Vanilla Chateau

Hannah Pieper, aka Vanilla Chateau, is a cake artist and illustrator based in Berlin with a background in fashion design, styling, and photography. She builds dreamlike worlds influenced by surrealism, Victorian romance, and the strange edges of girlhood, dreaming up cakes that look like technicolor fairytales. Imperfection is the whole point of her craft: each cake is temporary and singular, made to be seen, touched, and tasted before it disappears. For our first Artist Spotlight feature, we talked to Hannah about the films and designers feeding her imagination, working with a medium that doesn't last, and why she never wants to make the same thing twice.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I’m inspired by fairytales, fables, and memories of growing up on a farm. I’m fascinated by creating poetic worlds where innocence meets darkness and beauty exists within imperfection.

My work is deeply influenced by the uncanny — dolls, surrealism, Victorian romance, gothic femininity, and the aesthetics of girlhood. I’m inspired by films such as The Virgin Suicides, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and Alice by Jan Švankmajer, as well as the dreamy worlds of Sofia Coppola. Fashion is another constant source of inspiration, from vintage Betsey Johnson to designers like Simone Rocha.

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

What’s your creative process like?

I create dreamlike worlds that explore themes of girlhood, nostalgia, hyperfemininity, and fantasy. Bunnies, lambs, and other recurring creatures appear throughout my work like characters from a half-remembered dream, carrying a sense of innocence, fragility, and vulnerability.

I usually start with a vague image or feeling in my mind, but the idea often transforms throughout the process. The execution is the most exciting part because it reveals whether an idea truly works. I love the element of surprise and allowing unexpected details to become part of the final piece.

While I’m baking, I always listen to music that helps me enter the atmosphere of the cake I’m creating.

What is it like working with cakes as a medium?

I love that every cake is temporary and unique. It’s an emotional medium that engages all the senses — it can be seen, touched, smelled, tasted, and shared with others.

I’m drawn to imperfect cakes with details that give them personality and a human touch. I’m constantly experimenting with new techniques, textures, and color combinations. I never want to repeat the same work or copy my previous creations; I always want my practice to evolve and discover new forms of expression.