Spring Daisies!

I could not help but fall in love with these adorable daisy cupcakes once I had them assembled!  I am sure there are many who feel the same, but I am SO READY for beautiful, warm, lazy Spring days with flowers in bloom everywhere!  ...and that is exactly what these cupcakes remind me of, Spring time.....with the crisp white petals, yellow centers, and bright greens.  Enjoy these refreshing, lemon daisy cupcakes....and here is hoping Spring arrives soon!

A Wedding in Espresso and Blush

completed wedding cake

top view of wedding cake

monogram in espresso brown royal icing

retro design

custom cake stand created by Couture Cakes to coordinate with the wedding cake

A wonderful couple was married this past Saturday and asked for a wedding cake that would fit the color scheme of the wedding but include a retro edge.  We collaborated on the design and came up with a retro circle cake for the top and bottom tier and then a retro inspired monogram for the center tier.  The top and bottom tiers were first painted a rich espresso brown.  Then various circles were placed on top in several shades of blush pink.  The middle tier included blush colored fondant with a rich brown piped monogram.  The cake was beautiful for a beautiful couple.  Congratulations "J" and "G"!!

"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

                                                                                            ~Nora Ephron

A Masquerade Ball for Charity

This weekend I had the pleasure of making some fantastic sugar creations to fit a Mardi Gras inspired charity event held at the local YMCA.  The event was hosted in order to raise money for men, women, and children of this community to take part in Y events that they would not normally be able to because of financial reasons.  What a fun and fabulous theme that I was able to run with.  Well, when I first accepted the position of creating the desserts, my mind went wild.  In the end I decided to play up not only the Mardi Gras celebration (with the cupcake designs) but also create a cake inspired by the more traditional masquerade balls held in Italy. 

left view of cake

right view of cake

fondant Mardi Gras beads and crystal cross accents

hand painted fondant mask #1

hand painted fondant mask #2

hand painted fondant mask #3

I believe I will start with the cake.  This spectacular creation was auctioned off at the YMCA event and was loaded!  At the bottom, I created a cake layer of fleur de lis stamped fondant painted gold to resemble a beautiful, gilded French wall paper.  On this layer I added Mardi Gras touches with the beads draped across one side in both purple and white pearls.  A deep blue,purple and gold Mardi Gras mask was also placed on this layer with coordinating flowers.  On the top layer, I added another Mardi Gras mask in greens and golds with a great deal of piping work.  The pièce de résistance was the more traditional purple and gold masquerade ball mask sitting atop a jesters costume.  The gold beads attached to the color added the perfect finishing touch to this collar and the royal purple feather plumes and crystal cross accents made it over-the-top!  What can I say, except I am IN LOVE with this amazing piece.  It even took my breath away!!

Mardi Gras Cupcakes with hand painted fondant decorations

miniature Mardi Gras fondant mask

miniature hand painted jester hats made of fondant

miniature hand painted comedy/tragedy masks made of fondant

The cupcakes were served after the dinner reception and needed to coordinate not only with the cake but also the overall Mardi Gras feel to the night.  I started with the traditional three colors of Mardi Gras and played off of them.  The miniature Mardi Gras masks were painted purple and dusted with edible glitter.  They rested on blueberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  The green jester hats were painted two shades of green and dusted with edible green glitter.  These decorations sat on a lime cupcake with raspberry filling and topped off with lime infused cream cheese frosting.  The final decoration was the gold comedy/tragedy masks.  These gilded decorations sat on a chocolate cupcake with cherry filling and topped off with a cream cheese frosting.



       “The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.”

                                                     ~ Albert Einstein

I would like to give an extra special thank you to my mom who worked her tail off to help make this event possible.  Without her, I would not have been able to pull this off!!  THANKS MOM!  I would also like to thank my super fantastic friends who came in to help make cupcakes and fondant decorations.  Thank you Amber, Karen, and Michele!!  You are all the very best friends a girl could have!

Clover Pops for St. Patty's Day!

chocolate cake, mint-cream cheese frosting, mini-chocolate chips, and Andes creme de menthe candies.
 (WOW, that's a mouthful!)

the lolipop sticks.

yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!



Now it is time to dry, and then back in the freezer.



Cluster O'Clover Pops

Chocolate Mint Clover Cake Pops


In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make cake pops that had a distinctive Irish feel without being a literal interpretation of what I grew up knowing of St. Patrick's Day (the leprechaun and pot o'gold at the end of the rainbow).  This is how the clover idea came to be.  Since clovers are so abundant in Ireland, and were used by St. Patrick to teach about the Holy Trinity, I thought this design would be the most fitting.  The chocolate mint cake inside just happens to be one of my favorite flavor combinations!  So there you have it......Clover Cake Pops!  Happy St. Patrick's Day to each and every one!

