A Simple Cake

New Cake Designs!

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:11:00 +0000

We know things seem a little quiet around here, but we've been busy as little bees.

In the midst of Gail moving apartments, the kitchen and work area being renovated and the office being revamped- I continue to hold down the fort/kitchen and make wonderful cakes and meet with our beautiful brides.

Luckily before the madness set in we were busy creating some new cake designs. Here is the jump on the new designs before we update the website. Our webmaster is working on it as we speak but we're too excited to wait until it's fully up and posted.

If you would like to order any of these designs, just give us a call at 917.499.2030 and we can update any order, new or placed.

A Big THANK YOU to Our Brides!

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

We are very pleased to announce that A Simple Cake has been rated by local brides and voted The Best of Weddings Pick 2012! Thank you to all our brides that voted for us, we are thrilled that you love what we do.

We know things have been a little quite on the blog, we've been busy working on many projects around the kitchen and gearing up for a busy spring . . . stay tuned, we'll have some fun and exciting posts in the near future!!

Black and White Wedding Cake at Lincoln Center

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:22:00 +0000

Black and White Wedding Cake with Anemones

We had the good fortune to have Lauren and Kristin at Bellafare ask us to do a cake for them. They assembled a photo shoot today to promote the beautiful rental space at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall. The theme is a swanky black and white theme and they left it to us to come up with a design.

Lauren (my Lauren) and I decided to do alternating patterns of black and silver lame ribbons on our Ribbons Cake and then added our anemones in two pouffy and luxurious bunches on the top and "hip" of the cake.

This shot was just a snap that Kristin sent. Later we'll get the pro shots from their photographer and I'll post some of the set as well. Kirstin had a black wedding gown draped over her arm when I got there.... this should be spectacular!

How to choose the BEST tasting wedding cake: 7 steps to success

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:32:00 +0000

Delicious Red Velvet Cake with luscious cream cheese filling

When I started making wedding cakes nearly 25 years ago, the options for flavors were few and not particularly dynamic. The norm was goopey buttercream that hurt your teeth when you took a bite and plain dry white cake that frankly was just not worth the calories.

Since then there has been a tremendous change in taste palates in general, but also the expectation of what a good wedding cake should taste like. The appreciation and expectation for good food at a wedding has also expanded, and caterers and cake bakers are stepping up.

One of the forces that drove me to start a wedding cake business was that I just couldn't understand why wedding cakes had to taste to terribly. Sure, they had to stand up for hours before serving, but did that mean that a dull, blah cake was the only alternative? I have always made my cakes from scratch, and some of the recipes are family heirlooms that pretty much any one of us can recite by memory. Though cheap and easy was the norm I always used mounds of fresh creamery butter, fresh real cream in my mousses and the best chocolates I could find. The result was people could taste the difference. I put a lot of effort in finding the perfect buttercream that was not overly sweet. I tweaked my recipe to make it just right, and so our buttercream has been a favorite of many for it's light and delicate consistency. As a cake designer I've always loved it for it's beautiful decorating fineness and it's ability to stand up, even on some warm days.

I've heard people say that their wedding cake was not memorable- but that should just not be the case if you plan correctly. The wedding cake is a quintessential part of any wedding- and a rare event for most- so take the time to choose the best cake and leave a lasting impression with your guests. They WILL remember, I promise.

Toasted Almond cake with Cannoli Cream

Choosing the best cake for your reception first starts with the right baker. Seek out a baker with a good reputation first. Ask around- ask friends, your caterer, your photographer etc. Getting good feedback from those who've had a good experience can be invaluable.

Things to know before meeting with your baker:

1) Go prepared with a good idea of what your wedding menu will be like. If your caterer is including other sweets it's also good to bring along that menu as well. You will want to choose a cake that is in balance with your meal and other sweets. As a chocoholic I could easily serve all chocolate desserts, but it's not everyone's favorite, so you want to balance out the options.

2) Check to see if anyone in your intimate circle is allergic to anything specific. There is no way that you can accommodate everyone's needs so just focus on those that are most important to you. If you suspect that you may have a guest that is highly allergic to the point of reaction your might want to let them know. Put the flavor of the cake on the dinner menu card which will give them a head's up in advance. Anyone that is severely allergic will come prepared as they would in any social situation- but the folks that are "sensitive" will appreciate it.

3) When you meet with your baker try not to taste too many combinations at one sitting. It can be overwhelming to your taste buds and it can also be too rich for your tummy. As tempting as it is to play around with different possibilities, consult with the baker first to get a good idea of what direction you should go in and follow his/her lead.

4) Do not appeal to the lowest common denominator. It is often a mistake to choose a "safe" cake flavor that everyone will love. In fact it appeals to less people and as a result you get that "I don't remember the cake" reaction.

