Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Here's a little cake I made for a local school's celebration of Dr. Seuss' Birthday and National Read Across America Day. 

Yummy vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream and fondant decorations.  The best part about this cake?  It's nut-free so it's completely safe for all those with allergies.

Hand-painted with food dye on fondant

I am officially on maternity leave now but I WILL BE BACK at caking in May 2011!!!!  It's the toughest thing for me to take a break from what I love but I know there's a greater love coming into my life very, very soon.  I'll be updating this blog as much as I can with LOTS of photos of cakes that I have in my photo library and haven't yet had time to post.  Stay tuned!

Happy Birthday to... my blog!

One year ago today, on a whim, I started this little blog o' mine.  I never, ever thought anyone other than a few family members or friends would read it.  Now, one year later, this little blog has reached all 7 continents!  I'm still shocked and amazed on a daily basis.  Thank you!!!

Happy First Birthday to my blog! 

To celebrate, here's a recent birthday cake I made. 

This cake had so many little details for the birthday man.  Some of this birthday man's favorite things are his fast car, his Vegas casinos, golf, and his dogs. 

In case you're wondering, it is all edible.  The only things that couldn't be eaten were the support dowels and the cake board.  The cake itself is Vanilla Pound Cake with Vanilla Buttercream.

Here's a little close up of the poodles, the birthday man and his golf clubs, and the edible sugar glass windshield.

A big thank you to J, who let me know that this cake was a big hit at the party.  I LOVE hearing back from clients!

Happy Birthday, Charles, and Happy 1st Birthday to this little blog o' mine.

Happy 2011!!!

Happy New Year to all of you out there!  I hope you all had a great 2010.  2010 was so good to me but I have a feeling (or was that a little punch or a kick? :) ) that 2011 will be even better. 

One thing that 2010 brought to me was the ability to pursue my dream of making cakes, a gift that was more than I could have asked for.  And it brought me all of you out there, my support network and the reason I can keep this blog going.  Thank you, thank you, thank you! 

Here's a little cake I made a few months back that I thought was only appropriate to post here now and "toast" to an amazing new year.  Here's to a wonderful NEW year for all of you.

This was a "half-birthday" cake made for a special person who was celebrating her 20.5-birthday, just six more months until her 21st birthday bash!



Vanilla cake with chocolate fudge frosting.  Wording is hand-painted.  Everything is edible (except the cup).

 Cheers to 2011!

A long-overdue post: A Baby Gender Reveal Party

Nuh-uh!!! Has it really been over a month since I posted? Nuh-uh!!! Well then, I’ll just blame it on the fact that my goal was a “No-post November.” It was a success! Just kidding. I didn’t really mean to not post anything on here for an entire month but here’s a big thank you to those who are still reading and haven’t given up on me!  I have lots to share.


To (kinda, sorta) make up for it, here’s a big, exciting post…

So, I hear the big thing for Mommy and Daddies-to-be is to host a “gender reveal party” to let everyone know (at the same time) whether the little one is a boy or a girl. It’s such a fun, neat idea and is so much more creative than just a mass text message, multiple phone calls, or a big Facebook post…

I’ve heard of many different ways to “do” the gender reveal. Some expectant couples choose not to find out the gender themselves during the ultrasound and then send the results to the cake maker who in turn makes either a blue or pink cake batter or filling.  That way, the couple finds out along with everyone else.  I don't know if I could do it that way.  Some couples find out before everyone else, then order the cake, and then reveal it to all their friends and family members with the cake. Some even decide to make the cake a certain flavor based on the gender (e.g., chocolate=boy, strawberry=girl). Whatever method is chosen, the big thing for us bakers is to make sure that the revealing gender filling color/flavor is covered up with lots of frosting so no one finds out early!

The couple who had me make their gender reveal cakes wanted fall-themed cupcakes (this party was several weeks ago, when the trees here were gorgeous and before everyone went all Christmas-crazy) made of vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream. The kicker (besides the baby, ha ha ha)? They wanted only ONE of the 24 cupcakes filled with a pink or blue charm and a shot of colored icing! Only ONE person at the party would find the charm and then would have to yell out BOY or GIRL so everyone could celebrate. How fun!

Here’s a few photos of the cupcakes I made on display and some of the pretty party décor.

The little pumpkins and leaves were fondant and modeling chocolate.

Just some of the yummy food....

When the cupcakes were served, it was a frenzy to find out who had the charm....

The arrow points out who found the charm...

It's a BOY!!!

The proud parents-to-be were FINALLY able to show off the ultrasound photos...

So, who are these proud parents-to-be? 

Well, that'd be none other than the Cake Gal herself and her hubby!!!  :)  We feel so incredibly blessed and can't wait to meet our little guy. 

So, now that you all know that my mind has been a little distracted lately, please forgive me.  I have so many fun cake projects to share with all of you (and I'm still taking orders!  No maternity leave yet!)

Love, G

Wine Bottle Cake

Who wants some homemade Georgia wine? 

Oh wait, that bottle's not real....

This cake was made for a very special birthday man.  A man who turned 90 years old this October and AND he makes his own wine. 


He must have a whole lotta people who love him because this cake was MASSIVE.  No, seriously, it served 60 people by my standards (and easily served 100 by industry standards... have I mentioned my cakes are made for cutting big slices? I don't skimp on servings).

The granddaughter of the birthday man contacted me about this cake.  She had a few details she wanted on the cake but the rest was up to me.  Here's some of the details...



"Vintage 1920" label



The label reading "Aged to Perfection 90 Years"



The bottle top with an "H" for Howard on it.  This actually wasn't a request, I just had to add it.

The cake itself was made to look like a storage crate for the wine bottle and was vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream.  The details, including the bottle, were made out of fondant and modeling chocolate.  The "leather pouch" the wine bottle rested in was fondant and dusted with spices.  Everything written was hand-painted with food dye.  Everything was edible. 

 

That's the first of the latest fun cakes I've been working on.  I have several more to post and several more coming up so I'll post them as soon as I can.  Just keep checking back!

A Little Update

I'm WAYYYY behind on updates to this blog but I have so many exciting cakes I've worked on and several fun cakes coming up and I can't wait to share them.  I promise I have a little break later this week to update all of you so please don't give up on me!  For now, it's back to caking!

Love,

G

Funky Flower Cake

This cake was ordered by a wonderful customer for her daughter's birthday and it was (shhhh!!!) a surprise.  To me, surprise cakes are some of the best.  Who doesn't love getting a little surprise? 

Vanilla cake with buttercream icing and fondant decorations.  Sign is hand-painted.

Some of the best orders I get are from a boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife wanting to surprise the other with a little sweet treat.  Flowers and chocolates are great but a little surprise cake is... so sweet! ;) 

I hope you had a great birthday Caitlyn!!!