As part of the team over at Marmadukes, Becca Elizabeth is no stranger to stunning food. If you’re looking for bespoke cakes and bakes for your next special occasion, then this is the gal for you. Having just launched her very own website dedicated to showcasing her artisan masterpieces, we decided to have a little chat with her.
So! How long have you been baking?
Oh gosh, it’s hard to remember a time when I wasn’t baking! My earliest memories of baking are from when I was a young child and would help my Nan, though at that stage I was probably more of a hindrance! My Nan was a brilliant baker and it was always the tradition that she would make Parkin for bonfire night and coconut tarts for Christmas. She instilled in me from a young age the importance of home cooked food, both for health and for flavour. From then on I’ve always enjoyed baking as a hobby.
And when did you decide to start pursuing this as a career?
I would say the critical moment when I realised that I wanted to bake as more than just a hobby was when I finished my final year of university. I had studied English Language and Literature, and had spent much of the three years baking away the pressure of deadlines and exams! After graduating, I attended a short patisserie course at the wonderful School of Artisan Food in Welbeck. It was so inspiring, and I suppose something just clicked; the school felt so familiar and comfortable even though it was so new. I made some enquiries and after meetings with several of the tutors, was offered a place on their advanced baking diploma. The course was exceptional – it was intense, with lots of hours spent completing theoretical tasks, practical assessments and placements with other artisan bakeries. I was fortunate enough to learn from the extremely talented team at Violet bakery in London, which inspired me a great deal.
What’s the idea behind your creations? Is there a certain style you do? Is it all about catering for special occasions, or are you happy to challenge yourself to cater for different requests?
The main idea that underpins all my baking is to create something unique to the person receiving it, which often lends itself to celebration cakes as a bespoke cake is such a lovely way to recognise how special someone is, or mark a significant occasion. My style is simple and elegant; the quality of ingredients is paramount, and I have a strict no fondant policy. I was taught by my patisserie tutors at the School of Artisan Food that the exterior of a cake or other sweet should reflect its interior. As such, my decoration always showcases and celebrates the main ingredients and flavours used within the recipe. Cakes aside however, I always relish a baking challenge. Last year I actually took on the rather epic feat of creating the dessert course for the Sheffield Cue Ball, an event held to mark the start of the world snooker championships. I made over 300 lemon parfaits with accompanying Tonka bean Chantilly cream, raspberry coulis and lemon crème. It was a lot of work, but a great moment of accomplishment .
Where would you like this to go? Is the dream to open a chain of shops, just to have one successful local shop…or is there something else you’re aiming towards?
At the moment I have no definite plans or end goals; as long as I’m baking I’ll be content. I don’t think I would ever want to go so far as the have a chain of shops however as I enjoy the person-focused way in which I am able to bake for others when working in close communication with them. I will always want my cakes to be truly bespoke, with each recipe crafted for one individual only. Sadly I think this is easily lost when the size of a business takes priority over the core aim of why the business set out initially. Moreover I am a stickler for detail and albeit sometimes to my detriment, an avid perfectionist, so I take comfort in operating on a small scale. I’m also a keen writer, and I’m looking to extend my website to include a blog, and would love to pursue further recipe publication.
Lastly, describe your ultimate favourite cake?
This is an impossible question. Banoffee is one of my favourite flavour combinations, so perhaps a banana buttermilk sponge with sea-salt cinnamon caramel and a dark chocolate ganache with candied pecans. I also love Middle Eastern food, so perhaps a dark chocolate sponge with tahini buttercream, fresh pomegranate and roasted pistachio. Then again I also love classic cakes such as a Victoria sponge and simnel cake – there’s just so much choice. I think most importantly though, the ultimate cake is one prepared with care and attention and enjoyed with people you love.
Head to her website here for more information!
