You are invited to stage a sparkling celebration. Award-winning Cheshire floral artist Jacqui Owen of Jacqui O, and Kara Dexter of Kara’s Kitchen, create a festive feast for the eyes and the tastebuds to get the party started. Jacqui draws inspiration from the character of each client’s home, and the sugar-almond-coloured dining chairs in Kara’s home in Holmes Chapel were the starting point for this non-traditional Christmas setting.
Jacqui filled gold urns with peach ‘Shimmer’ peach roses, frilly pink ‘Alissa Champagne’ lisianthus, and lime hypericum berries, nestled in locally grown Christmas spruce and sprayed berried eucalyptus for one of the tablescapes.
‘We added colourful glassware, linens, and tealight holders, to create a vibrant, refined look,’ says Jacqui.
‘The charger plates give a touch of luxury to the dining experience and each guest was welcomed with a rosette cupcake, paired with a glass of prosecco. These mini floral arrangements are a thoughtful gift for your friends or family to take home take home.’
The second look was based on hydrangeas, with the voluminous blooms in soft pastels forming a cloud-like runner down the centre of the table.
‘Hydrangeas, which symbolise gratitude and heartfelt emotions, not only make a statement when fresh, but they can be dried, allowing their hues to transform into delicate, lasting shades,’ says Jacqui. ‘Place them in a vase with a small amount of water and allow them to dry naturally as the water evaporates.’
Jacqui used a traditional bundt cake baked by Kara as the centre of a more conventional festive.
A foliage-rich garland, reminiscent of her signature door wreaths, was made with Cheshire-grown yew, spruce, ivy and burgundy eucalyptus sprays, and finished with luxurious red velvet ribbon and glass hot-air balloon baubles.
Luxury tablescaping tips
*Start by choosing a cohesive theme or colour palette to guide your decor, from linens to centrepieces.
*Layer textures and vary heights by combining cloth napkins, chargers, candles, and natural elements such as greenery and pine cones for depth and visual interest.
*Make sure centrepieces don’t overcrowd the table, leaving space for tableware and giving guests space to enjoy their food and drink and conversation while still enjoying the decorations.
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Jacqui decorated the focal point of the room with oversized hand-painted pine cones and paper stars accented with gold leaf. Kara’s favourite multi-coloured star made of tiny bells was the perfect centrepiece.
Cheshire Life exclusive offer
Download Jacqui O’s step-by-step tutorial on her flower shop for £25 using code CL24 at product-page/ festive-fizz-floral-styling-tutorial and create your own elegant mini urn table centrepieces. Whether you’re setting the dining table for a festive party or Christmas lunch, this guide will help you design a magical atmosphere. jacquio.co.uk
For details of Jacqui’s bespoke party flower styling service contact hello@jacquio.co.uk
Kara Dexter founded Kara's Kitchen in 2013 when her daughter Katie became ill with ME. ‘During this challenging time, I started cooking food for busy people and this evolved into a catering business. I’ve baked from my own childhood to creating celebration cakes for my children and my nieces and nephews. I love the pleasure a homemade cake gives the recipient and now specialise in making cakes to order.
‘My mini cakes are fun, delicious and beautiful for seasonal celebrations, unusual wedding favours, children’s party take-home gifts, or corporate event treats. Each cake is lovingly handcrafted with the buyer's choice of colours and flavours, including red velvet, lemon meringue, carrot cake, and chocolate.’
Kara also offers weekly tray bakes such as funfetti, chocolate and jam and coconut
kara@karaskitchen.co.uk
07740650272
RECIPES
Bundt Cake
340g unsalted butter, at room temperature
300g caster sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
2.25 teaspoons baking powder
1.5 tsp table salt
360g plain flour
1 tbsp vanilla essence
170g milk, at room temperature
Preheat fan oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 3
Put the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat together at medium speed until the mixture lightens in colour and looks fluffy
Add the baking powder and salt, mixing just to combine
Add the first three eggs one at a time. Wait until each egg is absorbed into the mixture before adding the next.
