Not my proudest moment...

The Cake From Hell!!!

Okay. It has been a week and I think I am ready to talk about this. For the first time since I started decorating, I had a cake totally kick my butt from beginning to end. This should have been a fun experience. It was my first time doing a topsy turvy style cake. I purchased funky new pans and I was really looking forward to using them. When I began the process of dragging out all my materials, I swore I heard a bag of sugar mocking me. Maybe it was the fondant? Hmmm no? Maybe it was my Kitchen Aid Mixer? NOOOOO not you mixer! I am not quite sure if it was the humidity, the size, the kookiness of the way the topsy turvy cakes sit, or the new fondant brand I used. Everything and I mean everything was a battle. The end result was not my best work and I was so disappointed. I wanted so badly for this cake to be right and, well...it just wasn't. Throughout the day the AC was cranked to 74, but no matter what I did, the fondant kept sticking. I had to cover the middle (black) layer 3 times and still wasn't happy with it. Same thing happened on the top layer. It pulled and tore and I was filling the kitchen with expletives! (I am sorry family, I truly am.) I patched and fiddled and patched some more. The more I messed with it, the harder it fought.

This pic was taken shortly after delivery

The delivery had me driving 2MPH down a dirt road. Every little jostle brought one more tear. I was happy when it made it in one piece. But I just couldn't stand to look at it. I really just wanted to karate chop it right down the center and then ceremoniously rip the heart out of this cake, hold the handful of cake and buttercream in the air, and then with an evil laugh devour it. 
Shortly after I came home, the customer called and said it was failing at the bottom. She sent pics and my heart sank. One last dig cake, one last dig! Really?

Slip sliding away...GRRRRR!

This cake really had me questioning my abilities. I had reserved myself to taking down my site and quitting the decorating thing all together. But then the "rational" me said "Hell NO! Don't let that cake get the best of you! Get up girl! GET UP!"  So here I am blogging about the cake that bested me. I did learn a lot from this cake. 1. Summer humidity sucks. 2. Stop talking to your mixer. People might think your crazy. 3. "Fondarific" Fondant is NOT so terrific. 4.Dirt road deliveries blow. 4.Something about topsy turvy cakes goes against everything I am. I may not be doing anymore of these. Mama like straight lines and cakes that don't look like they are destined to fail. 

Anyone wanna buy a cheap set of Topsy Turvy pans? LOL

Till next time...

50 Years...

Yes. I am guilty. It has been over a year since I have touched my blog. Mostly due to changes in my personal life, new home, daughter graduating high school, new job. Life sometimes gets in the way. But this week's cake gave me new drive to get motivated again. I really had no choice but to stay focused. This order was to date, the largest order I have taken. Initially, I was a bit hesitant to take this one on, but I figured it was just like any other cake I have done, just bigger. During the same week that I started my new job, I managed to complete this 50th wedding anniversary cake. 50 years! Wow. I can't even imagine. Here is the final result...

Gold Ribboned Yum!

The feature cake is 12" stacked with 10" and 8". The two satellite cakes are 10". (Serving approx. 150)  I wish I would have weighed the feature cake. It was so heavy, my turntable bogged under the weight. I had to have my husband come with me on the delivery just to carry it into the hall. (Note to self: invest in a rolling cart)

Set up at the event.

So glad that we made it to the event without incident. I don't think I took a breath until we left. I sincerely apologize to the people behind the Xterra doing 35 MPH on Russell Rd. Jim joked that that I needed a "Cake on Board" sticker for the back of my car. I am thinking this one really taxed the limit of my kitchen. I feel confident with my skill level, but I can say that the shear size of this one was a challenge. It's all behind me now and I am really glad I did it. I feel good about how the final product turned out. Next challenge please... :)

Cowbells and Carousels...

It's Fair time again! Love this time of year. The weather is nice and the fair kicks off tomorrow. This occasion gives me the opportunity to be creative and build a cake that normally, I may not be asked to do. Many times while clicking through galleries on various cake forums, I run across items that I think would be totally cool to try. This year I decided that my fair entry would be the "Watering Can Gardening Cake". Many people have done them (go ahead and google it...I will wait) but I really wanted to see what I could do with one. Out comes the pans, fondant, tools (hammer included) and lots and lots of sugar!

Somewhere in my former life, I must have been a woodworker. I just love incorporating it into cakes. I guess I have always been fascinated with the knots and the grain of the wood. Weird right?

Fondant over cake board prior to painting...pweeety!

 

 

After painting...more pweeeety! (and I secretly want to tap dance on it!)

After prepping the board, I baked and then stacked two 4" tall, 8" round, strawberry cakes. Yes! It is cake! You would be surprised how many people ask, "Is that really cake under there?" I really want to say, "Nope, standing rib roast!" but I refrain.

