Wedding Cake

If I'm honest, purple isn't my very favourite colour. But while I would have preferred this cake to be all "Ivoire" (I'm just that kind of girl) I'm still happy with how it turned out. I think it worked really well in the room.

Its really helpful to manage an event thats not too big. Its wonderful to be able to do everything, or at least very closely oversee everything - it brings in a great deal of continuity. For this occasion, I did the flowers, and a precious friend and I did the food. I oversaw the rest of it (the set up etc) and this meant that everything pulled together really well. 

The cake was a three tier madagascan vanilla sponge - as the reception was an afternoon tea, we needed to keep it simple. There were more than enough sweet flavours around. 

The brides bouquet was filled with amazing spring blooms. Ranunculus, peonies, parrot tulips, lizzies, and some lilac freesias for her hint of lilac. Below is a pic of it sitting a jug at the church - where you can see the gorgeous flowers a little better. 

The bridesmaids bouquets (I was holding all of them together here, waiting for the girls) were darker purples to suit their dresses. Lizzies, freesias, sweetpeas and eucalyptus made sweet smelling posies that survived a day of being lugged around really well. 

With every event I do, I learn something new. I meet more amazing people who I enjoy working with, and I find incredible JOY in seeing the smiling faces of who ever I've worked for., an everyone enjoying the event.

And weddings, are almost certainly, my favourite! 

A girly sort of cake

Vintage parties are always my favourites to make a cake for. This simple cake is no exception.

Be on the look out for inexpensive, pretty silk flowers. I have a small drawer full and they come in so useful as fillers in fresh arrangements, or like in this case,  as the star of the show.

Pearls and crystal look beads each threaded onto a piece of florist wire and then twisted to a stiff straight piece of wire which can easily be pressed into a cake, add great, reusable instant glamour.

Cakes - For a Guy

Have you ever had to make a cake for a man? All the short cuts of flowers and pearls would be lost on him. They always say "as long as it tastes good" in response to "whats important?". But I like chic. I like pretty. Making a cake masculine and still striking was something I was afraid of getting wrong. Im not a fan of those hamburger cakes or baseball field cakes, although I did once make a superhero cake for a friend's husband when he turned 30.

This cake was for a 21st - thats a big birthday where we're from - and for a dear friend, so I didn't mind putting a bit of work into it. I used their family's coat of arms which was very sentimental for him.

Vanilla soaked sponge layered and covered in vanilla buttercream.

Covered in mushroom coloured fondant, which I dyed by hand. 

I piped the coat of arms on freehand using brown royal icing. I may have cursed a lot once or twice. I don't normally curse. I was quite pregnant with Asher at the time and he took great delight in kicking my "piping elbow" resting on my bump, jolting the piping bag with it.

I loved making this cake - it was relatively quick to do, turned out masculine enough and tasted delicious. What ideas do you have for manly cakes?

He loved it which is the most important thing! And it did taste really good.

Cakes - Teddy Bear Picnic

Today I thought I'd share another cake with you. Its been a rough day with tough news about my dad being transferred to ICU. You can read more about him here. He was being transferred when I spoke to Mum a number or hours ago, so I wont know more until tomorrow.

This was Asher's 1st birthday cake. I had a lot of fun doing it and they all really enjoyed eating it. Im not a fan of making kids cakes in general. I much prefer roses, lace, pearls and jewels. But I do enjoy, twice a year, making something special for my boys.

I was hoping to take pictures each step of the way, but time was short. Bear body on the go! 

I made the blanket by weaving strips of coloured fondant. Never again. 

I hope it will become one of those special memories that they can treasure as they grow and that maybe, one day, their wives will allow me to continue. Their own favourites as their birthday cakes. 

I'l be back soon with an update on dad, and my revised brownie recipe. The new one is even better than the old one. WHO knew that running out of ingredients could be the best thing that ever happened to a recipe?

Cakes - Vintage Style

This is one of my very first "proper" cakes. It was my second, I think. I look at it now and cringe. I see the flaws, I know the errors. Somehow, though, I love it. 

It was one of my earliest creations and the encouragement I received from it and the orders that came in subsequently are some of the reasons I continued with my cake making.

I love it because it was the start of my education in fondant. I love it because the roses were perfection.



I love it because its imperfect, and it reminds me of how much I've learned and grown.

I love it because it humbles me and reminds me how little I know, yet how much can be achieved by LEAPING into something. The crystal beads were from my wedding bouquet. They have been on more than a dozen cakes, at least half of which were wedding cakes. I dont believe in "luck" but they are symbolic for me, of love. 

SO, I made it my cakes button. To remind me of all of this. To remind me where I started out, and where I'm going. And because, even though its flawed, its beautiful. 

Eat Cake, Its Wednesday!

Today one of my very favourite people in the world had her beautiful baby girl. The day before yesterday one of my very best friends ever had her little boy. Its been a week of beautiful babies being born, and I'll admit, I've been a little distracted. And maybe a tiny bit jealous. I don't want a whole new tiny human just yet, but seeing those sweet little newborn faces certainly pulled at my heartstrings! 

In celebration of new life (any excuse will do really!) I've been baking. I have not, however, taken any pictures of said baking. Im perfecting recipes, and THEN you can have them. That and, somehow, my camera battery has mysteriously disappeared. Its not in the camera and I didn't take it out! Somehow, my boys and I have eaten through 4 dozen muffins in a week. Berry muffins, carrot muffins and then banana muffins. I cant make anymore just yet! 

I figured I best start updating the "Cakes" tab, or its going to be "under construction" forever. So here is something really basic - a birthday cake from back in November. Recipe soon to follow! 

Hope you've all had a wonderful Wednesday! Happy Australia Day!