

After taking a cake decorating class, I began to bake and decorate cakes for anyone who asked (or anyone who said yes to me begging them to let me make them a cake.) I bake a variety of cakes and will attempt any decorating design you'd like. E-mail me or leave me a comment if you are interested in having a cake (or cupcakes, or cake pops, or brownies, or whatever else) made. I don't have set prices for cakes. It depends on the size and difficulty of your order.
I also made a burnt coconut cake for my friend Peggy, who's mother was celebrating her 80th birthday. This cake is one I've made a few times before (and blogged about). It's a favorite of a lot of people.
Finally, my mother-in-law co hosted a bridal shower for a friend's future daughter-in-law (follow that?) I made them a french vanilla filled bridal shower cake, but then they also had a sampling. I forgot to take pictures of all the cakes in the sampling, but there was a strawberry shortcake, whipped chocolate cake and a small burnt coconut.
I made a bridal shower cake, but that was during those few weeks when the heat and humidity was over 100 degrees. This makes cake decorating very difficult. As I was decorating the cake, things started to get soft and the top layer sunk into the bottom layer. So the NIGHT before I was running around making a new cake and planning out how to make it all work out. I went with a totally different design and ended up with this:
The cake itself was a new recipe. It was a French Vanilla cake. I honestly think it tastes just like a plain white cake, but a bit softer and has some light flavoring. But as much as I like to bake and decorate, I can't say I'm a huge fan of actually eating cake, so I may not be the best judge!!
Otherwise, the class was pretty exciting. I had been having a bit of trouble covering cakes with fondant and our teacher went over the EXACT way to negate that issue. We also learned some tips and tricks to making different things out of gum paste. . .like animals and various things to embellish your cake. Learning things like that gets me really exciting and I'm anxious to try it out. Luckily, my niece has a birthday coming up (Vera will be 1!) so I'll get a chance to try some of it out!
Shavon took the cake to the College of Education at the University of Louisville, so hopefully I'll hear good things about the cake shortly. John King usually sends me a message on facebook about giving him food poisoning, which I take as a good sign!!
When I was younger and I wanted to help in the kitchen, I was given the task of buttering the pans and cracking the egg. This was true for my mom and aunts as well. Those are pretty much the two tasks no one can screw up, regardless of ability.
Mom invited me over to make the cake and "help." She got to butter the pans and crack the eggs. Mom said the "torch had been passed" and I was officially better at baking cakes than her.
Pretty awesome compliment, if I do say so myself. Not when it comes to actual cooking, I am stuck with the "low ability/ low screw up" factor tasks. And I'm okay with that!
By the way, see that large knife? We found that in the kitchen at JCPS. A little unnerving that a large knife like that is just laying around.
Calla Lillies
Daisies (which are some of my favorite)
Mums
We are learning a few more flowers in the upcoming weeks, including carnations.
I love to try new recipes, so if there is something you want made and you don't see it on the list, don't worry. I can do it: cakes, pies, cupcakes, whatever you want.
Until I figure out a new method of securing the Peeps, this is not edible. Or you could eat it, but you'd probably have trouble digesting the hot glue and hair spray (to keep the sugar on the Peeps.) It is also very hard to make this when Peeps aren't in season.
I think this is one of my favorite cakes. It was one of the first ones I ever made on my own (actually, before I end took a class.) I think it is simple and sweet and I love the giant cupcake look. But that's just me and I'm totally bias.