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MEET THE MAKER MICHAEL LEWIS-ANDERSON A.K.A THE KING I first met Michael at Cake International last year, shortly before staring in awe at his breath-taking display and shortly after offering to take a photograph of him with his hero Eddie Spence of your audience will be. Having the MBE and I will always remember this sweet moment between fear keeps you on guard for all the these two extraordinary cake artists to the royals…it actually mishaps that can happen. brought a tear to my eye. Since then, I have followed Michael’s There are a few guidelines though: divine cake work and definitely become a fan of the and • Dream and enjoy what you are doing the maker. Michael is truly inspirational in his work ethic, • Be 100% sure of your ability before giving nature as well as unapologetic talent so I jumped at the saying yes to your client. This opportunity to interview him at the unveiling of his latest royal doesn’t mean you shouldn’t push yourself to new boundaries and commission… Words: Leeanne Cooper challenges. Going that extra step This is no ordinary cake, with sweet pastrie's and Which tier is fully edible? will teach you where to go. can you tell us more about this added. I’ve adapted this approach The guests completely understand All the best things in cake design For readers new to your work, royal confection? to today’s style. that most of the show piece is a and pastry are all made by how would you describe your cake It was commissioned by the British work of art and a presentation of mistakes (just make sure your career and business? Embassy in Brussels to celebrate HRH my artistic flare. Since we have client gets something perfect). It’s a career that I’ve worked Queen Elizabeth’s birthday. A truly over threehundred guests at the • By all means dream big, but make tremendously hard with, British event, the cake has become the reception the top cakes are real. sure the venue room is appropriate learning from books and trial and focal point of the party – this being Three rich fruit cakes on each layer, to feature such a cake. error. When I started we had none of the sixth that I’ve made in honour stacked and coated with the finest • I made a cake 3m high and the the colours like now nor pre-made of the Queen. Last year’s theme was German and then royal and groom were perfectly flower paste, royal or isomalt. sapphire Jubilee celebrating iced. The cakes are a recipe from my happy to climb a ladder to cut Everything had to be made from sixty-five years on the throne. grandmother and has served many a the top layer! So discuss these scratch. My advice is to learn the The show piece measured over royal palate over the years. elements with your client. basics first and don’t cut corners. 2.5m and was intricately piped with • Also weather conditions and I was passionate about cake design extension work flowers and Where did you learn to temperature at the venue must also from when my mum made my my mouldings, topped off with a structure such incredible be considered. auntie's cake, staying up sapphire crown. cakes and adornment? • Here we presented the cake during all night making roses from royal realise there was a lot more out there This year’s cake was a true The structure of such a cake was the reception. Structure and icing. I must have been four at the to learn. At this time I hadn’t touched challenge due to the success of inspired by the cakes made for stability all have to be taken into time. This showed me the dedication a cake for over a year, I went then to previous years, it meant I had the royal court banquets. They account, no one wants a tower needed and the long hours ahead. In Germany - one to learn the language my work cut out. The theme was have to be theatrical and have the of Pisa. secondary school we made our first and secondly to learn how to make royal purple and to celebrate three wow factor. Making such a cake • Make sure all the layers are level, Christmas cakes and from then on model marzipan and make . generations of the British monarchy. structure isn’t so daunting, it’s just use a spirit level! I was hooked. I went to and Here I developed a concept of wedding I always have freedom of speech on a larger scale. One person said • There are wonderful structural patisserie school and won, and celebration cakes before leaving to with my artistic creations. I chose to me "Michael can only make big…" elements on the market that allow two years running, a scholarship to work in Spain. to feature amethyst, semi-precious well someone has too! The top three you to stack your show cakes. go to the Richemont Confectionary A career in can stones and gold. I take inspiration cakes can be removed and you have A little costly but are well worth School in Lucerne. open doors to travel the world for my show piece cakes from your normal size tiered cake. investing in, only if you have/are I worked as an