What A Year !!

What an exciting year it has been!!!  Reflecting back on this year I am feeling fortunate for all the projects I was able to complete.  Many many learning experiences.  Many many challenges.  And many many achievements.  Mostly this past year has been fun Fun FUN!!

The most important thing I've learned this year is how to successfully deliver a cake. This is the one and only heart-pounding, palm sweating part of the cake experience.  Delivering cakes…in the car…in motion…over speed bumps… and in traffic going 80mph is a multiple cuss word, sailor swearing ride.  I must endure drivers giving me the finger and honking while swerving around me as I cruise along the highway at 15mph.  The cake isn't worth anything if it doesn't get there in one piece!  After many brow dripping deliveries and one cracked cake I have a found a few techniques that will minimize the ever increasing grey hairs.

First, stay calm and don't forget to breath.  Second, wear thick heavy sunglasses to avoid eye contact with those honking drivers that must be rushing to save loved ones from a fire. (I decided that that must be where they're going.  Lots of fires in this city. Yup.)  Finally, it is best to take your time and be late, if you happen to be running late, than rush and arrive with a broken crumbly cake.

I am so very grateful that all my cakes have arrived on time with only one casualty.

So, the next time someone is driving ridiculously slow and pulling into driveways like they momentarily mixed up the gas and break pedals remember that they just might be delivering a cake.  A fragile, crumbling piece of art that is the culinary center piece of a momentous life changing occasion never to be relived again that will be photographed and remembered for a lifetime!!!!

But relax.  It's only sugar :)

With laughter and love,
Connie

Paperwork

Nobody appreciates cheating or cheaters.  I use to think printing cake decorations with edible ink and sugar paper was cheating.  It wasn't really cake art or decorating to me.  But throughout this past year I've come across a few applications of this process that seem to enhance cake art rather than diminish this craft.

The first time was on that TV show Cake Boss.  Buddy reprinted family photos onto sugar paper and applied them to frames and a film strip for a memoir cake.  The printing wasn't used in place of decorating.  It was used as one element of the whole cake composition.

The next application I admired was at a sugar art competition in Austin, Texas.  One of the competitors had started with a geometric pattern printed on sugar paper and then cut another geometric pattern within the printed.  The finished decoration looked like colorful matching butterfly wings.  The artist then folded and curled the sugar paper to make the wings look like they were actually flying on the cake.  The unique pattern on the butterfly wings could not have been achieved without using a printed pattern.  Simply Gorgeous!  Again, the printing was used to enhance the art not replace it.

My first endeavor with printed sugar paper was not as creative or crafty as the aforementioned examples but was a fun process to experiment with nonetheless.

I also discovered that printing an exact replica of an emblem for decoration can show more honor for the recipients than trying to re-create it with frosting.  Some emblems, signs or photos will be more appreciated and special as a printed image.  Most of the fun of cake craft art is re-creating images, ideas and objects with cake and frosting, but there are some occasions when printing will be the most celebrated.  I like to think of it as mixed-media cake art.  Could there be such a thing?!


I love it!
C

Let 'em eat pearls!

Reminiscent of the Art Deco era of the 1920's this wedding cake is a nod to the opulence I can only imagine from studying Coco Chanel and Tiffany.  While designing this cake I couldn't help but notice the juxtaposition of simplicity and detail, bold shapes next to delicate ones, and textures layered upon smooth surfaces.  The bride and groom were a huge part of the design process and had a style all their own.

Halloween is just around the corner and what better holiday to create a style all your own?  Depending on how you view the holiday it can be a great time for dreaming and creative transformation.  Stay with me here, but a long, long, long time ago the Pagans would use the day October 31st, known as Hallow's Eve, to dream of what they would like to be and lift their Spirits to become it.  After a long day of crafting their costumes a meditative or prayerful dance would last long into the night as these dreams would turn into reality.  Now that's switchin' up this spooky day of autumn!

