Global Experience

VIP corporate events

USA to Asia
Royal celebrations & wedding fairs

Within a few months of launching cake decorating courses in Liverpool, international academies and International Corporate Executives from around the world invited David as their international guest of honour to attend cake decorating seminars, VIP corporate events, conventions and charity benefit galas where he showcased his free-hand Royal Icing techniques, presented after dinner speeches and captivated live audiences playing the piano as he performed his original music.

The global experience has also taken David and his assistant Edward to corporate events in Spain, Portugal, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Norway, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Brunei and the United States of America.

International Recognition

Conferences

Lifestyle Events

Trade Show Expos

David is invited as international guest of honour
to share his creative art at international events:

The Royal Diamond Jubilee Tea Party – Hong Kong

Royal Brunei Airlines International Executive Convention – China

The Borneo Cake Exploration Tour – Malaysia | Brunei

Futian Shangri-La Hotel Legendary VIP Wedding Fair – China

Hong Kong International Bakery Expo VIP Cocktail Party – Hong Kong

The Americas Cake Show Convention – Florida USA

KINO Cake Decorating Competition – Malaysia

VIP Charity Benefit Gala – Kuching Malaysia

David presented ‘The History of Royal Wedding Cakes’ atThe Legendary VIP Wedding Fairat the exclusive Futian Shang-ri-La Hotel in Shenzhen China

David presented Creative Lifestyles cake decorating event at the exclusive Aberdeen Marina Club in Hong Kong

David presented ‘The History of Royal Wedding Cakes’ at The Royal Diamond Jubilee Tea Party at the exclusive Aberdeen Marina Club in Hong Kong

During the VIP event David also presented live piping demonstrations as well as decorating a selection of Royal Diamond Jubilee themed cupcakes which were served with English tea

The Royal Diamond Jubilee Tea Party concluded with a creative lifestyle cake decorating event presented by David, allowing his VIP audience to enjoy hands-on free-hand piping for the very first time

Select a photo below and discover more…

Corporate Sponsors

& associates

David Cakes thanks you for your support during our global teaching journey

From global corporate sponsors of travel, accommodation and speciality product brands to international television and world media, David has truly experienced an incredible business journey during the last 36 years of his career, meeting wonderful people that all share the same passion for business – working hard and networking together to make visions of business success become a reality.

“I feel very blessed and most honoured to have been given so many wonderful opportunities by so many fantastic people who believe in myself and the David Cakes brand. I have had an incredible journey and without your support I would not be where I am today – so I thank you all most sincerely.”

David MacCarfrae

Did You Know?

1980

David studied bakery, cake decorating and food technology at ‘Colquitt St. Nautical and Technical Catering College’ in Liverpool.

At the age of 17 David achieved ‘Distinctions’ in City and Guilds and was awarded the ‘The Renshaw Cup’ including an all expenses paid scholarship to attend the world renowned  ‘Richemont School of Patisserie’ – Lake Lucerne, Switzerland.

In 1983 David officially started David Cakes business from home and opened his retail cake store in 1984. In 1985 he briefly taught weekly cake decorating classes to his local audience, but only for a few months due to increased demand for his bespoke cake decorating service.

By the end of the 1980’s David’s achievements included making a Royal Wedding Cake for The British Royal Family and receiving many TV and business awards for product innovation and staff training – including ‘The National Training Award’ presented by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

1990

During the early 1990’s fondant coated wedding and celebration cakes started to become more popular in the UK, so David introduced new smooth-edge fondant covered / delicately piped cake designs to his retail cake store collection – with emphasis on retaining his free-hand Royal Icing piping signature style.

Even after the arrival of smooth and simple designs, there was still a very high demand for traditional Royal Icing coated cakes decorated with lavish ornate over-piping resulting in David Cakes product range becoming more diverse and with a wider audience appeal which enabled his business to survive in ever changing times while evolving with fresh innovative challenges and creative ideas that instigated new cake design trends.

Up to this time wedding and celebration cakes were only available in the UK from specialist cake shops and cake decorating materials only available to the bakery industry – but this was about to radically change.

1998

The late 1990’s saw the dawn of UK supermarkets starting to sell mass produced wedding and celebration cakes, but also cake decorating materials.  In order to stay ahead and ensure his survival in ever more competitive times of business, David had to re-invent and expand his wedding and celebration cake product range – offering new and exclusive original ideas – not available elsewhere.

In 1998 David introduced palette knife cake painting with Royal Icing to his wedding and celebration cake retail store product range, offering a brand new style of decorated cake which proved very popular with both wedding clientele and the younger generation.

From floral – to landscape – to pop-art and beyond, David had invented a new revolutionary style of Royal Icing creativity.

Over 20 years later from when he created the first prototype palette knife cake painted designs that were proudly showcased in David Cakes retail cake store window, palette knife cake painting is still as popular today as it has ever been.

2023

The 2000’s saw the evolution of cake decorating into the mainstream, popularised by reality TV shows and live competitions.

In 2011, David completed filming in Canada for the now globally successful 13 part reality TV series ‘CAKE WALK’. Upon his return to Liverpool, he felt it was time to revisit to what he loved to do, but had not yet fully fulfilled – his passion for teaching.

Bidding a fond farewell to his retail business, David closed David Cakes cake store in 2012 and embarked on his new full-time teaching journey.

2023 – Now in his 59th year, David may appear to be set in his traditional ways, but he simply believes that besides being a quick and cost effective art-form ideal for commercial business growth, free-hand cake decorating has such a rich history that needs to be preserved for future generations – with a continued high demand from students wishing to learn free-hand techniques, the survival of centuries old art form is looking very positive.

David MacCarfrae

Career timeline

year by year achievements
1970 to the present
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