Carrie Biggers
Cricut Cake was able to catch up to a very busy Carrie Biggers (of Carrie’s Cakes) just as she returned from a summer cake-decorating cruise. Sit back, serve up a big piece of cake (perhaps some of Carrie’s lemon cake), and enjoy getting to know her a little bit better. Bon appetite!
CC: What or who got you interested in cake decorating?
CB: My neighbors and I took a Wilton class together at the middle school so that we could make cute birthday cakes for our kids when they were young.
CC: How long have you been decorating professionally?
CB: 22 years. My business, Carrie’s Cakes, started about 18 years ago.
CC: If you weren't a cake decorator, what would you be?
CB: I’ve had many others businesses in the past to help supplement our family income. I taught my own pre-school for 15 years. I sewed professionally for many years making dance costumes, choir dresses, doll clothes, wedding gowns, and bride’s maid dresses etc. I did acrylic nails for four years inbetween baking cakes. I’ve always enjoyed creating and doing things with my hands.
CC: Who do you most want to decorate a cake for?
CB: Oprah’s best friend Gayle
CC: Tell us about your biggest cake decorating disaster.
CB: I tried to transport a 5-tier cake completely stacked and finished. It was simply too tall and top heavy, which caused it to tip over in the car during delivery. It was a miracle that we managed to replace the cake with a 4-tier cake before the wedding started.
CC: Tell us about your greatest cake decorating moment.
CB: Doing an episode of Ultimate Cake Off for TLC. I overcame my fears. I withstood the stress of creating a five foot cake creation in eight hours, while cameras were rolling. During the entire time they are firing questions, causing interruptions, and distractions. We finished with a cake my team and I were proud of. I also won the tasting contest!!
CC: What are your words of wisdom to new cake decorators?
CB: Practice. Practice. Practice. Make cakes for everyone you know! Also take advantage of any classes you can take. I wasted many years trying to figure things out by myself. I make it a point to take classes myself every year, just to keep growing and stretching.
CC: Do you have a favorite Cricut Cake tip?
CB: Try cutting your pieces out with paper first, to check for size etc. This way you don’t waste time rolling out gum paste over and over.
CC: How has Cricut Cake changed the way you decorate?
CB: It has been added to my “bag of tricks,” or my “arsenal of tools,” and with it I now know that so many more things are possible. I have options never available to me before. I love being able to combine other decorating techniques together with Cricut Cake to create something new and original.
CC: Do you have a favorite Cricut cartridge for decorating?
CB: I love all three of the new Martha Stewart cartridges; Elegant Cake Art, All Occasions Cake Art, and Seasonal Cake Art.
CC: Do you have a favorite cake? Do you have photos of the cake?
CB: My favorite cake is always the one I am working on at the moment.
CC: What inspires you?
CB: The theme of the party that I am making a cake for. I always want to personalize, and make special occasion cakes one-of-a-kind.
CC: Do you get inspiration from fashion and home decor trends?
CB: I see design ideas everywhere I go. Fabric speaks to me. I love the texture of embroidery and lace; wallpaper, carpet, wrapping paper all give me ideas.
CC: How do you incorporate these trends into your cakes?
CB: My favorite thing to do is customize a wedding cake using the wedding gown as inspiration. I am thrilled when guests say, “That cake is her gown!”
CC: Do you listen to music or watch TV while you decorate? What music? What TV programs?
CB: I’m addicted to all the cake shows on satellite. I record them all so I can watch while I’m working alone in the kitchen late at night. I also have to catch up on Oprah and Dr. Phil since I don’t watch them during the day.
CC: How many hours do you decorate each day?
CB: My staff does my baking, buttercreaming, and fondant work. I just step in to do the fun part of decorating, and finish work. That’s usually about four hours an day. The rest of the time I’m answering phones and meeting with customers.
CC: What are your other passions/hobbies?
CB: I have a pink scooter I love to ride into the canyons and country side. I enjoy camping with my children and grandkids. Traveling is a passion and I have visited many unusual places in the world including Bali, Singapore, India, Thailand, Honduras, Alaska and more.
CC: What is your biggest fear with cake decorating?
CB: Of course having a disaster while delivering.
CC: Who do you admire? Why?
CB: Colette Peters, Margaret Braun, and Martha Stewart. They were my first inspiration. They started when this new style of fondant cakes hit America. I admire their creativity and originality.
CC: Do you like eating cake? What is your favorite cake to eat?
CB: Yes, unfortunately. I never get tired of eating cake. I love sneaking bites of the cake trimmings while they are still warm from the oven. Our Lemon is to die for!!
CC: If you had a free afternoon, what would you do?
CB: I would work on my backyard pond and garden.
CC: How many cakes do you think you have decorated since you started?
CB: I don’t know for sure but it’s well over 10,000.In my cakery we create over 500 custom cakes each year.
CC: What is your blog or website?
CB: www.carriescakes.com
CC: How do people sign up for your classes?
CB: I only teach in the late fall and early spring when wedding season slows down. We have class dates on our website. I also enjoy traveling to teach in different areas of the country at cake shows etc.