Edible Art

Take one look at Margaret Braun's exquisite work—colorful pieces influenced by Gaudi's Barcelona, and the court of Emperor Akbar, for instance—and there's no denying that she's an amazing artist.

Her medium, however, may surprise you. It's not paint, or marble, or wood. Margaret works exclusively in cake, and her "art supplies" include sugar, marzipan, icing and gold dust.

To her it makes perfect, beautiful sense: Food and creativity have always gone hand-in-hand. "I come from a family of artists, musicians and great cooks," she explains. "My first job, in high school, was as a dishwasher at a greasy spoon. I loved it, and haven't left the kitchen since!"

Still, Margaret never planned on becoming a sugar sculptor and one of the most sought-after wedding cake creators in New York City. She went to work in bakeries to support herself as an artist.

At a Manhattan pastry shop, Margaret discovered that cakes had endless artistic possibilities, and room for creative expression. The job was demanding—and fulfilling. "I also found a legitimate reason to eat cake first thing in the morning!" she says.

A trip to Italy was also key. There, Margaret fell in love with the art and architecture of Milan. When she returned to New York, she wanted to decorate cakes inspired by what she'd seen.

Margaret's inspiration doesn't come just from high art and classical design. She sees beauty—and cake concepts—everywhere: in everyday objects, even in the linoleum flooring she had once deemed ugly. (It's true: one of the cakes featured in her book, Cakewalk, is called "Homage to Linoleum.")

But mostly, Margaret is inspired by the people in her life. "My father was strong, kind, and funny," she says, "and my 77-year-old mother is a great beadworker. My brother Joe is a jazz musician in New Orleans. And my husband, Richard...don't get me started!"

Does it frustrate Margaret that she puts hours and hours into a cake, only to have it get eaten up in a matter of minutes? "That's the most exciting part!" she says.