Bay Meadows

Meet Jamie! She’s called Canterbury at Bay Meadows “home” for the last 2 years. “When we toured our current home and saw the previous owners’ designated play area for the kids. We instantly saw our future in our current home.”

Jamie’s background in beauty and fashion has tremendously influenced her design style and can be seen through an obsession for clean lines, a creative color palette, texture driven, sculpturally-influenced decorating style. “I love using and incorporating all mediums of cake decorating from fondant to buttercream, to airbrushing to cake painting.”

Jamie believes cakes should delight the eye, but most importantly intrigue the palette. Using Italian and French buttercream for its luxuriously silky taste and versatility as a medium, she’s started to experiment with her own techniques, de-emphasizing sugar and testing the limits of exotic flavors of buttercream.

“I’m a perfectionist to a fault.”  For a visual journey through her latest culinary adventures, follow Jamie @JamieCakeSF on Instagram! 

Read along and get to know Jamie and her custom creations.

Have you done any custom party cakes for neighbors? 
Not as of yet. I just recently mustered up the nerve to put myself out there. Since I have, the support from the neighbors has been amazing! It has been both positively overwhelming and exciting all at the same time. Much like having kids. :)

In your opinion, what makes Bay Meadows a special place to live?
The community without a doubt! On any given day you are sure to see a friendly face. And I love our neighbors, impromptu playdates, dinners together in the community space, and the feeling of family. Especially since our family is all out of state.

Tell us a little about how you came to bake by profession…
JamieCakeSF began as a passion project. Cake decorating had been a steady presence in my life for well over a decade. As a corporate cosmetic executive by day at organizations like Christian Dior, Laura Mercier, and Shiseido, I honed my craft by night. I studied the work of the many generous souls who shared their secrets of cake-making, building a strong foundation through hours of exploration and practice.

I started making cakes for friends, then for their friends, and finally, now as a parent, I create thank you cakes for my children’s teachers.

Even as a full-time working mom of 2 and another on the way, my love for design and cake has never wavered and I couldn’t think of anything better than to be able to share it and be part of new celebrations.

Any local Popup Classes we should watch for?
I’m happiest when making thoughtful, unique and delicious designs. However I also enjoy documenting my recipes and am passionate about sharing my creative ideas with others. I’ll be hosting a cake décor demo pop-up at Farmers Market Bay Meadows this summer (Date TBD) and am working on the idea of cake design workshops to pass on my knowledge and experience.

The Trends — What seems to be popular in cakes these days?
Understated textures – cakes with a focus on unique textures in fondant or frosting—whether its concrete, marble or another material like velvet. Cakes with architectural and structural designs.

And color! Lots and lots of color! From watercolor buttercream, to abstract splatter paint color is here to stay!

Are you seeing any dietary restrictions in special requests from clients that as a custom, artisan baker you are able to accommodate?
I have received requests for gluten free, dairy free, and vegan cakes and have been working on perfecting the right recipe. My most interesting request has been dog celebration cakes. That request has been particularly interesting to me, as I’d love to design a modern dog celebration cake. I’d like to create Modern-Arff.

Describe your favorite cake made to date and why:
Ooh…that’s a tough one. It’s like asking what’s my favorite food.

For a pure fondant design I would have to say it is the BB8 cake. The detail in that cake was intense and the process was much like designing a couture dress. Pinning on the pattern and making things just perfect.

For a pure buttercream design I really like the abstract splatter paint cake. It is clean in design, yet, is impactful in color and texture.

Now for a hybrid cake design, I was delighted with the outcome of the fox woodland friends cake. I don’t know if its the handmade fondant toppers, the watercolor buttercream, the fresh flowers from the community garden or the feeling of spring finally being here, but I love this cake!

If you could create a cake to celebrate Bay Meadows, what flavor(s) would it be and what would it look like?
If Bay Meadows were a cake it would be a rich chocolate cake that combines Blue Bottle Coffee and cocoa to create a chocolate lover’s dream. Layered in between would be jasmine infused buttercream inspired by my current favorite spring seasonal flavor at Tin Pot Creamery.

For the design elements, the cake would be covered in white buttercream in a white on white cement buttercream texture representing the new construction of the historical Bay Meadows. To incorporate the rich history of area, crushed graham crackers representing the old race track will accent the base of the cake. And to top it off a champagne (beer colored)  isomalt sculpture representing the Fieldwork beer garden will be filled with flowers from the community garden. In short, this cake will incorporate the past, present, and future of Bay Meadows.

What culinary artists (handles) are must-follows on Instagram?

@czyncakes – Her work is amazing! Just the most breathtaking detail in her flower work. You’d think they were real!

@katherine_sabbath – She brings the fun and color into caking!

@eatthelove – I love all of Irvin’s recipes. Your really can’t go wrong, sweet or savory!

@chewablestructures – I have 2 little girls and she introduces a whole new way of playing with your food.

@davidchang – He’s raw, real and, makes me laugh!

If you could bake a custom cake for anyone who would you create one for?
My mom – she lives out of the country. She would be my toughest critic and would probably be one of the hardest palates to please. I’d like to take on that challenge. :)

There’s a new Farmers Market in town and it’s in the heart of the Bay Meadows community. Visit our seasonal market (rain or shine) on Sundays, 9:30 to 1:30 at 3060 S. Delaware Street on the corner of E. 31st & Delaware St across from Town Square at Bay Meadows. The Farmers Market in our Midurban village offers nutritious California fruits and veggies, handcrafted baked goods, farm-fresh flowers, prepared artisan foods and specialty items. Guests can also enjoy live music, fitness events, entertainment for kids, craft workshops and more, all presented in the welcoming outdoors of this new neighborhood. Located adjacent to the Hillsdale Caltrain station stop and also offering ample parking. Join the 2019 Season Facebook Event + Learn more here > @FARMERSMARKETBAYMEADOWS