Teenage cake-baking sensation

By Kelly Jirsa

Jonathan Massaad
Jonathan Massaad
17 year old self-taught dessert artist is sending us all on a sentimental baking journey.

Jonathan Massaad is in his last year of High School, studying for his HSC (Higher School Certificate), not a particularly easy time for most let alone one who is simultaneously running a cake making business.

 

Jonathan not only bakes but creates epic colourful, gravity challenging cakes, made to order for functions and special events through his business Sugar High Desserts. His signature cakes are bold and often an ode to classic sweet treats we all take guilty pleasure in. In one night Jonathan can whip up a three-tier cake, dismantling the inside of his family’s fridge to make room for his beautifully frosted towers.

Jonathan visited the MiNDFOOD office to have a quick chat with us about his adventures in dessert and brought along one of his hyper-spectacular cakes for us to try.

How many cakes do you make in a week?

About 15

How do find time to make all those cakes while fitting in study for your HSC and being a normal kid?

It’s very hard (laughs)

Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?

I like lollies, I use them and they are things that everyone likes as well. I get inspiration from lolly isles, they are pretty cool. There’s so much there that you can use.

Who are the pastry chefs or bakers that you look up to?

Probably the main one is Heston (Blumenthal).

Any Australians you look up to?

Probably Katherine Sabbath.

Are your teachers at school supportive of your business?

Yeah, they always order from me (laughs)

When did you start baking?

I started baking at 12 years old.

What inspired you to start baking?

TV a lot, especially Master Chef (Australia)

Is baking an act of procrastination for you?

Yeah, its like a stress reliever but in a sense its not because when it doesn’t work out its not.

What’s your favourite type of cake?

Chocolate.

How do you learn about new techniques?

YouTube is a good one, and then most of it is self-taught. I kind of just go my own way.

Jonathan's chocolate ganache cake creation for MiNDFOOD.
Jonathan’s chocolate ganache cake creation for MiNDFOOD.

 

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