Sweet Sensation

SUNNINGDALE COUPLE TYLER DUNCAN AND MICHAEL JOUBERT’S CAKES ARE NOT ONLY MASTERPIECES BUT A TREAT FOR THE TASTEBUDS TOO, WRITES CANDICE BOTHA

Tyler Duncan and Michael Joubert have been making Durban North cake lovers’ dreams come true for six years with their intricate and innovative creations that taste as good as they look. The pair met at the Westville International Hotel School in 2014 and bonded over a shared love of patisserie despite studying traditional cheffing.

When Tyler fell ill with a neurological condition she and Michael decided to utilise their expertise and artistic talent, and started baking and icing exquisite cakes from home where she could manage her own schedule and work around her good and bad days. “Michael’s positivity always gets us through the harder days,” Tyler says.

Just Peachy Cakes has gone through a few changes, including a stint in a dessert food truck and having tables at markets, and through it all the demand for the couple’s cakes has continued to increase – far exceeded their expectations.

Michael does the baking and Tyler decorates. “We do a range of flavours from traditional vanilla and chocolate sponges to lemon curd and coconut, chocolate hazelnut, and chocolate and raspberry, my favourite, and spend time perfecting our recipes so that they’re always delicious,” says Michael.

When it comes to the decorating, Tyler works with clients who often have a few pictures of what they want, a theme or a colour scheme in mind which she then interprets. The result of this collaboration between the pair is a range of celebration cakes that have guests raving at weddings, birthdays and baby showers.

From tiered wedding cakes, cupcakes and letter cakes to cake pops, iced biscuits and macaron towers, they’re happy to create a cake in any size, shape or form. “My favourite cakes to work on are those decorated with fresh flowers and drip cakes, because there is so much you can do with both concepts,” says Tyler. “We also enjoy creating delectable mini cakes – miniature cakes perfect for one or two people to enjoy and small enough so fit in the palm of your hand – that are individually packaged and feature elaborate decor and flowers. People like to give them as birthday or thank you gifts. They take just as long as the big cakes to create, though.”

Tyler is also a whizz with fondant figurines, and kids and adults alike are frequently delighted to find animals and favourite characters and items perched on their cakes. Just Peachy’s cakes covered completely in brightly coloured sweets and chocolates are also popular.

Michael and Tyler can create just about anything you can imagine, from cakes in the shape of coffee cups, cricket bats and tins of tomato sauce to circus tents and unicorns. Novelty is the word with cakes sporting fondant hot dogs, rainbows, casino chips and even Yoda appearing on their instagram feed. “Just about every cake comes out differently from how I pictured it. I love the process,” Tyler says, “and that it’s not an exact science.”

The couple work well together and the business runs from their home studio in Sunningdale. Their goal is to have a shop where people can come and sample their creations and watch cakes being styled. Tyler loves the creative side of the work, and although she would never have guessed that this is what she’d be doing when she was at school, she says that she couldn’t imagine doing anything else. For Michael, although his qualifications in cheffing and management have lead him down different paths, he always ends up baking again and he’s fully committed to Just Peachy Cakes now, too.

“The most rewarding part is to see people receiving their cakes. Some jump with joy. Cakes make a celebration and bring happiness – it’s wonderful,” says Michael. The biggest challenge is saying no to last-minute orders! “I find it very hard to turn someone away,” Tyler says. “Even if we have to work through the night, we create a beautiful cake.”

FOR MORE INFO Tyler: 066 272 1999; www.instagram.com/justpeachy_cakes/