I call this a wedding cake, but really it’s a replica of the cake that was served at my best friend’s wedding way back in November.  She had a small ceremony in North Carolina with just a few friends and close family.  It was beautiful and I cried many, many happy tears.  We were so blessed to be a part of it.  Since I wanted all of my focus to be on Colleen on her wedding day and not fussing over a cake, I knew there was no way I’d be making her wedding cake.  Probably a good idea since her ceremony and reception were at the top of a mountain.  I am not even joking.  I would have had several heart attacks on the way up that mountain with a tiered cake.  SEVERAL.

Back to this particular wedding cake that’s not really a wedding cake.  In January, Colleen’s mom (Hi Linda!) threw a reception in her honor so that friends and family who didn’t make it to the wedding could ooh and aah over her gorgeous wedding gown and wish the happy couple well.  The reception was held at The French Market.  They provided a dessert table, but when Linda asked if I could replicate Colleen’s wedding cake for her reception here, I jumped at the chance.  It was truly my pleasure to recreate the cake as best I could.

Colleen’s original cake had three tiers.  If you hop on over to Greg Hogan Photography, you can see the original cake in cutting action.  And you WANT to go check it out because you will flip when you see her cake topper.  AMAZING.  Since her original cake was red velvet, the cake I made for the local reception was red velvet as well.  This was also my first time using ribbon on a cake and it was an interesting experience.  One I’d definitely like to try again–so many possibilities!

I was so very happy to make this cake for Colleen and Allan.  I love them terribly and it meant so much to me to play a part in BOTH of their Big Days.  I know that this is just the beginning of many happy years together.  Congratulations again, you guys!!

Colleen and I, probably laughing about something completely ridiculous. It's what we do. (Photo Courtesy of Greg Hogan Photography)

My friend Kelly had a birthday recently, so of course she needed a cake.  A very specific cake, it seems.  A cake based upon another cake.  A cake first made by Bakerella, then made again by Bridget over at Bake at 350.  Both of these ladies are amazing and you should rush right over to their blogs immediately.  Go ahead.

OK!  Now that you’ve returned, let’s get back to Kelly’s cake.  Bridget was inspired by Bakerella to make this cake and then she used a bunch of separate recipes to create the final product.  For this cake, I followed Bridget’s instructions.

Only I decided it needed a buttercream border.  And extra chocolate chips.

The strawberries were a last minute addition.  They were just staring at me through the refrigerator practically begging to be dipped in chocolate.  The best part about this cake?  It wasn’t just Kelly’s birthday.  It was also her sister’s birthday.  AND her sister’s husband’s birthday.  Lucky them, she saved the cake for when they were all together.  That sister’s husband?  He just happens to be a friend of mine as well.  A friend all the way back from high school. (And his wife too, for that matter.)  He’s a photographer nowadays and we’ll be seeing him soon for our family portraits.  Until then, he provided this photo (from his phone) of this cake sliced up and ready to serve.  I do so love it when I get to see my cakes sliced!

Now.  I don’t really like cake, but I’m quite certain I could make an exception for this one.  I also feel certain that Greg has a future in food styling.

Happy Birthday Kelly, Jackie, and Greg!  I’m glad you all were born.

The internet is amazing.  Only through the internet can you wind up making a cake for the sister of one of your friends from kindergarten.  That’s exactly what happened a few weeks ago–an old friend contacted me through Facebook about making a baby shower cake for her sister.  Hi Rachel!  Hi Kate!

The theme for the shower was books and the baby in Kate’s belly is named Alice, so it was clear from the beginning we needed a stack of books.  With one of those books being Alice In Wonderland, of course.

This was my first time making a book cake, and I’d do a few things differently next time.  I’d allow more time for each book to rest before stacking.  That fondant REALLY needs to set up before you stack.  Also–tylose is your friend in this endeavor if you’re making homemade marshmallow fondant.  (Which of course you ARE, right?  Right.)

The best part of making this cake?  Drawing/painting on the fondant.  I am seriously in love with this technique and really need to find more excuses to use it.  Would you like to see Alice and the Cheshire Cat a bit closer?  Let’s go.

Alice’s nose got a little … ahem … large for my liking, but unfortunately there’s no erasing on fondant.  Once it’s there, it’s there.  Especially when we’re talking about black.

Rachel did an AMAZING job with the decorations and games for Kate’s shower.  (These sisters always do. Woodland Party.  You Are My Sunshine Party.  Little Man Baby Shower.  They really need to be in the party planning business.)  You can hop over to Kate’s blog to check out all the cuteness celebrating Baby Alice.  The bookplates!  The Alphabet book!  I’m so glad I got to be a small part of this celebration.  Like I’ve said before, I really, REALLY love what I do.  Some day I’ll stop saying that all the time.  (Probably not.)

Now who needs a painted cake?

My itty bitty teeny tiny baby Zoe turned FOUR last Friday.  FOUR.  I talk about this momentous occasion over on Sara Plays House.  But here?  Here we talk about cake.

