We chatted to Ennah recently and here’s what she had to say.
How Did You Get Into Cake Making?
I got into cake making around eight years ago, when I was 12 years old. I loved food technology at school, but I always thought the recipes we were provided with were basic and quite boring. And so whenever we were given freedom to create something of our own choice, I would always go a little bit over the top. I think I just wanted to make cakes like the TV chefs I watched constantly, so i’d spend hours watching youtube videos and picking up other peoples tips and tricks. So really the cake making started from making basic butterfly cupcakes and then adapting the recipe to a sponge cake and then learning how to decorate through watching videos and reading cookbooks. I’ve never been to any cookery schools or taken any courses – although I really wish I had time to.
What Inspires You? And Do You Have A Favourite Cake/Recipe?
What inspires me to bake really is the feeling of joy when completing a cake and seeing all the individual elements come together. I love intricate detail, and I like taking my time and ensuring my cakes are as perfect as they can be. I’m also a massive birthday fan, and most of my cake orders are for birthdays, so knowing that my cake is adding to the fun and excitement really makes my day. My favourite cake recipe that isn’t my own is Nigella Lawson’s Devils Food Cake recipe, super easy to follow, basic ingredients but amazing flavours! I remember watching her make this on TV back in like 2012 and being amazed by how effortlessly the cake was made! I also based my own chocolate cake recipe on this!
What Advice Would You Give When Making Your Own Cake?
I think the best advice I could give when making your own cake, is be patient. It took me a long time to actually get to grips with this, I was always rushing measuring my ingredients or wanting to take the cakes out the tins before they’d cooled or even starting to fill a cake with buttercream when the cake was still soft to the touch! But I’ve now learnt that if I take my time, don’t rush and be patient then I’m making sure theres no room for mistakes to be made. Also never give up when something doesn’t look how you wanted it to the first time, it took me months of practise to get completely smooth buttercream on the sides of my cake, but if I had given up I probably wouldn’t be receiving half as many orders as I am now.
What Is Next With Your Collaboration With Ferris Heart Sloane?
My next collaboration with Ferris Heart Sloane is hopefully going to be my best yet, because its a set up for my own birthday! I’ll be featuring their boxwood garland on the wall, and their foam flowers should make an appearance on some little dessert cups again too! My favourite cakes are those that feature flowers, as they’re so elegant and versatile. Looking forward to continuing my relationship with Ferris Heart Sloane for as long as possible!
Discover Ennah’s cakes – www.ennahscakes.co.uk