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" First there was TLC&amp;amp;#8217;s Cake Boss. Then came the spin-off, Next Great Baker, where Marissa Lopez used her masterful cake-decorating skills to win a $100,000 grand prize and a dream job working with Buddy Valastro. Her next mission: making wedding cakes that taste as good as they look. Marissa Lopez entered Next Great Baker with something to prove. &amp;amp;#8220;I lost a bakery job because my old boss didn&amp;amp;#8217;t think I had what it took. I wanted to show him and myself that I could do this,&amp;amp;#8221; she says. Twelve contestants and 20 challenges later, Lopez sealed her victory in fondant with an &amp;amp;#8220;American Dream&amp;amp;#8221; cake, which included sculptures of the Statue of Liberty and a whisk-wielding Lopez on a mountaintop. Her latest chapter: appearing on the new season of TLC&amp;amp;#8217;s Cake Boss. We talked to Lopez about baking, Buddy, and the importance of deliciousness. What&amp;amp;#8217;s the best thing that&amp;amp;#8217;s happened to you since the show ended? I thought I won an internship at Carlo&amp;amp;#8217;s Bakery, but Buddy [Valastro] offered me a full-time job. I can&amp;amp;#8217;t believe he&amp;amp;#8217;s my cake boss now. So what&amp;amp;#8217;s he really like? On Next Great Baker Buddy acts mean, but in real life, he&amp;amp;#8217;s lovable and down-to-earth. What is people&amp;amp;#8217;s biggest misconception about wedding cakes? I think they get a bad rap. Guests almost expect a mouthful of dry cake. The last thing you want to see is a bunch of untouched slices at the end of the night. What should a couple think about when choosing flavors? Think about the season and your wedding&amp;amp;#8217;s vibe. If it&amp;amp;#8217;s glamorous, go with something unexpected, like a pink champagne cake, which looks pretty when cut. For a casual outdoor wedding, I like fudge or fruit-filled creams. Just avoid mousse fillings in hot weather&amp;amp;#8212;they melt. What can a couple do to ace their cake tasting? Ask to see the bakery&amp;amp;#8217;s list of cake and fillings before you go, and pick your favorites to sample. Many bakers will work with you on a custom flavor&amp;amp;#8212;maybe even something your mom used to make. And if you can&amp;amp;#8217;t agree on one flavor, you can always pick a different one for every tier! &amp;amp;#8220;I went to culinary school shortly after high school, so I&amp;amp;#8217;ve been perfecting my cake recipes for years,&amp;amp;#8221; says Lopez. &amp;amp;#8220;These are my go-to flavors.&amp;amp;#8221; (clockwise from top left) 1. THE NEW CLASSIC &amp;amp;#8220;This is a good in-between option&amp;amp;#8212;more adventurous than basic vanilla or chocolate but still a hit with the guests.&amp;amp;#8221; 2. THE CHOCOHOLIC&amp;amp;#8217;S DREAM &amp;amp;#8220;It&amp;amp;#8217;s the ultimate chocolate cake&amp;amp;#8212;I&amp;amp;#8217;d want to eat this at my own wedding!&amp;amp;#8221; 3. THE CITRUS TWIST &amp;amp;#8220;I suggest this for summer weddings&amp;amp;#8212;it&amp;amp;#8217;s refreshing, and you can easily add fruit, like fresh blueberries, to the filling.&amp;amp;#8221; 4. THE SHOWSTOPPER &amp;amp;#8220;Girly brides&amp;amp;#8212;and husbands who don&amp;amp;#8217;t mind a bright pink cake&amp;amp;#8212;love this. Instead of adding water to the batter, I use champagne.&amp;amp;#8221; 5. THE HARVEST PICK &amp;amp;#8220;My take on the caramel apple. I can see these flavors working for an autumn wedding in a rustic venue, like a barn.&amp;amp;#8221; 6. THE NOSTALGIC FAVORITE &amp;amp;#8220;Everyone loves chocolate and vanilla, and this combination is the best of both worlds. The mocha mousse gives it a grown-up twist.&amp;amp;#8221; 7. THE PEOPLE PLEASER (center) &amp;amp;#8220;I recommend this to a lot of my couples. It&amp;amp;#8217;s a basic cake with a nice, light cream filling, and you can add any in-season fruit you like. A guaranteed hit.&amp;amp;#8221; --Written by Heather Lee for Brides Which is your favorite type of cake? What are your tips for picking the perfect cake? More from Brides: *Eight Ways to Make Your Engagement Ring Sparkle *Sexy Summer Wedding Dresses *42 Outstanding Wedding Cake Designs *The Hottest Wedding Dress Trends Right Now *How Much Do Wedding Bouquets Cost? *Celebrity-Inspired Wedding Hair and Makeup Photo: Marcus Nilsson"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/weddings/blogs/save-the-date/2012/07/tlcs-next-great-baker-marissa>