I have been so lucky to be contacted by one of my favourite cake designers in the world who make some of the most beautiful cakes designs. His name is Jean Michel Raynaud a frenchmen living in Sydney, Australia. He has worked as a cake decorator for over 20 years now and he is at the moment general manager and creative director of Sweet Art in Sydney.
Jean Michel have had 10 covers in the main cake magazine in Australia and he have made cakes for several celebrities as well. He has agreed to answer questions regarding cake decoration from the readers of CakeJournal. So if you have a cake question you would like to ask a true cake artist then please send it to me. I will to begin with select 10 questions and send them to Jean Michel. When he has answered I will publish both questions and answers here on CakeJournal. I hope to get lots of interesting questions from you 🙂
I will finish this post with some of Jean Michel’s beautiful creations. Enjoy!
Happy Caking
Louise
Hulya Berkem: The cakes is made by Jean Michel Raynaud. He roll out his fondant very thin and then he has chocolate ganache under instead of bc.
OMG!These cakes are very beautiful and perfect how could you do the edges so sharp?You are very talented, congrats!!!
Sylvia…. you said it!!! A man that handsome… and cake that beautiful… What a deadly combination.
LOL!!!!
hellooooooooooooooo..forget the cakes…..i’ll take the man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, I cannot get over how perfect and beautiful his work is. My question is, how do you get to that level? I love this art and get my fair share of practice working as a cake decorator in a retail store. I know several techniques but I would still like to learn and accomplish much more in this industry. Culinary school does not teach this, what can I do to make it happen?
Oh and I didn’t realize that was a cake if someone else didn’t mention the camera. He is Awesome!!!
Not only is he extremely talented, the man is hot hot hot. Yum.
oops, sorry. My question was…. I’ve tried alot of buttercream recipes out there and I still have not found one I truly like. They are all very sweet. What would Jean Michael suggest? one that is not too sweet, holds its shape and can last without refrigeration? Thanks a bunch from Canada.
This is really great. I will soon send questions to Jean Michel.
Cake Bunny: No that camera IS cake!!! Incredible right??
OK, I’m just going to ask it…is that camera a cake? Not the tripod part, but the top part? Mabe it’s just the fact that the picture is B&W, but I have to know LOL!
Ok…..i’m back again. I keep looking at that fabulous cake. It makes me want to run to the cake store and try to practice his style
Response to renee: There is this stuff called bettercreme.I think it’s the brand name, but i’m not sure. I know I can get it in my local cake supply store. I swear by it. It tastes like whipped cream and holds it’s shape pretty well. I usually make my cakes with this. I’m not a big fan of buttercream.
What is a good learning guide for string work? I have several books but is there a good DVD out there concerning it? Thank you.
wowwww it is wonderful very thanks
Hi Louise 🙂 Wow, where do I start with my questions?! I think I have too many.
I live in Australia (about 5 hours from where the Sweet Art shop is) and would drive, run, walk, crawl, just to get to do some work experience with Jean Michael for a day, 2 days, a week perhaps? Spending some time with him to see how he works would be invaluable and soooo amazing for my career! Please please please 🙂
Thanks for the mail. It is really encouraging .Hiscakes are superb ,shows a lot of expertise.I am looking forward to the day I will decorate cakes like that.Everything neat and beautiful. All edges straight and square.Very lovely imagination and ideas.Really good.I feel like knowing so much like him. thanks . You are a gift. More of such good things.
Hi Louise!
So cool this opportunity thank you….
I would love it if he could share his recipe for butter cream, I have learn that most of the very good decorator like him and you use their own little tricks to have no air in it, flavors etc.
Thanks !
My question is this – I live in Melbourne, and I find that good decorating teachers are very hard to find. I’ve already got experience but would like some further education, especially in some of the finer details. There are a fair few beginner courses around, but that’s about it. Would Jean Michel be wiling to take on an apprentice for a week?
M
Danielle:
Thanks for the idea of checking out Micheals. There is one about 45 minutes from where we live, but very worth the drive for my Little Cake Lady ;O)
In response to those who asked about school verses apprenticeship, it all depends on how you learn the best. Some people take in information very well just by reading a book, some people are visual learners and need the hands-on technique to learn. When attending chef school, I always learned better hands-on. Books (and recipes) just bore me LOL!
And thank you Louise for opening this blog and connecting so many talented people together. If people would just work together like this in all things in life….
