Cake Tips from Expert Megan Fitzroy

Megan Fitzroy, Executive Pastry Chef and Owner of Fitzroy Specialty Cakes and Pastries gives us some helpful tips for brides searching for the perfect wedding cake!

  • A broad guideline to follow when choosing the design of a wedding cake is that the more complicated the design, the less tasty it will be.   Of course there are exceptions to this rule, but in general it is usually the case.  A complicated design requires hours and hours of work so the cake used must be able to sit out at room temperature for long periods of time.  In many cases the work done may not be able to be refrigerated.  I myself have worked on a cake for two days and know designers who have worked on a cake for five days!
  • When choosing a cake, decide what is more important, the look of it, or the taste.  If you want a fresh and moist cake, you should opt for a simply designed cake. Also, less complicated cakes can usually be refrigerated which allows more choices of flavors or fillings. Mousse fillings are not stable enough to stand out at room temperature, so only simple cakes that can be refrigerated have delicious mousse fillings.
  • Another helpful tip when searching for the perfect wedding cake is to ask the designer what brand of butter the cake designer uses.  Asking what brand of butter is used in their cake is equivalent to asking a bartender what brand of vodka is used in the mixed drink you would like to order.  You want a high quality butter such as Grand Reserve, Land o Lakes, or Plugra to name a few.  If you don’t recognize the name, that’s not a great sign. The higher quality the butter, the better the flavor of the cake.
  • The same can be said for cocoa powder.  A common brand that is used is Hershey’s, which isn’t the best quality (though some people would argue makes a moister cake).  Ghirardelli, Droste, Callebaut and Valrhona are all good quality cocoa powders that will make a better tasting cake.  However, having said that, what is most important is if it tastes good to you!

Fitzroy and some of her creations

For more from Megan check out her website or call 860 655 8334

Let Us Eat Cake!

This week we had the pleasure of meeting Megan Fitzroy of the newly opened Fitzroy Specialty Cakes and Pastries, and what a sweet treat it was! Ms. Fitzroy brought us cakes with lemon mousse, red velvet and cream cheese, yellow cake with chocolate ganache, and the Private Receptions favorite of chocolate with peanut butter mousse and chocolate buttercream frosting. Mmm, thanks Megan!

from top left: Megan Fitzroy, Owner and Baker, peanut butter mousse chocolate cake, chocolate mousse and yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, Jennifer and Nerissa of Private Receptions

Check out the website or call 860 655 8334 for more info. and stay tuned for a guest blog from Ms. Fitzroy with cake tips and advice for everyday baking!