Each time I visit Cecile's "bake shop," there is something new and exciting to see. This year's designs are her striped chocolate cakes. They come in bold colors, as seen on this page, or in pastels, creams, and whites for more elegant, traditional events. Last year's favorite cakes were decorated with an spray of calla lilies, and the year before that, she  invented the intricate lace print design. The inspiration was the beautiful lace of a bridal gown. After scanning the pattern, she printed it with lavender color on white chocolate with which she decorated the wedding cake. No wonder that Bride's Magazine has shown her work in the last three successive years. Many other magazines such as In Style , and Town & Country, and Modern Bride have featured her work; yet the biggest honor she received so far was an invitation from the Today Show to be part of a contest with three of this country's other leading cake creators.

Along with innovative artistry, Cecile mixes incredible flavors. She takes pride in using only the best ingredients. I love her delicious combination of tangy orange cake with dark chocolate custard and bittersweet chocolate mousse, her moist and light double lemon cake, and her signature banana truffle cake.

Cecile has been in business for many years, and she is one of the trend setters in the Bay Area. The former sculptor with a passion for baking, very successfully put both of her talents to work. I still remember the river rocks she created for a rock collector during my first visit, or the recreation of the Forum Romanum at another one. She has perfected making transparent bubbles out of sugar. Placed atop cakes, they look like thin spheres of blown glass. Her cheerfully decorated cupcakes bring fun to showers and parties; grouped together on special stand they even can serve as wedding cakes.

If you are a prospective customer, call in order to schedule a tasting; it will give you the chance to browse through her portfolio and see all her innovative creations for yourself.