NEW BLOG!
This is an out of date blog, for these posts and all current projects please head over to
for any interest in ordering cakes please head to
for any interest in ordering cakes please head to
July 12, 2007
Back to the present.
So that is all the catch up of my cake history! From here on out it will be new, up to date stuff. Looking back on these pictures I can't believe that I havn't made a cake all of 2007! But having a baby and moving does limit my cake decorating chances. I did do birthday cakes, but nothing fancy or time consuming. I have a wedding cake planned for next month. I've limited my wedding cakes to winter breaks the last few years, since that is when my husband had time to help with the kids. So this August cake (while he is out of the country) will be interesting. I'll keep you up to date with blogs around that time period on how I do with all 4 kids still home for summer break and no husband around to help! This blog will also help keep me motivated to remember to do the fun and fancy stuff for the kids birthdays and holidays. It's the whole reason I learned, but havn't been very good at doing it for them! I have a whole design list of things I want to do for each holiday. I guess the next one is Halloween!!! I completely missed Fathers day and the 4th of July this year.
July 11, 2007
Another GINOMOUS cake
December 06,
This one was the biggest, tallest heaviest cake yet. Each pillar is 5 inches so you can see that the layers are ALSO 6 inches. I just loved how elegant and regal the extra height make the cake look! From the table to the top of the roses was 32 inches! This bride didn't want fondant so icing the cake smooth was really important. *trick alert* to ice butter cream smooth you boil a big pot of water, stick in 2 of your metal frosting spatulas. Then take one out, quickly wipe it dry, smooth it over the icing- once- and put it back in the boiling water and grab the next one. It's like "ironing" your cake. And works like a charm. In the end I thought it looked as good as a fondant cake, but tasted better, was cheaper and slightly easier to do! Even though fondant is really popular (it's what I had) unless it's an outdoor wedding I'll always suggest doing just the butter cream! This was my first pillar cake, and I was nervous about it falling over, it just doesn't seem as secure as the stacking cakes, but it made it through the wedding just fine, and that's really all that matters! Unlike the 3 days it took me to make a wedding cake a year ago this one only took 1 1/2 days! The decorating WAS simple, otherwise it still would have taken longer, but the baking is the most time consuming part! No short cuts there!
This one was the biggest, tallest heaviest cake yet. Each pillar is 5 inches so you can see that the layers are ALSO 6 inches. I just loved how elegant and regal the extra height make the cake look! From the table to the top of the roses was 32 inches! This bride didn't want fondant so icing the cake smooth was really important. *trick alert* to ice butter cream smooth you boil a big pot of water, stick in 2 of your metal frosting spatulas. Then take one out, quickly wipe it dry, smooth it over the icing- once- and put it back in the boiling water and grab the next one. It's like "ironing" your cake. And works like a charm. In the end I thought it looked as good as a fondant cake, but tasted better, was cheaper and slightly easier to do! Even though fondant is really popular (it's what I had) unless it's an outdoor wedding I'll always suggest doing just the butter cream! This was my first pillar cake, and I was nervous about it falling over, it just doesn't seem as secure as the stacking cakes, but it made it through the wedding just fine, and that's really all that matters! Unlike the 3 days it took me to make a wedding cake a year ago this one only took 1 1/2 days! The decorating WAS simple, otherwise it still would have taken longer, but the baking is the most time consuming part! No short cuts there!
Sweet 16
October 06,
Again, another favorite cake. I got to do a lot of fun ones in a row this year. This was a "wonky" or "crazy" cake. *trick alert* to create the "wonky" look I made extra tall cake layers (3 inches each, instead of the usual 2) and then froze each layer, then I "carved them" while frozen and then let them thaw before frosting. My husband and kids loved the extra cake chunks. I made this one for my cousins sweet 16! It was so much fun to design and decorate for her. I learned a lot from this cake (of course, each one is still such a learning experience). I put too much frosting under the fondant, and it kind of ruined the shape a bit. But I was really pleased with how it turned out, and of course the birthday girl loved it, and that made it even better! Of course we forgot the candles! I hadn't done a birthday cake in so long that that it hadn't once entered my brain to bring candles!