Zoe loves rainbows.  ALL rainbows.  When we first began talking about her birthday cake, she wanted a cake with a picture of the family on it.  That was cool with me, but then she got her head stuck on a rainbow cake.  Which immediately made me think of Amanda over at i am baker and her rainbow cake.  I’d been looking for an excuse to try this cake and here it was.

I wanted the cake to be simple on the outside and I decided that I wouldn’t even cover it in fondant.  Shocking, I know.  Unfortunately, I also chose to use a new buttercream recipe.  It tastes A-MAZING, but it had a weird consistency.  It was kind of … droopy?  Gloopy?  Some other word that rhymes with Snoopy?  I don’t know.  It was just weird.  Let’s look closer.

It just did weird things.  I am constantly learning and growing as a caker–this cake was no exception.  Fortunately, the Birthday Girl did not notice any of these imperfections and declared it to be her MOST FAVORITE CAKE EVER.

What she was most excited about was the “surprise” after we cut it.  She was very serious on the way to her party, “Mommy, we CANNOT tell my friends about the surprise inside!  They have to be surprised!”  And they were.

At least the inside of the cake made up for the lumpy exterior.  That buttercream recipe?  It’s since been retired.  Back to my tried  and true now, thankyouverymuch.  Zoe has already told me she wants another rainbow cake for her “5 year old birthday”.  So at least I’ll have a chance to redeem myself. Happy Birthday, Bunny!

“So how do you feel about yellow submarine cakes?”

Thus began a conversation on Facebook with a friend of mine.  The result is this here cake.  Clearly, her newly minted 3 year old is awesome since Yellow Submarine is his favorite song.  I was super stoked to start this cake–I just knew it was going to be fun.  I wasn’t wrong.

The spouty things!  I loved how these turned out.

Of course it needed a rudder.  And cute water bubbles.

I knew I had to figure out a way to get the Fab Four on the cake somehow.  Solution?  Edible marker and portholes.  Let’s look a little closer at John, Paul, George and Ringo.  (Not in that order.)

And yes, John’s glasses are a little … well, I don’t know what’s going on with his glasses.  Just remember that I was working on faces smaller than a dime.  That’s tiny, y’all!

I was really happy with the way this cake turned out.  Perfect for celebrating a win over the Meanies.  Or a certain little boy’s third birthday.  Did I mention that my friend is also a nurse (my favorite!) at my daughters’ pediatrician’s office?  She is.  I have totally earned popsicles for life now, shot or no shot.  Avery and Zoe can thank me later.

Would you like to try your hand at a yellow submarine cake?  Lucky for you, I made a handy dandy tutorial.

Life doesn’t always seem fair, does it?  That thought has been swimming through my mind constantly since we learned last week that one of my daughter’s teachers had suddenly passed away.  Coach Jay was an important and well-loved member of our community.  When a tragedy such as this occurs, it’s hard to know what to do or say to help those that are grieving.  So when Avery told me she wanted me to make a cake to “help Coach’s kids smile”, there was no way I could deny that request.

Avery’s only requirements were:  a soccer ball and the color yellow.  Both of these things were easy to accommodate.  We gave Avery the option of attending Coach’s funeral, and she thought long and hard about it.  In the end, she decided not to go, which we respected.  (Her Grandma passed away not too long ago.  Her decision was not shocking.)  But she insisted on going with me to deliver the cake to the church.

We delivered the cake and afterwards, we took a long walk at the park.  I asked her to tell me stories about Coach.  She told me about how he taught her to skip and jump on one leg.  She told me all about Hot Dog Tag.  And she told me about all the different things that man could balance on his nose.  A chair?  ”Yes, Mom.  He could really balance a chair on his nose!  Can you believe that??  Coach was SO crazy.”

Avery, about the time Coach's service started. "Mom, this is how Coach taught me to run fast!"

I barely knew Coach.  We only spoke maybe twice.  But he made a difference in my child’s life.  Her life is happier because of his presence.  And for that I am so grateful.  I hope Coach’s family enjoyed this cake.  I hope it made his kids smile today.  Coach’s memory will live on through all the lives he touched over his too-short life, and for that, this world is a better place.

***Updated to add:  Over 1500 people attended Coach’s memorial yesterday–most wearing yellow.  If that doesn’t speak volumes, I don’t know what would.***

Allison is a girl I’ve known for about 20 (gulp!) years now.  We met in sixth grade where we had many of the same classes and almost ALL of the same dorky tendencies.  Also?  We share the same birthday.  Fate, right?  So when it was time for her baby shower, I jumped at the chance to make her cake.

I went with a clothesline theme to match the shower decorations.  The buttons around the board were my daughter’s suggestion.  Zoe was with me in the craft store when I couldn’t find the right ribbon and suggested these buttons instead.  I kissed her and told her she’s brilliant.  She’s three.

