I really did have an amazingly busy October. This cake was number 4 out of seven. That has to be a new record for me. Sometimes I think that I must be losing my mind to have so many things on the go at the same time.
This Oilers cake is my second one. It's hard to believe that I live in a town that loves the Flames so much when I haven't yet had a Flames cake order. I guess it's similar to the Riders and Stamps rivalry we have for football in this city. It takes all kinds I guess. Not to mention that the games would be boring if there wasn't a variety of fans watching. The fans make it much more interesting.
Wait a minute, this is a cake blog, not a sports blog.....
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Buzz II
I am really glad that I figured out that I can keep my drawings safe once I have used them. I just have to make sure that they are cleaned off properly. This way I can reuse them when i get repeat orders. I do love to create new designs when I get orders for them. But it is nice to know that I can duplicate a cake fairly easily and without the new design stress that I have a habit of putting on myself.
This cake was completed back in the middle of October, and so there has actually been several cakes since then which I need to get into posts.
This cake was completed back in the middle of October, and so there has actually been several cakes since then which I need to get into posts.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Locomotive
A train cake that isn't Thomas! But then I suppose that a Thomas cake wouldn't be that appropriate for a train fanatic who is turning 30.
I was given a picture of one of his favorite engines and asked to do the cake using it.
I used the frozen buttercream transfer method again and this time did it a little thicker to make sure it would not break, and of course I got over confidant and held it from either end thinking it was safe and I broke it anyhow. But really, if I hadn't told anyone, no one would know. Just have to learn to keep my mouth shut.
I was given a picture of one of his favorite engines and asked to do the cake using it.
I used the frozen buttercream transfer method again and this time did it a little thicker to make sure it would not break, and of course I got over confidant and held it from either end thinking it was safe and I broke it anyhow. But really, if I hadn't told anyone, no one would know. Just have to learn to keep my mouth shut.
Baby Carriage
This cake is another first for me. I've done baby shower cakes before, but the Carriage is new. There is a mold that is available to buy, but it was requested that I made the cake half lemon and half white. So I used 9x13 cake pans for each flavor and put them side by side to cut out the right shape.
The courses that I teach for Wilton are paying off for me, because I get to practice some of the techniques and keep them fresh in my head for when I need to show them in class. Instead of using the star tip to fill the whole cake in with stars, I did the bottom half of the cake using the basket weave method. The stars were used for the top half and I created the ruffled edge using the rose tip. I also had some royal icing flowers and leaves left over from the classes and used them as accents. So this cake has elements of the Wilton course 1 and course 2.
The courses that I teach for Wilton are paying off for me, because I get to practice some of the techniques and keep them fresh in my head for when I need to show them in class. Instead of using the star tip to fill the whole cake in with stars, I did the bottom half of the cake using the basket weave method. The stars were used for the top half and I created the ruffled edge using the rose tip. I also had some royal icing flowers and leaves left over from the classes and used them as accents. So this cake has elements of the Wilton course 1 and course 2.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Simba?
Well it was a try. I was asked for a Simba head. The only way I could give this one a go was to decorate it with fondant. I'd hate to see how it could have turned out with just icing. I was happy with the way the ears turned out with the little tufts of fur sticking up though.
Even my mom said something about Simba looking a little anorexic. I had to laugh at that. It's certainly one way to describe it.
Not sure if I'd attempt this one again.
Even my mom said something about Simba looking a little anorexic. I had to laugh at that. It's certainly one way to describe it.
Not sure if I'd attempt this one again.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty is another new one for me. And it also uses a technique I have never tried before.
Another Wilton instructor told me about frozen buttercream transfers. I found directions on the internet and went to work, foolishly only 3 hours before the cake was due. If the transfer had not worked, I would have been disappointing a group of 5 year old girls, not to mention the mother organizing the party.
Over all it went surprisingly well, and I will be using the technique again. It certainly saves time over the method of piping in all the stars to fill in character cakes.
Another Wilton instructor told me about frozen buttercream transfers. I found directions on the internet and went to work, foolishly only 3 hours before the cake was due. If the transfer had not worked, I would have been disappointing a group of 5 year old girls, not to mention the mother organizing the party.
Over all it went surprisingly well, and I will be using the technique again. It certainly saves time over the method of piping in all the stars to fill in character cakes.