Again, another favorite cake. I got to do a lot of fun ones in a row this year. This was a "wonky" or "crazy" cake. *trick alert* to create the "wonky" look I made extra tall cake layers (3 inches each, instead of the usual 2) and then froze each layer, then I "carved them" while frozen and then let them thaw before frosting. My husband and kids loved the extra cake chunks. I made this one for my cousins sweet 16! It was so much fun to design and decorate for her. I learned a lot from this cake (of course, each one is still such a learning experience). I put too much frosting under the fondant, and it kind of ruined the shape a bit. But I was really pleased with how it turned out, and of course the birthday girl loved it, and that made it even better! Of course we forgot the candles! I hadn't done a birthday cake in so long that that it hadn't once entered my brain to bring candles!
The Circus!
August 06
This has to be one of my favorite cakes. It turned out SO well. It was for a circus themed baby shower! I just loved how well the fondant animal pillars turned out, and the big top I carved and frosted for the top layer was great too! Although I don't think most people figured out it was a Big Top. I had so much fun designing and carrying out this cake. The only thing I would change would be to make the bottom layer bigger so the animals weren't quite so crowded. But arn't these animals just adorable! I was tickled at how well they turned out. So okay, I was up all night because I miscalculated how long they would take (I'm a perfectionist...), but they were SO worth it.
.JPG)
This has to be one of my favorite cakes. It turned out SO well. It was for a circus themed baby shower! I just loved how well the fondant animal pillars turned out, and the big top I carved and frosted for the top layer was great too! Although I don't think most people figured out it was a Big Top. I had so much fun designing and carrying out this cake. The only thing I would change would be to make the bottom layer bigger so the animals weren't quite so crowded. But arn't these animals just adorable! I was tickled at how well they turned out. So okay, I was up all night because I miscalculated how long they would take (I'm a perfectionist...), but they were SO worth it.
.JPG)
Demo cakes
Aug 06
These three cakes were for the Demonstration day at the store where I worked. They are all just 6 inch cakes, and I frosted and decorated them all in just 3 hours. My technique is getting better and so is my speed! It was lots of fun to sit down and demo, while people shopped. Some stopped and talked, some just muttered as they walked past and some even asked for samples!
These three cakes were for the Demonstration day at the store where I worked. They are all just 6 inch cakes, and I frosted and decorated them all in just 3 hours. My technique is getting better and so is my speed! It was lots of fun to sit down and demo, while people shopped. Some stopped and talked, some just muttered as they walked past and some even asked for samples!
Wacky
July 06
This was for a Cake teachers annual meeting. We were all supposed to bring decorated cake dummies. I actually forgot about it and didn't start work on my dummies until 11 pm the night before. I , thankfully, had it all planned out though. The finished product looked a little messier than I origianlly invisioned, but mostly followed the plan well. And still lots of fun! Next time I'll start much sooner! It was my first time using a dummy and it was interesting. *trick alert* to soften the corner on a cake dummy cover it with a sheet of parchement paper and softly iron over the corner. The parchement paper won't stick but the hot iron with melt the styrofom dummy and voila, a softer edge.
This was for a Cake teachers annual meeting. We were all supposed to bring decorated cake dummies. I actually forgot about it and didn't start work on my dummies until 11 pm the night before. I , thankfully, had it all planned out though. The finished product looked a little messier than I origianlly invisioned, but mostly followed the plan well. And still lots of fun! Next time I'll start much sooner! It was my first time using a dummy and it was interesting. *trick alert* to soften the corner on a cake dummy cover it with a sheet of parchement paper and softly iron over the corner. The parchement paper won't stick but the hot iron with melt the styrofom dummy and voila, a softer edge.
Bridal Shower
May 06
I just fell in love with this design so when one of my best friends was getting married it made the perfect bridal shower cake. I just love this cake, and would actually love to do a wedding cake like this, a bride on one and maybe even a second one with a groom facing the bride. Wouldn't that look amazing. But it wouldn't be super traditional so I don't think I'll ever get that chance, so doing a bridal shower was the perfect opportunity. It is a coconut pecan cake with cream cheese frosting, fondant flowers and a color flow bride. My husband still feels bad that he didn't replace the bulbs in the kitchen in time for me to take this picture. It really doesn't do the cake justice. It was phenomenal.
