By Ken Sakamato, Star-Bulletin
Wesley Oda adds details to his cake-top portrait of
Mariah Carey, who will perform in Honolulu Saturday.
With a cake as his canvas,
Wesley Oda creates images of celebrities
with frosting and gelBy Catherine Kekoa Enomoto
Star-BulletinWesley Oda is Hawaii's cake decorator to the stars. The 41-year-old freelance cake decorator figures he decorates more than 6,000 cakes a year. These include half-sheet or full-sheet creations for many big-name performers concertizing in the islands in the past two decades -- as is Mariah Carey this weekend. "All this time I never did use any kind of projector," Oda said. "It's all by eye."
Steve Ozark, of Caterer to the Stars, dragged Oda into this celebrity galaxy in 1976 for a Pablo Cruz gig.
"He's definitely a gifted artist," Ozark said of Oda. "He has done a cake for each concert I've worked for about 22 years now, and every one has been an awesome cake."
Stars have ranged from Michael Jackson to Bob Hope, Fleetwood Mac to Hall & Oates. The catalog goes on: Ray Charles, Sammy Davis, Julio Iglesias, Gloria Estefan, Whitney Houston, Elton John, Olivia Newton-John, Kristi Yamaguchi and the Kennys: G, Loggins and Rogers.
Recently, Oda recreated the "Bridges to Babylon" tour lion logo on a cake for the Rolling Stones.
As cake decorator to the luminaries, Oda starts with a large canvas -- a half-sheet or full-sheet cake that is equal parts chocolate dobash and haupia coconut. He uses an air brush, paint brushes and food colorings in liquid, paste and gel form.
Ozark feeds him ideas based on album covers, photos, advertisements, backstage passes, logos or color schemes. Then, Oda "paints" away, taking one to three hours depending on degree of difficulty.
By Ken Sakamato, Star-Bulletin
Among Wesley Oda's cake creations were ones
for Bob Dylan, Santana and Van Halen, above and below.
"The sky's the limit," said Oda, whose modus operandi is, "Chance 'em."Besides payment, Oda often scores tickets and those backstage passes that he replicates. And always, he reaps compliments from the stars.
Celine Dion exclaimed over her cake, "Unreal, marvelous!" It's music to the ears of this self-taught artisan.
Oda said he drew and lettered surf stories, comic strips and cards in elementary and intermediate school. As a Kapiolani Community College student, he got a job packing sweetbread for the now-defunct King's Bakery. His earnings supported his passion of snazzing up a show car -- logical environment of an airbrush.
At King's, he watched the cake decorators and, when they were off, he poked around the decorating gear. Pretty soon the ladies were teaching the lad how to curl roses and flute borders. That was circa 1974 and the decorator's die was cast.
Two years later, when Oda was 20 and Ozark 24, Ozark walked into King's Bakery, presented a Pablo Cruz album cover to the fledgling cake decorator and asked him to replicate the artwork.
Oda made a sound, like a horse in heat. " 'Hehhhh?' " Ozark recalled the noise. It was the first of many such skeptical honks that indicate Oda doesn't think so; but he can be coaxed. From then on, as Marie Antoinette said, let 'em scarf cake.
Oda has parlayed his artistic flair into sign painting, prop building and trips to two world's fairs as a "Wes of all trades." At the Vancouver World's Fair, he embellished a cake with a large model of the just-unveiled 757 aircraft.
Oda said his biggest job was a massive cake for a building opening. He decorated "all by eye" while suspended over eight full-sheet cakes, arranged side by side. Oh, his aching back, for $800.
As proprietor of "Icing On the Cake," he's done countless caricatures, portraits, Garfield cats and Sesame Street scenes. He charges $25 for the first hour and $20 per hour thereafter, plus the cake cost.
Oda's plate is full -- of cake and other goodies: He works out of the Patisserie, averaging 18 to 20 cakes a day, six days a week, decorating for airlines, flower shops, hotels and weddings.
Recent sign and prop jobs include a 40-foot backdrop for the First Hawaiian Bank Auto Show, and signage for last month's Hula Bowl on Maui.
Also, he plays drums in a band. He has competed and coached in Polynesian outrigger-canoe paddling for many years. He rides his horse for relaxation. And, he married in 1996 and has a 7-month-old daughter, Miranda Harley Makalani "Boogs."
"It's a tough juggle," sighed Oda, a ponytailed, lean 130 pounds on a 5-foot, 4-inch frame. His hands are calloused from paint brushes, drumsticks and paddles (he's a steersman).
Wes remains local-style low key. Ozark called Hawaii's cake decorator to the stars "meek," as in humble.
"Wes is da bes' in the Wes'," Ozark summarized. "We're very fortunate to have him in Hawaii.
