The Whimsical Bakehouse

Fun-to-Make Cakes that Taste as Good as They Look!
by Kaye Hansen and Liv Hansen, photographs by Ben Fink

Three neon-bright layers of cake tilted at a jaunty angle and adorned with edible chocolate candles; a Jackson Pollock–inspired cheesecake spattered with chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter icing; a swarm of plump bees perched atop a rainbow of candy-colored cupcakes—these are only a few examples of the unfettered creativity at work at the Riviera Bakehouse. There, mother-daughter bakers Kaye and Liv Hansen turn out some of the most charming, refreshingly eccentric cakes ever to grace a birthday or wedding celebration.

Kaye and Liv Hansen believe that a cake should taste as good as it looks, so they skip esoteric (and inedible) decorations in favor of simple butter cream, flavored whipped cream, and tinted candymaker’s chocolate, covering their luscious cakes with amusing designs and gorgeous colors that are easy to make and delicious to eat. The cakes themselves are no less enticing, pairing old-fashioned favorites like banana cake and spice cake with sumptuous fillings such as French custard and chocolate mousse. Simple step-by-step lessons, illustrated with photographs, explain how to re-create Liv’s charming chocolate designs, from the bright polka dots that shine against dark chocolate glaze to the shimmering stars that adorn the enchanting “Starry Night.” Templates for the delightful designs allow you to adapt these techniques to create your own unique decorations. 

See Details