The Icing on the cake

The sky is that beautiful old parchment in which the sun and moon keep their diary - Alfred Kreymborg

Samudra Dunuwila also uses parchment for her decorative structures. And as diaries fetch memories, what she makes out of parchment too brings many happy memories . And that is nothing else, but about their D-day.

Samudra uses parchment icing for her exclusive artistic, intricate cake work. And so her wedding structures have won not only the hearts of young Sri Lankans, but also of many abroad. Samudra has won many international medals for her unique skill in cake decorating.

"Every time when I am decorating a wedding cake structure, I pray for the couple who for whom it is meant. When I see it in the hall, with the couple smiling beside it, I really get a world of satisfaction," says Samudra with a smile.

Samudra studied at Hillwood College, Kandy. Since her father, Ranjith Dunuwila was a Duty Manager at Air Lanka (now Srilankan Airlines), both Samudra and her sister stayed with her aunt in Kandy to continue their studies at Hillwood while their parents lived in Seeduwa. The two sisters never missed their parents as they used to meet them during the weekends. The aunt and uncle with home they were living were more than family.

Samudra was really good in her sports when she was in school, and never dreamt to be in the field of 'cakes'.... But her artistic ability shone in everything she did. "I was good in art as well. But was an extremely mischievous character. My teachers wonder, how I got into a field like cakes, which needs a lot of patience" she chuckles.

During the trouble 1989-1990 troubles, all the schools in the country had long vacations. Samudra and her sister came back to Seeduwa and had nothing to do. Dilani Kulatunga, an aunt, who was also a cake decorator at Seeduwa encouraged the two sisters to join her classes.

Though Samudra started it just to kill time, later felt that she was getting addicted to it. Since she was the eldest cousin on her maternal side, Samudra started making lovely birthday cakes as gifts for all her little cousins. her aunt,Dilani persuaded Samudra to follow cake classes conducted by a renowned home craft designer and cake decorator, Mrs. Seela de Silva at Kiribathgoda.

We got to know about Samudra not as a cake decorator, but as a homecraft teacher when she started classes for many popular homecrafts like paper tole, pottery, glass painting and fabric painting in Kandy.

Later she started cake decorating classes as well. "I was in Kandy at that time because I got married, when I was just 20-21 years, just after A/Ls. I got through my A/Ls, but have no regrets for not going up in my higher studies," she says.

There was a demand for her classes, and she was exceptionally successful. After four years she had to shift back to Seeduwa with her husband's new appointment at PIA Katunayaka. She used this opportunity to expand her ventures in Colombo, by starting classes at St. Mary's Parish Hall, Dehiwala.

She got many offers from TV channels, and presented homecrafts and cake decorations over Rupavahini and Swarnavahini. "Aunty Seela and her students organised a cake and crafts exhibition and workshops with 'Liya Sevana', Swarnavahini island wide for two years and was very successful," she reminisces.

The demand which the Rupavahini live programme - 'Nuga Sevana' demonstrators had (including her) when they had a special workshop at Ganemulla was a memorable event in Samudra's life. "This was the first time I saw such a huge crowd of women. All of them were so eager to learn home crafts and cakes. And they were really happy to see us, and treated us like VIPs. " she said.

Samudra has a son and daughter at present. "My family is never neglected. Nothing is impossible, if you plan everything properly. Also my patience has rewarded me in many ways. I do not get upset and angry often, and try my best to be calm .

Once I had to deliver a wedding cake structure to Mount Lavinia Hotel. We ensure that we deliver the goods. I set off from home early, but the roads were flooded due to a heavy downpour. We had to wait in a long queue because of the traffic and there were several calls from the panicked family who were not sure if the cake would be brought or not .

I was a little nervous, but knew that faith that I could reach the destination on time. And when we approached the place the couple was on the Poruwa. So I and my assistant entered the hall from the exit door and completed fixing the wedding cake structure just a few seconds before the couple came to cut it. Oh! it was unforgettable! Now I set off from home much earlier to ensure that there won't be any hazards," she laughs.

Samudra formed her own company for wedding cake structures 'Sugar Elegance' in 2004. In the same year, she took part in the British Sugar Guild (BSG) which has been held in London once in four years. Seventy five percent of leading cake decorators worldwide, take part in this exhibition.

Samudra never dreamt of winning, her ambition was to only take part. But she was able to beat many international candidates, and won the Silver Medal for the Best International Cake and the Bronze for the Best Sugar Paste Cake at the BSG that year. Her chef-Aunty Dilani and uncle who introduced her to the world of cakes at the very inception, were beside her throughout, assisting her tremendously at the exhibition. There were so many admirers of her exclusive cake work.

Samudra gave away all her cake structures which she took so carefully from Sri Lanka. She has had four cake and craft exhibitions with her students from Kandy, Dehiwala, Gampaha Kiribathgoda and Ratnapura. "Teaching a craft without hiding anything is also a meritorious deed," she thinks, and goes onto say, "Students can develop their talent and earn from it.

When I see the a student doing well,I feel happy about it. I encourage them to hold classes. I have even provided them with the necessary tools. It's a pleasure as we should not think that only we will be living in this field or world for ever. I do not envy nor do I feel challenged about up-coming cake artistes."

Samudra has followed crash courses in flower arrangement in Singapore and sugar-doll making in India. She is a member of the International Cake Exploration Society (ICES) of USA and the British Sugar Guild (BSG) of UK. She hopes to learn the latest methods in sugar crafts in London soon.

"I didn't come this long way alone. There were so many who have helped me including my parents, my aunts, in-laws and my husband. " she said. She is still 32 years and has achieved quite q bit in cake making. Hard work, working towards a set goal and a virtuous life is the secret behind her success.