by ASHLEY MILLER

Sue Boucher is an artist. Her canvas of choice: cakes.

Whether it’s building a unique cupcake cake, recreating an original wedding cake for an anniversary celebration or matching a custom cake’s frosting to the intricate beadwork on a bride-to-be’s dress, Boucher treats every cake like a blank slate.

“I’m literally making something from scratch,” Boucher said. “I love it when it’s all set up and the bride and groom see the cake for the first time. That’s my favorite part.”

Boucher — who sometimes is referred to as “the cake lady” — started baking cakes on a dare 25 years ago while she was working retail at a local mall and taking college classes. One of her girlfriends begged her to take a cake-making class because none of their other friends would. Boucher wasn’t all that interested but signed up for her friend’s sake. Halfway through the course, her friend dropped the class but Boucher was enjoying it and finished.

Not too long after, a friend announced she was getting married and dared Boucher to make the cake. Unable to turn down a good old-fashioned dare, Boucher baked the cake — and has the pictures to prove it.

Boucher estimates that more than 500,000 people have eaten a slice of her wedding cakes and said she looks forward to increasing that number here on the peninsula.

After meeting and falling in love with the man of her dreams, Boucher moved to Sequim this past winter. She and her fiance eloped to Las Vegas and married Nov. 5.

Moving from the Seattle area, Boucher brought her business and passion for baking. She participated in a bridal show last month and recently joined the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Though she conducts most of her business from her home, entertaining a peek-a-boo view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Boucher spends her nights baking at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club. That’s right, the Boys & Girls Club.

Upon her arrival to in Sequim, Boucher immediately started looking for a facility with a commercial oven she could rent. After obtaining a list from the City of Sequim, she was pleasantly surprised to see that the Boys & Girls Club has a commercial oven and was willing to rent it to her for a reasonable price.

Choose from apple, banana cream, cherry, chocolate mousse, coconut cream and mocha fillings; lemon, marionberry, raspberry and strawberry fruit fillings; butter cream, white chocolate, cream cheese and chocolate icing; white, vanilla bean, chocolate, lemon poppy seed and applesauce spice cake — the options are endless.

Each cake is custom designed and tailored to the customer’s requests. Clients who are less certain about what they want can choose from several design books. Personal ideas and recipes are encouraged.