Photography by Greg Rannells
Judgment was handed down on a sunny summer afternoon on the 28th floor of the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse. No crime had been committed—unless it’s a crime to be too sweet. More than 20 guests gathered to taste and judge the best of five area bakeries’ wedding cakes and sip white wine, soda, and iced tea at a light afternoon party, hosted by AT HOME, to benefit the Saint Louis Symphony Volunteer Association.
Blue skies were visible, and sun poured through the En Banc Courtroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, providing a cityscape backdrop for the five contestants and perfectly matching the elegant décor by Marjorie Tomaso of Flair by M.C. Designs. Each bakery’s display and tasting cakes were arranged on their own table, accompanied by floral arrangements of orchids, hydrangeas, and lamb’s ear donated by Bloomin’ Buckets; cards for voting; and round glass bowls adorned with a glittery gold number for each bakery.
Guests chatted and sampled slices of white wedding cake at long tables, tea lights glinting amid a color palette of gold, pink, gray, and sage green, with pops of purple. After everyone satisfied their sweet tooth and cast their votes, Michael Gans, clerk of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit (and—full disclosure—husband of AT HOME editor-in-chief Christy Marshall), gave a tour of the courthouse while votes were tallied. Although Lubeley’s Bakery took the cake, the creations of Cravings Gourmet Desserts and J. Noto Fine Italian Confections were thisclose seconds and among guests’ favorites.
The Details:
The Host
AT HOME
The Location
Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse, Downtown St. Louis
The Cause
Saint Louis Symphony Volunteer Association
The Bakers
Tim Brennan, Cravings Gourmet Desserts
Marlene Inglish, Knodel’s Bakery
Kevin Kruse and Sherrie Dunn, Schnucks
Helen Lubeley-Murray, Lubeley’s Bakery
Jasper Noto, J. Noto Fine Italian Confections
The Stylist
Marjorie Tomaso
The Guests
Sharon Breier Anne, Kelley, and Maggie Carman
Kathy Curotto
Dr. Susan and Colin Dobmeyer
Nancy Grable
Drs. Shirley and Alan Graham
Melissa Haupt
Julie Lorenz
Jennifer Manganaro
Kathy McDonald
Ellen Roos
Jean Saunders
Bren Souers
Linda Stark
Deborah Struharik
Baker Bios and Recipes:
Tim Brennan, Cravings Gourmet Desserts
Tim Brennan had zero formal training. He began cooking as a homesick graduate student in Ireland during a postal and telephone strike that kept him isolated from family back home. Fast-forward a bit, through sharing sweets with friends, selling them out of a church basement, and finally, voilà, running Cravings on Big Bend Boulevard for the past 25 years.
This baker’s love of delectables started when he was young. “I came from a large family, so if I helped my mom around, I got extra samples of dessert,” he says. With expertise blooming from a passion for baking, Mr. Brennan has picked up a few valuable tidbits on creating stellar sweets—including the art of picking out a good cookbook.
Being a big name in the food world doesn’t guarantee good recipes, says Mr. Brennan. One cookbooker he does recommend is Nick Malgieri, who is currently putting out his 10th book. “His recipes are tested, consistently strong, and they show somebody who has a passion and keen knowledge of the industry,” he says. “Another good rule of thumb is if you are a guest at someone’s house and have a dessert you really like, ask for the recipe.” If you’re feeling creative, however, and have the itch to improvise, mix together fresh cream, sugar, and a flavor such as vanilla or honey to taste for fresh icing. Mr. Brennan says good recipes come from people who really know their craft. Since this one comes from him, it’s safe to say the results will be delish
Marlene Inglish, Knodel’s Bakery
Three years before that World’s Fair we St. Louisans can’t seem to stop talking about, Knodel’s Bakery opened at 14th and Benton streets. And for the past 77 of those 109 years, Marlene Inglish, the granddaughter of Knodel’s original owner, has helped satisfy St. Louis’ desire for desserts.
