdle emerged when she sought to infuse her own distinctive style without overwhelming the cake. “Bringing in my own style surprisingly turned out to be the biggest challenge of all!” Erin reflects. Both Erica’s textured surface and Allison’s intricate patterns were inherently beautiful and created a wealth of visual interest. Erin was careful to avoid a cluttered aesthetic by adding even more highly textured elements. Her solution was ingenious: she decided to utilize the elegant cake shapes from her own popular “confetti cake” design. This provided a clean, streamlined base that allowed each incorporated technique to truly shine without competition. And, in a delightful nod to her own celebrated aesthetic, Erin couldn’t resist topping the entire creation with a few of her favorite delicate sugar flowers, which are a hallmark of her “Cakes in Full Bloom” Craftsy class. “I truly believe adding these sugar flowers helped to elevate the sophistication of the cake design,” she explains, “while simultaneously offering a beautiful, organic balance to the angular heart pattern gracefully running around the center of the cake.” The final result is a harmonious masterpiece that clearly embodies Erin Gardner’s playful elegance, enriched by the innovative techniques she learned from her fellow artists.
The Power of Artistic Collaboration and Online Learning
This mini-series serves as a powerful reminder of the endless possibilities that emerge when artists come together to learn, challenge, and inspire one another. “It was so incredibly exciting to finally witness all three cake designs come to fruition,” Erin shares. “I love that even though we actively took the opportunity to learn from each other and consciously incorporate each other’s signature techniques, it remains super obvious which cake distinctly belongs to which designer. Each creation is a clear reflection of our individual artistic voices and design philosophies.” This unique collaboration beautifully demonstrates that embracing new skills doesn’t dilute one’s personal style; rather, it enriches it, opening new avenues for creative expression. We sincerely hope that this insightful project will inspire countless other cake designers within our community to step outside their comfort zones, experiment with new tricks from their peers, and most importantly, add their own unmistakable and unique spin to every delectable creation.
Stay tuned! Tomorrow, we will conclude this inspiring collaboration by taking an in-depth look at the final masterpiece, created by the incredibly talented Erica OBrien. If you happened to miss the unveiling of the first stunning cake in this series, crafted by Allison Kelleher, you can catch up on her innovative design HERE.
VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake Design and Creation : Erin Gardner of Wild Orchid Baking Company
Photography : Mark Davidson Photography
Learn More : Erin Gardner’s Cake Class online at Craftsy
Unleash Your Inner Cake Artist with Craftsy’s Big Fall Sale!
As an extra sweet bonus for our readers, Craftsy is currently hosting their incredible Big Fall Sale!!
This means an unparalleled opportunity to hone your cake decorating skills: All 77 of their comprehensive cake decorating classes are now on sale!
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to discover new techniques and elevate your cake designs. Enjoy Up to 50% off online Cake Decorating Classes at Craftsy.com, and unlock your creative potential!
The true brilliance of these online classes lies in their unparalleled flexibility and accessibility. They are entirely online, meaning they are available whenever and wherever you are ready to learn. Whether you prefer to dedicate a substantial block of time at home or squeeze in a quick session on the go using your iPhone or iPad, Craftsy’s platform seamlessly adapts to your busy schedule. You can effortlessly pause a lesson and pick up exactly where you left off at your convenience. Before you know it, you’ll have cultivated a whole new set of professional-grade skills, learning directly from the industry’s most respected experts. With their proven techniques, meticulously crafted curricula, and an incredibly easy-to-follow format, there has never been a more opportune moment to embark on a new learning adventure in cake decorating!
This exciting Craftsy Sale is a limited-time offer, concluding promptly on Monday, September 22, 2014, at 11:59 PM MT. Don’t let this incredible opportunity pass you by – Snag your desired class HERE before it’s too late and transform your cake artistry!
Craftsy is a proud affiliate partner of The Cake Blog, bringing you the best in online cake education.