Charlotte Neuville’s couture cakes and confections have made the lives in our industry all the sweeter. And this Thanksgiving, we turned to the CFDA member, who had a three-decade fashion career before turning to the art of pastries, to get the scoop on her chic couture cake for this special holiday, why she loves Thanksgiving, and her favorite holiday memory.

Charlotte, please describe to us your magical Thanksgiving cake.

The pheasant is actually sculpted out of sugar paste and then hand-painted with edible gel paint and piped with Royal Icing.  It’s displayed with edible chocolate “dirt” at its feet.

What makes it so unique?

We approach cake decoration as an art form.  The idea is to use traditional cake decoration materials (i.e. sugar paste, fondant, buttercream, Royal icing, etc) as a tool to create cakes you have never seen before. We do not allow those materials to limit our imagination.

How did you come up with it?

For years now, we have been commissioned to do a beautiful Thanksgiving dessert presentation for one of our clients.  We start thinking about the centerpiece months ahead. In the case of last year, it was this pheasant. The year before, it was a wild boar. We try to best ourselves each year. She is such a wonderful client.

What’s your favorite part about Thanksgiving?

Anticipation and preparation.  I’m all about the foreplay!

Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving memory?

When I was little and we visited my cousins in San Francisco, I was allowed to create deep craters in my mashed potatoes  (i.e. I was allowed to play with my food …) and fill it with gravy to the brim.  I don’t remember eating it … just playing with it!

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