Meet some of Cork's amazing cake makers ahead of Cork Sugar Craft Show
A cake by Desislava Petkiva-Georgieva also known as Daisy.
THERE are few people who do not love art, cake and craft, and on March 11 and 12, all these ingredients will be combined at a special event in Cork international Hotel.
The Cork Sugar Craft Show will be the sweetest place to be where you can swoon at the incredible cake decorations, get tips for your own cake decorating, and enjoy trade stands, workshops and demonstrations to inspire and delight.
The Cork Sugarcraft Guild holds the show biannually, and it’s organised and run completely on a volunteer basis, where members of the Guild give generously of their time and expertise.
We caught up with some of those involved...
Emma O’Shea
Emma O’Shea is the President of the Cork Sugarcraft Guild and has a shop in Midelton, ‘Gingerbread House’, a one stop cake and baking supply store.
She studied Culinary studies and Culinary arts in CIT, and she learned the enjoyment of baking from both her grandmothers, Granny May, and Nana Maura, and is keen to pass it on to the next generation.
“I remember putting the hundreds and thousands on Queen cakes, and Granny May, who has since passed away, taught me how to do a Christmas cake, I still have her recipe. I also remember her making birthday cakes for me decorated with chocolate buttons.
“Cakes are something that you definitely remember as they are associated with happy times and celebrations. I love making cakes for my six year old niece Alexia, we enjoy baking and icing cakes together.
“Vanilla cup cakes are her favourite, but we have made a ‘Mary Poppins flying in the sky’ cake which she wanted for her birthday.
“I love being part of the Sugarcraft Guild, it’s a great social outlet, and I am really honoured to be the President.
“Over the last few months, entrants have been busy creating their showpieces. We have a number of different categories for each sugar craft interest and skill. Royal icing, floral, celebration cakes, sculpted centre pieces, cake top ornaments, and a children’s competition.
“During the weekend, all cake showpieces will be on display for the public to come and admire. The competition is judged by members of The British Sugar craft Guild who kindly come over to judge our show. No piece is compared to another, but marked to a standard and points given for each and every skill used.
“You’re not competing with the cake next to yours, it’s all about showcasing each and every Sugarcraft skill that you have. We have over 100 entries to this year’s competition from all over Ireland.”
Desislava Petkiva-Georgieva, also known as Daisy
‘ Do what you love, love what you do” says Daseislava Petkiva-Georgivea, originally from Bulgaria, who is also known to her Irish friends as Daisy.
“I am a proud Irish citizen,”she said and lives in Cork along with her husband and daughter. She couldn’t be happier doing what she loves most - baking and decorating cakes for a living at her business, Daisy’s Delights.
Daisy is passionate about sugarcrafting, a passion motivating her to create some gorgeous cakes, as well as making some great friends, and since last year she has also been passing on her skills and knowledge of the craft to others, teaching a sugarcraft class in Ashton School for higher education.
“I’ve always loved baking. Even as a child I used to bake simple sweet treats from my mother’s recipe notes, and I loved to create cakes for all my family’s special occasions, but back then they were simple and they don’t compare at all with what I make now.
"I am really proud to have my own career working full time baking and I even have my own pink workshop!
“I did a few courses in Brennan’s a few years ago. Since then I’ve been teaching myself. Lots of practice, lots of patience, and learning from my mistakes.
“I met a great tutor, Teresa Callanan, and she mentioned the Cork Sugarcraft Guild to me, so I was curious to know more, and in 2016 I joined the group.
“I really enjoy our monthly meetings, as well as learning new skills from great tutors. Then I was asked to do demos. Finding myself standing up in front of a group of people helped to grow my confidence, and this helped even more when I began teaching others. Since last year I’ve been teaching at Ashton every Wednesday night.
“Each cake is unique and I live for the moment of seeing the excitement on the faces of each person I bake a cake for.
"The cakes I do are always personal for each customer, and the decorating part is the most time-consuming. Depending on the design, I sometimes prepare the figurines in advance, and I sometimes find myself working until two in the morning, but the results are always worth it.”
Daisy’s Delights / Cakes Cork
Diana Good
Diana Good is passionate about crafting spectacular sugar flowers, something she discovered during the pandemic.
“ I have always loved visiting the sugarcraft show. I made a point of attending on my own so I could take my time looking at all the wonderful creations, going at my own pace, and spending ages taking in all the wonderful details.
“It was actually the pandemic which allowed me the time to take it up myself. I did some online classes, as all the ‘real life’ ones had been suspended - the more you do it, the better you get.
“I used to wake up in the mornings during lockdown excited at the prospect of making my sugrcraft flowers - and only for lockdown I would not have discovered it.
“I find it very relaxing. When you start making sugarcraft decorations, it just allows you to switch off and leave your worries behind. You find yourself just concentrating on the task in hand. It’s really enjoyable and I absolutely love it.
“My cousin’s daughter was getting married and that drove me on further to explore the craft as I decorated the cake for the wedding.”
Diana trained as a photographer and it’s clear from her stunning creations that she brings her artistic eye to her craft.
“Now that we are ‘back to normal’, I love going to the meetings once a month. It’s great to be able to share your interests with like-minded people and meeting people face to face as opposed to doing the classes online.
“I’ve also enjoyed going abroad to attend Sugarcraft events and learning new skills.
“I went to London to do a course with Maggie Austin - a famous cake artist from the USA - and recently I went to Germany to a cake decorating marathon event which went on for 24 hours! I stayed up all night decorating, and the excitement helped me to stay awake and keep going through the night.
“I love the joy that I give when I create something for somebody else. Even though it disappears when consumed, I have the pictures to keep. I am going to start giving classes soon, which I will post details about on my Instagram account.”
Diana: Instagram- @SCILLY_BAKER_SUGARCRAFTMAKER
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