Meet Tracey van Lent
Tracey van Lent with her Best in Show winning cake for the Pettinice Cake Show 2019.
The Cake Craftery
Riverhead, Auckland
See more of Tracey's cakes at
I love all Pettinice colours and all the colours you can make from Pettinice colours combined. I’ve always been very impressed with the blackness of the black though.
Meet Tracey van Lent - The Cake Craftery
Tracey caught our attention with her beautiful wedding cake entry for the 2019 Pettinice Cake Show. She went on to win a much deserved "Best in Show" for her stunning art themed piece. She has a wonderful point of view with her cake style, and we look forward to learning from her tutorials throughout the year. We had a chance to ask her a few questions about her cake journey, which you can read more about below...
Tracey van Lent owns The Cake Craftery in Riverhead, Auckland. Tracey’s background is in art and design and she gained a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communications when her four children were young. She has been decorating cakes for many years and has taught classes in her local community in North-West Auckland in more recent years.
She has also demonstrated at her local cake guild and is a member of Waitakere Cake Decorators’ Club. Most recently she has been focusing on innovating new techniques and making video tutorials.
She has won several awards in New Zealand and Australia and enjoys the challenge of competing as it motivates her to push beyond her boundaries, as well as keeping up with the latest trends and techniques.
She loves working with Pettinice in every aspect of her fondant work and particularly likes the unlimited palette of colours that can be produced by just mixing together Pettinice pre-coloured fondants. She also says the black is the deepest and truest black fondant she has come across.
Why/how did you become a cake decorator?
I became a cake decorator as an outlet for creativity. There is huge scope to create whatever your mind conjures up. The best thing about it is being involved in so many happy occasions and celebrations.
What is the very first cake you remember making?
Making cakes was something I grew up way back in the ’60’s and ’70’s! (Yes, before the Internet…Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook - all the resources I would be lost without these days.) In my twenties I used fondant for the first time to play a prank on my sister’s boyfriend. It was a plate of bacon and eggs with all the big breakfast trimmings. I made it as realistic as possible and he was really taken in by it.. and possibly a little let down not to get his big breakfast…haha! You see a lot of those sort of cakes these days and I still enjoy the concept.
What has been the most challenging cake you have made to date?
The most challenging cake I have made to date was probably my carousel circus cake because it had coloured lights and moving parts and I am somewhat technically challenged. My most detailed cake with the most techniques was the Renaissance cake I made for the Pettinice Cake Show in 2019.
Renaissance Cake by Tracey van Lent
Carousel Circus Cake by Tracey van Lent
Carousel Circus Cake details by Tracey van Lent
What was the last cake that made you cry? (from joy even!)
The last cake that made me cry was a few years ago. It was 5 tiers (and 5,000 tears), and it collapsed as we turned too fast in the car. It was a present for a dear friend. It certainly taught me to get my supports and structure right.
What cake do you wish someone would order?
One day I would like to work on a big show-piece at an event… a whole scene in cake perhaps.
What is your favourite part of the cake decorating process?
My favourite part of the cake decorating process is putting the finishing touches on a design that has been in my head and finally come together in cake. After that it is the relief I feel when the recipient likes it!
What do you listen to while you are decorating?
At some stages of my cake decorating process I like complete silence but other times I’m energised by listening to a wide and eclectic range of music from Nina Simone to Talking Heads - pretty old school. Ed Sheeran’s not bad either!
Vincent Van Gogh art inspired cake by Tracey van Lent
Van Gogh's Portrait of Joseph Roulin by Tracey van Lent
Tracey's winning cake from the ACADA cake show.
Do you make your own birthday cake?
I’ve never made myself a birthday cake but I’m going to this year to celebrate a big one!
What’s your favourite cake delivery story?
Please can we not talk about cake delivery stories…its a sore point…see ‘the cake that made me cry’ above. Actually, my favourite cake delivery story is that I haven’t had a cake collapse on me since and I’ve even flown to Australia with cakes more recently.
What’s something you wish people would know about your business?
My business now is more about making cake tutorials and videos, and teaching the occasional classes. I love to pass on the skills I have picked up over the years.
What’s next in your cake world?
I’m 80% through another competition cake I was going to take to Australia in May but that was cancelled of course, so I’m trying to decide whether to take it in November if borders are re-opened. I will finish the cake anyway. 
