Find Whimsical Cake Inspiration from a Celebrity Cake Baker

When Mariah Carey began planning her secret Bohemian wedding to now-hubby Nick Cannon she wanted her wedding cake to be both perfect and private, so she called on celebrity cake baker Margaret Braun. Braun created a stunningly beautiful white four chocolate blackout cake covered in bittersweet chocolate–toffee ganache and decorated with white sugar bows, butterflies, and gold leaves for the bride, and rumor has it Mrs. Cannon was so protective of this sugary masterpiece she actually flew to the island with it resting in the seat beside her.

Carey’s wedding cake was just a whimsical wonderland of beauty, and it really added something special to an otherwise simple and intimate beach wedding. Clearly Braun knows her stuff: She’s been called “A Sugar Extraordinaire” by Food and Wine, and “the Guru of Wedding Cakes” by New York Magazine. Most recently Braun created one of the cakes featured in Bride Wars, starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. Sure, booking a celebrity cake baker like her might cost more than you care to spend on your wedding cake (she’s been known to fly with her cakes when they’re delivered to her clients!), but letting her beautiful work inspire you to envision your own cake concept will only cost you about 40 bucks! I’m talking about purchasing her critically acclaimed book Cakewalk: Adventures in Sugar with Margaret Braun, which is packed from cover to cover with gorgeous photos of amazing cakes and fascinating behind the scenes insight. Use it for fantasy like cake inspirations for your wedding, then as a coffee table book after the face, since these cakes are clearly works of art. Let your mind take the journey with Braun through cake paradise, and I bet you’ll come out on the other side with a fantasy cake idea (or two!) that fits your personal or wedding style.

And, if you’re into butterflies as much as Mariah Carey is, check out these pretty (and affordable!) 5-in. Swarovski CrystalEmbellished Butterflies for your wedding cake, available in various colors for just $15 from AdvantageBridal.com. They’re sure to instantly transform a simple cake into A-List eye-candy. We suggest setting up a faux garden on one of the tiers and letting the butterflies rest there.

photos: AdvantageBridal.com; Amazon.com