Fanciful: Gâteaux Janice Cakes

Janice is the one-woman powerhouse behind Gâteaux Janice, a made-to-order Montréal cake business that not only creates cakes that are total flights of decorative fantasy, but also bakes everything from scratch, assuring that they taste positively fantastic. Looking through her portfolio, I see the work of a total perfectionist. Elegant roses and lilies with petals so delicate that they look almost too real to eat and playful cakes that imitate flower pots, shoes, books and fish. Apparently no idea is too much of a challenge for Janice.

But this master of icing sugar isn’t a graduate of a fancy culinary school. The only formal schooling she’s had was a night class on basic cake decorating. Through practice and experimentation, Janice taught herself to make cakes that would stand their ground against any reality TV show baker. Nowadays her plate is full with clients who keep her on her toes, looking for more and more complex and off-the-wall creations for their weddings, birthdays and fundraisers. Since the summer season of celebrations is upon us, I asked Janice what’s hot for this year in the world of cake. She replies that berry shortcakes and red velvets are very en vogue right now and that she personally recommends something along the lines of a lemon curd with either blueberry or raspberry. But no matter what the trend, assures Janice, don’t be afraid to order the good old standards because chocolate continues to reign supreme as the most popular flavour of all.

[email protected] t. 514.295.1700 www.gateauxjanice.com