Cake or Fake? These Austin Bakers Turned Wild Dreams Into Dessert

Elaborate, thematic, multi-tier cakes may seem like the stuff of Netflix specials and social media, but for many bakers in Austin, it’s just another day. Eater asked several Austin bakers about the most elaborate, over-the-top cakes they have ever worked on. One recalled a recreation of the University of Texas Tower, others spoke of cakes adorned with fresh flowers and fruits, and one cake required four employees to do the piping work. Move over, canvas and clay — cake is the new art medium.

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Polkadots Bakery

944 E 51st Street, North Loop

Polkadots founder Olga Lee wasn’t sure she’d be able to complete the request she received for an elaborate groom’s cake that included a replica of the UT Tower. She was nine months pregnant, and the wedding was a mere nine days before her induction date. However, after a full week’s work, Lee crafted the orange-and-white, tiramisu-flavored cake, complete with a 30-inch tall tower, the Longhorn mascot, and a coffee Swiss buttercream. She delivered and set it up at the venue on time, too, but it was a close call — her son was born four days later. Since then, Lee has moved Polkadots into a new location that is open to the public and serves pastries and coffee. “I am very grateful,” says Lee. “I’ve met so many wonderful friends along the way these past 16 years through making cakes in Austin.”

How to order: Fill out the online form three to six months before the event.

Michelle’s Patisserie

12233 Ranch Rd 620 N #114, Anderson Mill

Michelle’s Patisserie owner Michelle Doyon says groom’s cakes are some of the most elaborate cakes she makes — specifically, those shaped like football stadiums, which she says are a most popular request. “They’re challenging because they have so many details. They need to resemble the architecture, and the clients usually have high expectations,” Doyon says. The veteran baker typically meets with the grooms to get pictures and learn about the details that are important to them. Then, she makes them come to life, recreating those details with a sweet combination of cake, icing, and fondant. “I love making custom cakes because I love the creative aspect and making them look as real as possible to the non-edible version,” she says. To date, one of her most complex cakes was modeled after Texas Christian University’s football stadium. Ornate with a bright green field and purple and white sprinkles representing people in the stands, this cake took two people 25 hours to complete.

How to order: Submit a request online.

HayleyCakes and Cookies

Multiple Austin locations

HayleyCakes owner Hayley Callaway-Evans has opened four bakeries and racked up over 300,000 Instagram followers with her intricately decorated cookies and cakes. Her attention to detail is no joke — one multi-tier wedding cake required four employees to pipe all the frosting. Perhaps one of the most elaborate was a replica of Willie Nelson’s guitar in the form of a birthday cake; it featured intricate details, including autographs from other artists like Johnny Cash, delicate guitar strings made of icing, and spots where the guitar had worn. “I love hearing stories about the people getting the cakes,” says Callaway-Evans. “It is so fun to hear the unique personalities and interests. You know you are getting to make something that they will laugh and talk about for years to come.” Callaway-Evans adds that her funniest creations often come when people request that multiple interests be combined into one cake. A recent request resulted in a Taylor Swift rock-climbing cake.

How to order: Submit a request online. Custom orders require at least seven days’ notice.

Tomorrow’s Parties

Lockhart

Pastry chef Kelly Dugan loves dreaming up cake flavors based on who a person is. “So if someone says, ‘I love Texas rainstorms in the summer, bubbles, and bright flavors, wind chimes while I’m napping, and I think vanilla is boring,’ I’m thinking maybe a brown butter and cardamom cake, raspberry-ginger jam, and lime zest and champagne swiss meringue buttercream,” Dugan says. When her two best friends were planning for their wedding, the pressure was on. The bride sent her a mood board with a vision for table centerpieces filled with oranges and pomegranates. Dugan ran with it, concocting a red velvet wedding cake with raspberry and orange jam, cream cheese, French buttercream, and salted vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. Typically, she likes to decorate wedding cakes with fresh flowers and fruits on the day of the event. In the case of her best friends’ wedding, alcohol-fueled pre-wedding festivities the night before left her lethargic the following morning. Fortunately, after many sparkling waters, Dugan finished the cake and was ready to party again. Dugan still keeps to her elaborate styles of cakes with varying flavors, now, but with one new rule: no more baking cakes for friends’s weddings.

How to order: Email kellyelenadugan@gmail.com

Kelly Dugan