Allison and I used to do a lot of school projects together.  This was really just an excuse for us to have a sleepover and giggle while we made our way through the project.  We convinced our Honors Science teacher to let us keep newts in his classroom. (Newts named after Hook characters, naturally.  I know–we were TOTALLY AWESOME.)  These newts needed care, obviously, so we spent most of our class time in the back of the room doing just that.  While we giggled, duh.  I think we spent maybe 4 hours total actually paying attention in Mr. Gamble’s class.  This is why I am a baker/artist and not a marine biologist.  True fact.

Sara, what’s up with the elephant on top?  I am so glad you asked.  I saw a picture of Baby Lillian’s nursery and fell in love with her elephant lamp.  I decided then that a gumpaste elephant was in order.  Little did I know that Allison’s been picking up elephant things throughout her pregnancy.  Clearly, we have a psychic link thanks to our shared birthday.

And of course, the elephant needed a bow on her tail.  Am I right?

Allison, me, and her cake. Is she glowing or what?

The best part of this cake thing is being a part of someone’s special day.  I know I’ve said that a million times before, but it bears repeating and it also bears noting that this is even more incredible when it’s one of my friends or family members.  My cakes truly are labors of love–if they weren’t, I wouldn’t be doing this cake decorating thing.  I’d be sitting on my couch watching television every night.  (Confession:  cake is way more fun.)

Congratulations, Allison!  I can’t wait to meet Miss Lillian and buy her her first newt.  I’ll wait until she’s AT LEAST three years old, promise.

I’ve been very lucky to meet some truly great ladies through my kids.  One of those ladies is my friend Nikki.  Y’all, she is the most Southern thing I’ve ever met and I love her for it.  I made her son’s Cars cake for his first birthday last year.  This year, Grant is into Elmo and trains.  So that’s what we went with!

The thought of making a recognizable character in fondant still intimidates me.  Painting is one thing, sculpting is quite another.  Luckily, I was able to find a small Elmo to sit in the fondant train.

I do enjoy stripes–especially when they can be a little funky.

I really like how this one came out–kids’ birthday cakes are probably my favorite sort of cake to make.  The little “Thank You” I got from Grant was priceless.  I really, really love what I do.  Happy Birthday, Grant!

My oldest daughter turned six this past week.  You can read more about her here.  We were talking about her birthday cake and she gave me three orders:  pink, purple, dinosaurs.  I was happy to oblige.

For the dinosaurs, I found these cute silicone molds and used Wilton Candy Melts to make dino chocolates.

I also used fondant letter cutouts for the first time ever.  Hint:  When they say roll your fondant out REALLY thinly, they REALLY mean it.  Thick fondant will make your letters stick and it might make you scream some choice words into the air.

The six up top was made out of gumpaste.  This was a total bummer for Avery as she wanted to eat the six. When I told her that gumpaste was gross and would probably break her tooth, she promised to be careful. The girl does love her sugar.  In any case, the six made it into the trash before it made it into the Birthday Girl’s mouth.  Her teeth are all intact.  I wish I could say the same for my head:

Happy Birthday, Avery!  Mommy LOVES making your birthday cakes and I can’t wait to see what you want for Birthday #7!

I got a request from a friend for a Batmobile cake.  A Batmobile Groom’s cake for her nephew.  I freaked out a bit and maybe hyperventilated a lot, then composed myself and told her yes!  I’d love to!  You guys, I have never stressed over a cake so much in my life.

The problem with sculpted cakes is that there’s not a lot you can do in advance to prepare.  Mike suggested that I make a diagram.  Or maybe use rulers.   Since planning things out on paper is not really my bag, the cake version of Michael Keaton’s Batmobile was forced to stay in my head.  Where it might have made me a little unbalanced.

I spent a lot of time looking at pictures and trying to figure out how to make those pictures come to life with cake and fondant.  This is where I should mention that I am, in fact, a girl and as such I have never put together a model car in my life.  That would have come in handy this week.

I baked my cakes and stuffed them in the freezer to harden up for easier carving.  I spent a restless night thinking about TIRES and BATWINGS and HEADLIGHTS.  These are typically not the things that keep me awake.  When the time came to start carving, I promptly broke out into a flop sweat.  I think I forgot to breathe for a hot minute.  I got to work anyway and started slicing cake.  The end result is what we have here.  Not too bad for a girl who’s never put together a model car, eh?

I had to add in one little detail.  (Precisely because I am a girl.)

COULD YOU JUST DIE?  I know, I know.

So that’s my first and hopefully my last Batmobile.  But it was really a lot of fun once I got over my initial freak-out.  Sometimes it’s good to do things that are way, WAY out of your comfort zone.  Try it some time.  You’ll see!  (Or either it’ll be a huge mess.  In which case, don’t blame me.  Please.)

In any case, I hope your nephew loves it, Grace!  I do so love a good wedding.

Updated to add:

I received this in my inbox last night.  And I haven’t stopped smiling since.  This is what it’s all about y’all.