Everyone's a winner!

How would you like to hit the $59 million jackpot on your 59th birthday? OK next best thing - how would you like a cake that makes you think you hit the $59 million jackpot on your 59th birthday? At least this prize is edible! ;)

Wedding in Wonderland

One of the most creative florists/wedding decorators I know, Alison of Visually Creative http://www.visuallycreative.com.au/, got married in an exquisite Alice in Wonderland setting. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the process of designing edible goodies to fit the theme. The mini cakes were an easy inclusion - designed to resemble the "Eat Me Cakes". Too fun! Lots of lush greens and vibrantly coloured flowers were used around the reception venue - some of the flowers ended up crowning the double layer cake, which also featured gold birds and twig patterns.

Ultimate Fondant Cake

Is there any guy who hasn't watched/tried/been injured through some sort of participation in this brand of sport? It was only a matter of time before I had to cake it! Twin brothers celebrated a UFC-themed birthday on this occasion... wonder who won the fondant fight!

Two wings and a prayer

A little girl called Naredyn was baptised and this cake was designed by her mum just for her. Lots of special little touches were added with deliberate meaning... a little bub sleeping on feathered wings, a prayer to go with it, and elegant building blocks to add a child's touch. It was my honour to bring this design to life. Beautiful cake for a beautiful family!

Seahorsing around

This was a favourite toy of the birthday girl, so her parents had it caked for her first birthday. Always good to be able to hold and observe the subject in my hands. However, I wasn't allowed to take it home with me (apparently you can't take kids' favourite toys from them...!) so I took pictures from various angles instead. You might not be able to tell coz the tail is inside the 'present', but it's actually a seahorse. I was told that cutting into its head was a little traumatic... hope the birthday girl wasn't looking!

Vintage and a new black

A wedding cake for my very own sister... the cake appointment of the year for me. I got first-hand insight into the process of selecting a wedding cake. 1) Collect approximately 50 pictures of cakes you like 2) Narrow this down to 10 or so 3) Consider the wedding dress, venue, invitations, table decorations, colour scheme and bonbonierre 4) Decide what you like and what you don't about each of the 10 cakes 5) Have model cakes created to help visualise, incorporating the other elements of the wedding 6) Select wedding cake! I would have expected nothing less :)

The order of the day - delicate to suit her dress, vintage to match the castle-like venue, relatively simple, no bling, no fuss, not too loud, and unique in structure - no tiered looks here, but a two layer cake with the bottom layer double height. I must note that this is the first time I've considered using black faux flowers for the cake, and also the first time it was perfectly appropriate.

Around the world in 60 slices

No cute cartoon characters on the cake for this kid, he's more interested in the world around him! This half-globe shows the land down under in a prominent position, and approximately half the world on the rest of the cake, in roughly the same shape and position as in reality. I did say roughly - getting it perfect would be quite an accomplishment! Hope he doesn't think that if he sails too far south past Australia, he'll fall off the cake board.....

Strumming a cake

My second guitar but my first that's intact. Quite a few posts ago I uploaded a guitar that was 'smashed to bits' by an 'angry rocker'. This one is pre-angry rocker! Very important to get the shape just right. Not that it won't look like a guitar if it's slightly out, the strings and 'neck' are hard to miss, but the specific brand and model of guitar seems to be very important to those you would make a guitar cake for.

A royal occasion

While most wedding cakes use pastel colours, this couple selected royal blue as their main colour. Against a backdrop of white, such a bold shade of blue really defines the angles and shapes of the cake, especially on a square design. Complemented by shiny pearls and pretty lillies, it's a balanced and elegant combination... even a little royal (think Kate Middleton's engagement dress)! And of course the personal touch on top... This couple were toying with dressing their figurines in casual Oriental wear significant to a particular aspect of their lives, but for this occasion they were bride and groom, so their figurines were too.

Today's post is brought to you by the letter L

In contrast to the small building blocks in the previous post, here is one giant one, and seven tiny ones! L is for Lachlan, little man and lots of cake!

Building blocks of cake

Building blocks, the staple of any kid's toybox, becomes cake for this 2nd birthday. A great idea when catering for several flavours, one of which needed to be gluten-free. Having that flavour as a separate block ensures it doesn't come into contact with the other flavours. It even sat on a board of its own, to be safe! A fun colour-themed cake, complete with little figurines to make it personal for the birthday boy.

A li'l touch of lilac

A sweet simple and elegant wedding cake to match the waterside venue and laidback atmosphere. The lilac and lace detail on the top and 3rd layers matched the detail used in the decorations. Up until I deliver the cake, I can only visualise how the flowers will look based on what has been ordered. When I have the pleasure of placing it on and seeing the finished product, I always have an "ahh... now it's complete" moment!

Bottle it up

A replica of the wine of choice for the birthday boy. Fruitcake made up the inside, which is denser than any other flavour and much more reliable when a standing shape is required. The label was printed on edible paper. I was told later on that some point during the night, someone nearly reached for this 'bottle' to pour a glass of wine... job done!

Lil pink birthday

Let's carry on the pinkness today... here's a lil pink thing all dressed up for a party. The unusual theme of this joint birthday was that it was a first birthday for a lil miss girl turning one and a last birthday for a lil miss lady getting married before her next birthday. Hence 'the first and last lil miss birthdays'!

Pretty in pink

One of my closest friends turned 30 and I had the great pleasure of cakeing her wish for a pink cake. No work, all play for me! The dress on the birthday girl figurine is modelled on the exact dress the birthday girl wore (thanks to the girls who went shopping with her for her outfit and fed me the details!).
The toughest aspect of carrying out this cake was actually carrying it (in heels) from the car to the boat, then onto the boat for the birthday celebration. One couple stopped me to take a photo of it en route to the boat... sweet of them but not so sweet on my arms!

Au naturale

Fondant is my medium of choice but on occasion, and only in the cooler months, I'm happy to use butter cream if it serves the design better. It gives an unpolished textured finish which is a lovely backdrop for some bright coloured flowers for an overall rustic natural l0ok. Scattered petals extend the theme of the naturally blossoming flowers.

A good sport for a cake

Here are two similar designs for two different sports, one for a 30th and the other for a 1st. Boys will always be boys!

If I'd known I'd be doing so many half-ball designs I might have invested in a half-sphere cake tin. On the flip side, they are getting easier and easier to carve. Necessity is the mother of new skills!

Fire engine yellow

An action shot of two firemen unraveling a hose from a fire engine. The birthday boy was particular that it should be this type of fire engine - a yellow airport one. I never even knew they existed!
Figurines standing on a cake board are tricky because they have no wires holding them in place - they need to be balanced enough to stand upright with the help of gravity. In addition to that, these lil guys were carrying oxygen tanks on their backs and holding a very delicate hose. All turned out fine in the end, there were no fires to put out!