There were four tiers, each comprising of different flavours of cake. The bottom tier was chocolate sponge, filled with chocolate ganache and Black Forest syrup. The next tier up was a vanilla Victoria Plum Sponge. The vanilla sponge was drenched with Creme Brulee syrup and filled with vanilla ganache and Victoria Plum jam. The third tier was a lemon sponge sandwiched with fragrant lemon buttercream and lemon curd. Finally, the top tier was a traditional fruit cake in honour of my Nan, as she doesn't think a wedding cake is complete without a fruit cake!
It was without doubt, the most exciting and nerve-wracking challenge I have ever set for myself. However, the moment when I finally finished the cake and I stood back, tired, drained and with more than a touch of Wedding Eve nerves, I also felt a sense of quiet pride that I've never really experienced before. For the first time, I felt I had achieved something that I had previously thought was a bit beyond my ability. I recognised too, the sense of elation that a creative person gets when you see your dreams and ideas standing before you in reality.
In my previous career as I teacher, the sense of achievement I was meant to feel on exam results day when my students had done well and passed their exams was present, but it always felt slightly hollow, as it felt a bit conceited to believe that my students' achievements were my own achievements - after all, they had taken the exams, not me. When I bake, I feel that I am at my most authentic, so it was nice to finally feel comfortable in accepting credit for my work from those most important to me.
Here's to the first Becky BakesWell wedding cake - hope there are many more to come...
Becky B x
