Gum Paste Flower Cake and Cupcakes

This beautiful cake and cupcake tower was created for a retirement gathering.  The cake was taken home by Joyce, the lucky retiree, while the 90 cupcakes were quickly devoured by her colleagues remaining on the job! 

The tower consisted of red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, lemon poppy seed cupcakes with lemon curd and Swiss meringue buttercream as well as chocolate cupcakes with chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream.  Every cupcake had a handmade gum paste leaf and flower.  The cake was a chocolate cake with a filling of bittersweet ganache and chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream frosting.  It was covered in handmade fondant and more than 50 gum paste buds and blossoms.  I love how the cake resembled a spring hat.  I loved the way it all came together and I wish Joyce many years of happiness and good health!

Leprechaun Hat Cake - repost

I've never met a leprechaun, I've never even been to Ireland, but I imagine there are all different kinds of leprechaun personalities. The shy one, the bold one, the happy one and the grumpy one. And then there would be the one who would wear this jaunty little hat. I can only imagine he would walk with a confident gait and have a magnetic personality to match! Maybe this March 17th I will finally meet my first leprechaun. Can't wait to see what his hat looks like! This hat is made of four delicious layers of brown sugar butter cake, filled with caramel Swiss meringue buttercream and is covered with shamrock green fondant. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

 

First Birthday Cake with Smash Cake

It seems like just yesterday that I made Chloe's baby shower cake.  http://www.sweethandmade.blogspot.com/2011/05/baby-shower-cake.html  Now she is one and I wanted to make her a special first birthday cake too!  With whimsical flowers in pinks and reds, the adult tier on the bottom was chocolate/chocolate and the smash tier was vanilla/vanilla.

One popular new feature of a first birthday party is the "smash" cake.  It means exactly what you think - the 1 year old gets the a small cake to smash at will.  Chloe was a lady and kept things pretty neat, but did enjoy every bite!  Happy birthday, sweet Chloe!

Wedding Reception Cake & Cookies

After a small and beautiful Cuban wedding at Christmas time, Sarie and Larry planned a reception closer to home for the family and friends who could not attend the wedding.  Using their invitation as inspiration, I was asked to create a cake and bonbonnieres for their guests.  This project was a labour of love and the gold and cream invitation provided a great jumping off point to create the two-tiered cake and matching cookies.

I achieved the golden flowers on the cake with fondant and royal icing and used 24 carat edible lustre dust to bring some sparkle to the cake. 

For the cookies I used royal icing in various shades and used the 24 carat edible lustre dust on a few of the flowers' elements to bring in the sparkle.  I wrapped each cookie in a celephane bag that I finished with a card thanking the guests.  Wishing you a happy life together, Sarie and Larry!