WHEN it comes to celebrating her birthday, Beyoncé trusts just one bakery to make it as sweet as possible.
Philadelphia-based Cake Life Bake Shop has already made some of Mrs. Carter’s birthday cakes, as well as countless other treats to satisfy the superstar’s sweet tooth.
NOT ALL INGREDIENTS ARE IRREPLUBABLE
Nima Etemadi, co-owner of Cake Life Bake Shop, shared her tasty tips for making a cake fit for royalty like Queen Bey on a budget with The US Sun.
By swapping some of the more expensive ingredients for cheaper ones, you can now have your cake and eat it too.
“Some ingredients, like nuts, chocolate and alcohol, can increase the cost of your baking very quickly,” said Etemadi.
“I recommend using flavored ingredients, where a little goes a long way,” he continued.
“These include spices, espresso, caramel, raspberries and citrus fruits, especially the zest.”
DECORATE LIKE A DIVA
Etemadi, whose most popular items include cupcakes, cookies and croissants, shared the money-saving item that can make a big difference in your baking technique.
“To make beautiful desserts on a budget, invest in an offset spatula,” he said.
This pro tip is certainly affordable—Amazon offers an offset spatula for $6.99 that gives you more control when applying frosting to your own homemade masterpiece.
Want to decorate like a skilled baker?
He also has some easy tricks for expertly elevating the appearance of your edible treats.
“Be careful about adding too many colors before you can control them properly,” he said.
“Your cake can turn gray and underwhelming very quickly,” he continued.
“Instead, try to get the look and texture you want in one color, then add embellishments in accent colors to make it stand out, like fruit or edible flowers.”
Whether you plan to implement these methods for a fancy event or a “wow” wedding cake, you’ll want to test your skills before the big day — long before.
“Be sure to try the recipes and techniques ahead of time,” he said.
“You don’t want the wedding cake to be your first experience with them.”
SWEET STARS
Etemadi also knows that just one cake is too basic when baking for Beyoncé.
“We had two birthdays for her, but several cakes at a time,” he said.
He shared the former Destiny’s Child member’s most requested flavors — and the best part is, you can try them yourself.
“You can now purchase our Funfetti and Peaches ‘n’ Cream cakes, both among your birthday favorites,” he said.
Both recipes are also available in slices and even cupcakes.
Since then, he’s made dozens of tasty treats for Beyoncé and her team, with one consistent request – his signature pistachio petal cookies.
DESSERT OF DESTINY
He still remembers the first time he was asked to cook for the Texas Hold ‘Em singer while she was performing in town.
“We basically freaked out! What else can you do? It seemed too good to be true!” he said.
The precious cargo of birthday cake even had its own space.
He and his team personally delivered the cake backstage at the Made In America show, where he had his own room marked “Beyonce Cake.”
Being tasked with creating a celebratory cake for Cowboy singer Carter may have been hard to believe for the bakery owner, but this wasn’t his first rodeo making sweet treats for the stars.
Etemadi has made cakes for everyone from Lizzo to Ali Wong, Will Smith and more.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story