This cake artist based in Ontario, California, creates ’embroidered’ cakes that are too gorgeous, it would almost feel like a crime to take a bite.
We celebrate many occasions in this life, and most of them won’t be complete without a cake. Weddings, birthdays, gender reveal parties, anniversaries – these are just some of the events that call for this sweet treat.
Gone are the days when people were content with the classic frosted vanilla cake. Nowadays, most prefer complex-looking ones, prompting bakers to improve their craft and upgrade their artistic skills to keep up with the changing tastes of consumers.
A cake artist named Leslie Vigil is one of those genius bakers who make the most intricately-designed cakes you will ever see. Her Tapestry creations boast of ordinary sheet cakes ’embroidered’ with colorful ‘stitches’.
Using piped icing to imitate the stitch, Leslie creates a tapestry-like decoration that is reminiscent of Mexican folk dresses. The talented baker can transform ordinary-looking cakes into gorgeous desserts with the addition of stylized flowers, symmetrical laurel leaf patterns, and simple red hearts. The inspiration behind these cakes come from a precious gift she received when she was just a little girl.
“When I was young, my abuelita Irma gifted me a dress with embroidery just like this. It was my favorite and I kept it for years even after I outgrew it. I never dreamed that decades later, I would be drawing inspiration from that very dress!” she wrote.
Because of her Mexican roots, most of her Tapestry cakes scream Frida Kahlo. But Leslie also makes it a point to find other sources of inspiration for her work. Her embroidered cakes are also influenced by Living Coral (the Pantone Color of the Year), Russian thread work, and the seasonal blooms of springtime.
With the merging of these varying influences, it’s a guarantee that Leslie’s embroidered cakes will never go out of style.
In an interview with Better Homes & Gardens last year, the self-described “flour child” shared the story of how she first got into the baking.
“Baking began as a hobby when I was young. My mom would often experiment in the kitchen and she took a cake-decorating class. I was so fascinated with all the beautiful things she made and brought home, so I decided to join her. I’d study her cake decorating books and feel so inspired. At the time, I only knew I wanted to make cakes for my kids like that one day, never really considering I could make a profession out of it. I always hoped I could, though,” she said.
After a few years, she took a baking and pastry program at the prestigious French cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu. After graduating, she began building her own business and is now the maker of the most beautiful-looking cakes one could ever lay their eyes on!
Scroll down to see more of Leslie’s Tapestry cakes.
Follow Leslie Vigil on Instagram.