IMG_0072.JPG

Every so often I post about my friends’ bakery, Mark Joseph Cakes, which is run by Mark Randazzo and his wife Leslie. Mark is responsible for my most popular blog post of all time (the famed R2-D2 cake, which still draws hundreds of readers every day), and I’m happy to report that since that droid cake first appeared on this blog three and a half years ago (!!), Mark and Leslie have been up to great things. Not only do they still crank out awesome cakes, but they now consistently land on the pages of various bridal magazines such as The Knot and most recently, they were profiled in New York with a full page spread.

On a recent trip to Manhattan, Mark and Leslie invited me over to their lovely Upper East Side workspace — a humble bakery adorned with a simple yet eye-catching sign. Walking in through the front door, I was assaulted by all manners of cake aromas. I could have fainted from bliss (that happens, right?), but I kept it together for the sake of the blog, Mark and Leslie, and humankind in general. After the jump, check out some pics from inside Mark Joseph Cakes…

IMG_0070.JPG
How impressive are Mark’s cakes? Just check out this wall of publications in which he’s been featured (this is only about half of the wall).

IMG_0074.JPG
It’s a medal from the Food Network!

IMG_0075.JPG
Me posing with cakes. I strategically am blocking one cake whose color scheme threatened to destroy the entire photo.

IMG_0076.JPG
Here’s a little area where Mark and Leslie place the cakes for photos. In lieu of a cake, I volunteer my hand.

IMG_0077.JPG
The interns, toiling away.

IMG_0079.JPG
Here’s something fun. One of Mark’s clients wanted a dog incorporated into the cake; so he purchased a toy dog that matched that client’s own dog and then used it to make a mold, as seen above in the pink. Sugary canine creations to ensue.

IMG_0081.JPG
Mark.

IMG_0082.JPG
Naturally, I gravitate towards this section.

IMG_0083.JPG
Some carrot cake that Mark let me sample. Why don’t more people have carrot cake wedding cakes? It seems like a fundamentally awesome choice.

IMG_0084.JPG
An enormous vat of sugar. The picture does not do it justice.

IMG_0085.JPG
Meanwhile, in the oven, a cake bakes.

IMG_0086.JPG
The interns quietly churn out a gazillion of these guys. They will eventually be assembled together to create pinecones.

IMG_0092.JPG
Flowers, expertly crafted.

328247_733799128506_504875_34744973_1895329220_o.jpg
As a frame of reference, here is a cake that I made last week with Lisa Timmons.

photo-1.JPG
And here is one I made with Sly recently (don’t ask).

377103_2590681363481_1148027117_4779047_1513761828_n.jpg
And this is just a random cake by Mark. He kind of knows what he’s doing.

IMG_0094.JPG
Fun times!

Be sure to Like Mark Joseph Cakes on Facebook and/or join their group! Thanks for the tour, Mark and Les!

6 replies on “Inside Mark Joseph Cakes”

  1. In the picture of the sugar dog… that is a mold for a duck. Explain that buddie…. Do animals change into other animals now? Is that what this world has come too? Shape shifting animals, when will in fix itself?

    1. Hmmm… you may be on to something.

      Eh, I took these pics six weeks ago. I can only be expected to remember so much.

      1. Totes LAWLS!!!! And your hair looks good like that B. Cutie Cutersons. Also, we MUST have more details on your Puerto Rican Sweet 15 party cake.

Comments are closed.