I'm sure you're wondering at this point where this blogpost is going.  I thought I was reading about wedding cakes! - you say.  Well, I could say these are two thoughts about style juxtaposed within the words of this blog.  Or how creating your own style whether for your wedding or a Halloween celebration is a process that makes dreams come true.

How do you make your dreams come true?

I'm off to a Halloween dance party.

It's Miller Time!

As we move into the autumn season leaves fall, colors change and college football takes center stage.  My alma mater, the Oregon Ducks, are in second place so far this year.  I can't say I've always been an avid football fan.  In fact, I'm only a Duck fan, and this loyalty to their football team is only a side effect from loving the university I attended.

I now live in Houston and most living rooms on Saturday tune into the Texas A&M game.  Living here I can't help but know that they are a competitive team with a Heisman trophy winner leading the pack.  (Didn't think I would know about the Heisman Trophy, did ya??)  This cake was made for a groom who graduated from Texas A&M and loved Miller Lite.

Mostly I love eating cheesy nachos and drinking pints while watching football.  This is mandatory.  Looking at those Miller Lite sugar bottles is making me thirsty.

Bottoms Up!
Connie

Airbrush Adventures

So I purchased my first airbrush.  Master Airbrush Model G25 with High-performance Compressor, a Dual-Action Trigger Air/Fluid Control,  Single-Action Siphon Feed External Mix Airbrush with a 0.8 mm needle/nozzle, and 5' Plastic Air Hose just to name a few details.

I was so excited.  I couldn't wait to create ethereal, mystical color combos that flow together like a magical Hawaiian sunset.  And that is exactly what I did.  I achieved a color of red so bright even Santa would've been impressed.  There was no sweat trickling down my brow while working out my delts and pecks kneading dye into fondant over and over again. No scientific equations figuring out which color combos will match a "flesh tone".  It was AWESOME.  Coloring sugar flowers - No problem.  A light mist with a twist and done.  A little drop goes a long way and I sprayed drop after drop after drop around this whole cake.  A whole tier of cake is quite a bit of surface to cover so it was only necessary to turn up the pressure to 40psi.  Right??  Push and pull the dual action trigger and away we go!

To ensure the dye didn't get sprayed onto the floor or counter tops I covered them with tablecloths and encased the spraying area with a cardboard wall.  Just like a test lab at the Mayo Clinic.

With this cake completed and delivered it was time to clean up.  As recommended I cleaned the airbrush right away getting out all the dye, spraying it through the 0.8 mm nozzle into the sink.  Surprisingly, the kitchen looked rather clean I thought to myself. Until I started mopping.  There was an invisible red dust EVERYWHERE!  On top of every counter, all over the tile, on top of the cabinets and the dining room table.  At the risk of totally grossing you out I will tell you that I even had red buggers.  It was everywhere.

I love its power.  I love the art it creates on cakes.  I will just have to find some head gear and a closet dedicated solely to airbrushing.

With love and trigger happiness,
Connie

Cherry Drops

By the sound of their name you'd think these bites were blissful because of some cherry liquor wrapped up inside.  But no.  These golfballs of chocolate and cherries are scrumptious simply on their own merit of flavor.  I will confess to taking this combo from another website and making them for my own personal joy.  After seeing my beloved's smiling face while eating them I had to share the idea.

Any pitted cherries will do.  I used maraschino cherries.  

Any brownie recipe or brownie box recipe will work.  I would suggest making brownies that are extra moist and chewy.  

And any melted chocolate is suitable, even white chocolate.  I used semi-sweet dark chocolate which is my favorite.

After they had been assembled I cooled mine in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.  

But this was not the end.  We further played with these dream balls by adding squirts of whip cream and frosting to the top, squishing mint and caramel flavored ice-cream in between two of them, and last but not least the new fad of adding bacon around them.  (This bacon chocolate combo might be as old as dirt but I've only discovered it recently on the cooking shows.)  These experiments led me to the conclusion that caramel should be a permanent ingredient.  Maybe just by drizzling it over the top.

I dare you to try your own.

