You will be relieved to hear that this post is about the current fashion in cake decoration rather than any of my nudity...
Yesterday I experienced every heavily pregnant woman's dream: a morning of Christmas cake tasting at The Rose Petal Cakery. I have known Anouska, the owner, for a little while now having worked with her on Battle Of The Bakers Hong Kong and ordered several of her bespoke cakes for my kids' birthdays. Not only is her attention to detail unparalleled (spending up to one hour on a single fondant rose), but her baking is delicious and uses only the finest of ingredients.
Pictured is her "naked" Christmas range, meaning the cakes are not frosted or covered in fondant. At the top of this post is her spiced gingerbread cake with, with hints of clove and layers of (not overly sweet) cream cheese frosting.
Above are the mini Christmas apple fruit cakes, with a layer of marzipan and fondant icing on top. If you are trying to recreate this look at home, do consider using rosemary sprigs instead of actual fir tree needles, in case your Christmas tree has not yet arrived! And the frosted cranberry effect is achieved by rolling cranberries first in eggwhite then normal granulated sugar.
Above is a very decadent chocolate fruit cake and indeed a personal favourite. I thought I was a fruit cake purist, but in fact the cocoa flavour does not dominate and there are also boozy undertones from Tia Maria.
And lastly the cranberry and pecan cookies, a slightly more elegant Christmas cookie with the buttery consistency of shortbread.
She is still offering bespoke creations but this is her Christmas range to embrace the naked cake movement! Surely your table would be bare without one?! You can contact Anouska at sales@rosepetalcakery.com for prices and enquiries. Now, back to my tea and cake, fully clothed of course....