New York City Cake Decorators

Cake Pop Fun!

2012-02-07T19:21:00.003-05:00

I work with children teaching min-cake, cupcake, and cookie decorating. Add cake pops - a real kid favorite!

Starts out with a basic cake recipe...

Yummy.......

Ok, I am not a purest. I cannot bring myself to crumble up a cake + frosting and work into a ball. I like this cake pop pan, although I'm still working out the kinks. I think the next batch will come out the oven a few minutes earlier.

The cake pop pan comes with sticks that have a little ledge that stabilizes the cake pop and prevents it from slipping off the stick. [You an order more plastic sticks]. This pop was dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate and sprinkled with crushed walnuts. Simply decorated but delish.

Sexy and Sweet Cookies At Rolling Pin Productions!

2012-02-07T18:52:00.001-05:00

Just love, love, love, the hand decorated cookies at Rolling Pin Productions. This company even makes its own custom cookie cutters!

Sexy cookies...

or traditional sweet love-struck designs are sure to please your sweetheart this Valentine's Day. Follow them on Facebook!

FREE Cupcake Gift Tags from Bake it Pretty!

2012-02-05T22:50:00.000-05:00

Another nifty idea to dress up your delish cupcakes for Valentine's Day or any occasion are these cute printable cupcake gift tags from Bake It Pretty. To download click here.

Free Valentine Gift Tag Printables!

2012-02-04T22:50:00.004-05:00

I've already begun thinking about the treats I'm going to gift to friends and loved ones on Valentine's Day. For last minute gifts or favors, why not purchase mini candy bars and wrap them with these neat candy wrappers? I found the gift tag/wrapper printables [which are truly free] on a really neat website, U-createcrafts.com. To print click here.

Eiffel Tower Candy Box!

2012-02-04T18:18:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is around the corner and what a lovely way to present your home made candy or truffles! You can purchase at Fancy Flours, one of my fav online shopping spots. C'est fabuleux!

Scott's Ovo Vegetarian Gum Paste Recipe!

2012-02-04T14:34:00.005-05:00

Want a scratch ovo-vegetarian gum paste recipe? Scott Clark Woolley, master sugar flower artist, has created a great gum paste recipe that he is willing to share with us. [I made the sugar hydrangeas above after a class with Scott. Sadly he has retired from teaching at this time]. Scott's gum paste is arguably the best scratch gum paste bar none.

Gum Paste Sugar Dough Recipe (ovo-vegetarian)

(Yields approximately 3 pounds)

Fill broad saucepan 1" deep with simmering water on stovetop.

Place in KitchenAid mixer bowl and stir together briefly:

* 6 cups confectioners' sugar [sift after measuring]

* 2 tab. plus 2 tsp. Gum Tragacanth

Set mixer bowl in simmering water to warm sugar slightly, 3-5 minutes. Stir once. Then remove and attach to mixer.

Meanwhile, measure into a small bowl:

* 6 tablespoons hot water [add a speck of blue food color to whiten dough - optional]

* 1 level tab. of white vegetable shortening

Set in simmering saucepan until shortening melts.

Then remove from saucepan until shortening and sprinkle until the hot liquid:

* 4 tsp. Agar Agar Powder [if using Agar flakes, use 4 tsp.]

Immediately, as liquid instantly thickens, scrape into mixer bowl along with:

* 2 extra large egg whites [room temperature]

Turn on mixer immediately to maximum beat speed for 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift onto counter top in a 12" circle:

1 2/3 cups confectioner's sugar

Scrape out goey mixture onto counter. Consistency should be very loose at this stage. Get under edges with fingertips and lift inward, gradually working in all the remaining sugar. Keep mound on top of sugar to avoid sticking Grease small are of counter and briefly knead dough on it to remove any loose sugar.

Cover mound with plastic wrap. Grease hands and pull 1/5 sugar dough and form a ball. Place in fresh plastic wrap, twisting ends tight.

