Hampshire Weddings – A catch-up with Gemma from Tartufi Cakes for a slice of Hampshire wedding cake and flowers
Sharing the same county as a base and providing luxury West-Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire wedding cake and flowers is what Louise Avery Flowers and Tartufi Cakes provide. Both as premium Hampshire based wedding suppliers. Catching-up with Gemma, for a slice of wedding cake and flowers is always a joy. This interview was the perfect opportunity to through a spotlight on wedding cakes and flowers and uncover some wedmin detail!
Gemma and I have worked together on weddings for some years now. I first met Gemma at a Hampshire Wedding venue open day where we both exhibited. I knew immediately that I liked the look of Tartufi Cakes and trust me I’ve seen hundreds at weddings. Many of which are no where near the standard of cake that Gemma produces! Gemma was also kind enough to let me sample some of her bespoke cake flavours. So now I am able to fully recommend Tartufi Cakes to you, as not only do the cakes look wonderful, but they taste amazing too. Naturally as they are sooooo delicious, I wanted to share some of Gemma’s cake story with you.
How did you get into cake making and what kind of training did you do?
I decided that I wanted to design and make wedding cakes around 12 years ago. Realizing how much scope and beauty there is in wedding cake design and I was hooked. Before cakes, my background was actually in stage design, though I had always loved baking and cooking. It followed, that wedding cakes seemed the ideal path to move into and I am mostly self-taught.
The decision to start Tartufi Cakes in 2009 came after dedicating a year to honing my baking and decorating skills together with experimenting new cake designs. Just 12 months later it had become my full time career!
What are current popular cake flavours?
I offer around 12 cake flavours with other flavours available on request. Along with these options most couples choose a different flavour for each tier of their cake. Choice of flavour really comes down to personal taste and the time of year. And it follows that spiced toffee apple or chocolate are popular for autumn and winter weddings, whereas spring and summer weddings tend to be lighter or citrus inspired like coconut and lime or raspberry and white chocolate. Together with flavours like lemon limoncello and strawberry marc de champagne which are always popular. To explore more unusual flavours consider my amaretto and blueberry cake or the pistachio, lemon raspberry and rose. Very few couples choose traditional fruit cake nowadays. Gluten free and vegan cakes have become more and more popular in the last few years.
Do you offer tasting opportunities or supply cake samples?
Yes I offer all couples a cake tasting and design consultation at my studio. This lasts around an hour and gives them the chance to try a range of cake flavours, see my wedding cakes close up and start creating together the cake design. Some couples, who are not local, opt to have cake samples couriered to them and we carry out the design process online. With the current restrictions in place, this is how I am conducting all tastings and consultations, but with the option of coming for a consultation in person at a later date if they wish.
What about set-up and decoration of the wedding cake and flowers on the day?
That’s a definite YES! As part of the service that I provide, I always personally deliver and set up the wedding cake. Setting-up always takes place on the day of the wedding and my planning process with each couple beforehand covers:
*The best place for the cake table to be situated.
*The design of cake stand.
*Any extra decorations for the cake table.
Most wedding cakes are now sponge based and are quite delicate, needing careful transportation. Moreover, depending on the design and size of the cake it is either transported fully assembled or we assemble and decorate it at the venue. Sometimes the cake has fresh flower decoration as a finishing touch. These are always placed at the venue ensuring the flowers to be as fresh as possible. You’ll often find Louise & Gemma providing luxury West-Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire wedding cake and flowers.
How do you like to work with a wedding florist to co-ordinate the wedding cake and flowers?
I adore flowers so working alongside talented florists like Louise is is a joy. The flowers are always such a big part of the wedding theme so it is really useful for me and exciting, to find out what flowers the couple is having.Many of my cakes have floral decoration. However, if the cake is to have sugar flowers I love to liaise with the florist so that we can replicate the wedding flowers in sugar. When opting for fresh flower decoration, then I ask the florist to provide these. Just as the florist supplies the fresh flowers I like to discuss the flower types ensuring they are suitable for a cake and still coordinate beautifully with wedding flowers. Stunning fresh flowers will really transform a simple cake into a showstopper.
I hope that you have enjoyed meeting Gemma at Tartufi Cakes. It is always a pleasure as a wedding supplier to wok with other wedding suppliers that hold equally high standards both with their product and in their customer service together with being an all round lovely person. If you would like to read more of my blogs please go straight to https://www.louiseaveryflowers.com /blog/
If you would like more information or would like to book a design consultation with Gemma at Tartufi Cakes simply go to https://www.tartuficakes.co.uk
Gemma and I both work at some amazing wedding venues and both of us cover West-Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire for wedding cake and flowers. Venues that you’ll often find us at are:
Hampshire Wedding Venues
*Lainston House, Sparsholt https://exclusive.co.uk/lainstonhouse/
*TitheBarn, Petersfield https://tithebarn.co.uk
* The Aviator, Farnborough https://aviatorhampshire.com
*Tylney Hall Hotel, Hook https://tylneyhall.co.uk
*Cain Manor, Headley Down https://bijouweddingvenues.co.uk/cainmanor/
*Four Seasons Hotel hampshire, Dogmersfield https://fourseasons.com/hampshire/
Surrey Wedding Venues
*Froyle Park, Froyle https://harbourhotels.co.uk
*Farnham Castle, Farnham https://farhnamcastle.com
*Ramster Hall, Chiddingfold https://ramsterhall.co.uk
*Northbrook Park, Farnham https://harbourhotels.co.uk
*Botleys Mansion, Chertsey https://bijouweddingvenues.co.uk/botleysmansion
*Barn at Bury Court, Farnham https://wwwbury-court.com
West-Sussex Wedding Venues
*Goodwood House, Goodwood https://www.goodwood.com
*The Kennels, Goodwood https://www.goodwood.com
*The Goodwood Hotel. Goodwood https://www.goodwood.com
*Cowdray House, Midhurst https://www.cowdray.co.uk
*Southend Barns, Chichester https://www.southendbarns.co.uk
*Farbridge Barns, Chichester https://www.farbridge.org.uk
Studio photography: https://cooperphotography.co.uk
