Local cake artist Rachel Cox goes the nontraditional route
If there’s anything that the food network has taught us, it’s that cakes can literally be shaped as anything in the world, and still be delicious. Well … maybe a giant man-killing-robot cake still tastes the same as a plain ol’ rectangular one, but it’s way more fun. Anyhow, Santa Cruz has its own cake artist named Rachel Cox. Her business All About Cake! is an appointment-only business, but she will be glad to fulfill whatever crazy cake design you have in your head for whatever outlandish event you’re planning.
GT: If someone wants a custom cake, what’s the process they go through with you?
Rachel Cox: I like to sit down with my clients and understand what they’re looking for and I might go back and forth with them by email before I create the final piece. If it’s a big piece I’ll come up with a drawing for them and then create it out of cake. I do things people can’t get anywhere else, and also just elaborate wedding cakes. But I also do regular cakes. Somebody comes up to me with a strange request, I’m like, ‘I’ll try that, let’s see how it comes out.’ I, of course, love watching all the food network shows, like Ace of Cakes and the competition shows, and all the crazy stuff that they do. I was inspired, like, I could do that. So, I’ll try different things.
What’s the weirdest cake you’ve ever made for someone?
I guess the baby bump cake is what’s been popular this year—the shape of a pregnant woman’s torso. I’ve done several. Once I’ve made a few, people have told other people, and they want it. They’re all a little different. They have a different color top on or different design. It’s still that baby bump shape. I’ve made some adult-themed cakes. I do cakes for bachelor/bachelorette parties, weddings, baby showers, whatever.
You also do classes?
It’s more like a one-on-one thing. It’s based on whatever the client is wanting, maybe they have a party or a function, and they want to be the one to provide the dessert or cake or whatever. I kind of hold their hand and walk them through it, step by step. They’ll learn some skills that they can take on in the future.
Do you have a background in art and drawing?
No, I really don’t. I never really thought of myself as an artist until I learned to decorate cakes.
allaboutrachelscakes.com 408-828-1288 ch*********@ya***.com . PHOTO: CHIP SCHEUER