Warmest wishes to you all,
Cake Bunny
Louis,
Thank you so much for introducing me to such a fabulous cake artist. My question to Jean Michel would be when making flowers for his cakes does he prefer buttercream or royal icing, or any other material? Also is there a recipe for a whipped cream frosting that will hold it’s shape and can be used for decorating. Thank you so much for your help! Keep up the great work!
Louise,
Thank you for the opportunity to have our questions answered by such an amazing professional! My questions would be:
What are the biggest challenges in having a successful cake designing business and how do you address them?
Do I need to graduate from culinary school to be successful in the business, or can I get appropriate experience by working for someone else?
Any suggestions for someone considering starting a business?
Thank you!
Would like to know how he got into the business of cakes, what advice he has for someone starting a legal licensed cake business? where does he draw his inspiration for his creations from, and yes, yes, yes, what brand of fondant he uses.
Veronica: That is my favourite too I just love all his cakes decorated with Lalique. Again all of Jean Michels cakes is beyond beautiful.
Please remember to email questions for Jean Michel to me Thanks!!
Also thank you Danielle Moore for directing to cake decorating classes:-)
Tonya: thx for the info.
I was looking at your favorite blogs. The last one on the list The Cake Lab. My computer found a virus when I opened it. Just thought i would passthe info along. BTW LOVE YOUR WORK
Mon Dieu!
Those cakes are fab-u-lous! are those flowers real?!!!! what are they made of?! I hope that 1 day i can create a cake as “perfect” as these.
what is the secret to getting a cake edge that is soo sharp?
wonderful cake and i love the tripod cake stand love it!!!! great idea thank you so much for taking the time to share his cake.
Those cakes are GOURGEOUS!!!! Cake Bunny if you have a Michaels craft store or Jo Anns craft store in your area contact them. They have cake decorating classes for a nominal fee. They give you step by step instructions. Then she will get to usr her skills as an artist. Good luck to the little Cake Lady
WOW! His cases are AWESOME! I am not a great artist but my cakes come out pretty good but nothing compared to Jean’s work. I have been taking many cake classes which have helped my cake art abilities. What type of classes should I be taking to master the art of Cake decorating? Should I attend a culinary art college?
I would love to know what the best technique is for getting the edges of square cakes so straight…thanks!
Wow, I would also like to know what type of fondant, if it is fondant, he uses. My hat off to a really brilliant cake decorator.
I would also like to know what fondant recipe Jean Michel uses, whether it is made from scratch or purchased as I do not like the taste of many of the fondants pre-packaged on the market today. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to speak to someone who knows cakes!
I would love a tried and true cream cheese butter cream recipe for those who want butter cream toned down with the taste of cream cheese. I have tried several recipes and I have even tried adding Lorain oil cream cheese flavoring to butter cream, but either the recipe is too runny or I end up using way too much of the Lorain oil to get the flavor I am looking for. This would be wonderful as I have another wedding coming up in 45 days where she wants the cream cheese butter cream icing on her cake. Thank you very much and I love your cakes Jean Michel!
What an honor to have such talent share with us! I would like to know how to create “initials” on the side of buttercream cakes. Are there any tricks to getting them to stay put if created in fondant? If piped, how do you get the steady, smooth look as if stenciled on?
Thank you very much!
Susan Ball
Stockbridge, GA USA
I love these cakes!! Could we get a tutorial on either of these masterpieces?
I am a total beginner cake decorator with a great ambition to learn it all. Here are my 1st 3 cakes that I posted on cake central:
https://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-photos-by-nbs4847.html
I love Cake Journal! Thank you for all of your creativity!
wow this artist is really great . can t beleive these are reall. they re so perfect.
I use Swiss Meringue buttercream for my cakes which are mostly carved cakes, but was wondering if a crusting buttercream is better, and which brand of fondant does he prefer? I too would love to know how he got his edges so sharp! And is that him in the picture? If so he is one cute cake decorator.
Hello!
I have a 12 year old that has blossomed into a talented artist. She has indicated interest in applying her abilities to cake decorating and pastries. My question is: What steps should she take now in order to reach her goal of becoming a cake artist? (If it helps, her cakes are whimsical and mostly animals an children at this time. She has not done much piping, mostly hand-formed characters). Thanks so much for your expertise!
Cake Bunny
Ok…i just about died when i saw the cake on the left. How did he get the edges so sharp? Did he use fondant? Who did he sell his soul to? Can i cash in on that as well?