It's 3.45pm and Jordan Rondel of The Caker has just posted up pictures of her most drool-worthy cake creations. The sweet tooth hour has just kicked into full force. The reasoning behind our sugar-lust is because we have already tried and tested these sublime treats and we know just how good they taste! 

You may remember Jordan from when she used to work in store with us at Tessuti? If so, you will understand why her successful cake-making business is doing so well - she is just amazing. With an eye fit for curating everything from her wardrobe to her home, and now to her cakes, we love the way Jordan decorates and delivers her whimsical sweets. 

On her return from her annual escape to New York, we had a quick catch up with our friend and baker about what inspiring things she discovered there, her summer plans to sail to a deserted island this Christmas, and her signature dish for summer, "healthy fish tacos."

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Can you talk us through how The Caker initially came about?

I have been into baking for as long as I can remember – probably since I was tall enough to reach the kitchen bench. It was my French grandparents who first triggered my love for it I think; I would help bake tarts and other delicious desserts at their knee when I was little. To some degree my competence in baking might have been passed down from my great grandfather who was a successful bread baker and pastry chef in Paris. I never really thought I could make a career out of baking though, it just seemed like a hobby and passion that would fit nicely alongside a day job. But I would bake a cake a week for my family while I was still at school and university, and then one day after baking a particularly successful one, my dad suggested I make a career out of it. So I started a blog called 'The Caker' in 2010, which was a little vehicle for selling cakes. Ever since then, word of The Caker seemed to spread like wild fire and before I knew it I was making my first wedding cake. The rest is history!

What is your favourite thing to bake?

I love baking my flourless dark chocolate cake because it's dead simple and fail proof, I have it down to a fine art and can make the batter in under 5 minutes now! I also love baking cakes which are free of refined white sugar and flour, so I swap in honey or maple syrup and ground almonds, plus heaps of fruit.

What about something that's not sweet... if you were having friends over for dinner, what would you make?

It depends on the season; in winter I love making organic roast chicken or stews. In summer I like to serve big bowls of delicious salads or healthy fish tacos.

Tell us about your recent travels to New York. What inspiring things did you see/do?

I always get so inspired when I go to New York. This year I also went to on a road trip down through the Southern states to New Orleans, which was incredible. I was really inspired by sweet pies while in the US, so I think this might be a new road I'll go down with my baking. I've never really done pastry before so I'm excited to experiment and play around with different flavours and textures.

What would you say your most popular cake is?

It's a toss up between my Turkish lemony almond cake and my fig and raspberry cake.

Best cake to go with your coffee?

I adore chocolate with coffee, so I'd say my gluten free flourless dark chocolate cake. I like to add some salted pecans to this, which would be lovely with coffee.

The most inspiring person to you at the moment is?

My little sister Anouk! She moved to Paris 3 months ago to finish her law studies at Sciences Po (she's only 21 and a genius). She has a beautiful tiny wee apartment in Oberkampf and does her fruit shopping at the market down the road. I love the little life she's set up for herself over there.

What are your plans for this summer? Any family traditions or places that you stay?

I absolutely love New Zealand summers so this year I'm definitely sticking around. My boyfriend and I bought a little yacht last year and we've barely had a chance to use it, so our plan is to sail to a deserted island and do some camping!

And lastly, what is one thing on your Christmas wish list?

Some Missoni homeware. I still don't own any but I've been drooling over it for years.

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Jordan uses Rachel Carley's Fluted Side Plates to serve her beautiful cakes. We stock a wide range of Rachel Carley's earthenware ceramics collection here. The perfect accompaniment for displaying your freshly baked goods.  

Images by Harriet Sandstad.