Cakes with soul by Edible Essence

A wedding cake is never just dessert. A centrepiece for the reception, it enhances your aesthetic and creates that iconic cake-cutting snapshot destined for a frame. For Jen Wells of Edible Essence, a boutique cake studio in Devon, a cake is a deeply personal expression of love, beauty and flavour – and her confections are as soulful as they are stunning.

 
“Before the pandemic, I was designing award-winning cakes that travelled across the country and Europe,” Jen says. “But stepping away, even briefly, reminded me why I fell in love with baking in the first place. I realised I didn’t want to chase trends or volume; I wanted to return to creating from the heart.” Now moving at a gentler pace, Jen’s bakes embrace timeless elegance and natural beauty, soft textures and real florals. Flavour is always foremost in her dreamy confections, and she loves to create flavour combinations designed to stir memories.

 
“My passion for cakes was inherited from two extraordinary women, my mum and my nan,” shares Jen. “They were both devoted bakers, with an unwavering love of cake.” Her mother’s recent passing has only deepened that connection. “Every time I step into my kitchen, she’s with me.” In her honour, Jen has reimagined her mum’s favourite coffee cake – a nostalgic staple that now holds pride of place on the Edible Essence menu. Another treasured recipe: a hazelnut praline cake rooted in her German heritage, made from her nan’s traditional method using finely ground hazelnuts instead of flour. “It’s rich with tradition and heart,” she says.

 
Edible Essence is more than a cake studio – it’s a celebration of stories, seasons and soul. “I work with quality, natural ingredients and embrace buttercream in all its imperfect glory,” says Jen. “I draw inspiration from the changing seasons, the people I love and the stories behind the bakes. That’s what gives them meaning.”

Photography: Dan Ward, Tara Statton, Rebecca Goddard, Ivyhouse Photography

edibleessencecakeart.com