I just fell in love with this design so when one of my best friends was getting married it made the perfect bridal shower cake. I just love this cake, and would actually love to do a wedding cake like this, a bride on one and maybe even a second one with a groom facing the bride. Wouldn't that look amazing. But it wouldn't be super traditional so I don't think I'll ever get that chance, so doing a bridal shower was the perfect opportunity. It is a coconut pecan cake with cream cheese frosting, fondant flowers and a color flow bride. My husband still feels bad that he didn't replace the bulbs in the kitchen in time for me to take this picture. It really doesn't do the cake justice. It was phenomenal.
Just for fun
April 06
This chocolate one was just for fun! I saw the design and wanted to try it. Each of the 80 Chocolate roses are buttercream and not royal icing. SO I didn't make them in advance. I made them right then and there! My arm was pretty sore after that. But it was fun to put together the cake while gabbing with my Sister in Law. I used milk and dark chocolate to create the different colors and *trick alert*hershey kisses in the center (carmel kisses). The hersheys kiss is the perfect mound shape for buttercream roses! But don't use the chocolate if your going with lighter colored icing, use the Hugs.
The rattle cake was for a baby shower I threw. I did a pink/brown polka-dot theme and I just loved how cute the rattle turned out! Not a difficult design, but SO cute (and tasted amazing- pound cake with cream cheese frosting! MMMMmmmmmm!). I, of course, made a TON of other treats, but since this is my CAKE site I didn't show the rest...
This chocolate one was just for fun! I saw the design and wanted to try it. Each of the 80 Chocolate roses are buttercream and not royal icing. SO I didn't make them in advance. I made them right then and there! My arm was pretty sore after that. But it was fun to put together the cake while gabbing with my Sister in Law. I used milk and dark chocolate to create the different colors and *trick alert*hershey kisses in the center (carmel kisses). The hersheys kiss is the perfect mound shape for buttercream roses! But don't use the chocolate if your going with lighter colored icing, use the Hugs.
The rattle cake was for a baby shower I threw. I did a pink/brown polka-dot theme and I just loved how cute the rattle turned out! Not a difficult design, but SO cute (and tasted amazing- pound cake with cream cheese frosting! MMMMmmmmmm!). I, of course, made a TON of other treats, but since this is my CAKE site I didn't show the rest...
Birthday time again
January 06
We have 2 birthday's this month. These 2 ball cakes are a lot nicer and cooler than last year's ball cake! They were really different but both fun to make! The Soccer Ball was pretty easy, but time consuming. *trick alert* when trying to achieve black frosting start with chocolate, then add the icing GEL. Also, only work with a little bit of icing at a time. A little goes a long way.
The Fondant inlay cake was much more time consuming. For this one I covered it with a thin layer of fondant first, then rolled out different colors, used cookie cutters to get the shape of the ball and start laying then on the cake. When 2 would over lap I'd decide which part I wanted to show and cut the other one off. And to stick it to the cake you use CLEAR vanilla. It makes the fondant tacky and evaporates, leaving a pretty good glue. *trick alert* for the black and red on the balls I mixes a bit of coloring in with some clear vanilla and painted it on. The vanilla waters down the thick gell enough to paint with it, but since it evaporates, it doesn't water down the color.
We have 2 birthday's this month. These 2 ball cakes are a lot nicer and cooler than last year's ball cake! They were really different but both fun to make! The Soccer Ball was pretty easy, but time consuming. *trick alert* when trying to achieve black frosting start with chocolate, then add the icing GEL. Also, only work with a little bit of icing at a time. A little goes a long way.
