Ask the expert - cake

Cake Carousel, run by Claire in the dedicated cake kitchen in Maenclochog, is one of the area’s leading wedding cake designers.

Modern weddings often call for unique and bespoke designs, and they are on-hand to help turn those ideas in to yummy creations.

Cake Carousel delivers wedding cakes all over West Wales, and is very proud to be recommended suppliers for popular wedding venues in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire.

Along with traditional tiered cakes, Claire can also offer cupcakes, locally sourced cheese for ‘tiers of cheese’, and a large selection of cake stands to hire. They also have two French oak wine barrels for hire!

Now in its fifth year, Cake Carousel is thrilled to have been placed in the top 50 wedding cake designers in the UK, as well as reaching the regional finals in the Welsh Wedding Awards on numerous occasions.

Here Claire tells us about her business and gives advice to brides and grooms.

How did you get into baking cakes?

My passion for cakes began with making birthday cakes for my own children. Over the past few years, my focus has been on wedding cakes and I have been thrilled to be featured in national wedding magazines and award shortlists.

How long before the wedding do you suggest couples book their cake maker and choose their cake?

It is never too early to book your cake maker! Most cake designers work alone and have limited availability in a week, so be sure to check availability and reserve your chosen baker as soon as you can. As your wedding plans progress, you can then get in touch with your cake designer and discuss designs.

What types of wedding cake do you make?

Wedding cakes come in many forms and I enjoy the variety of styles couples choose. Fruit cakes make a rare appearance, most cakes are sponge and more often recently are un-iced to complement the trend for a rustic wedding style. I also work with local producers to create ‘tiers of cheese’ as an alternative cake.

How many tiers do couples usually choose?

Most wedding cakes consist of three or four tiers. It is quite popular to serve your cake as dessert, so a bigger cake is required to cater for generous slices of cake.

What are popular flavours of filling?

For me, 2015 was the year of the ‘Naked Cake.’ Tiers of Victoria sponge cake dressed only in fresh fruit and a dusting of icing sugar. Couples are always keen to provide guests with flavours that won’t test their palate too much and going for a classic like vanilla sponge, with vanilla buttercream and raspberry jam, is very popular.

What are popular decorations for the top of the cake?

Cake designs often include the top being covered in sugar or fresh flowers or even fresh fruit, so a traditional cake topper won’t be spotted on many modern cakes. Those that do have a topper are mostly laser cut designs that we custom design and are crafted locally.

Do you supply cake stands and knives too?

Yes, I have a large collection of stands and knives to complement all cake styles.

What’s the most favourite cake you have made?

The ‘Naked Cake’ is a popular style that has seen me travelling across Wales to set up and I am very proud of creating a look that appeals to so many couples, but there is one cake that I struggled to part with and that was for a bride called Robyn. I loved the crisp white, towering cake and the colour palette I was given to work with for the sugar flowers was beautiful.

What’s the most favourite part of your job?

It is an honour to be involved with a couple’s wedding. I am always very aware that the couple are putting a lot of trust in me to create something special. I enjoy meeting the couples and discussing all of their wedding plans; I do at times get as excited as them! The most rewarding aspect of my job is when the couple come back to me for cakes after the big day. Nothing is more exciting than baking a christening cake for the baby to a couple I once baked a wedding cake for!