Usually Mother’s Day week at CakeLabNZ is slightly chaotic in the best possible way. The kitchen turns into organised madness, there are boxes everywhere, timers constantly going off, and I temporarily forget what a normal work schedule looks like.
This year was quieter.
And honestly, I’m blaming the fuel crisis. Apparently people had to choose between premium petrol and tiny edible flowers. A difficult economy.
Still, even though I made fewer Mother’s Day boxes this year, I actually found myself slowing down and enjoying the process more than ever.
What most people don’t see about dessert boxes is how much work goes into every single component. A finished box might look soft, simple, and effortless, but behind it are hours of preparation, timing, temperature checks, testing textures, and trying not to melt chocolate by simply looking at it for too long.
Every dessert in this year’s box had multiple layers and elements that all needed to be prepared separately. Some components had to cool completely before the next stage. Others needed to stay at exact temperatures to set properly or keep their texture. There were fillings cooking slowly on the stove while pastry baked in the oven, creams stabilising in the fridge, glazes cooling to the perfect consistency, and endless assembling happening in between.
And somehow, despite all the spreadsheets, timers, and planning, dessert still manages to feel slightly unpredictable right up until the final moment. I hope you didn't notice that little jelly raspberries were missing on cheesecakes - I did my best to cover it with a beautiful swirl and a rose petal.
But that’s also the part I love.
I loved working on every dessert in this year’s Mother’s Day collection. I loved testing flavours, adjusting tiny details nobody else would probably notice, and putting together something that felt thoughtful from beginning to end.
There’s something really satisfying about seeing separate little components slowly become one finished dessert. The final box always looks calm and pretty, while behind the scenes the kitchen looks like a small butter-based disaster zone.
One thing I’ll always appreciate is that people continue supporting local businesses like CakeLabNZ, even during weird expensive times where everyone collectively gasps while filling their car.
Whether you ordered a dessert box, shared a post, sent a message, or recommended CakeLabNZ to someone looking for Wellington cakes or Wairarapa cakes, thank you. It genuinely matters more than people realise.
This year was quieter.
And honestly, I’m blaming the fuel crisis. Apparently people had to choose between premium petrol and tiny edible flowers. A difficult economy.
Still, even though I made fewer Mother’s Day boxes this year, I actually found myself slowing down and enjoying the process more than ever.
What most people don’t see about dessert boxes is how much work goes into every single component. A finished box might look soft, simple, and effortless, but behind it are hours of preparation, timing, temperature checks, testing textures, and trying not to melt chocolate by simply looking at it for too long.
Every dessert in this year’s box had multiple layers and elements that all needed to be prepared separately. Some components had to cool completely before the next stage. Others needed to stay at exact temperatures to set properly or keep their texture. There were fillings cooking slowly on the stove while pastry baked in the oven, creams stabilising in the fridge, glazes cooling to the perfect consistency, and endless assembling happening in between.
And somehow, despite all the spreadsheets, timers, and planning, dessert still manages to feel slightly unpredictable right up until the final moment. I hope you didn't notice that little jelly raspberries were missing on cheesecakes - I did my best to cover it with a beautiful swirl and a rose petal.
But that’s also the part I love.
I loved working on every dessert in this year’s Mother’s Day collection. I loved testing flavours, adjusting tiny details nobody else would probably notice, and putting together something that felt thoughtful from beginning to end.
There’s something really satisfying about seeing separate little components slowly become one finished dessert. The final box always looks calm and pretty, while behind the scenes the kitchen looks like a small butter-based disaster zone.
One thing I’ll always appreciate is that people continue supporting local businesses like CakeLabNZ, even during weird expensive times where everyone collectively gasps while filling their car.
Whether you ordered a dessert box, shared a post, sent a message, or recommended CakeLabNZ to someone looking for Wellington cakes or Wairarapa cakes, thank you. It genuinely matters more than people realise.