Easter Cakes

I have three wonderful options to make everyone happy this Easter.

First is my Truffle Egg Nest Cake. This super tall 6" cake is a rich chocolate laced with espresso powder for a subtle mocha flavour. It is layered with a whipped ganache and then topped with a shiny dark-chocolate glaze. Inside the milk-chocolate nest are bittersweet-chocolate truffle eggs, coated with milk-chocolate tinted a sweet blue colour and brushed with luster. This gorgeous cake feeds 8 to 12.

Next up, is my Billowy Bunny Cake.

This sweet bunny's marshmallow and cotton candy exterior is hiding a delicious carrot cake, smothered in cream cheese frosting! Yum! Chocolate-covered coffee bean eyes, a jelly bean nose and tiny strips of yellow licorice finish off this cutie! Feeds 8 to 10.

Finally, my super-sweet Chick Cupcakes.

Sitting on a bed of Mike & Ike candies, these chicks are hiding a delicious vanilla cupcake and vanilla-bean buttercream under their toasted coconut exteriors.  Licorice eyes and almond beaks make these adorable chicks any child's favourite Easter dessert!

40th Birthday Cake

My friend's husband was celebrating his 40th birthday on St. Patrick's day.  We decided he would enjoy something very chocolatey with some fruit, so we went with my Chocolate Cherry Cake, a deliciously rich Chocolate Butter Cake, each layer brushed with a Kirsch syrup.  Then filled with a Dark Chocolate Ganache mixed with Kirsch-soaked Cherries and frosted in Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache. 

Boy's Polka-Dot Cake

Inspired by my polka-dot cake, a mom asked me to make a boyish version for her son. The top tier was for the kids, with Chocolate Butter Cake and Swiss Meringue Buttercream under the delicious fondant.  The bottom tier was for the grown-ups, with White Butter Cake, Swiss Meringue Buttercream and tangy and sweet Lemon Curd in between the layers, covered with more delicious fondant.

Gum Paste Roses Cake

A friend came to me with a special request. She wanted a beautiful cake for a birthday celebration and one last delicious indulgence before starting a diet. Inspired by my cupcakes with the gum paste flowers, she gave me some freedom to create something beautiful. I, in turn, was inspired by a beautiful small cake I had once seen in a wedding book - cakes that did double duty as both cakes and centerpieces. 

I crafted beautiful pink roses, smaller light green and white roses, as well as buds and leaves and sweet little bell flowers out of gum paste.  Almost forgotten are the flavours of this cake - which were delicious Chocolate Butter Cake, Chocolate Ganache Filling and Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I think the tiny vanilla bean seeds add real character to this cake.

Double Chocolate Cake

About five years ago, my beloved husband had to give up dairy.  Truthfully, it is cheese he misses the most, because lucky for him, he doesn't have much of a sweet-tooth!  However, he is human, and walking in on "all baking, all the time" must have its challenges.  So the other day I remembered this recipe.  A healthier chocolate cake, made without dairy, but with heart healthy dark chocolate and topped with a rich and shiny chocolate glaze!  I whipped it up and my heart did a little pitter-patter when Shawn said: "This. Is. Awesome!"  What can I tell you, I was born to please!