 "For each petal on the shamrock

This brings a wish your way -

Good health, good luck, and happiness

For today and every day."

                                                                ~unknown







Eradicating Poverty One Bead (and Cake) at a Time



African Tribal Mask Cake



African Mask cake with hand-made beads from Uganda

 

Supporting Bead for Life

Fondant African Tribal Mask

Close-up of African Tribal Mask with Bead Necklace all made of Fondant

Hand-Made Beads from Recycled Magazines
Made by Women in Uganda

Helping Eradicate Poverty in Uganda One Bead at a Time

This week I had an opportunity to attend a bead party that was sponsored by Bead For Life.  This organization was created for women in poverty stricken Uganda to have a means of supporting themselves and their families financially.  In a place where each day can present the dilemma of choosing between food or medicine for you or your children, these women now have a way to earn an income that will take away having to make that choice.  

When making a cake for this special event, I wanted to represent the continent of Africa and add touches that were indicative of Uganda, where these courageous women are from.  The overall design of the cake was inspired by African fabric.  I researched prints that are commonly used in fabric designs and then created a cake inspired by those bold prints. 

The women behind the beads
Photo Curtesy of Nupur Arora (New York)
http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com/bead-for-life.html

To set off the top of the cake I knew I wanted a replica of an African Mask.  I again researched African masks and then used what I found to inspire my own "spin" on the traditional tribal mask.  The mask itself had to have feminine touches, which is why you will see that I added large earrings to this mask.  I also wanted to add a glorious beaded necklace surrounding the mask to incorporate the theme of this party, Beads for Life.  The colors of the necklace were taken from the colors of the Uganda National Flag providing a link to the home country of the women who make these beautiful beaded creations.

To Learn More about this organization, please visit:

http://www.beadforlife.org/

...and help make a difference!

  "Wars against nations are fought to change maps; wars against poverty are fought to map change."                                                 ~ Muhammad Ali

 

A Victorian Classic

This week I had the pleasure of creating a cake for a very special lady.  When designing this cake, I wanted to keep the colors classic and modern.  The soft sage greens mixed with deep chocolate browns and white as accents became the palette.  The theme for the cake is reminiscent of the Victorian time period with the sweet little bird, flowers, and scroll details.  This cake is Classic, Simple, and Elegant all of the characteristics that this birthday lady possesses.  She is someone who loves nature and enjoys feeding the ducks that swim up to her dock throughout the year.  The bird and branches bring the nature element into her cake while keeping the cake simple in design.  It was a joy creating a cake for such an amazing person who means the world to me and my little boy.  Have a wonderful birthday "D"!!  


                                                    "Who ran to help me when I fell,



                                                     And would some pretty story tell,


                                                    Or kiss the place to make it well?


                                                                  My mother."


                 
                                                                                             ~Ann Taylor

Elmo Suprise!!

Precious Little Ava with her Birthday Cake!

Every cake made for a child is a special one because of the magic it brings. The way a child's face lights up when they see their cake for the first time is a moment that stays with me forever and makes what I do mean so much. Precious little Ava is turning the BIG 2 and she is in LOVE with Elmo! When dreaming up the perfect cake for sweet Ava, it needed to contain a few things. First, Elmo! (who needed to be the star of the show). Second, it had to be colorful. Third, it needed to be "somewhat" girly for a tiny princess and VERY sweet! And vuala!, you have a combination of Candy Land and Elmo with a sprinkle of princess in the cupcakes!

The main colors I pulled from Elmo himself.....the reds, golds, and orange tones. The lime green, I chose as a nice contrasting color with splashes of pinks, yellows, and electric blue. The cake was an explosion of Sesame street starting with Elmo popping out of the cake and the street sign announcing Ava who is 2. The polka-dots surrounding the cake showcase the educational side of Sesame Street with each large circle containing either the ABC's or the 123's. The final touch to this cake was to add the ribbons, gumballs, small candies, and lollipops.

With the cupcakes, I wanted to continue the polka-dot theme in the coordinating colors, but keep these very girly. I used both lime green and yellow colored swirled frosting, sprinkled with pale yellow pearls, and topped each one with a simple red flower. The final touch was to add the orange and yellow polka-dot bow to each little cake. The end result was beyond my imagination and the reaction from little Ava was priceless! She loved it so much and that made the end of this cake creation worth it's weight in gold!! Have an absolutely wonderful 2nd Birthday sweet little Ava!!

"Little girls are precious gifts,
wrapped in love serene.
Their dresses tied with sashes
and futures tied with dreams."
~ Unknown

Sneak Peek...shhhhhhhhhhhhh

This coming weekend, I have a special little girl's birthday cake to complete.  I just finished the Elmo cake topper that will sit on top of the cake "popping" out of it.  I thought I would share just a little sneak peek of the finished Elmo.  It will truly be the pièce de résistance of this spectacular cake!