Wow... a lot (well, not a ton, but it feels like a lot!) has happened since my last post. I did a few cakes to finish up the month of October (which really ended at the 10th for me!). First started with a Rice Krispy cake... I offered a discount on this, since I wanted to try one to add to my portfolio...
It's a 1/4 sheet cake with flowers made from Rice Krispies as well. Very cool & unique idea - if you're interested in trying one out, place an order & we can come up with some ideas!!
I then had 300 chocolate-covered strawberries for a wedding the next day. I didn't take a picture of these, since I do so many of them, but boy was it a lot of work!
After that, to finish up my orders for the month, I had a wedding consisting of a cupcake tower... but instead of cupcakes, I made 9 dozen cookies to place on the tower instead! Also an 8" cake on top for cutting. I don't have pictures of it yet, but will get some soon.
On October 20th, I had my baby! :) We named her Vanessa Taylor... she's now a month old (I can't believe it!) and is doing great. I recovered a LOT faster than I did last time, so of course, I wanted to get right back into cakes as soon as I could! I'm not taking a lot of orders yet, but am still taking some... so if you're interested, let me know!
My husband & I are involved in a company called IMS Barter (if you are a business owner, look into it - its awesome!). They have a holiday expo every year, which we were able to be apart of this year! It was our first year doing it, but it went great and we learned a lot of things for next time! I made 200 samples (mini cupcakes) as well as a display (fake) cake for my booth. I decided to go crazy with the cupcake flavors (I couldn't limit myself!) and in the process made up a new, totally delicious flavor - Maple!
There were 9 different flavors: Chocolate chip, Chocolate, Yellow, Carrot, Pumpkin, Maple, Pumpkin chocolate chip, Chocolate peppermint, and Chocolate peanut butter chip. I used chocolate buttercream, vanilla buttercream, and cream cheese frostings. Yeah... I went a little crazy!
For the display cake, I was planning on doing a couple of different things, but got a later start than I wanted, so I ended up only making one. This was a design I'd been dying to try, and I'm really happy with the outcome. 14", 12", 10", and 8" cakes with buttercream frosting. Details done in black royal icing & silver dragees. Silk roses separate the layers.
The next day my booth had already paid off! I had received an order from someone from the YMCA who was at the expo and needed a last minute baker. They needed some desserts for a Euchre tournament. So I ended up making 100 chocolate-covered pretzels and 100 mini cupcakes. I was planning on making them simple, but the more I thought about it, I decided they needed some little cards on top! So I made each cupcake their own little fondant card & wrote on them with edible markers. 50 chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and 50 vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting:
I also received a request from my photographer with an order for a smash cake... 6" vanilla square with vanilla frosting. They requested polka dots in baby blue, yellow, and orange. Pics to follow soon!
She (my photographer) also needed a birthday cake for her son, so we picked out something similar to this:
Bottom tier: 9" chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream filling. Top tier: slice of cake carved from 8" vanilla cake with strawberry filling. Buttercream frosting on both & fondant accents.
The latest thing I've done is these cake pops, which I'll be adding to some cookie bouquets this weekend. The santa hats are chocolate cake mixed with chocolate frosting on the inside, dipped in chocolate with sprinkles on the bottom. The Christmas trees are white cake mixed with vanilla frosting on the inside, dipped in green chocolate with sprinkle "lights" & mini star fondant toppers.
Some mini apple pies...
And mini pumpkin pies...
Also, I have some cookie bouquets for sale... perfect for business clients, friends, etc. These ones have decorated sugar cookies, chocolate-covered marshmallows pops, chocolate-covered candy canes, and cake pops in them.
It's a 1/4 sheet cake with flowers made from Rice Krispies as well. Very cool & unique idea - if you're interested in trying one out, place an order & we can come up with some ideas!!
