Spotlight | Eddie Stuart, Pepperberry Cakes
Quick! Get married/remarried!
Published on 10 September 2019
Photography by Morgan Smith
Eddie Stuart’s cakes will make you want to get married. Or remarried. Or turn 50, or something. You’ll want an occasion. And yes, they taste just as delicious as they look. We sat down with (well, interrupted) Eddie to talk about why she came back to Toowoomba, the benefits and challenges of business here, and her favourite places to eat, shop and indulge.
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first things first: why toowoomba?
My dad was born in Toowoomba but lived most of his adult life in Sydney. He was feeling nostalgic and wanted us to experience the lifestyle he had growing up, so we moved from Tonga to Toowoomba when I was eight years old.
Back then I think most of us felt like leaving Toowoomba straight after high school to experience what the world has to offer and so I studied at UQ in Brisbane and travelled. I have beautiful childhood memories growing up in Toowoomba and after having children I started to feel nostalgic myself. Toowoomba has developed so much in the last decade and it’s exciting to see people moving back and bringing with them new creative businesses.
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What is Pepperberry Cakes?
Pepperberry Cakes is a Toowoomba-based cake studio that specialises in modern, bespoke wedding cakes and special occasion cakes. We combine fresh, seasonal produce from across the Darling Downs, with a love of design, art, and well-timed magic.
I am passionate about ingredients and have carefully created a cake menu which is unique, well-balanced and includes exciting flavours – honey-soaked lemon myrtle, orange and Champagne, chocolate sour cream cake with whiskey caramel, or Earl Grey with lavender and lemon curd. I make everything from scratch, including our nut pralines, whiskey salted caramel, lemon and lime curds, and preserves.
Our signature cakes are moist, butter-based sponges, decadent muds, earthy olive oil and melt-in-your-mouth spiced almond cakes; plumped and smothered with cloud-like swiss meringue buttercreams, silky smooth chocolate ganache or creamy and tart cream cheese frostings. I’m self-taught and have spent a lot of time mastering techniques, which allow me to achieve sleek and sharp edges without the need for fondant. I love experimenting with buttercream and currently love the organic look of raw-edged buttercream teamed with fresh florals. Our simple desire is for you and your guests to share a memory forever of the first sight and taste of your Pepperberry cake.
I started Pepperberry Cakes out of a love for art, design, celebrations, flavours and creativity. I run the business part-time at this stage, along with my sister, Cat, who lives abroad and takes care of the business and financial side of things. I love working together with Cat as she is not only level-headed but extremely creative, so it’s great being able to bounce ideas off each other.
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What are the benefits, opportunities and challenges about running a business in Toowoomba?
Building great relationships within the local community is so important. I love how Pepperberry Cakes is growing organically through word of mouth. Beautifully crafted custom cakes and desserts have always been something that I have searched out in the bigger cities and found difficult to find in Toowoomba. A lot of people feel this way too, so there was a big opportunity here. I can offer something special, fresh and unique.
I like to experiment with designs and ingredients, and although I try and source as many products as I can locally, one of the challenges I find is there are still many products that I need to to order in from Brisbane or interstate.
What does an average day look like for you?
It’s always different, but an average day would begin with replying to emails and messages, which I tend to do at the beginning of the week as the end of the week is dedicated to completing designs and delivering cakes to events. I bake throughout the day Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while the kids are at school and if I’m lucky, I may have time to test out a new recipe or work on a new design. I spend some time drawing out the design of every cake and making sure I have all the elements organised to bring it together later. I visit local flower markets and local cake supply stores to stock up on items. I prefer to fill and cover cakes at night when it is cool and quiet, letting cakes chill overnight and then adding the final design elements in the morning.
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What does your ideal Toowoomba weekend look like?
I find Toowoomba particularly beautiful in the mornings, so an early morning walk is a great start to the day. Having time to recharge creatively is a must and I do this by unplugging and drawing, painting, reading, or playing music when I can. As the week is normally very busy, we like to slow things right down on the weekend so this means going out for breakfast or lunch with the family at a favourite cafe or exploring nearby restaurants like Emeraude and Rosalie House with live music on a Sunday. Recently we have been enjoying picnics at the Botanic Gardens or incredible Webb Park, a kids dream.
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Only a Toowoomba local would know…
Skate Haven was the place to be for 12 year old me and Willow Springs Adventure Park was the best thing ever.
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FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
PERK UP: Live music, going to the Empire Theatre, or Pump’s drive-through coffee is a lifesaver for me on a Friday when I need a good coffee but no time to sit down and chat.
RELAX: a picnic at the Botanic Gardens with the kids off riding their scooters while we eat all the cheese, or alternatively enjoying wine and listening to live music at Rosalie House on a Sunday.
EAT: Emeraude, Sofra, Rosalie House, Zev’s Bistro
INDULGE: The Baker’s Duck
SHOP: Magnolia, The Bungalow and Basket, Florence & Marabel, Harold’s Finishing Touches
CATCH UP: Sweet Talk, James Street Grocer, Burrow
BE INSPIRED: We live on the range and an early morning walk through the nature reserve watching the sunrise does it for me every time.
