Jan Loomis
Cake Designer/Owner, Sugar Garden Cakes

This month, we feature Jan Loomis who spoke with us about her life and her cake designs.

Jan Loomis grew up in the artist community of Monterey, California where she aspired to be a potter or jeweler. Creating art has always been a part of her life: her grandfather was a chef and her mother owned a quaint gourmet food shop. Although Jan’s professional career has been in emergency medicine administration, she considers herself primarily an artist whose medium is cake, icing and gumpaste. With her family’s culinary history, and inspiration from the beautiful surroundings of her costal home, it was only natural that she would create Sugar Garden Cakes.

When did you first develop a passion for cake design?

I'm a self-taught sugar artist who first started decorating cakes for my children's birthdays.  I bought a cake decorating book, star tip, and icing bag, and taught myself the basics of working with buttercream icing.  That was 35 years ago and I've been teaching myself new techniques ever since.

What elements or ideas inspire your creations?

My inspiration comes from the rich colors and textures of nature.  When making sugar flowers, I commonly work with live flowers for comparison, to ensure that no detail is lost.  A single Peony can take up to four hours to create, and an Iceland poppy an hour and a half.

Which creations are you most passionate about?

I have a passion for making life-size sugar flowers that are less commonly seen on cakes.  From the elegance of a Cymbidium orchid, to a cascade of lilacs, or simple blackberries, my designs always reflect nature’s beauty.   I equally love ocean themes.  With a little white chocolate, and some oyster luster dust, I mold edible shells that could fool even the most discerning sea otter.

What accolades have you received as a Cake Designer?

I began entering cake decorating competitions in 2005 and I have won 16 First Place Awards.  My work has been featured in several San Francisco Bay Area newspapers, as well as other print publications.  I have been judging cake decorating competitions for the past two years and hope to some day compete at the Oklahoma Sugar Art Show.

What, in your opinion, causes your cake design business to stand out from others?

Sugar Garden Cakes is a small, boutique business catering to clients with a love for unique confections.  Because our sugar work requires countless hours to perfect, we only accept a limited number of orders which are “by Appointment” only.  We never accept multiple orders for the same date as we want our clients to get 100% of our attention.

In addition to custom cakes, we also offer classes in gumpaste flower making.

What products do you prefer to use in your cake designs?
Due to its exceptional quality, the only fondant used on a Sugar Garden’s cake is Massa Grischuna.  It is easy to work with, enhances the flavor of the cake, and allows for a flawless finish.  Delivery is always on time and I appreciate the follow-up calls I receive to ensure that my order has arrived and is satisfactory.  This is the type of personal touch and service that makes me a devoted customer.  I always recommend Albert Uster Imports' products to my sugar art students.

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