Let us eat cake

When it comes to career twists Stacy Brewer quite literally takes the cake. Few people make the leap from leading hairdresser to pastry chef but Brewer has done it with style and some icing.

Having toughened her crusts in the Sydney kitchens of The Grounds in Alexandria, Andy Bowdy Pastry and Chester Street, Brewer is now creating culinary centrepieces for celebrations at Stacy Brewer Cakes.

Despite the best efforts of bigoted politicians to give bakers the right to refuse service to gay couples, Brewer wants to share her talent and taste-sensations with the world, regardless of their sexual orientation.

"The more people who want to celebrate and formalise their wedding the better," Brewer says. "Love is love."

Why did you get into baking?

When I go to a restaurant I am the kind of person who looks at the desserts before I even look at the mains. Sweets get me excited!

I've been that way all my life. From when I was a little girl, looking in the cake cabinets at shops I couldn’t believe how beautiful everything looked. So why not have this feeling every day and be a pastry chef.

How does your work as a hairdresser help in the kitchen? 

I was working as a hairdresser for 13 years before I became a pastry chef. I love creating beauty. An expert eye for intricate detail, style, taste, flavour and precision is what my special occasion cakes are all about.

It takes discipline to learn the rules of any creative profession. The great thing is that once you know the rules you get to break them. I’m passionate about my wedding cake designs and love to share them.

Honestly, are weddings fun or a nightmare for a baker?

I adore weddings.

It’s an honour for me to play a part in making memorable moments on someone’s wedding day. The best part of the day (in my mind at least ) is the wedding cake. It’s the moment where the bride, groom and their guests start to relax a little as the more formal part of the day is done.

What is your favourite wedding cake?

I love the idea of having single tier cakes, maybe three or four, positioned at intervals on a long trestle table, styled out with decadent and lush florals. The cakes would be different colours and sizes.

The options with this idea are endless and could include multiple colours, sizes, shapes and flavours, that have movement and texture.

What is your least favourite wedding cake?

Any wedding cakes made in the 1980s or 1990s. They all looked and tasted exactly the same.

Those cakes lacked all the things I love the most: colour, movement and texture.

How far out should a couple work with a baker for a wedding?

Ideally 6 to 12 months out from the wedding.

I have had clients who have given me less than a week’s notice and I have worked with others who were super organised and we met 18 months before their big day. As soon as couples have some ideas of colours, guest numbers, themes and the overall vibe of their day we can start to work on their cake.

What should they prepare for their first meeting with a baker?

Nothing in particular. I get an idea of the personalities of the couple when we meet and I love creating a unique and personalised cake to suit just the two of them. I think a lot of people come to me for my creative views on cakes so are happy to hear my suggestions.

At our meeting we discuss guest numbers, colours and themes; they might also bring photos of other cakes they like. We might also look at other aspects of the wedding they have in mind so if there is a theme I can incorporate that. The best bit of the meeting is trying the cake.

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