"Every time it's a masterpiece by Wes. As promoter-deejay Uncle Tom Moffatt would say, the cakes," Ozark's voice deepened here, " 'are truly outstanding.' "
Recipes follow for banana spice cake, classic boiled icing, Ozark's signature mahimahi, which the caterer will serve to Mariah Carey, and Ozark's burgers, which he may serve to her band.
Banana Spice Cake
"American Medical Association Family Health Cookbook"
with Seafoam IcingVegetable oil sprayCoat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Line pan bottoms with wax paper and coat paper with nonstick spray.
2-1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar, plus 1 cup
1 cup pureed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
Seafoam Icing (see recipe below)
1 banana, thinly sliced and lightly brushed with lemon juice (optional)
3 tablespoons finely chopped toasted walnuts (optional; see note)In large bowl, blend flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, allspice, ginger and cloves.
In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, swirling pan until butter turns nutty brown. Pour into small bowl and cool slightly.
In large bowl, use electric mixer to beat egg whites at low speed until frothy.
Add cream of tartar, increase speed to medium, and beat until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, just until peaks become firm, 3 to 5 minutes total. Remove mixture to another bowl; do not wash mixing bowl.
Into mixing bowl, beat banana, oil, orange peel, vanilla, egg yolk, melted butter and remaining 1 cup sugar until smooth. With mixer on low speed, add buttermilk and flour mixture alternately in 2 batches each, beating just until blended. Fold in egg-white mixture.
Divide batter evenly between 2 pans and bake at 350 degrees for 28 to 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto the racks, peel off wax paper and cool completely.
Frost 1 cake layer with 1-1/2 cups Seafoam Icing. Arrange all but 5 banana slices on icing, then cover with a thin layer of more icing.
Add second cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining icing, swirling and making peaks. Arrange reserved banana slices on top and sprinkle with walnuts, if desired.
Make and serve cake on same day. Makes 14 servings.
Note: Toast walnuts on small baking sheet or piece of aluminum foil at 350 degrees until lightly browned and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving cake only: 249 calories, 6 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 328 milligrams sodium.*
Seafoam Icing
1-1/2 cups light brown sugarPlace all ingredients except vanilla in top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Beat with hand-held electric mixer until mixture quadruples in volume and becomes very fluffy, about 7 minutes.
3 egg whites
1/3 cup cold water
1 tablespoon dark molasses
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanillaRemove top of double boiler from heat, add vanilla, and continue to beat until frosting cools and thickens to spreading consistency, about 3 minutes. Makes enough to generously frost a 2- or 3-layer, 9-inch round cake.
Boiled White Icing
"Joy of Cooking"2 cups sugarStir sugar and water until sugar dissolves and comes to a boil. Cover and cook 3 minutes, until steam washes down crystals that form on pan sides. Uncover and cook to 238 to 240 degrees on a candy thermometer; when dropped from the end of a spoon, syrup will spin a very thin thread on the end of a coarser thread.
1 cup water
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar or a few drops lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanillaThis final thread will almost disappear, like a self-consuming spider web.
Whip egg whites and salt until frothy. Add syrup in a thin stream, whipping eggs constantly. Lastly add cream of tartar and vanilla. Makes about 2 cups, enough to ice a 2-layer cake.
Steve Ozark's
Rock 'n' Roll Mahimahi4 fillets (5 to 7 ounces each) mahimahiCombine sauce ingredients in a throw-away aluminum pan placed on a grill over hot charcoals; heat until sauce starts to bubble. Place fish in sauce and cook until bottom half is white, or opaque. Turn fillets over and continue cooking until 80 percent cooked.
2 to 3 tablespoons white wine
Cornstarch
1/2 stick unsalted butter
4 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, Aloha brand preferred
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capersRemove fillets and place them, skin side up, right on the grill. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until charcoal or kiawe flavors the fish, and fillets are seared with grill marks.
Pour fish juices from foil pan into a saute pan. Bring to a fast boil, add wine mixed with a little cornstarch, and stir to thicken.
Arrange fillets, grilled side up, on plates and spoon sauce over. Makes 4 servings.
Caterer to the Stars
Meat Bun Burgers1-1/2 to 1-3/4 pounds 20-percent-fat hamburger, Safeway Pride preferredUse hands to form 4 patties, 6 to 7 ounces each. Season with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Place in covered plastic container in refrigerator overnight.
Lawry's garlic salt (with green lid) to taste
Salt and pepper to tasteGrill burgers until cooked to desired doneness. Serve on grilled onion buns -- those from Kaneohe Bakery recommended. Garnish with mustard on bottom half of bun, mayonnaise on top half of bun, plus iceberg lettuce, 2 or 3 slices tomato and 1 slice onion.
Makes 4 hamburger patties.