Store in an airtight container or sandwich bag in refrigerator or freezer until firm. Let it come to room temperature before working with greased fingertips, stretching and pulling until soft. At first the dough will seem very stiff, but like chewing gum, the more it is worked, the smoother and stretchier it will become. Re-ball and place into a fresh plastic wrap as before. It will last for several weeks this way. One day or older gum paste works best, but the dough can be used within 3 hours.

If you would like a printable copy of Scott's original and new gumpaste recipes, click here.

Member Spotlight : Zacharoula Christou

2012-02-03T22:57:00.000-05:00

I met international member Zacharoula Christou when she attend the Mike McCarey/Lauren Kitchens meetups last November. Zacharoula is really crazy about cake decorating and sugar art. She branded her own sugar and modeling pastes which she sells, runs her own sugarcraft school in Greece, and has published the first sugarraft book in Greek!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-01T17:34:00.000-05:00

Give your sweetheart a slice of this decadent Valentine's Day Cake made by member Allison King.

Cool Kid's Birthday Cake Idea!

2012-02-01T17:30:00.000-05:00

Want a cake that features fun treats and less piping? This cake created by member Barbra Lieberstein, is loaded with candy and treats sure to please any kid.

GO GIANTS! Superbowl Cupcake Tutorial

2012-01-30T18:17:00.001-05:00

Sandwich Cookie Art!

2012-01-27T20:12:00.000-05:00

Oreo Cookie Cameo, by artist Judith G. Klausner

Judith Klausner's oreo cookie art is truly unbelievable! Her miniature bas reliefs are sculpted from the cream inside the cookie. Truly amazing!

Cupcake Wars Cast Call!

2012-01-26T21:37:00.003-05:00

Think you've got the best tasting cupcakes in town? Food Network is now casting for Season 3 of Cupcake Wars. For the scoop, visit foodnetwork.com. Good Luck!

Red Velvet Whoppie Pies!

2012-01-22T23:51:00.001-05:00

A sweet and creative alternative to chocolate candy.

Feb 2012 Cake of the Month

2012-01-21T13:01:00.001-05:00

This beautiful cake was made by member Sabrina. Doesn't it take your breath away?

Cake Pop Fun!

2012-01-19T09:09:00.000-05:00

Learn how to make this sweet cake pop and more at Cake Pop Fun! Lots of ideas, recipes, and video tutorials on how to bake, insert sticks, dip, and decorate these mini-treat sensations!

Make Cake Pops in NYC with West Coast Cake Pop Maven Yuki!

2012-01-16T15:16:00.006-05:00

Yuki was born in Kanagawa, Japan in 1971 and moved to San Diego, California in 2002. Besides being a mother, she has a passion for cake pops and opened up Creative Edibles by Yuki, quickly becoming the cake pop maven on the west coast. Yuki will be on the lower Eastside of New York to share her secrets in March 2012. For more information and to register, visit Creative Edibles by Yuki or Yuki's fan page on Facebook. Check out Yuki's cake pop piping tutorials on YouTube.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2012-01-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

This exquisite Fortune Cookie cake was designed by member/head instructor Chef Janet Ben-Ami, owner of Hey! Cookie in Long Island.

Love is the Message - Valentine Cupcakes!

2012-01-16T14:38:00.002-05:00

Bake up some sweet heart-shaped cupcakes with this ingenious nonstick silicone cupcake liner by Fancy Flours. Fancy Flours also sells a variety of cookie stencils, and really cute heart and love cookie cutters.

Ruth Rickey at NY Cake Academy January 28th!

2012-01-16T14:23:00.001-05:00

This is a great opportunity for us New Yorkers to get to work with a food network star! NY Cake Academy is located at NY Cake and Baking Supply on West 22nd Street between 5th and 6th Ave.

Bling in the New Year!

2011-12-31T17:38:00.003-05:00

Photo courtesy of member Jenny Ma, owner Jenny Cakes NYC

Why not ring in the New Year with a bling cupcake? Delish bling cupcakes are just one of the treats at Jenny Cakes NYC. Jennifer Ma was trained at the Culinary Institute of America and has done work for Nickelodeon.

Happy NewYear!