Mmmm...Cake!

Base cover...no details

Detail pieces added...prior to painting.

And then...Viola! I wave my magic sugar wand and the final product appears!

Clay County Agricultural Fair 2012 entry!

Well actually about 8 more hours of sculpting gloves and a seed packet, painting, and dusting with edible glitter (read cake bling). Shaaaazam! More sugar adventures coming soon :)

Squealin' and Peelin' Out....

To date I have had some rather unusual request for cakes. (Steampunk Cthulu? Huh???) But with a bit of research, I can usually figure it out. This one had me a bit stumped...Racing pigs? I have seen them at the fair, but how in the world can I manage this and still make it look like a GIRLS birthday cake. Cecilia's request was indeed a challenge, but I think I made it work. The cake itself was red velvet with a buttercream filling and frosting, covered in fondant. The pigs are a 50/50 gumpaste and fondant mix and all hand sculpted. I am still honing my skills as far as that goes, but I think can hear the oinks from here.

(pic courtesy of Jackie Doan)

 

 

 

 

I could not resist the urge to add a tongue to this little piggy...

 

Run...Piggies...Run!

 

 

 

This is one of only a few cakes that I have done with absolutely no sketch and no game plan. Just thought about the colors, made the pigs, and sat down and started decorating. I guess it works like that occasionally.

Happy Birthday Cecilia!

Time to clean the sugar from my floors, cabinets, walls, face....lol

Until next time :)
Mimi

1st birthdays! I love them...

I absolutely love doing first birthday cakes! It always makes me think about my daughters 1st. (Good grief, she is driving now and I am old!) Funny thing is, my daughter chose not to eat her cake.
She HATED sweets! But good ole grandma hooked her up with a hamburger bun. Yes, you heard correctly...a hamburger bun. We stuck her candle atop and sang and she was so happy. She tore into that bun like it was the best thing ever made. (She gets her love of bread from her mama and her Italian heritage.)





So this 1st birthday cake was done for the niece of an old friend whose mother contacted me. I loved the concept she sent. So simple, but adorable.

Concept for sheet cake

Final Product

And every 1st birthday needs a smash cake!

 Thanks again to Ms. Jennifer for everything. I appreciate the business and the fun creative outlet this gives me. 

Until next time! :)

Jedi Master Miles...

On Saturday Dec. 10th, my patient husband delivered my latest creation because I had to be at my "real job". Curse that real job! *Dreaming* Maybe one day I will be able to play with sugar full time. Oh well, for now I passed the time making another Star Wars Cake for a new client. Ms. Ellie wanted me to make a cake for her son turning 5. Miles loves Star Wars and this is the design I came up with...

 

 

Concept Sketch

I started on Monday cutting and hand painting the 1/2 gumpaste-1/2 fondant Luke, Darth and the Sign with number. I baked the cakes Tuesday night, then tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge. Wednesday night I made the buttercream icing from scratch and applied the crumb coat. After this set, I applied a final coat of buttercream. Friday night I stacked and did all the hand painting to the bottom tier, and assembled all the final decor pieces. As I was working, I thought the back of the cake needed something, and knowing that I can never leave well enough alone, I cut and hand painted a Yoda to add to the back of the cake.

"Have a Happy Birthday...you must...mmmhmmm"

And finally, it was done! Everything on this cake was edible, with the exception of the wooden dowels I had to use to place the "5" and the "Star Wars" logo.

Final product! Yay!

Every cake is a labor of love...and always takes me way longer than I think it will. So now...you know...the REST of the story! That is why I ask for as much notice as possible. Until next time... :)

Smokey's Rifle...

Is it real? Is it cake? Can I shoot it? Nah...it's just cake! My latest sugar adventure was a cake done for a friend. This friend by the way  makes the best grub this side of the state line, check out SmokeDogs BBQ. If you need someone to cater an event for you, or you just want to sink your chops into the best pulled pork ever made, he is your man! When he asked me to do this cake for a dear friend of his, I jumped at the chance. It was so different from anything I have done in the past, and my very first attempt at sculpting a cake. I am pleased with the way it turned out. It was far from perfect, and honestly, I worried about whether or not I could pull it off. But I rolled up my sleeves (wait...aprons don't have sleeves) and got to work. I used my daughters .22 as the model. After some studying, I dove in.

Modeling the gumpaste carriage.

 

 

 Strawberry...mmm

Buttercream the case...

 Chocolate Fondant case

 Laying out the rifle...sculpting...

 Marbled fondant...wood grain!

 With food gel "stain"...

 Details added....success!

 The details man...the details.

 

What fun this was! Given the chance, I would love to do another one. Time to clean the confectioners sugar from my cabinets! Till next time! :)