My husband & I are involved in a company called IMS Barter (if you are a business owner, look into it - its awesome!). They have a holiday expo every year, which we were able to be apart of this year! It was our first year doing it, but it went great and we learned a lot of things for next time! I made 200 samples (mini cupcakes) as well as a display (fake) cake for my booth. I decided to go crazy with the cupcake flavors (I couldn't limit myself!) and in the process made up a new, totally delicious flavor - Maple!
There were 9 different flavors: Chocolate chip, Chocolate, Yellow, Carrot, Pumpkin, Maple, Pumpkin chocolate chip, Chocolate peppermint, and Chocolate peanut butter chip. I used chocolate buttercream, vanilla buttercream, and cream cheese frostings. Yeah... I went a little crazy!
The next day my booth had already paid off! I had received an order from someone from the YMCA who was at the expo and needed a last minute baker. They needed some desserts for a Euchre tournament. So I ended up making 100 chocolate-covered pretzels and 100 mini cupcakes. I was planning on making them simple, but the more I thought about it, I decided they needed some little cards on top! So I made each cupcake their own little fondant card & wrote on them with edible markers. 50 chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, and 50 vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting:
I also received a request from my photographer with an order for a smash cake... 6" vanilla square with vanilla frosting. They requested polka dots in baby blue, yellow, and orange. Pics to follow soon!
Bottom tier: 9" chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream filling. Top tier: slice of cake carved from 8" vanilla cake with strawberry filling. Buttercream frosting on both & fondant accents.
Next I made a cake for my husband, whose birthday party was yesterday. It was hard to decide what to do because I love having the ability to be totally creative with it! I decided on a carved handgun, because he loves to go shooting. He loved it. :) Case is chocolate peanut butter chip cake with chocolate buttercream frosting covered in fondant. Handgun is white cake with vanilla buttercream frosting covered in fondant with fondant details. Both cakes are handcarved! Bullseye & bullets are fondant as well. I'd also made about 3 dozen assorted dark & milk chocolate truffles, but they were gone too quickly to get a picture!
Close-up of gun details:
The last thing I had to do was a cake & desserts for a company picnic for the hair salon I go to: Attitudes Hair Design & Spa. (FYI - they're amazing!!) I made 80 milk & white chocolate covered strawberries, and 80 milk & white chocolate cookie dough balls (which I didn't get a picture of). I also made this Reese's barrel cakes (one of my favorites!). I absolutely love this one though, I think because it feels so "fall-ish" with the colors of the ribbons! 4", 6", 8" chocolate cakes with chocolate buttercream filling & frosting. Kit-Kats around sides & filled with Reese's Pieces.
I also had the idea to make a 1/2 dozen minis for a bridal client I had a meeting with. These are handpainted.
I made 1 dozen for a client who my husband just completed a job for (he does remodeling by the way, if anyone needs some work done: www.pottersclayremodeling.info).
And last I made 3 dozen fall cookies (because this weather was calling for it!!) for my doctor's office.
Next, I made a birthdya cake for my nephew's 3rd birthday. He is in love with Toy Story, specifically Woody. So I found this idea for a neat cake & re-created it for him. To see his face when I brought it in made it all worth it! :) Bottom tier: 9" confetti cake with chocolate buttercream filling & frosting and covered in fondant. Top tier: 6" chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream filling & frosting. Fondant accents & hat topper.
After this, I had another monster of a wedding cake. This was another 5-tier. 12" carrot cake w/cream cheese filling, 10" chocolate cake w/chocolate ganache filling, and 8", 6", 4" white cakes w/fresh raspberry filling. All tiers with cream cheese frosting & covered in fondant. Diamond press on sides w/pearl dragees and satin ribbon and pearls at the bottoms of each tier. Fresh roses.
And since apparently I didn't think I was already swamped as it was, I decided to pick up a last-minute order for Geva Theatre. They needed 2 sheet cakes; 1 to celebrate their 38th season & 1 for the play they were doing this week: Amadeus. One was chocolate cake, one was yellow cake. Logos done in fondant & royal icing.
I also had made a 1/4 sheet cake (1/2 chocolate & 1/2 vanilla) with buttercream frosting & lime green and silver polka dots to match.