With lots of sugar,

Connie

Pretty in Pink

This cake was a lot of fun to make.  And remember a few months ago when I was trying desperately to practice my piping techniques?  Well ask and you shall receive. The bride who requested this cake wanted fun swirly patterns etched onto the sides of each tier; elegant and happy.

Many times the question arises - Fresh flowers or sugar flowers?  As cool as it is to make and showcase sculpted flowers from sugar this cake definitely called for fresh flowers.  The whole cake had a FRESH vibe.  From the fresh strawberries hidden inside the filling to the light vibrant pink frosting celebrating this spring season, soft sweet blooms completed the story with their joyful aroma.

Here's to a fresh and joyful union with many blessings.  

Congratulations Cheryl and Marc!  

Love,
Connie

Favorites

If you were stranded on a des(s)ert island and you could only have one sweet for the rest of your days what would it be?

My Top 10

1. Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae
2. Fudge Brownies (I know.  Basically the same as number 1, but I REALLY love brownies.)
3. Italian Cream Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
4. Chocolate Chip Cookies
5. Tres Leches from the Plaza Cafe in Santa Fe, NM
6. Pecan Pie
7. Carrot Cake
8. Strawberry Shortcake
9. Creme Brûlée
10. See's Candy

In that order.  See you on the dark side of the hot fudge.

Connie

Tales of a Competitor

Ooohhh... competition.

I always start out with a humble heart thinking this will be an opportunity to practice some techniques I don't often use to develop my craft to perfection.  I ponder for days and weeks which skills I would like to practice while still creating a show piece worthy of competition and judging.  What can I practice that will still fit in with the "Grown-ups" division?  I decided I needed some forearm strength (cause women can't ever bulk up their forearms enough) to control the icing with speed and accuracy while decorating. Gravity defying piping techniques with royal icing was just the thing.  There is a particular oval shape that lifts off the cake making the icing look as light as clouds. This can only be achieved by flipping the cake upside-down and right side-up over and over again with intermissions of drying time.  Don't worry.  Your computer is not missing a picture waiting to be downloaded.  These oval shapes did not make it onto the cake.  I wasn't able to conquer the flipping and drying and flipping and drying. Forearms - take a breather.  I did get a good workout on my patience, though.

Ok.  Next.  I thought it would be really fun to freehand scrollwork.  How bad can I mess up squiggly lines?  I have a degree in landscape architecture.  I did loads of drawings with flowy organic lines freehand.  Like an architect I sketched out a design and spaced each scroll evenly around the cake.  I can only take freehand so far.  Still - don't worry.  This work also didn't make the final cut.  No picture is missing.  After many curls of icing went dribbling down the side of the cake looking as though the cake was left out in the rain (Are you totally thinking of that one Donna Summer song? Me too!) it was nixed.

As the competition drew nearer I started to panic.  What was I going to do?!!  In the meantime I was waiting for a mold of fondant to dry that would make the top cake look like it was floating.  I had started this sculpture a couple of weeks prior and had been trying, reeeally reeeeally trying not to breath on it while it cured.  Like I said I was a landscape architect not a structural engineer.  How was I to know that that skinny amount of fondant couldn't hold up the weight of a cake?  No worry.  No pic.

I needed to make something.  Something that I could make.  On to Plan D.  As seen in previous posts I love to make sugar flowers.  This worked out.  I had something I liked and worthy of showing the judges.  If I had to resort to making sugar flowers, which I have done before, I wanted them to stand out.  I decided to make a whole bouquet of roses to hold up the top tier of cake.  This will have a similar effect of a floating top cake like the afore mentioned fondant sculpture.  No piping yet but part of the original vision made it to the final showcase.

I finally chose to conquer smaller shorter royal icing dreams.  When in doubt - layer. So, short small leaves and single thin stems were integrated with pre-cut fondant shapes.  This still gave my forearms a run for their money.

