Thursday 24 March 2011

seriously ...go already

I have been waiting for the right time to start writing on here. the perfect anecdote or story to tell. What I have decided is, well, that that isn't going to happen. So it is better to just dive in, where ever I happen to be. I am where I usually am... when not baking. Online looking up stuff about baking.
I figure I can share the cakes I made for the Garcias. My man, Bunz, has a best friend. his best friend has a lovely wife, and  brother, and parents, and large wonderfully noisy and hungry extended family. I tell you this because they wanted cake. specifically we decided to do a small cake for his brother's birthday. And a larger two tiered cake for his parents anniversary.
For his brothers cake I decided to go with raspberry and vanilla bean flavor. I decorated it with marshmallow fondant, which I imprinted to look like a brick wall on the sides. I used and airbrush to write happy birthday to look like graffiti. He is into his long board, painting, graffiti, and recently he found out that he and his wife are expecting a little baby 8) so to carry on with his favorite things, I replicated his long board with fundant, and sculpted a little chubby baby too. Th cake turned out fairly dimple, but I couldn't look at it with out giggling. the chubby baby just made me incredibly happy. I kind of miss him. Maybe I should make another.
I really do miss him... look at that face!
For the rent we decided to go with a garden theme. I made the bottom tier apple caramel, and the top is browned butter and honey (definitely one of my faves). I covered both cakes in green marshmallow fondant, and than decorated with a white picket fence, and a butt load of flowers.

I have never been a fan of flowers in general. I dont understand why they are  an expression of love. they DIE! Here honey I love you,here are these plants i killed that will wilt on your counter or table. I just don't get it, but that's just me. If any of you ever want to buy me flowers, feel free. But truth be told I would rather have groceries, or a movie pass, lol!
Point being I never really got into making gum paste flowers. I wasn't interested and honestly i really didn't like working with the gum paste (or traditional fondant). So After some recent drama in my life, I wanted to distract and challenge myself. How better than by saying I can make a whole bunch of things I don't know how to make! Enter, mums, lilies, and ORCHIDS. I have been fearful of making orchids since I first saw them i the book at school. Luckily I have fundant which is much more user friendly and I was able to figure this stuff out.
I gotta say I was pretty proud of myself  for conquering these flora. It actually  gave me the confidence I needed to impress my new boss with some gorgeous peonies yesterday, but that is another story. So there is cake and flowers and a fence, and a cute tin cup I found that I thought would be a nice keep sake for them that says "I garden therefore I am" I placed it on top of the whole shindig and filled it with even more flowers. I made a couple of little gardening tools as well, but i covered them up a lot with flowers, which I kind of regret now, because they turned out cool.

Yup there you have it. I made some cakes. And there are many more coming soon. I'm thinking about doing one to be auctioned ff for the Lois Hole Library. there will be more soon. I'm going to  go dream of a creamsicle tart. happy caking.

Monday 14 March 2011

And.... GO!

I took this picture during a moment of frustration, while I paused to goof off and gain perspective on my project. I think baking and decorating is fun, and I hope I can help make it accessible for everyone. I am beginning a new chapter in my life, my career, and my baking adventure. It seems fitting I start my blog now. A place to track my ideas, projects, and epic fails. This picture stays with me and still makes me smile. I remember being in school to become a baker, and feeling overwhelmed. But I made it through that decorating crisis and so very many more. It reminds me to be patient and take a moment when i need it. Everything will be ok.