Hello Kitty Cake

My aunt, my dad's sister, spoiled me as a little girl, I was even the flower girl in her wedding. I am the oldest grand child on my dad's side of the family, my aunt had kids (twins) when I was nine or so, I remember that blondie twosome fondly. Before she had kids she would have me sleep over when her husband was gone. We would watch movies, eat dessert and just hang out. I thought she was pretty cool. When she had kids I spent even more time with them, I was the perfect age to keep the kids occupied while my aunt did what she needed to do and my mom worked. Family, it is nice to have around.

My aunt knew how to decorate cakes, I think she even did her own wedding cake, maybe even my parents. She made me a birthday cake, I am sure I can dig up a photo, one of those infamous 1980's dolls cakes. A doll cake complete with Barbie from the torso up coming out of a cake that resembles  her dress. I still remember the cake. Now that I think of it, I remember a few more cakes of hers. She was good to me.

A friend ordered this cake from me for a seven year old's birthday party. I was so excited to make this cake knowing that it is going to be part of a very special day for a very special little girl, a day that she might remember when she is nearly 30. She might remember one very pink Hello Kitty cake that someone who adored her picked out just for her. 

Graduation Cake

I made it through the first few weeks at the bakery without too many mistakes and humbled by the learning curve. For the first two weeks I came home barely able to keep my eyes open and my legs under me. I was exhausted to say the least. Mistakes and blunders scattered the week as did a burnt cake reminding me to always remember to set the timers. The first cake I had to decorate was for the owner's daughter. No pressure ;) I was only able to work with butter cream and a piping bag. As with most of the cakes that I have shown you here on the site, I lean to using fondant, modeling chocolate and gum paste for most of my projects. My strong suit is not buttercream.... yet.

I dig the location, there is a great view of the San Juan Islands with day light flooding the open work area. The bakery is a recycled pizza shop and nestled in the tourist town of Fairhaven. The standards are high, the owner has created a lasting business in a rough small town economy and the community has come to expect greatness from the scratch bakery.

In the free time that I once had an excess of a few weeks ago I have been busy making cakes for some friends and family. Here is a graduation cake that I made from scratch last weekend.

Bright Flowered Cake

I told a friend that I started to dabble in cake decoration, by that afternoon she had called me and asked if I would make a cake for class that she thought. She dubbed it "cake day" for her class.

The theme and flavor was completely my decision. I chose a Neapolitan cake, a layer of chocolate, strawberry and white with a butter cream icing. The small cake was just two layers of chocolate.

I made the flowers out of fondant and will never do that again, they were incredibly fragile and I was not able to get them as thin and smooth as I like to see. I am learning, each cake is better than the one previously.

Red Velvet Birthday Cupcakes

I had a cakery orders this week, including three dozen red velvet cup cakes. The cake recipe was from the Flour cookbook and was a winner sporting a hefty slug of buttermilk. The butter cream is my new go to recipe for all my cakes. It is a keeper as well.

 

I am just smitten that I have filled each order using home made fondant. Believe it or not the stuff is rather tasty compared to the gross store bought variety. I feel good about the product that goes out the door.

I always use organic cane sugar and organic eggs for the cake and they are ALWAYS from scratch.

 Have a great weekend and if you ever need cake you know where to find me, the caker.

Flower Blossom Cake

I just got off the phone, I took another order for a cake. Beyond thrilled would describe me and making cakes. Baking and decorating cakes is fun, creative and my cakes are full of good things like organic eggs, organic cane sugar and organic flour. The task satisfies everything I need in a job. Pretty close to pure awesomeness.

The cake was a tender white cake gemmed with lemon zest and soaked in a freshly squeezed sweet lemony syrup.  The frosting was a white chocolate butter cream. There were three layers, each had a ribbon of strawberry and a generous amount of the butter cream. The best part of the cake is the fondant. That is rarely said about any cake but the fondant was made by me, it had perfect consistency, faintly sweet and smelled of almonds. Each cake I make now will have only home made fondant. Try and find that anywhere else.

I made this cake for a birthday party. The flowers turned out wonderful, delicate and reminiscent of Spring apple blossoms. I was told that the cake was a huge hit and it tasted delicious.

There will be many more cakes in my future, maybe yours too if you live in the area.

Some new creativity

My creative side has just stepped to the front of the line. I have about 10 projects going right now and have about another 20 in the batters box. It is that time of year, it is going to rain for the next 6 months, J will be skiing every weekend and I like to be warm and drink hot chocolate three times a day. 

I used up (almost) all of my corks. I have ripped apart more books in the name of wall art. 

And then I decided I want to decorate cakes. I want to make cakes for birthdays, holidays and baby showers. So I took a class last month and I signed up for a class next month. I am hooked on decorating cakes. I want to make each one of these cakes.

What next? I am excited for infinite possibilities and thankful for supportive people that surround me.