ABOUT
CIGDEM THANHOFFER, Cake Artist
Hello! My name is Cigdem Thanhoffer. Thank you so much for taking the time to visit Crocus Kek. Crocus, as the flower is the English translation of Cigdem which is Turkish. Kek is the Turkish translation of cake. See what I did there..
I was born and raised in beautiful Switzerland to Turkish Immigrants. In 2007 I left Switzerland with my then fiancé now husband and moved to sunny Pine Island/FL.
I am a self-taught baker and cake creator. I love cooking and baking. If you ask my friends, they would describe with as "the hostess with the mostest!"
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My late grandmother used to own a Turkish bread oven in Sivas/TR (Anatolia). I was probably around six or seven and remember vividly how the neighbors would gather and bake bread with her, how she would share without having much herself. This stuck with me forever, the smell of fresh bread, the love of sharing baked goods and the bond they all had.
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I have been baking and sharing since I can remember. I started with simple cakes, Turkish breads and delights.
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​In 2010 my son Liam was born and since I am a Virgo, everything had to be planned to perfection and made by hand for his first Birthday.
I started studying cakes in detail. How to stack cakes and decorate them with fondant. I had never used fondant before and never attempted to stack a cake. Needless to say, I was baking and testing for quite some time. I made a two-tier cake with a Frog King on top. I was so proud to have made his first Birthday cake. Plus, it was a hit at the party.
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​My love for baking and designing cakes grew each year. I am a creative person and an artist at heart - with creating cakes I found a great outlet. Since Liam's first Birthday Cake I have baked hundreds of cakes for Birthdays, Weddings and special occasions.
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​Cakes are blank canvases. I love to experiment with flavors and create unique designs and use new techniques. Being a self-taught baker, certain designs are challenging but the result is always rewarding. I take classes every now and then to learn the newest trends in cake design.
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I love that my cakes bring smiles to people's faces - and this is the biggest reward of all.
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I have been encouraged by so many to turn my passion into an official business. Finally, I followed suit and Crocus Kek was born!
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​Thank you for stopping, checking out Crocus Kek and following my cake journey.
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Sincerely,
Cigdem