Hollyhock Cakes

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At the Hollyhock bakery on Seattle's Capitol Hill,
pastry chef Aimee Page wants each cake-chocolate or no-to
have a romantic appeal. It's a descriptive that fits such hollyhock specialties as the Victorian Rose Torte, a vanilla-cardomom genoise -yes, we're getting those definitions- that's moistened with rosewater, then layered with white chocolate and rose petal mousse. rose petal mousse. As a final touch, the
whole is covered with delicate white
chocolate and rosewater buttercream.
Some, however, prefer Page’s not-so-
old—fashioned devil's food cake. Once the rounds are layered with cognac-
spiked bittersweet ganache, the whole
is anointed with a dramatic dark
chocolate glaze. At the brides request,
Page can finish oft with a sprinkling of
22-carat gold leaf flecks as well as fresh
rose petals from her organic garden,
Underneath the glitz, however, is a
simple recipe for success. “I believe in
the idea of the small village baker,”
Page says. “Every cake must be fresh
and individual.”

At a reception with a water
theme, hand-blown fish bowl
centerpieces with live goldfish are
upstaged by a three tiered optical
illusion. Dusted in silver and
bedecked with white lotus flowers and lily pads, the wedding cake is
shrouded in a light mist; a tiny
water fountain trickles at its center.
Such a spectacular cake is the
result of inspiration, not imitation.
Like self-styled wedding vows,
custom-designed rings and hand—
made favors, cakes are getting
personal. Bearing fabric swatches,
tablecloths and memories of their
engagement in Volunteer Park,
couples are seeking out inventive
bakers—like watercake
creator Aimee Page of Hollyhock Cakcs—to turn
their dreams into one-of-a
kind confections that tie the
wedding together.

Aimee Page, owner of Hollyhock Cakes in Madison Park, has made scores of
English-inspired cakes.
She has even baked a few traditional
fruiteakes. While not exactly suited
to the American palate, these
English wedding confections are visually stunning. Often small
because of their density, they are
also compact and elegant. For
contemporary brides and groorns
Page has created American-style
tiered wedding cakes with overtones
of British classicism that would
please even the Queen Mother.
Page`s current favorite contains
layers of vanilla-cardamon génoise
rnoistened with rose water and
layered with fresh strawberries, rose hip jam
and rose petal cream. <br /><br />
As an alternative, she might suggest a tier filled with
Earl Grey tea- infused mousse. She covers these cakes with traditional rolled fondant
and plump sugar roses. “Cakes of the World” is a concept that Page has been pursuing in her recent
decorations. She's seeing more brides and grooms who get creative and abandon a classic white or
ivory cake in favor of exotic colors, textures or symbolism. For one Seattle couple who planned a honeymoon in
Morocco, a colleague of Page's created Arabic-inspired spice cakes with elaborate tile work, piping and domed tops.
Page has also worked with Indian brides to incorporate the designs of color and patterns in the layers. Since white isn't a celebratory
color in many Asian cultures, she has made vivid red cakes ornamented with gold symbols for good luck and prosperity.
Another Asian favorite is a tinted a serene blue and decorated with sugar lotus blossoms, lily pads and pedestals molded to
look like bamboo. Oranges are symbolic of good fortune and prosperity in Asian cultures, so many of these cakes are flavored with
bittersweet chocolate and orange cream.

“When you scale down anything that small, detail counts. Itʼs got to be perfect.”
says Aimee Page of
Capitol Hilll's Holly
hock Bakery. “These
little cakes are very labor intensive.”
Because of the time and
attention that goes into
the baking and decorating
of many little
cakes, brides frequently
choose them for more intimate pre-wedding gatherings. Adds Page, “They
often work best for small weddings or
bridal showers.”

Let Them Eat Cake: A plated fantasy in blues and creams, perfectly set for an afternoon wedding shower. Three-tired blue and cream buttercream-frosted white chocolate raspberry cake with silver dragees from Hollyhock Bakery. Dover stainless steel flatware from Tiffany and Co. Dover stainless steel flatware from China, Silver and Crystal Shop; stemware from Tiffany and Co. napkins and white garden roses from Martha E. Harris. Banana Republic Bistroware plates. Place cards created by Dragonfly design and production.