Healthy eaters with cravings for cake will enjoy this tidbit: Keeping up with today’s increasing health consciousness, Knodel’s uses vegetable oils in lieu of butter, which “makes a very good cake and doesn’t do anything to the volume,” Mrs. Inglish says. But the best overall tip for making great cakes at home, she notes, is not to scrimp on the ingredients—quality ingredients will always create a better cake.
Knodel’s family tradition will likely march on for another century at least, as the fifth generation of bakers is already in training. But if you like to bake on your own, try the recipe for red velvet cake (available at stlathome.com) from Knodel’s—it’s Mrs. Inglish’s favorite.
Kevin Kruse and Sherrie Dunn, Schnucks
When you’re distributing your baked goods to stores all over the area, the cake-baking process tends to be a whole different animal. For example, the Schnucks bakery uses a vegetable shortening called Alpine because it is more durable than consumer shortenings. “We do ship out on trucks to our stores, and it has to withstand the heat and the cold in the wintertime,” says Kevin Kruse, Schnucks’ bakery plant manager.
But while most baked goods from Schnucks are made with a mix or a base, there is certainly some expertise required—and that’s where Sherrie Dunn comes in. As a Schnucks cake decorator for 30 years, Ms. Dunn has done everything from designing wedding cakes to teaching classes on decorating. Her favorite cake to decorate is a wedding cake. “The cake’s going to someone else’s party or their wedding reception, so it’s going to be a big deal for them, and they’re going to enjoy all of the work you put into it,” she says.
The first thing you need to create a gorgeous cake, notes Mrs. Dunn, is a cake made with good ingredients. Add a steady hand with nice handwriting, and you’ve got yourself a confectionery creation. “The priority on your cake is your handwriting,” says Mrs. Dunn. “Most people remember their name and how it’s spelled. If they can’t read your writing, they won’t remember your cake and will be disappointed.”
Mrs. Dunn’s tip for those following along at home: For great icing recipes and decorating tricks, check out Wilton Industries’ website at wilton.com, which has hundreds of recipes and step-by-step cake-decorating ideas, perfect for the ambitious at-home baker.
Helen Lubeley-Murray, Lubeley’s Bakery
In 1937, the Great Depression was still in full swing, and Helen and Ed Lubeley were laid off from work. Now, 73 years later, the bakery they started then is still in family hands—and still successful. In other words, Helen Lubeley-Murray, daughter of Helen and Ed and current head of the bakery, was born into the business.
Mrs. Lubeley-Murray credits her German-style bakery’s success to timeless, tested recipes; a full menu of fresh baked goods; and tradition. Lubeley’s lays claim to being the oldest full-service, family-run bakery in St. Louis. “There used to be hundreds of this type of bakery, but now there’s only a handful that provide a full selection of specialties, instead of just one or two,” says Mrs. Lubeley-Murray.
The German-style delights at Lubeley’s have been slightly sweetened to cater to the American palate. One of the bakery’s specialties is the Dobos torte, a sponge cake layered with chocolate buttercream icing and topped with hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds.
Mrs. Lubeley-Murray says the best tip she can give a home baker is to be bold in the kitchen. “Have fun, experiment, try new things,” she says. “That’s what makes it enjoyable, and that’s how you learn to tweak recipes and play with them so they’re just how you want them.”
Lubeley’s has long followed her advice—to good effect. A loyal customer once returned from Ireland, recipe in hand, yearning for a taste of Irish soda bread—but the recipe turned out to be less than spectacular. After playing with the formula, Lubeley’s was able to give the customer exactly what his taste buds craved. Now that’s sweet customer service.
Jasper Noto, J. Noto Fine Italian Confections
Baker Jasper Noto, of St. Charles’ J. Noto Fine Italian Confections, has been in the business since 1973, when he—along with his sister, mother, and brother—opened up a bakery on Bellefontaine Road. Mr. Noto has since perfected his skills in the kitchen and attended chocolate school in Italy.
