“Lost in Jeddah” - Statement cake edition

I still recall browsing through the magazine last September at Four Squares Cafe. I decided on buying two copies, when the manager said that it's not for sale. Yet he insisted that I take both the copies for free after several rounds of polite declining. By the end of the first read I made a personal note to myself that this was a very creative and insightful collaboration printed out every month worth looking out for.

Eight months later myself and my Cake Story is privileged to be featured on the very same magazine and it was a "pinch-me moment" the minute I received the invite from the team @destinationshq .

When the mail came from this popular local magazine called “Destination Sharqiya” to be featured as a Cake Connoisseur alongside other artists in the Eastern Province, I was over the moon. I was keen on creating a design that was inspired from Saudi Arabia. I have never been to Jeddah yet the desire to visit the ancient town of Al Balad there remains strong till date.

The color palette for this cake has been inspired by the traditional houses in the town that have an Ottoman influence. Turquoise, rust, golden yellow and dark brown were the colors used. Although the design of this cake is very different from what one sees in Al Balad, the essence of the the town lies in its composition. Considering how old the town dates back to, as old as the 7th century, I wanted to achieve a very aged and crackled feel. The turquoise paint of the walls gently peeling and cracking away to reveal the brown of the wood beneath; so timeless, and that was my vision.

I felt golden yellow leaves from stems should have a rusted appearance to depict the beauty of the houses that have stood the test of time complete the body of the cake. The leaves have been handcrafted in gumpaste. The texture on the body of the cake have been achieved with Fondant and Royal icing.

I had a great time putting together this cake for the feature and shoot. The article was penned by Dahlia @diariesofasaudigirl .The Photography was by Zahra @zoz_gallery. This copy will forever be treasured as it counts as the first printed feature about my journey after nearly three and a half years of labor and effort.

This will probably be the next top favourite tiered cake of mine ever since the " Tree of life" I made in 2016