A Sweet Farewell to Summer

How a simple idea became a celebration of the seasons Sometimes the wish to create becomes an impetus for celebration.

A few weeks ago, my friend Danay Houk  of Cakes By Nay and I were talking about fun ways to transform our combined skills into something beautiful.

She is a wildly talented baker, who not only makes gorgeous desserts, but her cakes are outright delicious. If anyone can make gluten-free cake crave-worthy, Danay can do it.

I am a flower farmer. I grow specialty cut flowers to make people smile. I also love storytelling through photography.

Together we decided to design a cake that showed off her baking genius and my late-season farm fresh flowers. But it also had to mean something.

Red velvet cake is tempting on a rustic wooden plate.

The Flowers

The first challenge was in choosing which kind of flower to highlight.

I thought back to a busy farmers market we had just done, and one flower kept drawing everyone in: the marigold. They sold out in just an hour!

Curious, I asked our guests why they were drawn to marigolds. Many loved the large color-saturated blooms, but their answers went deeper. The marigolds connected them to family traditions, to memories of loved ones, and some saw them as symbols of resilience and strength.

Intrigued, I researched marigolds’ cultural significance. In Mexico, they guide spirits home during Día de los Muertos. In India, they’re woven into garlands for weddings and festivals, symbols of devotion and prosperity. Even in early Christianity, they were offered in honor of the Virgin Mary.

Marigolds are not only beneficial to the garden ecosystem, they are symbolic to many cultures around the world and are often used in special celebrations and festivals.

Looking at my own garden, I realized how much these flowers had come to anchor it—deterring pests, inviting pollinators, and supporting crops through the seasons. They also added a strong visual element to bouquet work.

Whenever I was distracted with the various tasks vying for my attention, the marigolds would remind me to settle in and simply focus.

Such an unassuming flower, yet In every way, marigolds are the very definition of fortitude.

Marigolds (which are surprisingly edible) became the perfect flower for this cake.

The Cake

A nod to the arrival of fall, Danay chose a red velvet cake, both for its beautiful deep red color and sturdy structure.

She also built three cake layers to provide a stable foundation for the heavy bloom heads of the marigolds, which she artfully draped down one side off the cake, adding a full and luxurious feel to the design.

One of my favorite details in Danay’s design was her delicate crumb coat of icing—just thin enough to let the cake peek through, creating a beautifully rustic finish. Paired with the lush, luxurious flowers and a rich caramel drizzle, the raw simplicity of the cake shone even brighter, striking a perfect balance of elegance and charm.

She finished the look with fall-themed elements, such as pinecones, cinnamon sticks, miniature pumpkins and dried berries.

Combined with the deep glowing orange of the Narai marigolds, the final look was stunning.

The red velvet marigold cake consisted of three layers, a buttercream icing, and a salted caramel drizzle.

The Celebration

While the project itself was exciting and satisfying, it took on another meaning for me.

As I thought about how the cake would be enjoyed, I decided to serve it at my last public you-pick event of the summer season.  At this event, guests bring friends and loved ones to stroll the garden and harvest blooms for bouquets to enjoy at home.

I love these events because they always feel like a true celebration—of friendship, of family, of slowing down and finding rest in the middle of life’s busyness.

Serving it at the final event of the season felt especially fitting, a reminder that even endings can hold beauty and that every season, with its trials and triumphs, is worth celebrating.

A farm guest of our final summer farm event captures a photo of the beautiful marigold cake on her cell phone. Guests enjoyed the cake in celebration of a successful warm growing season.

The beautiful cake, handmade with care in a warm cozy kitchen, is also a nod to the act of serving others with the talents you’ve been blessed with.  Of staying true to your calling, of working diligently to bring beauty and purpose and creativity into this lovely world. Of recognizing that life is so much sweeter when we give the best parts of ourselves in service to others.

Danay Houk owns Cakes By Nay, a small business that specializes in cakes, cupcakes and other sweet treats for her local community. She lives in Norman, Oklahoma with her beautiful family and blesses everyone around her with her collection of creative interests. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram.

About our farm

Thank you for choosing to join our family on this grand adventure, as we grow something beautiful, meaningful, and good. If we haven't met yet, I am Sara Wilson, and my husband Teddy and I own Oklahoma Cut Flower Company in Norman, Oklahoma. We are a micro-farm that grows specialty cut flowers to educate and inspire our local flower-loving community. We offer flower subscriptions, educational workshops, and you-pick flower events. We are members of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.

You can learn more about us and join our adventures by subscribing to our email list and following us on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.