Mr. Noto’s favorite cake to create is a cassata cake—a white sponge cake cut into thin layers, separated by almond-flavored ricotta cheese, and iced with a cinnamon Italian custard covered in almonds or chocolate chunks—but his helpful tips can make any cake you mix up at home please the palate.
Most people know to wait until a cake is cool to ice it, but if you refrigerate the cake beforehand, you will get even better results. Mr. Noto also recommends “crumb icing” cakes. “You put a thin layer of icing around the whole outside of the cake, and then chill it again before icing,” he says. The first layer traps crumbs and ensures the cake is smooth to the eyes as well as the taste buds.
It also helps to get your ingredients closer to room temperature before baking—if they’re too cold, it affects how well they’re able to mesh. For example, Mr. Noto suggests taking eggs out of the refrigerator a few hours before using them, or putting them in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes prior to adding them to the mix. “Baking is a chemistry,” says Mr. Noto. “With baking, you can’t improvise; you have to be structured and follow a recipe.”
Fudge Cake with Raspberry Whipped Cream
Courtesy of Cravings
Yield: 15 slices
Fudge Cake
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate 6 ounces unsalted butter 2 large eggs 2 cups granulated sugar 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 cup + 1 cup boiling water 2 2/3 cups unbleached flour 2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt
1. Melt the butter and chocolate over a double boiler 2. Mix until thoroughly blended. 3. Add eggs, sugar and vanilla to melted chocolate. Stir thoroughly. 4. Stir in one cup of water, scrape the bowl and add all of the dry sifted ingredients ( flour, baking soda and powder and salt). 5. Let rest for a minute and gently stir again. 6. Add remaining cup of water. Mix until blended. 7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 8. Butter and flour three 9inch cake pans. 9. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans. 10. Bake for 22- 25 minutes until done. 11. Cool for 10 minutes and invert onto a cake rack. Cool thoroughly before assembling.
Fresh Berry Whipped Cream
1 quart heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 quart red raspberries 1. Whip the cream with the extract and sugar until soft peaks form. 2. Mash half of the raspberries. Fold the mashed and whole raspberries into the whipped cream. 3. Divide the berry cream into equal thirds. Assemble the 3 layers with cream between each. Chill for 30 minutes and serve immediately.
8-Inch Round White Cake
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup margarine, softened
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup whole milk
Preheat oven to 325. Grease two 8-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment circles. In a bowl, cream together sugar and margarine. Slowly beat in eggs. Add vanilla. Sift cake flour and baking powder, then add to mixture. Slowly add milk. Pour half of mixture into each pan. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.
White Buttercream Icing
3 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 pound butter, softened
1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter flavoring
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces whole milk
In a mixing bowl, add together all ingredients and mix with a paddle for 10 minutes. Scrape down bowl. Mix again for 5 minutes.
Marjorie Tomaso, Flair by M.C. Designs
It makes sense that a graphic artist with experience designing artwork and homes would be able to transition into designing events—which is exactly the path Marjorie Tomaso took. As the instigator of this sugary soirée, Mrs. Tomaso divulged some of her top party-planning tricks.
Elements of success: A good event has plenty to eat and drink, because you don’t want people to go hungry. The comfort level of guests is also extremely important—you want to make sure they feel comfortable, while ensuring there’s also something to keep them interested. Finally, as a host or hostess, your biggest task is to mask any insecurities about making it all happen. Continually apologizing—saying things like “I just don’t know what I’m doing”—makes people uncomfortable.
Good eats: The type of food is subordinate to the type of party you are throwing. If it’s a cocktail party, you want to make sure the food isn’t messy and guests will not have to use forks and knives. Have as much food prepared in advanced as possible, and make sure it’s something that is easy and enjoyable to eat. Guests may pass if it’s too messy.
Elegant environments: Keep it simple and coherent. There needs to be something that pulls everything together. A lot of people will try to do too much and it gets to be confusing, at which point they get overwhelmed. This also makes guests uncomfortable. Keep your wits about you and enjoy the rewards.
