Celebrated for her signature delicacy: the hand-painted macaron, Emma Dodi Cakes is celebrated for her unique craftsmanship, beautiful details (unique to every individual order) and innate ability to whip up flavours that dance and frolic across the tongue. The bespoke baker’s carefully curated website is a great place to start too, if you’re searching for some truly inspiration couture wedding cake ideas.
Having founded her baking business back in 2016, this explorative baker is loved throughout the industry for her ability to capture the character and styles of her clients through her designs. Whether its a riot of vibrant botanicals you require – to seamlessly thread their way over a three tiered concoction – or a plethora of Emma Dodi’s signature hand-painted macarons to send out to your guests as a little pre-wedding gift, the wedding cake ideas and options are boundless. Focused on delivering a truly memorable experience when it comes to both taste and texture, you’ll often find this couture baker experimenting in her kitchen exploring innovative new methods and unique flavour combinations.
your day caught up Emma to discover everything from where her inspiration stems from, to her thoughts on wedding cake ideas for micro-ceremonies and that perfect getaway…
#1 How was Emma Dodi Cakes conceived? What prompted you to start the business?
“Emma Dodi Cakes all started after a friend suggested I go on a cake decorating course with her after I’d had my 4th child. Having completed the course, I found myself getting more and more interested in cakes and the decorating process. For me it was the aesthetics, making something so pretty, coming up with new ideas and designs. As my love for baking, cake decorating grew, encouraged by very supporting friends, I decided I should turn it all into a business, so at the end of 2016 I did just that. Initially, I worked from home as my children were still very young but as the business grew (and the amount of equipment did too!) I moved into a kitchen before moving to my studio in Battersea where I am now. I am an ex-banker with no background in cake and macaron making so who’d have thought it’d turn into what it has today. My running joke is that the move from Banker to Baker couldn’t have been easier, I just dropped a letter!”
#2 Talk us through what a typical working day consists of for you…
“Typical working day – I’m normally up at 6:30, get dressed and ready for work before waking my four children up for school. Then its a rush to get breakfast, get out and get them all to school on time without forgetting anything behind! If I get a chance I’ll grab an espresso and a cornetto (Italian croissant) at my favourite Italian cafe and then I’m straight down to my studio in Battersea. I then work, bake, paint, create before leaving at around five to start the school pick up – then its home, dinner, homework (for them not me!), bath-time before I finally get a quiet moment to have dinner with my husband. Normally I then like to flop on the sofa and watch something on TV but frequently I find myself catching up on emails and admin. The next day? It’s all on repeat!”
#3 When starting a new brief, be it for a wedding or event, how do you start the creative juices flowing?
“The best way to start a new project is to have a really good chat with the bride or the person who the celebration is for. Initially it starts with a couple of emails but then I need a good chat on the phone! Speaking to them in person really helps me understand their vision and more importantly the mood they want for their event. Once we have spoken I am in a much better place to start making suggestions ranging from colours, tones, design and details. Sometimes it can take a little while to get to the final design and sometimes it can be incredible fast. Everyone is different and that is what keeps it so fun and always interesting.”
#4 We love your signature hand-painted macarons. If you could create a series of macarons for a particularly bridal designer – who would it be and why?
“Now this is a difficult question, there are so many incredible bridal designers out there. If I could choose any bridal designer to create a series of macarons for then it would have to be Valentino, and I am sure my heritage makes me somewhat biased here! His timeless, classic, elegant gowns are exquisite. The femininity, the textures, the details in the embroidery are sensational, so yes definitely Valentino, it’d be the most incredible challenge. And the Italian connect would mean I could create wonderful fillings inspired by all the delicious food in Italy.”
#5 What cake creations or macarons etc. are proving particularly popular at the moment? What are you getting a lot of requests for?
“It is really the time for floral cakes and macarons. Most popular at the moment are my hand-piped or pressed flower cakes. There is definitely a move towards 100% edible cakes so beautifully piped floral designs or 100% edible flowers are very popular. The cake I made inspired by the @oscardelarenta floral dress (seen being worn by Taylor Swift and Anna Wintour) is certainly a favourite. Florals are definitely top of the list for my macarons as well, my floral designs are always the most popular and I am now being asked to create floral inspired fillings too.”
#6 How far in advance should couples be thinking about the cake-based elements of their day? When should they be locating and speaking with their chosen cake maker?
“I always say the earlier the better – often couples like a particular cake designer so if they want to make sure they get their slot they really do need to book in advance. Finer details can be decided later on but getting your booking in as early as possible is key.”
#7 For couples looking to organise a smaller, more intimate micro-ceremony this 2021/22, how can they still include cake/desserts in a big way?
“Just because a wedding is smaller it certainly doesn’t mean you have to give up on the WOW factor. All my cakes can be created big or small, some adjustments are sometimes needed but you can most certainly still celebrate in style! Most recently, for a smaller more intimate wedding, I made a small cake for the bride and groom and then every guest received a mini replicate cake for one as their dessert, it was all so gorgeous.”
#8 In terms of wedding venues, do you have a particular favourite you like to work with and why?