After all this hard work my heart had changed from humble to I WANT TO WIN!! Forget practice and secretly becoming a master.  My forearms hurt!!  Hours of time gone forever.  Pounds of fondant down the drain.  I had one last trick up my sleeve that included piping, freehand no less.  I will admit the freehand loosely followed pre-set lines made by a cookie cutter.  Like earlier, when needed, layer, layer, layer.  After piping outlines of roses I applied brush embroidery.  It is waaaaaay easier than it sounds.  Only the effect of this technique is worthy of its fancy name.  Then I added some 3D illusion with petal dust.

The show was held in Austin, Texas.  A good excuse to go for the weekend.  The cake survived the road trip and looked nice standing next to all its competitors.  After the showcase showdown the beloved and I tore it up on 6th Street like college kids. Couldn't you go for a drink right now?  I certainly could.




With a humble heart,
Connie

Food is Fashion

...or maybe fashion is food.  This week Paris kicks off a marathon of fashion that will travel through Milan and stop by New York before the season is over.  I can't help but notice the parallels between dressing up and accessorizing yourself and dressing up cakes.  This cake pays tribute to a famous fashion designer with its recognizable accessories and colors and was inspired by a fellow fashionista.  Most appropriate since her birthday is in February too!

Designing and decorating a cake, I have found, is similar to sewing a garment.  Colors are carefully chosen, seams are put together with meticulous care, and patterns are created out of frosting rather than woven into fabrics.  Cakes are also made to express someone's personal style just like clothing ensembles.  Some are decorated with frosting dripping down the sides while others are clean and smooth.  Some will have a single large overflowing flower and others will have layers of tiny details -  just like fashion on the catwalk.  Cake, though, will only walk down the runway of your tongue.

Couture cakes are also "in fashion" these days.  This makes me very happy.  I love dressing up and accessorizing yummy treats that bring comfort and joy to our tummies.  Instead of wearing the fashion you get to eat the fashion!  An entirely different kind of satisfaction.

Fashionably,

Connie

So In Love

Aaahhh.... love.  I'm not talking about romantic love, but the love of weddings and wedding cake.  Well, maybe those could be in the category of romantic love too.  I know I've fallen in love with a few pieces of sweet decadence giving my heart away for just one more bite.

One of the best parts of the wedding cake process is introducing new flavors or flavor combos to a bride and groom for their big day.  Sometimes, though, couples have their own love affairs with certain flavors or pastries they've enjoyed since childhood.  In this case the bride and groom were in love Love LOVE with eclairs.  So we took on the challenge of creating a cake that mimicked the tasty pastry.

The cake seen here is filled with bavarian cream and covered with chocolate ganache. The dark brown hue of the chocolate provided a dynamic background to showcase the sugar flowers atop.  A dynamic cake inspired by a dynamic bride and groom.

My beloved and I were lucky enough to try this creation at the wedding.  I only wish I had taken a picture of my piece of bavarian bliss but was lost, starry-eyed in love, as I savored every last bite.

So in love are we two,

No one else but me and you.

So in love, (Two, so in love.)

So much in love. (Two, so in love.)

xo,

Connie

Go Texans!

Recently, I've been thinking that "The Holidays" should be stretched out to the end of the football season.  Why not?  Family and friends continue to gather together, lots of food is prepared, leftover spiced eggnog and beer flow heartily, and fun sweet treats still indulge our hearts and stomachs as we ween ourselves off the daily sugar dose we started Halloween night.

A few weeks ago I made this cake for a loyal Texans fan celebrating his birthday. Maybe it was an omen, maybe a premonition, or maybe a cake decorated with the Texans logo brought the football players luck, but this season Houston's team has made it to the playoffs!

Now, my team is the Oregon Ducks.  I know... college (I hear you sighing).  But they are my alma mater and at the risk of upsetting Notre Dame fans, especially my Uncle Chris, I think we can all agree they should've been in the championship game last night.  I'm not biased in the least.  Not at all.  No way.  My opinion is strictly based on football fashion.  Whichever team plays with the most variety of game day ensembles - wins.  But I digress...

As we wrap up this holiday season with the Super Bowl don't forget to serve up a slice of victory cake to go with those nachos!





With Texan Spirit,
Connie