The Fondant inlay cake was much more time consuming. For this one I covered it with a thin layer of fondant first, then rolled out different colors, used cookie cutters to get the shape of the ball and start laying then on the cake. When 2 would over lap I'd decide which part I wanted to show and cut the other one off. And to stick it to the cake you use CLEAR vanilla. It makes the fondant tacky and evaporates, leaving a pretty good glue. *trick alert* for the black and red on the balls I mixes a bit of coloring in with some clear vanilla and painted it on. The vanilla waters down the thick gell enough to paint with it, but since it evaporates, it doesn't water down the color.
First wedding cake
December 05
This month I got to do my first wedding cake. It took about 3 days and I learned a lot doing it. Each layer was a different flavor and color. I baked one day, frosted the next and did the fondant the 3rd day. Then I transported the cake and put it together and did the final decorations. The bride designed the cake and said it was perfect. We used real flowers that matched her bouquet and center pieces. *trick alert* when using white on white adding a little ivory keeps the cake from looking flat and washed out. Here I used a bit in the fondant ribbon.
This month I got to do my first wedding cake. It took about 3 days and I learned a lot doing it. Each layer was a different flavor and color. I baked one day, frosted the next and did the fondant the 3rd day. Then I transported the cake and put it together and did the final decorations. The bride designed the cake and said it was perfect. We used real flowers that matched her bouquet and center pieces. *trick alert* when using white on white adding a little ivory keeps the cake from looking flat and washed out. Here I used a bit in the fondant ribbon.
Thanksgiving and Christmas
Holiday's 05
We got to Host Thanksgiving at my house this year! It was so much fun having my parents and siblings and cousins at MY house. I ended up making about 4 desserts, and of course one HAD to be a cake. This Turkey (with cookie tail) was SO much fun! Although if you look closely you can see where my 3rd child go to some of the cookies (bottom right).
And then for Christmas Eve with My husbands family we took the wreath cake. I can do alot with cakes, and I think I'm pretty good, but I CAN NOT write on cake's I feel bad I even tried. It would have looked better without my scribbles. Oh well, live and learn. The poinsetta is still one of my favorite royal icing flowers! And since you can'd do ready, this dark pink is the closest I could do. I've since learned a few more tricks. *trick alert* when trying to do red on your own use burgundy first, and get it as dark as possible, then use red. You still won't achieve RED, but it will be much closer than this.
.JPG)
We got to Host Thanksgiving at my house this year! It was so much fun having my parents and siblings and cousins at MY house. I ended up making about 4 desserts, and of course one HAD to be a cake. This Turkey (with cookie tail) was SO much fun! Although if you look closely you can see where my 3rd child go to some of the cookies (bottom right).
And then for Christmas Eve with My husbands family we took the wreath cake. I can do alot with cakes, and I think I'm pretty good, but I CAN NOT write on cake's I feel bad I even tried. It would have looked better without my scribbles. Oh well, live and learn. The poinsetta is still one of my favorite royal icing flowers! And since you can'd do ready, this dark pink is the closest I could do. I've since learned a few more tricks. *trick alert* when trying to do red on your own use burgundy first, and get it as dark as possible, then use red. You still won't achieve RED, but it will be much closer than this.
.JPG)
Final month of Cake Class
December 05
I loved working with Fondant, Yes, it's a little more expensive and definitely more time consuming, but it looks so nice and you can create so much more! The fondant roses were my favorite and I got the hang of it quickly. At this point my husband was getting sick of eating so much cake so we took these to parties we were attending, it worked out well!
This one I did in Blue for a party at our house after the Homecoming game. We lost, but had good cake! The gold, we'll I needed another color, and it looks good with Blue
This one was the final cake, and for me it was practise for the wedding cake I'd be doing the next month. I still just love those roses. And we took this to a church Christmas party, that was extremely early in the year! I actually finished the cake at a Saturday morning make up class and went right to the church, so I didn't get to go home and take nice pictures. I still regret not just wiping off the crumbs from the table for this picture!
I loved working with Fondant, Yes, it's a little more expensive and definitely more time consuming, but it looks so nice and you can create so much more! The fondant roses were my favorite and I got the hang of it quickly. At this point my husband was getting sick of eating so much cake so we took these to parties we were attending, it worked out well!
