Wedding cake search launches sweet career in Norman

NORMAN — When Christie England was getting married a few years ago, she wanted a wedding cake that reflected her style and personality.

She came up with an idea for a whimsical cake covered in tie-dyed flowers, but she couldn’t find any local shops to make it for her.

Rather than settle, her fiance suggested she try to make it herself. She’s been baking and creating ever since, turning her search for the perfect wedding cake into a career. England and her husband, Dennis, opened Sugar, a custom cake shop, in downtown Norman this week.

"I’ve never considered myself an artist, but I’ve always been creative,” said England.

That creativity now is put to use designing elaborate, colorful cakes for her customers. Sugar has cakes for all occasions, including weddings, birthdays, showers and anniversaries. There are more than 10 cake flavors to choose from and also a selection of buttercream frostings and fillings.

The store also has ready-made cakes and cupcakes available daily.

Cakes have changed a lot in the past few years, England said. People are going beyond the traditional white, three-tiered wedding cake or a plain sheet cake for a birthday.

"Black is the new white when it comes to wedding cakes,” England said. "I have lots of brides coming in asking for black.”

Making custom cakes is interesting because she never knows what the next request might be, she said.

One of the most unusual cakes she ever made was a roadkill armadillo groom’s cake, complete with tire tracks down the center.