Julie Deffense

Julie, tell us a little about yourself… When and how did you discover your passion for cake design, especially for weddings?

I grew up surrounded by creativity. My mother is a great baker and cook, as well as an amazing quilter! I have an aunt who was a painter in Boston, and an uncle who is an incredible sculptor in NYC. I’ve loved the arts from the time I was very young – baking in the kitchen with my mom and grandmother, drawing, painting, sculpting in school. But it wasn’t until I moved to Portugal in my twenties that I discovered the romance of weddings and how cake could be more than dessert - it could be a centerpiece, a work of art, a memory. My first wedding cake was a turning point, I realized immediately that I had found my calling. The combination of artistry, celebration, and love felt like magic.

You are a luxury cake designer recognized in both Portugal and the U.S. How do you manage your work between the two countries?

It’s a balance of planning, communication, and heart. I keep a calendar that allows me to divide my seasons between Portugal (summer) and Florida (winter), although I do hop back and forth occasionally during the season based on specific requests. I work closely with planners in both countries to ensure everything flows smoothly. Technology makes it easier too. Many of my couples are international, so we’re already used to meetings online and working across time zones. And honestly, the energy I get from both cultures keeps me inspired.

How does your background in Fine Arts and your experience in editorial design influence the creative process of your cakes?

Fine Arts gave me an eye for color, form, and composition, while editorial design taught me discipline, structure, and storytelling. When I design a cake, I think of it as both a sculpture and a narrative. The tiers are like pages in a book, each detail adding to the story of the couple. My design process is always rooted in balance: the romantic with the modern, the detailed with the minimal.

What was the most important leap, personal or professional, that made you go from hobby to the “queen of cakes”?

The moment I decided to treat cake as a career and not just a side passion. That leap of faith happened when I finished my first master course and came home with my first ever 3 tier wedding cake. I think I actually knew the day I started the course that I had found my calling, but it was on the last day of the course when I presented my masterpiece to my husband Jacques that we locked eyes and simultaneously knew it was the beginning of a new chapter. It was terrifying and exciting, but it showed me that if I believed in my art, others would too.

Sugar flowers are a signature in your work. Could you explain the creation process and how much time a complex piece requires?

Sugar flowers are my obsession. I begin by studying real flowers, sketching them, and thinking about how they’ll interact with the cake design. Then comes the painstaking process of rolling out each petal, cutting it, veining it, dusting with color, and assembling layer by layer. A single rose can take several hours, and a cascade of flowers may take days, weeks or even months! But the beauty is worth it, because they never wilt and they become part of the memory forever.

Can you share a technical challenge you had to overcome at a wedding and how you solved it?

Heat and humidity are constant challenges, especially in Portugal during summer or in Florida year-round. Part of the planning process is to make sure the delivery goes smoothly – if it’s hot, we need to make sure the cake doesn’t sit in direct sunlight, in too hot of conditions indoors or out. Tents can be tricky, because they act as saunas usually until the air conditioning kicks in. Humidity can also be super frustrating – outdoor weddings with 100% humidity have to be studied well to make sure that nothing melts while on display. I have to be very strict with how and where I will set up my cakes to ensure that nothing goes wrong on the day. I’ve even got a section in my contract that talks about this, to make sure that my clients are educated about all of the technical details. 

You regularly accept international orders… How does planning work when you create cakes in Portugal for foreign clients, and when you travel abroad to make a cake?

When a couple entrusts me with their wedding cake, I want them to feel they’re getting more than just a cake, they’re getting a complete experience. That’s why I only take on weddings where I can give my full attention. For international clients, the planning begins months in advance: sourcing supplies, sketching and refining details, and organizing everything so that when I arrive, nothing is left to chance. By the time I touch down, every element has already been thought through, allowing me to focus completely on bringing their vision to life. I never ship cakes without traveling with them myself. Being there is part of the service, and part of the promise I make to my couples.

What are the main logistical and artistic differences between creating wedding cakes in Portugal and in the U.S.?

Logistically, my process is very consistent no matter where I am. I rely on the same detailed checklists in both Portugal and the U.S. to make sure nothing is overlooked. Whether I’m delivering to a centuries-old palace in Portugal or to a waterfront museum in Florida, the foundation is always the same: respect the venue, listen carefully to the couple’s vision, and then bring it all together through my artistry.

Artistically, I love letting the surroundings guide me. Portugal’s palaces, tiles, and landscapes often spark ideas that translate beautifully into sugar work and cake architecture. In the U.S., the light, the colors, and the energy of the venues give me different kinds of inspiration. At the same time, I enjoy weaving these influences across borders, like introducing Portuguese details into American weddings, or adding a modern, international touch to cakes here in Portugal. It’s that blending that makes each cake feel like it belongs uniquely to the couple and their celebration.

