A busy couple of months

So, once again, it's been awhile since my last update.  However, I can promise you that I've been busy baking and decorating.  In fact, the last few months have been REALLY BUSY! And while I'd love to do a post for each individual project, there's just too many.  So forgive me and I promise, I'll try to do better going forward.

White cake with white icing with a ninja outline

Cinco de Mayo - Margarita cupcakes

Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes 

Texas cake makes another appearance 

White cake with white icing for a very special graduate

Cake and Architecture

This past weekend I was asked to do a cake for an architect.  Normally I wouldn't consider this a big deal, except that the cake I was making was a replica of one of his designs - that's where the stress came in.  In my daily job I do spend a bit of time working with architects and rightfully so, they are very particular about their work.  What if my cake didn't turn out the way he had envisioned? Would the architect be offended? Would my replication minimize the design he probably spent hours working on? Regardless, I gave it my best shot and am happy to report that he was pleased with the final result!

The cake was a slightly altered 9 x 13 yellow cake with chocolate buttercream filling covered with vanilla buttercream.  I made a terra cotta colored fondant and covered the cake.  The roof is where it got a little tricky, but think it really captures the look of spanish roof tiles.  For the chimney, I have to credit my husband, they were three mint chocolate wafers put together and covered with fondant.

To see the original design you can visit: http://www.stephenarnndesign.com/projects/2atherton.html.  It's the last picture in the row at the bottom.

So I guess cake baking and architecture are more alike than people think.
Sara

Lego Cake

Not having any kids, I generally have little knowledge about the toys kids play with these days.  So, you can imagine my delight when I was asked to do a Lego Birthday cake.   It was nice to know that at least one toy from my childhood is still alive and popular! But, enough about me... and now for the cake.  All of the cakes were chocolate with chocolate filling.  The red and blue cakes were also covered in chocolate frosting and the yellow, as to not show through the fondant, was covered in a swiss meringue buttercream.
  

Here's the birthday boy - love his faux hawk

I know my mom always wished we played with Legos a little more when we were younger, I bet she never thought I'd be making cake legos as an adult!
Sara

God Bless Texas

It's hard to believe, but I have lived in Dallas for six and a half years! I have no idea where the time has gone, but all I know is Dallas is home.  I hear people complain about the traffic and the weather, but I love it here! So I was very excited when my friend Paige asked me if I could make a cake of the Texas flag.

The cake was for a party for some of her friends that are moving to Dallas.  One is from Dallas and one is from New York so they gave him a big ole Texas welcome and I was more than happy to help.  The cake was a 2 layer 9 x 13 vanilla cake with with vanilla buttercream  In order to make the colors look good, I used red, white and blue fondant strips to cover the cake with a white fondant star.  

All I can say is that I can only hope they are as happy in Dallas as I have been. 

Thanks y'all! 

Sara

Sweets for your sweet

I love Valentine's Day! I always have, even when I was single.  In college, we used to call it "SAD Day" or "Single's Awareness Day", which according to the Hallmark calendar is February 15.  Anyway, I think it's a very pretty holiday and very cheery - regardless of your relationship status.

In keeping with my New Year Resolutions, I have been trying out some new recipes and decorating techniques.  So a few weeks ago, I decided to get some Valentine's Day practice in and make some sugar cookies.  I literally spent the entire day making and decorating cookies, which is also very pretty and makes me very cheery.

Here's the entire bunch 

Love these guys - might be my favorites

Can't go wrong with sugar crystals

Again - might be my favorites 

Love the simplicity of these

And since I was in the mood - I carried the Valentine's Day theme into my cake from class this week.  It was a 2 layer 8" round covered in white fondant with red fondant accents. 

So sweet

 The cake itself was my favorite chocolate cake recipe with vanilla bean latte swiss meringue buttercream (from a new favorite blog - Sweetapolita.com)

The inside 

I hope each of you have a wonderful Valentine's Day or Single's Awareness Day! And remember, what better way to celebrate than eating cake and cookies, and it's always better to do that alone - that way you don't have to share!  

Sara

Cake for any occasion

I've decided that cake, or really sweets in general, are appropriate for any gift, birthday, Valentine's, forgive me, thank you, etc.  This week was filled with a variety of occasions which resulted in a variety of cakes.  

First up, a very belated birthday cake.  I love making cakes for co-workers.  My co-workers are some of the best, most hard-working people I know.   For this cake it was a chocolate chip cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.  I stuck to my New Year Resolution by trying some new decorating.  I was going for a rose look, and while it doesn't necessarily look like mini roses, I still think it looks pretty cool.  

I used mini and regular chocolate chips which
accounts for the differences in the 2 layers

Next was a Thank You cake.  I knew immediately what I was going to do for this cake.  Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream and a simple white fondant bow.  While very simple, always one of my favorites. 

And finally, another New Years Resolution - trying a new recipe.  One of my favorite blogs is bakerella.com.  She has some amazing and delicious ideas and this cake certainly did not disappoint! This cake is chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting "drizzled" in chocolate ganache.  Since this cake was just for my husband and myself, I didn't spend as much time decorating, but was just ready to get to the finished product!

So delicious!! 

I go back to cake class next week, so stay tuned for what's to come! 

Sara

2012 New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year! Yes, I realize the month of January is half over, but it's never too late, right?!

Do you make new year resolutions?  Well, each year I make three. I can't exactly remember when I started making three, I just know its been for awhile now.  I try really hard not to do the same thing over and over, but add something that will really challenge me or expand my horizons.  While I don't always make it the full year, they're fun and and at the end of each year I feel like I've grown up or, for lack of a better word, wiser.

Here are my three this year:
1.  Bake at least once a week.  This is easy, right?! Not necessarily.  Because I work full-time, my schedule can get pretty busy during the week and finding time to bake, and then of course, decorate can get tricky.  But I am committed to finding the time and hopefully some new great recipes and design inspiration along the way.

2. Give up caffeine.  Wait, what?! It's true, for 3 weeks now I have been caffeine free (no, chocolate does NOT count).  No more Starbucks skinny vanilla latte, no more Diet Dr. Pepper, not even any hot tea... just water, juice and Caffeine Free Diet Coke (sometimes it's just necessary).  You might ask what possessed me to do this, well, Lent starts the end of February and each year I give up caffeine for Lent.  Well, I thought I'd go ahead and challenge myself to add 2 months to that.  And as I said, chocolate does not count as caffeine in my book, so I'm still good here!

3.  Complete P90X and run a marathon.  My husband and I are currently on our second week of P90X.  It is a little brutal, and I find a different part of my body sore every day.  But, it's something new and change is good.  The second part of that is to run a marathon - 26.2 miles.  I always said, the only marathon I would ever run is Boston.  The catch is, you have to qualify for Boston, so obviously, that's probably not going to happen.  In December I completed my 7th half-marathon and decided it's time for a new goal.  This one is definitely going to be a challenge and probably a little bit of a battle, but that just means I can eat more cake, right?!

I hope to do a little better on blogging and will keep you posted with my progress, especially on #1.  Speaking of, better get going!
Sara