Sal De Riso told us all the details of Ilary Blasi and Bastian Müller's wedding cake

There's no perfect wedding without the perfect cake. The one Sal De Riso prepared for the wedding of TV host Ilary Blasi and soccer player Bastian Müller at Villa Cimbrone (Ravello, Amalfi Coast) was spectacular: a monumental 1.65 meter cake, entirely hand-decorated.

An “Italian-style” cake

"The bride asked for a classic dessert, so we came up with the timeless Italian cake," explains the Amalfi pastry chef from Maiori, president of AMPI (Accademia Maestri Pasticcieri Italiani). "We worked for almost two months to finalize every detail, exchanging photographs and sketches with Ilary Blasi and her wedding planner Annalisa Vollero," continues De Riso.

Making Ilary Blasi's cake

Thus was born this wedding cake, made with a classic and fragrant sponge cake, enriched with vanilla, lemon and lime zest, and an orange syrup. Inside, a filling of vanilla cream, strawberry jelly, and semi-candied strawberries alternating with semi-candied orange zest. Finally, on the outside, a Chantilly cream topping and hand-decorated decorations, many of them made on the spot. "I finished it just before it took center stage. When the bride saw it, she hugged me and smiled," says Sal De Riso.

Villa Cimbrone and the Dream of the Amalfi Coast

He was also in charge of the dessert buffet set up at Villa Cimbrone, the perfect conclusion to an impeccable seafood dinner prepared by chef Lorenzo Montoro, from Sarno, Campania, who also oversees the hotel's Michelin-starred restaurant, Il Flauto di Pan. "For the buffet, I also started with the classics: there was ricotta and pear cake, the ever-present lemon delights, 15 different types of mignon pastries, along with other desserts and sorbets by the glass," says the Amalfi chef, describing guests who were particularly enthusiastic about sampling them. "Many of them even came back multiple times to try them. I'm very happy they liked them."

An awaited wedding

After all, there's always the anticipation of the outcome: a pastry chef has the arduous task of concluding the party, and the wedding cake, in particular, must be special because it's unforgettable. So it was, therefore, also for one of the most anticipated events of the year, in every sense: on September 13th in Ravello, Ilary Blasi and Bastian Müller fulfilled a dream they'd put off for months while the host finalized her divorce from Francesco Totti. And they did it their way, with an intimate party with just a few guests, in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

The pastry chef and the emotion of a dessert

"Every wedding is a different experience, because every wedding has its own story," says Sal De Riso. "I confess, however, that there are moments, like Ilary Blasi's wedding, when I wish I had more time to appreciate all the work I've done and fully enjoy the joy it brings people. I must say that over the years, I've learned a trick: I look back at the photos on my phone and let myself go with the memories. This wedding will be one of those unforgettable ones."