Do you have a particular destination in Portugal that you especially love working in? Why?

Sintra holds my heart. The palaces, the mist, the history - it feels like a fairytale. Every time I deliver a cake to Palácio de Seteais or Penha Longa, I feel as if I’ve stepped into another world. Couples who choose Sintra usually share that love of romance and magic, which makes the work even more special.

What has been the most emotional request you’ve ever received, and how did you transform it into a cake?

One of the most emotional requests I’ve ever received was from a couple who came from the U.S. to get married in Porto. I first met them through a planner in Florida, who later connected them with one of my favorite planners here in Portugal, since it was clear they needed someone on the ground to manage every detail of their celebration.

From the very beginning, I knew this wedding would be different. The bride had a terminal illness, and one of her last wishes was to marry the love of her life surrounded by family and friends. They wanted their wedding to be a joyful gathering, a weekend full of love and memories that everyone could carry with them.

The cake itself wasn’t my most elaborate, but it carried so much symbolism. It was three tiers - elegant and sophisticated, just like the bride. The torn fondant edges at the top of each tier, to me, came to represent someone being taken from us far too soon. The sugar flowers were arranged in a more organic, carefree way than my usual style, almost like a reflection of her adventurous spirit and her love of simple, unfiltered joy.

What made this wedding even more special was the team behind it. Every vendor poured their heart into the details, creating an atmosphere that was thoughtful, intentional, and truly unforgettable. It showed me again how important it is to be part of a well-curated team, because when each person gives their best, together we create something that is greater than the sum of its parts.

That wedding was both magical and bittersweet. There was so much happiness in the moment, but also the quiet awareness that time was limited. A year later, I learned that she had passed away peacefully. Even though it was expected, the news broke my heart.

That cake, that couple and their wedding will always stay with me. It reminded me why I do what I do; not just to create something beautiful, but to honor people’s stories, their dreams, and the fleeting moments that mean everything. The lives I touch through my art are what make this work truly priceless.

You are also an author of books. Do you have a “favorite” one, or one that you feel best communicates your aesthetic?

That’s like asking a parent who their favorite child is! Each of my books represents a chapter of my journey, and they all hold a special place in my heart. Right now, though, I’m especially excited about the one I’m currently working on. I can’t share too much yet, but it’s deeply personal, weaving together the stories of my couples, the artistry of my cakes, and the cultural inspiration from living 27+ years in Portugal that has shaped me. More than anything, it’s a tribute to the country that has been such an important part of my life as a designer.

As an author with a media presence, how do you see the relationship between creating content and commissioned wedding work?

For me, it all connects. Writing, social media, and television give me the chance to share the artistry behind the cakes and show people that a wedding cake is more than food - it’s an experience. At the same time, every commissioned cake brings new stories and inspiration that I can transform into content. It’s a creative cycle that keeps feeding itself.

But at the heart of it all are the cakes. A business coach once told me how important it is to define your strengths early and make your core business the priority. For me, that has always been creating wedding cakes for extraordinary couples. Everything else - the books, the media, the interviews - is secondary, but they all exist to celebrate and amplify the art I create through cake.

Is there a recipe or technique you invented that has now become almost your signature? Can you tell us the story behind it?

I’d have to say my raspberry champagne cake - it’s definitely become my signature. It’s the flavor couples request most often, and I even shared the recipe in one of my books, O Grande Livro de Bolos & Festas da Julie. I’m always experimenting with new flavors and combinations, but I keep coming back to this one. It’s light yet indulgent, perfectly balanced, and I love serving it with fresh raspberries or a raspberry coulis. It’s not too sweet, not too heavy - just a beautiful, pink finish to a celebration (and, honestly, it makes the best breakfast the next morning!).

Looking back on your entire journey, what feeling fulfills you the most and what drives you in this field?

The joy of creating beauty that becomes part of someone’s most important memories. Knowing that my cake will be in their wedding photos, in their stories to their children, in their memories forever - that’s what fulfills me. What drives me is the endless possibility of creating art that is ephemeral yet eternal.

Do you have any future plans that you could share with us?

Looking ahead, I want to keep expanding in both Portugal and the U.S., with a focus on destination weddings and local partnerships that allow me to bring my artistry to even more incredible places. I’m also developing my next book project, which is very close to my heart, and I’ve recently launched a podcast, Beyond the Cake, where I sit down with other wedding creatives to share their stories and perspectives. For me, the future is about storytelling in every form, whether through a towering cake, a written page, or a conversation. It’s all about celebrating love, beauty, and artistry in ways that inspire others.