Novel Bakery

I created a white cake with raspberry cream filling, frosted with a lavender colored Italian Meringue buttercream and decorated with buttercream flowers.

“Patrick held the cake with three lit candles, their gentle flames dancing in the current from the air-conditioning vent. It had lavender icing and elaborate sugar flowers that crawled up the sides of the cake like vines. The design wasn’t to Patrick’s taste, but that was hardly the point. It wasn’t for him.”

from The Guncle by Steven Rowley

GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick)’s solitary life in Palm Springs is turned upside down when his sister-in-law passes away. Guardian over his niece and nephew for the summer, he guides them through their grief and cheers them up with pink Christmas trees, celebrity parties, and lots of brunch.

I laughed, I cried. The Guncle was *chef’s kiss.*

The Guncle is a great book if you like heartwarming stories with just a touch of romance, stories that star LGBTQ+ characters, instant family for a secluded bachelor, and healing stories about grief and loss.

While helping the children navigate their grief, Patrick realizes one day that it’s their mother’s birthday. He orders a white cake with lavender icing and sugar flowers. The moment is so pivotal to the story and just beautiful, I knew I had to recreate this cake.

I used this white cake recipe from Chelsweets. For the cake filling, I made a raspberry mouse instead of strawberry by swapping out the freeze-dried fruit.

I used my very favorite Italian Meringue Buttercream recipe from Erin McDowell for the buttercream.

This tutorial from Georgia’s Cakes is a great beginner’s guide to piping buttercream flowers.

In the background, I have a pink and sparkly garland to represent GUP’s pink Christmas tree in the middle of summer. And, honestly, that pink garland was insanely cute on the mini Christmas tree we keep upstairs for Darcy to decorate. She was over the moon about it.

I also laid down my (very comfortable) green wrap dress that matches the kaftan GUP is wearing on the cover. There are keys to represent Patrick’s fear of driving, my phone playing the song Patrick dances to with the kids in the kitchen–Wang Chung’s Let’s Go.

Finally, there are 3 candles to represent the candles Patrick and the kids blow out while making a wish for their best friend/mom.

The pink cake stand is from Target a few years ago, but I found a similar one here.

What wish would you make for someone you love? We don’t have to wait until our loved ones are gone to let them know how important they are to us (ahem, Steven Rowley’s The Celebrants).

Check out the reel I created for The Guncle!