2011-12-31T17:24:00.000-05:00

This festive tired cake was made by Megumi Suzuki, one of our international members in Japan. Check out her awesome cakes at her website Yonoji + Cakes, Custom Cake Designs. I would just love a slice of this cake.

FREE CLASS GIVEAWAY & Icing Smiles Fundraiser at Pink Cake Box!

2011-12-29T01:57:00.002-05:00

Those of you who know me well, know that I am committed to support any worthy organization that helps children in need.

Chef Anne Heap, Pink Cake Box, is partnering with Icing Smiles again and hosting a Fundraiser. Go to Pink Cake Box's website, vote for your favorite cake posted for chance at winning a free class. For every vote they receive, Pink Cake Box will donate $1 dollar to Icing Smiles with a maximum of $1,000 dollars! Volunteer to bake for Icing Smiles, donate some of your cake cash, or VOTE for free by clicking this link.

Extreme Sugar Art Workshops with Kaysie Lackey!

2011-12-27T16:11:00.000-05:00

Kaysie Lackey is the queen of gravity defying cakes. Having won numerous cake challenges and being renowned for her artistry and originality. The talented cake artist is teaching her techniques in structure, painting and modeling chocolate.

January 14 - 15, 2012: "The Butler" workshop is an excellent way for you to learn how to use modeling chocolate to make vivid, exciting characters and combine them with armature design to create jaw dropping works of art. You will learn methods for carving cake into unusual shapes, sculpting features into characters and micro-painting.

Kaysie Lackey winner of Food Network Challenges: Extreme Villain Cakes Paranomal Cakes and Smurf Cakes in 2011.

January 17-19, 2012- Learn how to construct gravity defying cakes. You will use fondant, gumpaste and marzipan for this cake design. You will paint on your fondant creation and walk away with a completed cake after 3 days. You will be able to re-use the internal structure and will also have the necessary skill set to make your own gravity defying cake structure again.

If you've seen it on television and wanted to learn the do's and don'ts then Kaysie is probably the best person to teach you. With her expertise in gravity defying cakes and structures you'll be able to learn the A-Z of Cake construction.

The Kaysie Lackey Workshops will take place at Mother of Cakes Sugar and Cake Academy in PA. Host/Owner Tanveer Walli can be contacted at Mother of Cakes or Facebook [Cake Mechanic] for further information.

Season's Greetings!

2011-12-19T18:16:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of Rafael

This adorable snowman with presents cake was designed and decorated by member Rafael. This talented teen is so passionate about cake decorating that he started his own custom cake business in PA!

Ho Ho Ho! SugarVeil's Gingerbread Recipe and Templates!

2011-12-06T14:38:00.002-05:00

I received a really cool gingerbread recipe and templates from SugarVeil and thought I would pass it along to my readers.

Julie Bashore visited NYC Cake Decorators and gave a spectacular workshop on SugarVeil (R). If you haven't tried sugarveil, you don't know what you're missing! Let me know if you tried the gingerbread recipe or either of the projects. Happy Holidays!

Spicy SugarVeil(R) Gingerbread People
(Makes a Family of About 20 - 8" People)

Download the pattern for the Gingerbread People and the 3-D Trees here.
Mix spices & sugars:

1 Tbl. ginger
1 Tbl. mace
1 Tbl. cinnamon
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. anise
1 tsp. cloves
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dk. brown sugar, packed

Cream:

1 cup softened butter with the above on medium speed until fluffy

Add:

2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved into 2 Tbl. water
1 cup light molasses

Beat until smooth. Mix in gradually:

4 1/2 cups flour

Divide dough into thirds. Placing a sheet of wax paper over dough, roll dough 1/8" thick directly onto parchment sheets. Place pattern onto dough and cut along outside of pattern with sharp, narrow knife tip, taking care not to cut thru parchment sheet. Move pattern and repeat until entire dough sheet is cut. "Weed" scraps of dough around shapes.

Continue rolling dough/scraps as above until all the dough is used. Allow cut shapes to rest (room temperature is fine) overnight.

The next day, place parchment sheet with cut shapes onto baking tray. Bake 8 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool on tray.