apprentice on and meet an enormous amount of palaces and stately rooms, either sure to cover your cost and use Saturdays in a specialised cake wonderful people along the way. from royal porcelain which was used What is the best way for a new them again. shop in Oldham run by Jean and For me I’ve made cakes for the royals on a previous cake or an element cake artist to lose the fear when it • My first tall cake I made was when Frank Andrews - they inspired me and other well-known people around of furnishings. Since the cakes are comes to cake structure I was sixteen; it was six tiers of to follow my dreams. I then went Europe and the Middle East. to be presented in such prestigious and stacking? fruit cake, royal iced, with only to Switzerland to work and study This career has allowed me to travel places I find it necessary to work on Honestly, the fear still stays there pillars for support and no dowels. sugar blowing by Ewald and Susan and work in Japan, Israel, a large scale, for maximum impact. at times even after forty years of It stood without sinking. These Notter. This opened another style of America and the Falkland Islands. Historically, in the royal court the experience. This is good; are techniques from the past yet decorating which wasn’t known in the I put an enormous amount of tables were all made of such it’s like an actor going on the stage. important to know how and is the U.K. and allows me to diversify my energy into charity work, this is a grand structures, all faux, and then You never know what the reaction base for all cake structure. styles even more today. It made me way for me to give back and make ➜

74 | August 2018 www.cakedecorationmagazine.co.uk www.cakedecorationmagazine.co.uk August 2018 | 75 MEET THE MAKER

people smile.You will also get You have created so many amazing Will you be at Cake International and asked to do cakes that you don’t cakes for such prestigious clients, what will you be doing at the show? necessarily like for yourself, what has been your biggest cake Cake International is the event of the the only cakes I refuse to do are achievement to date? year and the show to be at. What we rude cakes. There have been so many cakes to will be doing is a bit of a secret at the Remember it’s a magical world and remember and each new one has moment. Under discussion with the you are a magician realising dreams memorable achievements. I think the board - the 25th birthday celebrations for people. Your cake will be the most award winning is the wedding is a big event and all will unfold main attraction at most parties and cake made for HRH King Phillippe accordingly. you quickly make close friends. and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. They Working for the royals has opened a were prince and princess at the time Which up and coming cake artists lot of doors for TV and press coverage. of the cake, which was and do you feel are the ones to watch Now being known under the name orange. It was 2m long and 1.75in right now? of CAKEKING, which has become high. It was served to seven hundred I should actually say myself, but my car number plate. I’m still and fifty guests, in the stately ball joking apart it’s rather difficult to learning and will never stop, room in the palace of Brussels. It choose. There is one person I do there are always new techniques to was covered white and was similar to admire for his work and learn. It’s not working to be the best pipping with only plain tubes. I’ve found me best. It also the wedding cake of Queen Victoria that is Mak Astro. His structural but working to do the best I can do. I knew this wasn’t enough so I depends on the base to be covered. and Albert. Adorned with a garland work is perfect, clean cut edges It’s very rare that I’m happy with grew a hunger to develop a style To paint any mouldings, of flowers on a gazebo structure What skills should every aspiring and a wonderful play of colours. something I make I can always find using all sweet mediums and decorations or cake I would mix mounted with a crown. Members of wedding cake maker master before Another I like is Gwen Powell who fault and I’m my own worst critic. techniques from all over Europe the gold powder with 95.5% alcohol royalty from the world were present starting a business? is DrageeKiss; this concept works You have to be hard on yourself. and this gives me a lot (no smell) to make a liquid paste during the . To be Have good recipes that taste good. wonders and has revamped an old Your cakes will become your of flexibility. runny enough to paint yet thick in the same room was like being on a It’s no good making a beautiful style into something modern and very identity if you’re lucky to find Learn how to make flowers, enough to be applied in one go. Hollywood film set. cake if the inside doesn’t live up to creative. Plus, I love Marta Hidalgo your style. visiting garden centres and Another technique is to mix 10g