TrooRa Magazine
or those who are addicted to scrolling their Instagram feeds to find the latest in food and dessert trends, mirror glaze cakes are seen everywhere. Impossibly glossy with beautiful designs and all types of patterns, these cakes are the mainstays on many people's social media diet and have also inspired countless would-be bakers.
Chef Olga Noskova, the pioneer of the technique, has won the hearts, minds, and taste buds of people all over the world. Despite her skill and ability, she did not start her career off as a chef or baker. Instead, she had an Economics degree and worked initially in the fashion industry.
During her maternity leave from being owner of an Italian clothing boutique, she started dreaming of setting up a new business. She wanted it to be something special that would be able to captivate her completely. “I wanted to be excited about it, waking up every morning,” she says.
She had total conviction that it was going to happen, and the inspiration came to her by accident. One day, she came across French macarons and, on a whim, decided to make them herself. She was fascinated by the process. Even though her prior baking experience was limited to “helping” her mother whip up frostings by eating it as a child and baking apple pies as an adult, she came to realize that pastry-making was exactly what she wanted to do.
And so, Chef Noskova started her education in desserts. Among other things, she read countless articles and blogs, and watched hours of cooking shows and online videos. They were all very interesting; but one day, she found out about the gorgeous mousse cakes.
That was it. She had found her calling.
"I always notice interesting outlines, themes, stories, and color combinations that I can adopt and recreate in my own work."
– Chef Olga Noskova
Even though they are not as ubiquitous as they are now, she wanted to know what made them so stunning. To that end, she started learning from the best chefs in France, Italy, and Spain. This built a strong foundation of skills. As she finished her training, she continued experimenting by adding vibrant colors to the cakes. She wanted to make sure that these were not only cakes but works of art. She always made sure her creations were unique and different from others.
One such example is her distinct use of colors. It isn’t common to choose blue, purple, or black as the main dessert color nor is it usual to use an entire palette of colors in a single cake. “To me, desserts are about beauty, uniqueness, a deep meaning, and a burst of emotions” for both the creator and the taster, she explained.
She posted her creations online and they started to gain attention. These beautiful artworks started to go viral as media outlets all over the world took notice. Even Britney Spears commented on Facebook that the cakes are “almost too pretty to eat.”
Chef Noskova, now an internet sensation, became a finalist of the ninth annual Shorty Awards in the US and represented Russia at the International Exhibition of Creativity and Design in Chengdu, China. She also started offering masterclasses in Europe and in the US in 2020.
With a strong desire to experiment with colors, fillings, decoration, and flavors, she often gets her inspiration when she least expects it. “I always notice interesting outlines, themes, stories, and color combinations that I can adopt and recreate in my own work,” she says. Moreover, music, art, and choreography also ignite her passion and help generate new ideas.
She thinks that the most important thing for any baker is to have the self-belief and desire to make a delicious and beautiful cake. With enough practice and the right technical knowledge (like the proper temperature at which to glaze the cake or how to choose the right colors), everything will turn out great.
She is very proud of her creations which successfully combine art and dessert-making. “The airy texture of the desserts, their shapes, and the combinations of colors will not leave anyone indifferent!” she says with a smile—just as she believed from the start!
