Angela's Cake

It was Angela's birthday and guess who made a cake? Yep, that'd be me.

I really wanted to play and experiment with a fun cake with her, but doing so has it's challenges when there are two toddlers trying to steal pieces of fondant and general child's-play overall.

So, it had kind of a wedding cake feel to it, but I thought it turned out well.

For the applique on the top, I used a silicone mold I bought over a year ago that been sitting unused in my kit.

8" chocolate cake and 6" lemon cake both w/ vanilla buttercream. Covered/decorated with mmf. 50/50 fondant/gumpaste applique. Gold luster dust used to color pearls and applique.

Song's Birthday

Made this cake for one of dh's co-workers. She requested a similar cake to that which I made for Marisa in April.

I spent a lot more time on the figurines and I'm very pleased with how they turned out. Next to Kipper (March '08), they're probably some of the best I've made.

10" strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream and 6" red velvet w/ cream cheese frosting. Covered and decorated with marshmallow fondant (mmf). Figurines and flowers were made with 50/50 fondant and gumpaste.

I'm not crazy about how broad in the shoulders I made Pooh. I guess he kinda does have a linebacker's build though, right?

SAAC Cake

This is my second year in a row making the cake for the annual Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's (SAAC) last meeting of the year. The first cake was not my ideal creation as it was requested that I recreate a store-bought flub (see post in April 2008).

This was much more fun to make and I look forward to creating something different next year (if they'll have me).

12" cinnamon chocolate fudge cake w/ oreo cookie buttercream filling. Covered and decorated w/ marshmellow fondant. I used a pastry brush and food-safe airbrush color to create the woodgrain appearance. Tappits letter cutters for the letters. The SAAC letters were a little larger than I would have liked, but those were the smallest, large letters I have. The Sparky logo is inedible.

Served 45.

Asian-themed couples bridal shower

This cake and cupcakes were made for a friend who was throwing a couples bridal shower. I LOVED the Asian theme and the colors the hostess chose (Hi Cindy!) worked so well together.

8" white chocolate/vanilla cake with strawberry swiss meringue and fresh strawberry filling. Iced with swiss meringue buttercream and covered w/ mmf. The cake was also decorated w/ mmf.

There were also 48 cupcakes, half vanilla and the other cinnamon-chocolate fudge, iced with vanilla buttercream. Each cupcake was topped with a fondant fortune cookie, complete with message!

Marisa's Cake

It was Marisa's 3rd birthday today and a cake was needed for a Dora-themed party.

I made a Dora figurine for the topper and included some of Dora's friends along the top tier, to include Map, Boots and Backpack (which, sadly, I never took a picture of).

10" yellow cake w/ vanilla buttercream and an 8" cinnamon chocolate fudge w/ chocolate hazelnut meringue filling. Covered and decorated w/ mmf. I also used various luster and petal dusts for the figurines and friends.

My Mom

My mom used to make cool cakes for my birthdays. Ready with a star tip, the cake that stands out most in my mind was a Garfield cake she made for 11th or 12th birthday.

She's always made awesome cakes and is never afraid to try something new. Like making my brother's fondant-covered wedding cake without having never made one before or a Star Wars storm trooper, like that she made for a family friend's son's 4th birthday.

Yep, she's where I get my skills from! Thanks Mom! And great job on Nathan's cake!

My 1st Wedding Cake

What I thought would be stressful and unraveling was anything but. Thanks in large part to good preparation. I say, if you're going to do a wedding cake, there are no last minute, late night, cake fests. My preparation was scheduled. Hmm, interesting, I guess all my cakes should be, eh?

I bought all my ingredients last week, baked and made icing/fondant in the evening during the week and took Friday off to get after it. It's nice to be able to get things done w/out any distractions. Just my iPod. I was able to ice and cover four cakes in two hours. And the royal icing detail took about an hour. I used a custom-made stencil by DesignerStencils.com to match the bride & groom's invitations

The bride and groom ordered a cake to feed 150 people. And decided on alternating layers of red velvet and white cake, both filled and iced w/ swiss meringue buttercream. I love SMBC. It takes a little longer to make, but it's so good. They also requested two orders of cake truffles. It was a 14-12-8-6 cake.

I hope they liked it as much as I enjoyed making it for them.

Congratulations Dane & Becca!!

Elijah's 3rd Birthday

This weekend was my daughter's best buddy's birthday. Elijah turned 3 and his mom asked that I make his cake. This kid LOVES Cars (the movie), so a Cars cake was appropriate.

This was a fun, fast and easy to make cake thanks to my husband. I had pre-baked the cakes and made the icing and fondant. But dh iced and cut each of the fondant checkers for the larger cake AND drew the Lightening McQueen used on the top tier. My assistant does great work! Thanks babe!

10" and 6" cakes, both devil's food w/ vanilla buttercream. Covered and decorated w/ mmf. Hand drawn Lightening McQueen w/ Americolor Food Writer pens. Inedible candle and ribbon.

Phoenix Suns

Fun and very easy cake to make.

Cake is airbrushed and I must say, I'm madly in love w/ my airbrush now! It makes coloring fondant SO much easier. Still working on even application and inhalation issues (wink).

Hand cut and painted the Suns' logo for a friend's, boyfriend's birthday. Used Tappits letter cutters for the 'Happy Birthday' on the front of the cake. The letters are dusted w/ edible purple glitter.

8" spice cake w/ swiss meringue buttercream. Covered/decorated w/ marshmallow fondant.

Quincy's Cake

So, I was truly put to the test w/ my most recent cake request. My friend wanted a Transformers - Optimus Prime cake, like that done by Floating Cat. It didn't look too difficult, but my time management got the best of me. It was well received, but it kills me that it didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted it to; w/ more finished lines and detail. Next time!

Chocolate fudge cake w/ peppermint meringue buttercream and candy cane crunchies (the filling was beyond yummy!). Covered and decorated w/ mmf. All silver pieces were 50/50 fondant and gumpaste. Tires are rice crispy treats covered w/ fondant.

Snowman

Made this cake for dh to take to work for an office potluck. Overall, he turned out well, but I'm displeased how plain he is. He definitely needed more detail like, a hat or something! And his arms were a tad long.

8" chocolate fudge cake w/ mint meringue buttercream and candy cane crunchies filling. 6" white cake w/ the same filling. Covered and decorated w/ mmf. Arms were made of chocolate candy melts drizzled over skewers.

X-Mas Cookies

Cookies ARE NOT my forte, hell, I'm not sure I even have a forte, but I know I'd rather make cakes than cookies. That aside, I made cookies to give to our all new neighbors and was pleasantly surprised at how easy they were. They're by no means perfect and if I'd taken more time, they'd have been a little better, but I'm pleased with how they turned out.

No Fail Sugar Cookies w/ Royal Icing

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No Fail Sugar Cookies

This recipe is GREAT when using complex cookie cutters. The dough holds its' shape and won't spread during baking. Make sure you let your oven preheat for at least 1/2 hour before baking these or any other cookies.

6 cups flour

3 tsp. baking powder

2 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract or desired flavoring (I like almond myself)

1 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together. Chill for 1 to 2 hours. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges. This recipe yields up to 5-dozen 3” cookies.