Designer Wedding Cakes Interview
From LoveToKnow Weddings
Designer wedding cakes are a skyrocketing trend with today’s brides, and LoveToKnow Weddings was privileged to speak with Ron Ben-Israel of Ron Ben-Israel Cakes about the work involved in these exquisite creations.
About Ron Ben-Israel
Ron Ben-Israel has a long history of design expertise and artistry, including fine arts, dance, and window design. Between artistic jobs, he often found himself working in bakeries, and decided to blend both design and baking together to create luxurious wedding cakes. He apprenticed in France and is now an adjunct professor at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Martha Stewart Living, and the Today Show, and his cakes have appeared in many different bridal magazines and other showcases, including Town & Country and Modern Bride.
The Designer Wedding Cakes Interview
How many cakes do you design each year?
“It’s not always about the number of cakes we bake, it’s more about how many people we feed each year,” Ron said. He estimates that his bakery designs between 400 and 500 unique cakes each year, and some elaborate cakes can take two weeks or longer with multiple people working on the design.
What is a “designer” cake?
“Just like a designer dress, each bride gets to have a cake designed for her own vision,” he said. “Designer cakes are also recognized for their unique style and people recognize who baked it.”
What wedding cake specialties are you known for?
Ron notes that he is often called a “trendsetter,” and he is always exploring new ideas. “I’ve always been interested in technique and I get very involved with it,” he said. “My passion is really making the sugar flowers – it’s kind of a meditative state.”
Ron Ben-Israel Cakes is well known for the extraordinarily detailed sugar flowers that adorn many of their creations: everything on each cake is edible. At the same time, however, Ron insists that the quality and flavors of the cakes also make a statement. “We say very little about our cakes, instead we let people taste and see for themselves,” he said.
The bakery is also well known for its crazy cakes, with different layers tilted at seemingly impossible angles, as well as for its unique flavors. This fall, new flavors include mango, blueberry, and green apple fillings.
How long does it take to create one of your designs?
“The design process takes a long time,” Ron said. He recommends that brides research the cakes they are interested in and begin consulting with him at least six months prior to the wedding date, and for the busiest wedding seasons, up to a year before the event, to be sure they can collaborate to create a unique, beautiful cake.
Creating a cake design is more than just putting together a delicious treat; Ron works with other wedding vendors including the florist, caterer, and reception venue to be sure the cake coordinates with the overall design and theme of the event and even with the bride’s attire. “Bridal dresses are a very major influence on our designs,” he said.
Work on the cake itself begins weeks before the wedding as the sugar flowers are created, ingredients are prepped, and the recipe is perfected. Hundreds of hours of labor can go into an elaborate cake, but because Ron Ben-Israel Cakes prides itself on using the freshest ingredients, the final few days before the wedding are the most hectic. “The execution has to take place very close to the event,” Ron said.
What is the price range on a designer cake?
Every designer wedding cake has an individualized price tag based on the amount of labor required, the size of the cake, and the detail in the design. The simplest of Ron’s designs begin at $12 to $15 per person, but he explained that many brides that choose his bakery are interested in more elaborate and therefore more expensive cakes.
What do you find challenging about this business?
“It’s never a challenge,” Ron said. “It’s always very pleasurable to please a client and still maintain professional integrity.” Today, one of Ron’s biggest challenges is turning away brides whose dream of the perfect wedding cake doesn’t fit what he can provide. “I’m not always the right person to serve them, and I want to make sure that everyone will be happy with the job.” Many brides, he explained, may not realize the expense of a designer cake, and he is always sure to discuss the budget very early on to ensure they have realistic expectations.
What advice would you give to brides ready to look at cakes?
The best thing a bride can do to be ready to design a cake is to look through magazines and websites to find designs she is interested in. Once she has narrowed down her options, Ron suggests that she discuss them with her baker and offer guidelines of what she does and does not want, but then she needs to trust in the baker’s expertise to deliver a delicious and beautiful cake. “Once they feel confident, they should let go,” he said.
To you, what is the perfect wedding cake?
“The most rewarding part of this business for me is to be able to do what I love doing. I get a lot of satisfaction by relating to clients and being a part of their celebration. To me, the perfect cake is the next cake I’m going to do.”
Thank You, Ron Ben-Israel!
LoveToKnow Weddings would like to thank Ron Ben-Israel for sharing his time, expertise, and insight into the scrumptious world of designer wedding cakes. For more information on Ron Ben-Israel Cakes, visit WeddingCakes.com or call (212) 625-3369 to set up an appointment to visit the bakery. Ron Ben-Israel Cakes is located at 42 Greene Street; New York, NY; 10013.
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