5-minutes with Shelley from Lottie & Belle

Today we are thrilled to chat to talented Perth-based cake decorator, Shelley Wong, from Lottie & Belle. Shelley is a busy mum-of-three who has taken the baking world by storm with her pretty pink floral cakes and decadent ganache drip cakes.

Read below to hear Shelley’s tips for decorating with fresh flowers and her secrets for creating the perfect ganache drip.

Hi Shelley, please tell us a little bit about your background and how your business started.

I am a self-taught baker learning from YouTube videos, books (a lot of books!) and just lots of experimenting in the kitchen. I studied Accounting & Finance but never followed that path and went straight to working long hours in a Japanese restaurant. I know how to make sushi rolls in a minute! Also I had a little hobby making jewellery and also a beauty blog. Once I started a family I stopped working and started baking at home for my friends & family. Enter Instagram and it has been crazy but also the most rewarding experience besides having my babies!

Where do you find inspiration for your creations?

I get inspired from everything- fashion shoots, beautiful photos & cookbooks and even from the tiniest details like the patterns on a leaf or flowers!

What are your most popular cake designs and flavours? And can you share any details about these recipes?

The most popular design right now is anything pink with flowers but changes all the time! Drip cakes are still popular in Perth and I use a ganache recipe for my drips which is just cream and chocolate melts (Nestle is my go to) and I use a chiffon base recipe for most of my cakes to give a light and fluffy texture and I only use free range eggs. My most popular flavours are chocolate salted caramel, red velvet & cookies & cream. My personal favourite is lemon chiffon with lemon curd and vanilla chai with spiced cream cheese frosting. Yum!

I adore all your cakes but especially love your work with fresh flowers. What are your tips for decorating with blooms?

A lot of people have asked about decorating with fresh flowers and I love to use them! I use floral tape or parafilm around the stems before inserting into the cakes. I also love to use edible flowers. Place these at the last minute to ensure they stay pretty and store in the fridge.