10 mins with

from Beautifully British magazine - issue 6

Home comforts

EMMA DODI CAKES

We talk to Emma Dodi about her amazing bespoke cakes

Tell us a bit about yourself and the story behind your exquisite cake business? I am Emma, founder of Emma Dodi Cakes. I design bespoke cakes and trademark hand-painted macarons from my studio in Battersea, London. Having had a career in banking, and then four children, I needed something to get my teeth into - literally! I have always been creative and into food (I am Italian) so I guess going from banker to baker was the most natural move - after all, all I needed to do was drop a letter! How do you go about producing a cake for a client – is it based on a story? When I design a cake for a client, there is always a story – their story! I seek to bring their character, design and style into the end result. I discuss tones, colours, textures, like and dislikes translating into the client’s vision and making it a bespoke reality. Sometimes it can be a very quick process, and other times it’s more laborious but it always a fantastic challenge. Who have you made cakes for? I have made bespoke macarons and cakes for corporates such as De Gournay, Ridley London, Blakes London, Rosie Fortesque Jewellery. I have also made them for a number of very well know names, but in many cases I can’t say who – I have been sworn to secrecy I’m afraid!

And finally, tell us three random things about yourself? I have pink hair! I love windsurfing and I once set up a self-storage business.

Your cakes taste amazing but also push the boundaries when it comes to the design, don’t you? I love the creative process, I love the challenge of making bespoke products and I love to push boundaries, so I’m always so excited and passionate about my projects. The beauty and aesthetics of the end product is what drives me, I’m forever drawing in my sketchbook, and have numerous scrapbooks where I collect and collate things I like. I always want to do something different and come up with new and original designs

Tell us about the ingredients, and what are your favourite ingredients to use? I love the alchemy of the kitchen. I love to use the finest ingredients, and can often be found in the kitchen experimenting with new flavours and recipes! I am very focused on taste and texture and I experiment quite a lot before adding new flavours to my repertoire – the most recent being delicious, zingy Japanese yuzu. Macarons are one of your signature bakes. What is it about this small sweet treat that you like? First and foremost I love macarons so that’s how it all started. Macarons are renowned for being tricky to make but I love a challenge! And quite simply, I just love how a simple almond cookie can be so versatile in terms of fillings and so utterly delicious. Plus, despite being so small and delicate, I can be creative, I can paint them, personalise them, make them unique and even more special than they already are.