This one I did in Blue for a party at our house after the Homecoming game. We lost, but had good cake! The gold, we'll I needed another color, and it looks good with Blue
This one was the final cake, and for me it was practise for the wedding cake I'd be doing the next month. I still just love those roses. And we took this to a church Christmas party, that was extremely early in the year! I actually finished the cake at a Saturday morning make up class and went right to the church, so I didn't get to go home and take nice pictures. I still regret not just wiping off the crumbs from the table for this picture!
2nd Month of Cake Classes
October 05
In this month we only officialy did one cake, but I also did a Halloween cake. This month was all about royal icing and making flowers. I think I caught on quickly and had a lot of fun. I enjoyed the color flow, and used it in a later bridemaid cake. I can see alot of possibilities, but don't know how often I'll really use it. I do enjoy having left over royal icing flowers though. They come in handy when you decide at the last min to make a cake. And although I do'nt know if I'll ever use basket weave (it uses a TON of icing) I did enjoy doing it.
And this was the Halloween cake I did, to this day I'm still upset that I forgot to take a picture of a slice of the cake. The batter was also tri-colored, so in theory when you cut a slice it looks a piece of candy corn.
In this month we only officialy did one cake, but I also did a Halloween cake. This month was all about royal icing and making flowers. I think I caught on quickly and had a lot of fun. I enjoyed the color flow, and used it in a later bridemaid cake. I can see alot of possibilities, but don't know how often I'll really use it. I do enjoy having left over royal icing flowers though. They come in handy when you decide at the last min to make a cake. And although I do'nt know if I'll ever use basket weave (it uses a TON of icing) I did enjoy doing it.
And this was the Halloween cake I did, to this day I'm still upset that I forgot to take a picture of a slice of the cake. The batter was also tri-colored, so in theory when you cut a slice it looks a piece of candy corn.
First month of Cake Classes
September 05
The first week I was suprised how much I learned about basic technique. Such as the right way to frost a cake to keep it flat, straight, without crumbs etc... Of course I adored my teacher, and when I went on to teach I employed all her stories, hints and clues.
This was the first night decorating, learning a star tip. I also learned that it's hard to achieve a nice bright red!
And the second night of decorating we learned flowers. And coloring techniques.
The first week I was suprised how much I learned about basic technique. Such as the right way to frost a cake to keep it flat, straight, without crumbs etc... Of course I adored my teacher, and when I went on to teach I employed all her stories, hints and clues.
This was the first night decorating, learning a star tip. I also learned that it's hard to achieve a nice bright red!
And the second night of decorating we learned flowers. And coloring techniques.
Pre-Class cakes
Here are 2 examples of the kinds of cakes I was doing without class. They were good, cute, but simple. Looking back now I still like them, so that's a good thing. But I do see ways I could have done SO much better if I did them over now.
.JPG){kind=link}
This is Jan 05, for a boy's birthday. My favorite thing about this cake you can't even see! I made each cake a different height! It was 3-D in a way. AND the frosting was this GREAT marshmallow frosting recipe I have. MMMmmmmmm!
.jpg)
Here is a Castle cake I did for my daughter. Most of what I would change is to use a better buttercream recipe. The one I used for this was SO disgusting, like eating raw butter with a bit of sugar! AND I would use different tips to decorate, rather than candy. I got the idea from Familyfun. My little boy ate all the blue jello (the "moat") and I learned something new! Any thing containing lots of blue dye will change the color of your poop to an extreme, almost florescent, green (and dye the diaper wearing 2 year old's bottom green for a week) , no matter how young or old you are!
Cake Background
I started decorating cakes as soon as I had children! I started looking for cute ways to decorate their birthday cakes. Then my sister took an official class and learned so much and could DO so much I just had to learn. So in the fall of 2005 I took all the classes I could and just fell in love. I did my first wedding cake December of 05 and started teaching classes in the summer of 06. We just completed a move and I'm trying to decided if I should go back to teaching or not, and if I want to branch out and make wedding and fancy birthday cakes for a side hobby, or just keep it to the occaional family wedding and my kids birthdays. So basically this blog will be my cakes past, present and future. This first bit will be alot of pictures of cakes past.