“I am happy to work with many different venues and London has so many beautiful places on offer, all with their own charm. The main thing for me is that venue is organised and prepared so that when I arrive with the cake and have to set up, it all runs smoothly. I always tell my brides that once they have decided what cake they would like then they can stop worrying about it as I will take care of it all, so it is absolutely key that I have spoken to the wedding planner in advance and we know exactly what the plan and timetabling is. Luckily to date, I have not had any issues anywhere!”
#9 Do you have a favourite cake maker or brand? That never fails to inspire you?
“There are many cake makers that I admire and whose work I love. Sometimes because their work is so different to mine, sometimes because their work is more in line with mine. It is almost unfair for me to single anyone out as I find inspiration in so many different cake designers and also I know how hard all cake designers work, but Lima Cakes, Winifred Kristé and Tortik Anushka are always a great inspiration.”
#10 Alongside traditional tiered designs, what other options should couples be considering?
“The more “traditional” equal tier cakes are not as fashionable as they used to be, however, height and different heights of tiers are so fashionable and are such an important feature of modern wedding cakes. One of my most recent wedding cakes was half a metre tall and it was only 2 tiers, it really made a statement! If you wanted to step away from the more traditional, there are so many great options, often a trio of cakes can look incredible on a dessert table and it really gives more versatility in designs. I obviously love combining macarons in a celebration. I love macarons, they are so versatile, they can be combined in a traditional tiered cake design, they can be used for macaron towers (which can also combine a cake), they can be used as an extra treat for guests as a table placing, as gifts or favours and they can be made so the hand-painted design, the colour and the flavour match the wedding. They really are a gorgeous and delicious option. And, of course, I mustn’t forget meringues kisses, always so pretty and a really fun element to add to a dessert table.”
#11 Talk us through the services you offer, does this include completely bespoke offerings? If so, how does this process work?
“I offer a completely bespoke service, from cakes to macarons to sweet treats. For a wedding, the starting point is normally the cake design, once we have established that we move onto flavours. Everything is made by me so often I am experimenting with new flavours to make it all very unique. Once the cake is planned, the macaron design (often a new design chosen by the couple) and flavours and the sweet treats are an extension of the flavours and design of the cake. The service is very personal and the contact is always with me directly, its the way I prefer it and enjoy it most.”
#12 Do you take inspiration from trends?
“I take inspiration from everything around me from nature, to fashion to art – I think inspiration is all around us.”
#13 If you could have designed the wedding cake for any previous celebrity/high profile wedding – who’s would it have been for?
“It would have to be the wedding of Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 – the elegance, the femininity, the glamour. Grace Kelly was such a style icon, a Hollywood favourite and the epitome of elegance. I’d have loved to design a chic, stylish and feminine cake with a modern twist, magical!”
#14 In terms of cake decoration, which details are proving most popular this 2021/2022? What are you getting a lot of requests for?
“Floral, feminine cakes are a firm favourite. What makes them a little different is that we are starting to see people being more adventurous with colour – I think after lockdown people want to inject a little life and fun into their designs.”
#15 Are there any particular designs or weddings that you look back most fondly upon?
“My first wedding cake was a very traditional affair, white with white florals and a little green – I remember being so nervous about it so that will always be something I remember fondly. Since then, my favourites have to include a cake I made for a wedding being held at The Ned, it was white with white roses and gold sprayed leaves with gold leaf accents – it was so stylish, I loved it. And I guess my other favourites are my two latest ones, I always fall in love with my last design only for it to be superseded by my next one! My all-white piped floral very very tall design for a beautiful wedding at The Landmark Hotel in Marylebone is something I really loved. And, the three tier floral cake for a wedding at The Orangery in Holland Park is a firm favourite too.”
#16 Your top tips for couples choosing their wedding cake:
“Top tips – book your cake designer early to avoid disappointment and then look around for inspiration, not just at other wedding cakes but also at fashion magazines, art exhibitions, gardens etc. – cakes are so heavily influenced by what is trending in terms of fashion, interior design, architecture and garden design – that is what makes it all so much fun, different and interesting.”
#17 Is sustainability important to you?
“Yes, sustainability is important to me, I have young children and I am concerned about what we are leaving behind for them. I am always very aware of sustainability so I try to be environmentally conscious whenever I can be. From creating bespoke boxes for my macarons that do not use single use plastic to hold the macarons in place, to ordering business cards that are not laminated with plastic, to using compostable filling for my parcels, to ordering stamps rather than stickers, to being conscious of provenance when choosing my ingredients.”
Quickfire Round:
#1 Coffee or tea? “Coffee for sure – an espresso!”
#2 Favourite way to relax? “Windsurfing, reading a book or watching a movie.”
#3 Vibrant colour palette or pale neutrals? “Depends on my mood – I love both.”
#4 Favourite book? “Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens.”
#5 Perfect getaway? “The beach – winter or summer.”
#6 The last series you watched and loved… “Endeavour.”
#7 Your favourite thing about the wedding industry… #8 Favourite thing about social media? “The glamour.”
#8 Least favourite thing about social media? “Trying to figure it out.”
Explore more couture wedding cake ideas and beautifully crafted edible concoctions with Emma Dodi Cakes today.
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