Executive chef Melissa Trimmer of Dawn Foods shares thoughts on one of the hottest trends emerging in the decorated cake sector with innovative tips on how to prepare “pull-me-up” glitter cakes – just in time for Valentine’s Day and beyond.

“People want to have experiences,” Trimmer says of pull-me-up cakes, which feature a special reveal in the final step. “These cakes have customizable flavors. I really would love to see bakeries sell take-home kits to consumers.”

Here’s how it works. Your bakery can offer pre-iced cakes from Dawn Foods. The glitter comes in a separate perishable container. Decorate your cake any way you prefer. Wrap a transparent cake strip around the edges and secure tightly. Secure with transparent tape.

Then spread your whipped cream evenly on the top of the cake, followed by chocolate ganache. Add glitter, sprinkles, and other decorations, as desired.

For the final reveal, pull the transparent cake strip directly upward and allow the ganache (along with decorations) to drip down the cake sides, creating an eye-catching – but messy – work of art.

“The anticipation of it is the whole experience,” Trimmer points out. “After it drips down the side of the cake, it feels like it is intentionally messy.”

Valentine’s trends

“We are definitely seeing a return to comfort and nostalgia,” Trimmer says of key trends for Valentine’s Day.

That means heart sprinkles and new flavor variations like ruby or gold chocolate with berries or dark bitter chocolate with lemon.

Also use different types of peppers, like serrano, to turn up the heat in creative desserts. Learn more from Dawn Foods’ 2022 Flavor Trend Report.

Trimmer suggests planning your entire calendar – from Valentine’s Day and beyond – with a color scheme to match each season.

“Work through the entire year,” she suggests, “and update it for the seasons.”