The cake is the centre piece of any wedding but how do you make it spectacular? We speak to talented cake designer Saajida Patel.

Iced by Saajida was launched in 2006 (then named Simply Stylish Cake Designs) when she was a student. Now her working life consists of three days as a programme leader and lecturer and four days as a wedding cake designer. 

Saajida explains how her two career choices have flourished simultaneously.
“When I was a student, I thought it would be a nice little business to generate some income whilst making people happy with my cake designs. 

“Following graduation and having completed my PGCE in 2012, I was offered a lecturing post. I felt I had to make a decision between my love for designing cakes and my passion for teaching. 

“I doubted whether I could balance both alongside family life, but my husband made me believe I could and so I did.

“It is extremely hard at times, but I have always been determined to be involved in doing something meaningful and rewarding. My education allows me to change lives and my cake designs allow me to add that finishing touch to the most memorable day of my client’s life.”

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The inspirations for her cake designs, Saajida explains come from a diverse range of sources, including her travels, to the textured wall in a restaurant or even the design on a glove.

“My kitchen is my creative studio where I can challenge myself to create something unique for my clients. I take many risks in cake design. The greater the challenge the more I persevere and explore different techniques to find a way to make my ideas come to life. The end product has to be something I am proud to present to my clients.”

One of her most challenging cakes, Saajida reveals was the Taj Mahal cake as seen on her Instagram page @iced_by_saajida.

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“That cake took hours of planning, measuring and planning again, followed by the execution, which was over four days and nights. My dad’s instructions were if I was making the Taj Mahal, the detail had to be spot on! My mum FaceTimed me every day to see the progress. I think they were proud of the final result.”

Saajida set herself a new challenge when she made her sister’s wedding cake last year, “This was the tallest and heaviest cake I have made to date. It stood at 5ft tall. 

“The cake design was inspired from her enchanted garden wedding theme. 

“However, the execution of that cake was a family effort. It could not have been possible to make her vision come to life without my sisters who came to assist every day until the night before the wedding. 

“It was a very special cake, because it was so personal.”

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Saajida is adamant that each wedding cake she makes is unique and that it should reflect the personality of the bride and groom.

"Everyone is different so why should the cake be the same?"

“The wedding cake should be personal to the couple. 

“The cake cutting is such an intimate moment so why not have a cake that will represent the relationship or the couple’s personality or a shared interest.

“I design the cake with little personal touches that may be visible to the couple only. 
“It is those little moments you can keep personal to you even when you are celebrating your wedding with a room full of people.

“I aim to create a memorable journey between myself and my clients, one that will be remembered ten years later when my clients are looking back at their wedding cake photographs.”

This feature appeared in the March issue of Asian Life here