About CakeLabNZ
From baker and pastry chef to cake artist
After several years working as a baker and pastry chef, I found myself drawn more and more towards cakes, pastry and desserts.
I've always loved creating something special from simple ingredients. Along with my passion for food, this eventually inspired me to start CakeLabNZ in 2018.
Today, CakeLab is where my pastry experience, love of flavour and obsession with detail come together.
Hello, I'm Daria
I spent around four to five years working professionally as a pastry chef, alongside my experience in baking and cake making. Those years taught me that good pastry is about much more than following a recipe. It's about understanding ingredients, technique, texture and balance.
I still bring that approach to every cake I make today.
Perfectionism is a big part of my work. When you offer a product to people, I believe it needs to be genuinely good, not just look good in a photograph. I care about everything from the texture of a sponge and the balance of a filling to the smallest details of the finished decoration.
More than just a pretty cake
I'm not particularly interested in making cakes that all look and taste the same. I like creating interesting combinations of flavours and textures and making cakes that feel individual to the person they're made for.
My pastry background is a big part of this. It influences the way I develop recipes and think about cakes: the flavour needs to work, the textures need to complement each other, and the finished cake should be as enjoyable to eat as it is to look at.
This is especially important with wedding cakes. They may be a centrepiece, but they're still food. They should be something you actually want to eat.
CakeLabNZ
CakeLabNZ was founded in 2018 and is based in Featherston, Wairarapa.
I create cakes, desserts and sweet catering for weddings, birthdays, celebrations, events and other occasions across Wairarapa and Wellington.