letter from the editor
Hello wonderful decorators,
This issue of Cake! Magazine sparkles— quite literally.
Our theme this quarter celebrates Bling, Queens and All That Glitters, and our members absolutely embraced it. The submissions that came in were filled with disco balls, shimmering finishes and every form of edible sparkle imaginable. One technique appeared again and again: mirror balls. If you’ ve ever attempted one, you’ ll know they are deceptively tricky to execute well, yet the results our members achieved were spectacular.
Much of that glittering inspiration can be traced back to this quarter’ s Baking Box, created in collaboration with My Dream Cake. The tutorial and product bundle gave decorators the tools to experiment with edible glitter in new ways, and it has been wonderful to see how many of you ran with the idea and made it your own. Inside this issue you’ ll also see how contributors have taken those same tools in different directions— from Ellana Haddrill’ s elegant tiara tutorial to Yvette Farrugia’ s creative Easter cupcakes. It’ s a great reminder that the magic of decorating often lies in how we reinterpret the same idea in our own style.
A small side note for the truly observant readers among you: if you happen to spot a little surprise tucked somewhere in the Baking Box pages, consider it a quiet thank-you for reading the magazine properly. Details are included for those who find it.
Behind the scenes at ACDN, this quarter has also been a time of thoughtful reflection. You may have noticed that Sharing Sunday is taking a short break while we review the program and make improvements. Our goal is always to create experiences that are enjoyable and rewarding for members, deliver strong value for our Preferred Suppliers, and remain sustainable for the small team working hard to keep everything running. Sometimes the best way forward is to pause briefly, refine the process, and return with something even better.
This spirit of reflection also led us to introduce a new Sector News feature in the magazine. In this issue we explore a topic many in the industry are feeling: the rising cost of delivering face-to-face events. While we’ ve previously spoken about plans for Cake Camp, the reality is that producing large events in the current climate requires careful planning to ensure they remain both sustainable and affordable for our members. Taking the time to get that balance right now will ultimately lead to better experiences in the future.
Another development you’ ll see in this issue is our commitment to showcasing more of the extraordinary talent within our own community. This quarter we invited Glenn Jones to share insights into his work, and we look forward to creating more opportunities for members to be featured in upcoming editions.