Boy, does Janice Jucker have an amazing attitude. The president of Houston’s venerable Three Brothers Bakery and 2009 winner of the NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) Houston Woman Business Owner of the Year award says that had she not battled incredible adversity—being battered by hurricanes AND diagnosed with breast cancer—she might not have won the award, “So everything happens for a reason!”
In addition to her heroic work saving Three Brothers after the onslaught of Ike, NAWBO honored Jucker for leading a group of vendors to provide IT services to Reliant Park, where Katrina evacuees were being housed. Those services allowed evacuees to connect with family, friends and loved ones during a time of unprecedented crisis.
So isn’t it just fitting that Jucker’s 60-year-old family bakery creates certified Kosher, certified delicious desserts and other sweet indulgences for many of life’s most important family reunions? And isn’t it lucky for us that she specializes in gorgeous, too-divine-to-decline-a-slice wedding cakes??
Speaking of cakes, Jucker, who got her start at New York’s famed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, has been tracking wedding cake trends, and she’s got the inside scoop, plus great suggestions for the cake-shopping bride.
Here’s what she says…
About flavors: “Flavors seem to be moving back to comfort flavors. The top flavors chosen by our brides are a white genoise with amaretto buttercream or caramel buttercream (caramel is dairy, but it can sit out because it is cooked already), and a yellow cake with a fudge filling and buttercream icing. When we do a fondant I always try to steer our brides toward a filling with buttercream, so they get the best of both worlds.”
About colors: “We’re seeing gold again, which I love, for I feel it is so very elegant.
Coral and deep purple (eggplant) are definitely colors to highlight at weddings. Black and white are also still quite prominent, and bling is always in.”
About decoration: “Toppers are moving out. Spirals of sugar flowers are gorgeous. Nothing is more beautiful than handmade roses. I’m also developing a new affinity for magnolias–they are big and bold. I love them. Technology has allowed us to be able to take a pattern and cut it with great precision to create great patterns on cakes. We can work with some of the most intricate patterns now.”
About groom’s cakes: “My husband loves grooms cakes because he gets to design something fun. He is a master builder and can create mechanical accents as well. Two years ago he designed an 8 ½-foot oil derrick that shot 3 ½ feet of fire and chocolate oil!”
Jucker, who is healthy, happy and looking forward to many more years of baking, says her favorite part of working with wedding couples is hearing their stories. “I like to ask the brides how they met their fiancé. I love looking at their dresses to gain inspiration. You really get to know them.” She sighs, “I just love weddings.”
We couldn’t agree more. Congratulations, Janice. You’re our hero!
