Essence of Cake UK

01/10/2026

We showed you the feedback… now let’s show you the cake behind it!

A milestone birthday deserves a cake that says more than simply “Happy 60th.” It should say something about the person celebrating it.

This one was all about the birthday boy and the things he loves, with fishing taking centre stage and, of course, his four-legged companions making an appearance too.

From the fishing scene wrapping around the cake to the handmade dogs sitting proudly on top, every element was chosen to make it personal to him.

That's what I love about bespoke cakes. You can take someone's hobbies, passions, favourite things and memories and bring them together to create something that tells their story in sugar.

And after sharing the wonderful feedback we received for this cake, it seems only right that you finally got to see the creation itself!

If someone designed a cake completely around YOU, what three things would absolutely have to be on it? 👇🏾

30/09/2026

The secret is out… 🎁

Introducing the Essence of Cake Portsmouth 100 Rum Cake Gift Box; a rich, handcrafted cake made with locally produced Portsmouth Distillery rum.

Beautifully presented and created to celebrate this landmark year.

Made in Portsmouth. Made for Portsmouth 100.

Join the VIP list for launch news and first access. 👇🏽

29/09/2026

When a cake tells THEIR story, it becomes so much more than cake. ❤️

There's something extra special about creating a 60th birthday cake that's completely personalised around the person receiving it—their hobbies, interests, memories and all those little things that make them them.

And receiving a lovely testimonial afterwards? That's the icing on the cake!

Thank you for trusting Essence of Cake with such an important milestone.

28/09/2026

The secret is finally out… TWO wedding cakes were actually ONE!

Remember the elegant square wedding cake with the hand-piped swirls? And then the bold, colourful Dragon Ball Z wedding cake?

Well… they were the SAME cake!

This couple wanted the best of both worlds, so we created a half-and-half wedding cake.

From one side, beautifully elegant, understated and traditionally bridal. Turn it around and… BAM! A completely different personality, bright, bold and unmistakably Dragon Ball Z.

I absolutely loved creating this because it perfectly represents what modern weddings can be.

You don't have to choose between elegant and fun.
You don't have to follow somebody else's idea of tradition.
And you definitely don't have to settle for a cake that doesn't feel like you.

Why choose one style when you can have both?

A fitting final creation to round off a wonderfully busy wedding season, and definitely one I won't forget in a hurry.

So now you've seen the reveal… which side are you choosing: elegant swirls or Dragon Ball Z?

25/09/2026

Who says a wedding cake has to be white, floral and traditional?

From understated elegance to something bold, colourful and unmistakably Dragon Ball Z… because why not?

Today's couples seem much happier to make choices that reflect who they actually are, rather than feeling they have to follow a particular idea of what a wedding should look like.

And I love that. After all, whose tradition is it anyway?

If Dragon Ball Z is part of your story, why shouldn't it be part of your wedding day? A wedding is a celebration of two individuals coming together, so your cake can be just as personal, fun and unexpected as you want it to be.

I even went the extra mile with this one and researched the symbol for "married" so I could incorporate another meaningful detail into the design. It's those little touches that make bespoke cakes so much fun to create.

But there's another reason I'm showing you this cake today…

Remember the secret I mentioned about my previous wedding cake?

Well, this cake might just have something to do with it. 🤫

That's all I'm saying for now!

Would you go traditional with your wedding cake, or would you choose something that completely celebrates your personality and passions?

24/09/2026

Something special is being baked for Portsmouth… 🎁

A splash of rum, a touch of gold and a gift created especially for Portsmouth 100.

Something delicious is coming this Christmas.

Join the VIP list for first access 👇🏽

23/09/2026

This wedding cake is hiding a secret… can you guess what it is?

And just like that, this beauty marked the final cake of a very busy wedding season!

Square wedding cakes bring their own challenges. Those perfectly straight sides and corners can be far less forgiving than a round cake, but there are definitely benefits too, you get more cake per tier, and they're wonderfully straightforward to portion and cut.

