10/06/2026
I was talking recently with my friend Cara Brown about trends and inspiration, and since that conversation, I’ve been thinking a lot about it… We were saying that, as artists, it’s important to be aware of trends - and it’s a choice of how we use that influence or inspiration in our work. It seems that cake trends, like about everything else so heavily social-media-image influenced these days, are just like fast fashion. - there’s a new one every week, and few of them have staying power. (Hello, dot cakes. 🙄) That said, I *do* really enjoy seeing how trends do work their way into my work. I do love picking little bits and using them in ways that feel current, but classic, and genuine to my scope of work. This cake, for a recent wedding with a bride that was so fun to work with, felt like something I’ve been wanting to do for ages, in its reference to classic wedding cakes, with that contemporary trend (which is actually totally classic) of the full topping of berries. My inspiration has loooong been mostly rooted in the classics. Sharing here some screenshots that have lived on my phone for years.
The work of Wayne Theibaud. As a student of art history, this has long had a place in my heart. I often wonder if his paintings of cakes, simply adorned, were an influence on my cake style and the very first cakes I did, even before I knew it.
At a WT exhibit at the Brandywine Museum of Art several years ago. Total joy on my face and in my heart.
Definitely influenced this little one I did for a dear friend just for fun this past winter.
Marylin and Arthur Miller’s wedding cake. I go back to this photo sooooooo much — not to copy the style, but to look at and think about the significance of a wedding cake. Whenever folks tell me they “just want a little cake, like a birthday cake size” for their wedding, I think of these photos and I think of how special it is to see the couple with a pretty cake. I always try to talk couples into at least a tiny tiered cake. (We offer a really little one!)
JFK + Jackie. We actually offer a wedding cake flavor that is inspired by their cake — classic Americana - white vanilla cake with raspberry jam and raspberry