the look. Coating skills are very because I feel her work is so beautiful, horticultural shows. Try gum of gold powder with 90ml of 95.5% With that in mind, what dream important, without perfecting she expresses true love through How can followers of your much paste, cold porcelain, paper alcohol, shake well then you can cake commission do you still this your cakes may look poor. her work. coveted cake style, recreate and pulled sugar. All give put into a spray gun and spray dream of? Have a general knowledge of some of your timeless designs? stunning results. Then of course the cakes or decorations. You will Difficult to choose, having made all aspects of cake design and Will you be sharing a tutorial If you would like to follow my there are my moulds that I’ve get an even covering, allowing cakes for royalty, Bill Gates, different techniques. There are with readers of Cake Decoration & designs, then you must learn created due to the demand of other you to spray chocolate, ganache, World Peace, Aardman Studios wonderful books, social media and Sugarcraft magazine sometime soon? how to ice cakes properly in all cake artists wanting to make buttercream, soft icing and (Wallace and Gromit), courses to follow. All this is the That would be the biggest pleasure to mediums from sponge to Bavois my style. Being passionate about . His Holiness the Dalai Lama and new generation of learning. Go to share techniques and do tutorials in and fruit, covering with ganache, antiques and other fine pieces of For gold leaf, I would apply with others who can’t be mentioned. art school to learn modelling and future issues. cream, buttercream, soft icing and art inspired me in my creations so the help of sugar syrup (50/50 Possibly for the pope? painting, all skills that are useful royal icing. The most important my moulds came along as a way of sugar and boiled water until there in cake design. Perfect a skill and Readers watch this space… thing is to get the foundations sharing my style. It is fun to see are no crystals). Store in a jar. Do you teach, if so where? find a comfort zone; cakes still done correctly. You wouldn’t build how others can use a mould and This syrup is the base for mixing Teaching is one of my passions. have to be a pleasure and not a a house on bad foundations, the incorporate it into their creations, fruit juices etc. Remember if you I often go to hospitals with Princess drudge. Respect your work and same goes for cake. not necessarily copying, using used a red base under the gold Léa of Belgium and spend time in charge accordingly for your hours. Use the best quality ingredients their own inspiration. That’s what your gold will be more vibrant, just the children’s wards giving activity One of the most important skills and don’t go cheap. Cheap I love. as with picture frames classes. It’s very satisfying to see how is customer contact, get to know ingredients equals cheap cakes. and gildings. happy the children are. a client and feel and understand When the base is perfection, The Goldsmith of sugarcraft, what Professional classes are open to what they wish because it’s their then comes the decorating; learn tips do you have for adding metallic What essential cake kit do you request and requirements of dream you are creating. all the skills from using different to wedding and occasion cakes? always have on you? personal needs. Cleanliness in your work textures to the use of colours. The first question you must ask Piping tubes - with these I can create I’m also in the development of environment, in your techniques If you have a problem with yourself is if the gold is to be eaten everything. Five tubes are all I use; creating a gastronomic holiday in and in your mind is important. colours obtain a colour chart and or only for show. plain tube no. 3.2 and 1, the Dordogne, Périgord region of Be sure to have fifty percent this will help enormously. I will often use a gold that is rose petal, and star tube no. 44. . Full lodgings, teaching of fine payment of cakes at the time of Learn royal icing piping, you non-edible if to be used on false bases. I keep these stored in an old tin of patisserie, show pieces and royal icing order, this will cover costs if the may choose to only go down All that is to be eaten will either be Iranian caviar. I still use my tubes work. Very intense yet at the same time client cancels, And final payment a this line. Royal icing is my edible gold leaf or powders reduced from my training of forty years people can go at their own pace; with week before delivery. If the order is true passion I can sit for hours with alcohol. ago; good quality equipment lasts swimming pool, tennis, bicycle rides, made the same week then payment There are a few techniques that forever, it’s a great investment. massage, and good food! in full at the time of ordering.

76 | August 2018 www.cakedecorationmagazine.co.uk www.cakedecorationmagazine.co.uk August 2018 | 77