For this design, I wanted the decoration to feel elegant but completely individual.

Every swirl was hand-piped, with no set pattern and plenty of deliberate randomness. No two sections are exactly the same, making the finished cake completely unique to the couple.

But appearances can be deceiving…

Because this cake has a secret.

Something you definitely wouldn't know just by looking at it.

I'm not giving anything away just yet…

What do you think the secret is? Drop your guesses below! 👇🏾

21/09/2026

We had to start with a little bit of Pompey! 💙🤍

As we get back to posting regularly, there was really only one cake that felt right to help mark our return… a Portsmouth FC themed cake!

Over the years, we've been fortunate enough to create many, many football cakes celebrating clubs from across the country. Every one has been great fun to make, especially when you know just how passionate football fans are about their team.

But these days, a Portsmouth cake feels that little bit more special.

Why?

Because Portsmouth is now home.

Well… not so new anymore! 😂

It's funny how life takes you in different directions. A few years ago, I wouldn't have imagined that I'd be living by the sea, building Essence of Cake here and becoming part of the local community.

So creating cakes inspired by our local club now comes with an extra little sense of pride.

Here's to being back, creating more memories, celebrating more birthdays and, of course…

Play up Pompey!

Are you a Pompey fan, or which football team would HAVE to feature on your birthday cake? 👇🏾

18/09/2026

Who says you HAVE to have a wedding cake?

One of the things I love about weddings is seeing couples throw out the rulebook and choose something that feels completely them.

This lovely couple decided they wanted freshly made waffles (it was the first dish the bride made for the groom) instead of a traditional wedding cake and judging by this feedback, it was definitely the right decision!

Being part of someone's wedding day is always special, but hearing that the guests loved the experience, the waffles and all those delicious toppings makes it even sweeter.

Your wedding doesn't have to follow tradition. If you're a waffle-loving couple, why not have waffles?

After all, some of the best weddings are the ones where the couple simply says, “This is what WE want.”

And yes... I will happily turn up and make waffles for your guests!

Would you swap the traditional wedding cake for freshly made waffles?

17/09/2026

The last few weeks have had more ups and downs than the track on this cake!

Life—and business—doesn't always travel in a straight line.

The last few weeks have certainly taken us on a few unexpected twists, turns, loops and bumps. There have been moments when we've had to slow right down, change direction and simply deal with whatever was around the next corner.

But just like those little Hot Wheels cars… we're back on track! 🏁

We're so happy to be back creating, sharing our cakes and posting regularly again. And a huge THANK YOU to everyone, especially our clients, who has checked in, sent messages, shown patience and continued to support Essence of Cake while things haven't quite been business as usual.

Sometimes you don't realise just how wonderful your community is until life throws you a few unexpected loops.

Here's to getting back in the driving seat, creating more fabulous cakes and hopefully enjoying a slightly smoother track for a while!

How have the last few weeks been for you—smooth sailing or a bit of a rollercoaster too? 👇🏾

06/09/2026

18/08/2026

Who knew talking all day could be this exhausting?!

Yesterday the Talking Hospitality crew had a full-on day of recording,plenty of laughs, brilliant conversations and some fantastic guests around the table.

We got stuck into the world of hospitality recruitment, exploring the realities of both internal and external recruitment, the challenges facing operators and what needs to change.

Some cracking conversations coming your way. Watch this space…

HospitalityCareers HospitalityPeople UKHospitality PodcastLife BehindTheScenes HospitalityProfessionals HalloweenSpecial ChristmasSpecial PodcastRecording

12/08/2026

Reviews like this make every slice even sweeter!

Knowing that our Cake Slice Boxes bring smiles long after they've been delivered is exactly why we do what we do.

Thank you to every customer who takes the time to leave a review, it means the world to a small business like ours. ❤️

Have you tried one yet?