Joy's Wedding

I'm having issues with my picture program this morning, but here's at least a first look at the wedding cake from yesterday. The cake is white almond sour cream, frosted with almond buttercream, and covered in fondant. The bride's gown was white with champagne lace appliques and little tiny buttons down the back, thus the second layer down from the top -- champagne cornelli lace and ivory pearl buttons. Her attendants' dresses were that beautiful deep blue teal color. And their invitation featured the Celtic knot on the fourth layer.

Wish you could see the cake in the context of the reception hall. The bride found beautiful teal sparkly fabric to run down the center of each table, and the florist did magnificent calla lily centerpieces, again incorporating the colors of white and champagne. It was a beautiful venue. Right down to the teal and white M&M's !

The Chocolate Fondant Road of Life - Groom's Cake

The groom had precious memories of playing with all these metal figurines from his childhood. When his dad died, he found them in his effects, and wanted to somehow incorporate them into his groom's cake. There was a bride and groom, a police officer, two young boys, an elderly couple, and 3 cars. As we sat here at their initial consultation, we brainstormed on how to go about creating a cool groom's cake with these wonderful figurines. The bride and groom would go on top, with the first car, next to the beginning of the chocolate fondant road of life. Turns out, the groom's uncle was a police officer in New York, so he could greet them as they embarked on their journey (he's on the bottom layer, to the left of the red car). The two young boys (to the right of the road) could obviously be their possible future children as they continued through their life travels. But the bride and I were both puzzled about what to do with the elderly couple, and where would we fit them into the picture? The groom immediately declared, "That's us, in our old age."

Is that not the coolest story you've ever heard for the creation of a groom's cake?

Birthday Barnyard Party

This cake was crafted for two 5-year-old friends who are having their joint birthday celebration at a fun restaurant where the kids can feed the horses, pet the sheep and goats, and play in a giant sandbox. The design of the cake was taken directly from the custom invitation that the parents had created. I take no credit for how cute the animals and the barn and silo are -- all I did was copy their incredibly adorable invitation!

Half the cake is white, half is chocolate, iced in buttercream. The barn and silo are made of Rice Krispie treats which I shaped and formed, then covered in fondant. All the animals are fondant-on-a-stick.

Yee-haw and giddy-up, y'all!

Magna Cum Laude

No, not the cake -- our daughter.

Forgive me for bragging, but we're very proud parents. She's graduating a semester early, with high honors, tomorrow. I hope this cake lives up to the occasion.

She 'ordered' a multi-layered chocolate extravaganza for her celebration ---- so I always do what I'm told by my children ;-) Chocolate cake, iced in chocolate buttercream, wrapped in chocolate swaths highlighted with white and red chocolate swirly-gigs. I added the red-and-white stuff because those are the colors of her almost-alma mater.

I can't believe I'm done with it and taking pictures, more than 24 hours before the party begins. This is a record, and I definitely think I deserve a short nap now.

Winter Wonderland

I made this one for youngest daughter to take to work for the their teachers-and-staff holiday party. I LOVE making cakes for teachers -- they are always my most appreciative fans. Didn't get the camera angle quite right on this one, but those are clear plastic snowflake ornaments, and light blue "candy" ornaments hanging from silver swirly wires, popping out of a pile of snowballs at the center of the cake. All sprinkled with sugar-snow, with silver dragees added for a bit of bling, and a snowball border around the base.

See that odd black squiggle on the right side of the plate? It's a "W" written on a piece of tape, to mark where the white-cake half begins. I did this one half chocolate, half white, so people could get their favorite flavor.

Didn't get a picture of the sugar cookies before they went out the door, darn it! But the graduation cake is in process, so check back later (very late, probably) tonight.

Merry Christmas!

A white chocolate almond cake, iced in buttercream, adorned with fondant poinsettia and holly berries, buttercream holly leaves, and some sparkling sugar-ice sprinkled over all.

Another holiday cake tomorrow, and maybe some pics of Christmas cookies (you can see a hint of them in the background), and middle-daughter's college graduation cake by Friday, and a fun barnyard birthday cake for two 5-year-olds by Sunday.

Stay tuned!

Princess Cake

A sparkly, girly, pink-and-purply cake for a tiny princess. Chocolate cake, buttercream icing, covered in fondant with fondant decor. Plus my favorite silver dragees. The tiara is purchased. This one was great fun to make. I think if I'd gotten a cake like this when I was four years old I'd have had a heart attack from sheer joy!