Let Us Eat Cake
Tova Eidex became interested in cake decorating in 2015. When people saw her artistic work, she was asked to commission unique cake shapes and scenes.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
Tova Eidex became interested in cake decorating in 2015. When people saw her artistic work, she was asked to commission unique cake shapes and scenes. She began baking cupcakes, then graduated to cakes, pies and cookies. Eidex, an Atlanta native, is a certified mashgiach, so when baking from home, she is kosher-certified. All of her cake batter and frosting are pareve, but she occasionally uses a dairy ingredient such as white chocolate to create a specific design.
“I prepare cakes for bar mitzvahs, birthdays and various simchas. The most unusual cake was shaped like a model of Beth Jacob’s building for the synagogue’s 75th anniversary. Also, I’ve done a shtreimel-shaped cake for a Purim party, and decorated a cake following a Bob Ross painting tutorial just for fun.”
In terms of tools, she has drawers full of decorating gadgets, such as fondant tools, cookie cutters, offset spatulas and piping bags. “I occasionally use fondant, although I try to avoid using it when I can because it is difficult to work with, and I know that many people are not a fan of the taste.”
Ever wonder how elaborately constructed cakes make it intact to the destination?
Eidex has cake boards in all different shapes and sizes that are inserted in cake boxes appropriate for their shape and size. She keeps her batter recipes uniform, a recipe that makes the cakes sturdy enough to shape and decorate without “flopping.”
To prepare gluten-free cakes, Eidex substitutes the flour for gluten-free flour so that the taste and texture do not change considerably.
She supplies desserts to Formaggio Mio (on Briarcliff) and Julie’s Kosher Catering.
Eidex concludes, “My long-term goal is to have my own bakery and better my skills to become a master cake artist like Duff Goldman or Buddy Valastro.”
Beth Jacob Atlanta congregant Mira Bergen started observing Shabbat at the new millennium, Dec. 31, 1999. When she wanted to celebrate her 1,000th consecutively observed Shabbat, she turned to Eidex’s skill as an emerging cake artist to create a cake that would represent her spiritual journey. Bergen sponsored a special Shabbat, Friday night oneg and Saturday kiddush Feb. 15-16 with guest Rabbi Tzvi Mordechai Feldheim.
“Tova baked a stunning chocolate cake with large colorful fondant-covered marbles to signify my practice of adding a marble to a decanter after each Shabbos,” Bergen said. “Tova is a very special young woman, and I had confidence she would rise to this occasion with her unique style and flair in cake creation.”
Cakes run from $15 to hundreds, depending on the size. Eidex can be reached at eidex.tova01@gmail.com.
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