At the Hollyhock bakery on Seattle's Capitol Hill, pastry chef Aimee Page wants each cake-chocolate or no-to have a romantic appeal. It's a descriptive that fits such hollyhock specialties as the Victorian Rose Torte, a vanilla-cardomom genoise -yes, we're getting those definitions- that's moistened with rosewater, then layered with white chocolate and rose petal mousse. rose petal mousse. As a final touch, the whole is covered with delicate white chocolate and rosewater buttercream.
Some, however, prefer Page's not-so-old-fashioned devil's food cake. Once the rounds are layered with cognac-spiked bittersweet ganache, the whole is anointed with a dramatic dark chocolate glaze. At the brides request,
Page can finish oft with a sprinkling of 22-carat gold leaf flecks as well as fresh rose petals from her organic garden,
Underneath the glitz, however, is a simple recipe for success. “I believe in the idea of the small village baker, Page says. Every cake must be fresh and individual.

At a reception with a water theme, hand-blown fish bowl centerpieces with live goldfish are upstaged by a three tiered optical illusion. Dusted in silver and bedecked with white lotus flowers and lily pads, the wedding cake is shrouded in a light mist; a tiny water fountain trickles at its center. Such a spectacular cake is the result of inspiration, not imitation. Like self-styled wedding vows, custom-designed rings and hand-made favors, cakes are getting personal. Bearing fabric swatches, tablecloths and memories of their engagement in Volunteer Park, couples are seeking out inventive bakers like watercake creator Aimee Page of Hollyhock Cakes to turn their dreams into one-of-a kind confections that tie the wedding together.

Aimee Page, owner of Hollyhock Cakes in Madison Park, has made scores of English-inspired cakes. She has even baked a few traditional fruitcakes. While not exactly suited to the American palate, these English wedding confections are visually stunning. Often small because of their density, they are also compact and elegant. For contemporary brides and grooms Page has created American-style tiered wedding cakes with overtones of British classicism that would please even the Queen Mother. Page`s current favorite contains layers of vanilla-cardamon genoise moistened with rose water and layered with fresh strawberries, rose hip jam and rose petal cream.

As an alternative, she might suggest a tier filled with Earl Grey tea- infused mousse. She covers these cakes with traditional rolled fondant and plump sugar roses. “Cakes of the World is a concept that Page has been pursuing in her recent decorations. She's seeing more brides and grooms who get creative and abandon a classic white or ivory cake in favor of exotic colors, textures or symbolism. For one Seattle couple who planned a honeymoon in Morocco, a colleague of Page's created Arabic-inspired spice cakes with elaborate tile work, piping and domed tops. Page has also worked with Indian brides to incorporate the designs of color and patterns in the layers. Since white isn't a celebratory color in many Asian cultures, she has made vivid red cakes ornamented with gold symbols for good luck and prosperity. Another Asian favorite is a tinted a serene blue and decorated with sugar lotus blossoms, lily pads and pedestals molded to look like bamboo. Oranges are symbolic of good fortune and prosperity in Asian cultures, so many of these cakes are flavored with bittersweet chocolate and orange cream.

Aimee Page, owner and chef at Hollyhock Cakes on Capitol Hill...makes many whimsical 'off kilter' cakes, which offer endless decorating options. Comprised of four round layers, cut lopsided, and stacked, the cake takes on the look of a squashed Dr. Seuss hat. From there, the frosting can convey an elegant feel, such as the one Page decorated in deep jewel tones, or a more fun look, tinted in springtime pastels. Extreme examples aside, even streamlined frosting design seerns more decadent. "Anything stylized is popular," says Page. She recently used buttercream to re-create a delicate pen-and-ink drawing of a dogwood tree on a cake for a 1930s nightclub-in-Chinatown wedding. Page uses white chocolate to create hand-molded elements of the frosting, from shells and startish to flowers and petals. The latter she brushes with an opalescent edible dust. "It makes the flowers look realistic, very natural," she says, Those who prefer the real thing shouldn't worry: Fresh flowers integrated into frosting designs will always be popular.-

Above: Simple, elegant two tiered raspberry champagne cream cake is iced with Italian buttercream and wrapped in white chocolate and white chocolate roses. By Aimee Page, Hollyhock Cakes.