Cookie Monster II
This cookie monster almost did not get made. I tried to use a pan mold for a stand up teddy bear cake and then alter it, but I've never used that pan before and I have to say, I did not like it. I followed the directions and baked for the required time, but it still fell completely apart because it was only half baked in the middle.
After throwing a temper tantrum in my kitchen, I started over with one 9x13 sheet cake and 2 9 inch square cakes. I stacked these ones and carved out the shape and put in the proper supports needed to help him stay upright.
In the end I was quite happy with the turnout. He is a little less than half the size of my original Cookie Monster, and all cake this time. The first one had a rice krispie treat head.
After throwing a temper tantrum in my kitchen, I started over with one 9x13 sheet cake and 2 9 inch square cakes. I stacked these ones and carved out the shape and put in the proper supports needed to help him stay upright.
In the end I was quite happy with the turnout. He is a little less than half the size of my original Cookie Monster, and all cake this time. The first one had a rice krispie treat head.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Madeleine's Baptism cake
My girlfriend's daughter was having her baptism, so of course I was happy to make the cake. The idea for this cake came from a two tiered version, but they didn't need that much cake so we altered the idea to this one.
Also, in the class I am teaching this month, I was teaching the students how to make decorations from Colorflow Icing. A substitute for colorflow can be Royal icing, but it doesn't dry as shiny. I did a demo on how to make Royal icing in class so I had the leftover icing to use up. Perfect for making the butterflies and flowers. The timing was good.
Also, in the class I am teaching this month, I was teaching the students how to make decorations from Colorflow Icing. A substitute for colorflow can be Royal icing, but it doesn't dry as shiny. I did a demo on how to make Royal icing in class so I had the leftover icing to use up. Perfect for making the butterflies and flowers. The timing was good.
3/4 view Thomas the Tank Engine
This is the 3rd cake of the month. I've done Thomas a few times now and I should have no problems with him. So of course I wanted to do another different version. Was it to make my life harder or just to keep things fresh and new?
There wasn't really any problems except that I am not much of an artist on paper, so I had to be careful to get the angle right before I put Thomas on the cake. He's not exactly as I would have wanted to have him turn out, but then again I am always my harshest critic. Besides, what 1 year old is going to tell me they don't like their cake?
There wasn't really any problems except that I am not much of an artist on paper, so I had to be careful to get the angle right before I put Thomas on the cake. He's not exactly as I would have wanted to have him turn out, but then again I am always my harshest critic. Besides, what 1 year old is going to tell me they don't like their cake?
Chocolate Cornelli Lace
The week that I made this cake was a gong show. On top of my full time job, I had the wedding cake to do which was to be delivered on a Friday. Then my youngest son got sick and was admitted to the hospital. I ended up staying the two nights there with him, and switching off with my husband after he was done work so that I could come home to work on the wedding cake. It did get delivered on time thankfully because my son got released form the hospital on the Friday morning.
I almost didn't have time to make this cake, but it was very important to me that I get it done, as it was for a good friend of ours who was being given a 50th birthday party surprise that we were attending.
I wanted to make it special and original. For the first time in my experience, I made the fondant for this cake. My intention was to make chocolate fondant, but it was a complete loss. Thankfully I hadn't turned all the marshmallow fondant chocolate, so I had enough left over to cover the cake in white. I then made the buttercream icing chocolate to do the Cornelli lace. That is a lot of piping to do on a cake, and this one was a small cake. I can't imagine doing a wedding cake this way. It would have to take days.
I only finished the final touches with a half hour to spare, barely enough time to get ready for the party.
I almost didn't have time to make this cake, but it was very important to me that I get it done, as it was for a good friend of ours who was being given a 50th birthday party surprise that we were attending.
I wanted to make it special and original. For the first time in my experience, I made the fondant for this cake. My intention was to make chocolate fondant, but it was a complete loss. Thankfully I hadn't turned all the marshmallow fondant chocolate, so I had enough left over to cover the cake in white. I then made the buttercream icing chocolate to do the Cornelli lace. That is a lot of piping to do on a cake, and this one was a small cake. I can't imagine doing a wedding cake this way. It would have to take days.
I only finished the final touches with a half hour to spare, barely enough time to get ready for the party.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
