Hi everyone! I've been asked to make an anniversary cake and the customers have sent me multiple facts about themselves that they want incorporated on a small one tier cake... I always have a hard time making cakes like this, where there is no general theme but a hodge podge of different hobbies, occupations, and pictures that they want incorporated onto a single tier cake. Multi-tier is easier for me. Anyone have any ideas of how I can make the cake look.. cohesive? I just keep picturing random decorations on a cake and in my mind it looks awful. I've tried googling cakes with multiple themes or random objects on it and still can't make it work in my mind or when I draw it out. Anyone have any ideas or can refer me to actual cakes that look like what I'm describing? It doesn't sound that bad when I'm describing it but I just can get over how random the whole thing will look!

What themes did they give you? Let us know and we can spitball some ideas.

Yeah, it would be helpful to know the themes wanted. Somethimes they can go together well.

I've had to do a lot of cakes like this; they always look different, but there are ways you can tie the look together, even when none of the hobbies/interests go together!

Once I had an anniversary cake that I did the background in the style of the year they were married, and put the year and a 'banner' with the couples' names right int he middle. Then, all around, I placed 'postcards' with each subject drawn on it. For the postcards, I pre-cut several sizes and shapes of flat fondant pieces, and drew on the subject matter with an edible food marker and then airbrushed some color in each one. I placed all the pictures randomly around the cake, top and sides. So it had a sort of collage effect.

On larger sheet cakes, you can make drawings all around... connect the images with scrollwork or vines so it sort of 'flows'.
Also, I would use a background color other than white, to keep it from being too overwhelming... sometimes a dark ivory or pale gold works (kind of like how your framed photos and artwork at home looks great against a painted wall instead of just a plain white wall!) Or, if you have a specific color theme they would like; then go with that!

I know it's not easy; good luck to you!