Hazelnut mocha cake with layers of hazelnut genoise, hazelnut dacquoise, Frangelio truffle cream, espresso buttercream, and mixed berry tiramisu cake, covered with pale blue white chocolate fondant and handmade sugar-paste twigs, butterflies and spring flowers. By Hollyhock Cakes -by appointment only- www.hollyhockcakes.com

…..Aimee Page, owner and chef
at Hollyhock Cakes on Capitol
Hill,…..makes many whimsical “off kilter” cakes, which
offer endless decorating options.
Comprised of four round layers, cut lopsided, and stacked, the cake
takes on the look of a squashed Dr.
Seuss hat. From there, the frosting
can convey an elegant feel, such as
the one Page decorated in deep
jewel tones, or a more fun look,
tinted in springtime pastels.
Extreme examples aside, even
streamlined frosting design seerns
more decadent. “Anything stylized
is popular,” says Page. She recently
used buttercream to re-create a
delicate pen-and-ink drawing of a
dogwood tree on a cake for a 1930s
nightclub-in-Chinatown wedding.
Page uses white chocolate to
create hand-molded elements of
the frosting, from shells and
startish to flowers and petals. The
latter she brushes with an opalescent edible dust.
“It makes the
flowers look realistic, very natural,”
she says,-Those who prefer the real thing shouldn't worry: Fresh flowers integrated into frosting designs will always be popular.-<br /><br />

Above: Simple, elegant two tiered raspberry champagne cream cake is iced with Italian buttercream and wrapped in white chocolate and white chocolate roses. By Aimee Page, Hollyhock Cakes.

Elaborate or traditional, most cakes today are frosted with buttercream….sets firmly when chilled and holds up even after sitting out for a few hours. The taste is creamy and it's consistency is as smooth as proverbial silk..….Page uses an egg white based Italian buttercream to create flavors such as orange blossom, white chocolate and rosewater, and espresso-cognac. “I probably wouldn't put bittersweet chocolate frosting on a lemon cake,” says Page, nor would she spread a delicate flavor on a dark chocolate cake. “But you know,” she adds, “just try it. If it works, do it.”<br /><br />
Below: Whimsical “off-kilter” mixed berry tiramisu cake is jacketed in jewel-toned harlequin patterns and hand-sculpted primroses. By Aimee Page, Hollyhock Cakes.

...Because fondant has more eye than mouth
appeal, Aimee Page, from three-year old
Hollyhock Cakes in Madison Valley,
still prefers a pure buttercream frosting,
as do many brides and grooms who
expect to have their cake and eat the
frosting, too. This talented pastry chef
has perfected a technique for smoothing
the buttercream and softening the cake
edge for the enrobed fondant look so
many people like. “Itʼs tricky,” she
explains, “but I had very strict teachers.”,
Starting at the age of 14, Page trained
old—world style for seven years under the
tutelage of a grand dame of classic
French pastry in Santa Cruz, California.
This strong background frees Page to
make discoveries in creating the artisan
cakes for which Hollvhock Cakes is
renowned. One new technique involves
drawing a pattern over buttercream in
gel, which Page then paints with glitter
for a dramatic metallic finish
Wedding cakes with a hint of glitz fit
the spirit of the day. Confident, stylish, and not afraid to be noticed,
they honor the classics and add just enough color, texture or glimmer
to be thoroughly modern. lust like the bride.<br /><br />
This page: Tangerine Dream. Two tiers of white chocolate cake with tangerine-colored buttercream sparkle have a sprinkling of sugar on the sides. Ornate scrollwork adds a layer of texture for the eye to behold. Created by Aimee Page from Hollyhock Cakes.

BEST BIRTHDAY CAKES<br /><br />
Birthdays just aren't birthdays without a big old cake and a fire-hazardous number of candles. When she's not swamped in the busy season, Aimee Page of Hollyhock Cakes whips up the most incredible creations in the shape of sunflowers, stacked presents- you name it- all with decadent flavors such as mixed-berry tiramisu and banana. Too beautiful to eat, but somehow we find a way.