Add 2 tbsp of the flour to the bowl after the third egg and mix until combined. Add the fourth egg, mix until absorbed, then mix in another 2 tbsp of flour, repeat with the fifth and sixth eggs
Add the vanilla to the milk
Add one-third of the remaining flour to the batter, beating gently to combine. Gently beat in half the milk. Mix in another third of the flour, then the remaining milk. Stir in the remaining flour Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then beat until the batter is smooth and fluffy, about 20 to 30 seconds at medium-high speed
Thoroughly grease your bundt pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula
Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, until it begins to brown, appears set on top, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven, and gently loosen its edges. Turn the pan over onto a cooling rack. After 10 minutes, lift the pan off the cake, and allow it to cool completely.
Vanilla Sponge (for the mini cakes)
175g self-raising flour
1 heaped tsp baking powder
175g caster sugar
175g room temperature butter
3 large eggs
Preheat fan oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas3
Grease and line two 20cm cake tins
Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl
Add all the other ingredients and mix to combine until you have a smooth batter
Divide the batter between the two tins and bake on centre shelf for 30-35 minutes
To make a chocolate version omit 1.5 tbsp of flour and replace with 1.5 tbsp of cocoa powder
Vanilla buttercream
250g room temperature butter
500g icing sugar
1-2 tbsp milk
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1. Beat the butter until light and fluffy
2, Add icing sugar, 1 tbsp of the milk and the vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy
3. If necessary, add remaining milk to loosen the mixture
THE ICING ON THE CAKES
Kara’s tips to make your Christmas cakes look festive and beautiful
1. Festive colours
Classic Christmas palette: Stick to traditional Christmas colours such as red, green, white, and gold. You can use food colouring for frosting, fondant or decorative elements.
Winter wonderland: Opt for icy blues, silvers, and white for a snowy, wintery feel. This works with snowflakes, icicles, or a frosted look.
Something Different: Choose a mix of colours that make you happy.
2. Christmas-themed toppers
Edible figures: Create small edible Santa Claus, reindeers, snowmen, or Christmas trees using fondant or marzipan. BBC Good Food has ideas: bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/christmas-cake-decoration-recipes
Buy toppers: There are countless varieties of festive toppers online with everything from candy canes to sleighs and reindeer. Lakeland has a good range: lakeland.co.uk/search/christmas%2Bcake%2Btoppers
Pinecones and holly: Spray paint pine cones to match your colour scheme, pick holly leaves with berries and arrange them on and around your cake, use sprigs of holly as Christmas trees or sugar-frosted cranberries: natashaskitchen.com/sugared-cranberries
3. Simple icing ideas
Royal icing snow effect: Pipe royal icing in swirls or zigzags over the cake to resemble snow drifts or icicles. You can also let it drip down the sides for a snow-capped effect. The beauty of this is you don’t need to be an expert piper.
Snowflakes: Use a piping bag with white icing to create delicate snowflakes on the top and sides of your cake. For added sparkle, sprinkle edible glitter or sugar dust over them.
Frosted look: Simply dust powdered sugar over a cake for a snowy, frosted appearance. This works well on bundt cakes or traditional fruitcakes.
4. Drip cakes
Chocolate drip: For a rich, indulgent feel, add a chocolate ganache drip over the sides of the cake. You can top it with mini marshmallows, candies, or Christmas-themed sprinkles.
Coloured drip: Use red or green coloured chocolate ganache for a vibrant and fun Christmas cake.
5. Moulds and stencils
Fondant moulds: Invest in Christmas-themed fondant moulds (stars, snowflakes, reindeer) to make professional-looking decorations with ease.
Stencils: Use snowflake or Christmas tree stencils to dust powdered sugar or cocoa powder on top of the cake for a clean, elegant finish.
6. Edible glitter and sprinkles
Glitter: Add edible glitter to make your cake shine. This works well for cakes with snowflakes or icicle designs.
Festive sprinkles: Use holiday sprinkles, such as red and green confetti, gold stars, or silver dragees, to make any cake look festive.
