Sunday Sweets: Art Deco

If you've ever been to South Beach in Miami and cooed over the candy-colored buildings, then odds are you're an Art Deco fan. See? Just like that, you're a reader of uniquely refined taste! So hold that pinky high while you're swigging that Diet Coke, and let's take a look at some of the world's Sweetest Art Deco wedding cakes.

By Sugar Art By Tami

Not only is this cake design amazing, I'm also really digging that topper. Who knew Calla lilies and a little wire could look so glamorous?

You're going to be tempted to think this next one is some kind of fancy jewelry box, but trust me: it's cake.

By Lyn Rees of Lyn's Cake Creations

Each of those panels and end pieces was made using an icing technique known as run-in, or flood work. When it dries it becomes hard and smooth like porcelain - but about a hundred times more fragile. Frankly, I don't know how Lyn managed those delicate lines in the top box:

Photo by Cake4ever

Gorgeous.

Of course avocado green isn't for everyone, so to make Art Deco truly timeless, just take away the color:

By Sucre Coeur

Would you look at the texture on those bottom tiers?! After staring at it in full-size for a while, I think it's made up of hundreds of tiny paper fans - presumably edible paper -layered over the icing. And with those jewelry designs on the top tiers, it kind of brings to mind a feathery flapper dress, don't you think?

And speaking of feathery flapper dresses...

By Cake Central member McLin

This design was completely hand-painted, with hand-piped "pearls" and 3D sculpted gumpaste "feathers." I especially like the colors; it's like an old fashioned black and white photograph with parts of it colorized.

Of course, a little Deco can also look surprisingly modern:

Made by Jo-Ann Edwards, found here

This couple used a piece of Art Deco jewelry - the Butler & Wilson brooch "The Dancing Couple"- for their cake topper, and the cake ties it in beautifully with those stylized fans and clean, bold lines.

This one reminds me of all those grand old movie palaces from the 1930s:

Photo by Jose Villa Photography, baker unknown

Can't you just imagine an illuminated marquee above the bottom tier? And, come to think of it, wouldn't that be a fun way to tie in the couple's names?

I honestly can't decide if this next one is more Art Deco or 60s mod...but then again, Deco *did* come back in style during the 60s, so maybe it's both?

By Jan Kish

Whichever it is, it's pretty darn cool. The sheen on those flowers really makes them look like metal!

Here's another beauty straight out of old Hollywood:

By Martha Stewart Weddings

I hope the bride wore her hair in pin curls. And her dress was some slinky satin number with a big fluffy fur stole. (But not a real fur stole; that's cruel.) And I hope the DJ played "Puttin' on the Ritz" like, a million times.

You really can't get much more Art Deco than this:

By The Bakery Cottage

Talk about a piece of art! Are they flames or leaves?

This next one's so big it's kind of hard to see all the detail:

By Sugar Realm

So here's a closeup:

Look at all those shimmering metallics! And did you see that the silver sections are actuallly filled with silver dragees? That must have taken FOREVER to do.

This next one is one of my favorite Art Deco cakes EVER:

Submitted by Hayley P. via the DISboards and made by Disney Weddings.

That center column is like a stylized paper waterfall - and it lights up! I just love the colors, and the sun emblem at the top, and those little jut-outs on the bottom tier - so much great detal!

And finally, here's what I like to think of as "Venice meets the Chrysler building":

By Rosebud Cakes

Look at this perfection! LOOK AT IT!!

Ok, now you can go enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Toodles!

*****

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Bride/Baker Communication 101

Most brides think that bringing in a photo of their dream wedding cake will help clarify for their bakers what it is that they want and expect on their big day.

[shaking head] Those sweet, silly girls.

In reality, these photos are more like "guidelines." A springboard, if you will, from which the baker may or may not spring - and then into heretofore unheard-of realms of artistic "expression."

Perhaps some examples will help.

Bride Laurie S. asked for this cake, only in ivory and with blue flowers instead of white:

(Photo & cake by Martha Stewart)

Instead, she got this:

"It's boxy, and it's blue and white. What more do you want?"

Kirstie also wanted a cascading floral design, like this:

Which her baker recreated pretty well, except for one key detail:

They used real flowers instead of sugar ones.

Once the petals shriveled, Kirstie's cake design became less "cascading flowers" and more "attacking butterflies." Which isn't horrible, I suppose, but it is kind of hard to resist the urge to flap your arms and shoo them off.

(Note: The silver thing is their topper, which the baker laid flat instead of standing up. Or maybe the butterflies just knocked it over. :D)

Sharon L. wanted this gorgeous topsy-turvy design:

(Made by Lisa's Creative Cakes - and I totally want one.)

...only in 3 tiers and using her colors of fuchsia, orange, and lime.

Her baker's interpretation?

Remember that springboard I mentioned? Well, some are a LOT springier than others.

And finally, this bride wanted her seashell-themed cake to rise to new heights:

Instead, she got one that was apparently dropped from great heights:

Think it was served with a pancake dinner?

[snicker]

*****

P.S. I try to only link things I actually purchase and love myself, and y'all, I have THREE of these in our house:

LEVOIT Air Purifier, True HEPA

 I've tried so many air purifiers over the years, and this Levoit is hands-down the best I've found. It comes in black or white, is the size of a small waste basket, has an invisible control display, and is wonderfully quiet even on Medium. It also has the easiest, most satisfying filter to clean: just flip it over, twist off the bottom, and lift out the big drum. We have cats and an old house, so every two weeks I use a dust buster to vacuum a good quarter inch of dust off that drum filter, and ermigersh, SO SATISFYING.

Unlike big tower purifiers these are easy to tuck into small spaces. If you have dust allergies I highly recommend one for your bedroom! That's what we started with, and now I've added two more in our living room and back game room.