5) Choose a cake that is different enough to be exciting to your guests but not so wacky that people remember it for it's weirdness rather than good taste. I have seen flavors such as Bubble Gum, Saffron Butter cream, Purple Velvet- ugh! Different is good- weird is for Halloween.

6) Think about choosing a flavor that might have some personal significance. Was your first date over coffee? Perhaps a Cappuccino filling. Is your fiancee Italian? Fresh Cannoli filling will delight the parents. It is also a great opportunity when you are standing up before your guests for the cake cutting to share an insight like this. It makes the evening more intimate and it will make your guests appreciate your flavor choice as well.

7) Lastly, when all else fails, choose a cake flavor that you and your beloved will enjoy. A reality for most couples is you don't really eat a whole lot at the reception due to all the socializing and picture taking. By the time you get to the cake cutting you can be HUNGRY, so go for a flavor that you will look forward to eating.

When you follow these steps I guarantee you can turn around the notion that wedding cake is not interesting and instead, your guests will leave with a good taste in their mouths.

A 9 tiered fondant covered cake

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:41:00 +0000

Earlier this year I received a phone call from my good friend Susan Spungen. You may know her as the former food editor at Martha Stewart Magazine of many years and the chef behind the glorious food in Julia and Julia.

Back in the early days of my career I shared a kitchen with a catering company and Susan was the kitchen manager then. We became good pals sweating in that kitchen together, and remained so after she left and eventually went on to Martha.

Susan did the styling for this ad campaign for The Gold Council that is being featured in all the bridal magazines. I was away on vacation and Lauren was left to manage this huge cake on her own with the help of her amazing fiance Ryan. Susan wanted a dramatic look so she chose our Sugar Swag design.

Each tier was 8" tall- twice what me normally make. Wielding that much sugar is staggering. Our Lauren is a beautiful petite woman and this cake, once put together, was bigger than she! The ad says a Half TON of fondant, and they were not kidding!!

Covering the cake with all that sugar is one thing- but the sugar draping in addition was tremendous! A rough guess- I would say it weighed a good 80 pounds!!

All in all a beautiful job well done.

Fresh Fruits and Vine Wedding Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:49:00 +0000

Thank you to the Hathaways for providing us with a photo of their cake from the beautiful wedding they hosted on September 24th at The Bowery Hotel. The hotel is a fantastic backdrop for a lush Fall wedding.

The couple ordered our Pearl Dot cake and had their florist Reed, of Renny and Reed, decorate it with a fantastic Fall theme of grapes, pomagranates, vibernum berries and viney leaves. Set on a chocolate brown cloth made this Fall presentation perfect.

Inside they chose our Dark Chocolate Cake with Cappuccino Cream filling. More dark lusciousness.

Thank you again- and Lauren and I wish you a lifetime of sweetness and richness.

The Sweetness of Small Weddings

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:31:00 +0000

Jorge and his partner of many years got married today. They had a very small celebration but wanted everything to be just as special, and why on earth shouldn't it be?

Early this morning I went to the farmer's market to gather delicate and earthy elements for them. A little bit of a trick for such a little jewel of a cake. Usually I can find tiny runts of the fruits but there was little to choose from on a Monday.

Happily I found gooseberries in golden papery pods that were so delicate and amazing. Fresh thyme and peppermint leaves were my greens accents and rich dark purple Italian plums were the mainstay.

As I was heading out I stopped in front of a booth that sold flowers. Lively bouquets were tucked into tiers of buckets. Everything was too large, too bold, and too... flowery. But the buttons nagged at me and I kept having to peer into my satchel to compare color and texture to what I had already gathered.

Finally the man behind the table asked what I was trying to do. Dazed a bit I said I was decorating a small wedding cake and it had to be right. As I said this I pulled out a bunch of the flowers and handed them to him. He took them, and as I fished for the bills out of my wallet he came around the table with the package wrapped for me. He then very quietly said to me, "these are my favorite, I just love the color".

Yes...., I thought, they are seductive.

Making such a small cake is not typical for us since we have a minimum. But these two decided to order from us a larger cake and only have us bring this sweet thing to the restaurant celebratory luncheon.

The other tier they have saved back at their home, to be savored after the return from their honeymoon.

Just the start of many sweet years ahead for them.

Providing fresh flower decoration is one of the new custom services we are working on updating on the site. We would love to hear your feedback on this.

THREE NEW Wedding Cake Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:19:00 +0000

Lauren and I have been having a fun time working on some new design ideas and some new updating to the website.

Here are three new designs that we will be adding to our roster. The top one is called Tiny Bubbles and is decorated with silver leafed sugar dots with accented piped bubbles. Add your crystal topper and it's celebration elegance at it's best.

This second cake is called Rosettes and features romantic layered rosettes clustered around the bottom edge of each tier.

The third new addition is Ruffled that has rows and rows of delicate romantic ruffling around each tier. We've accented the side of the cake with two of our Sugar Tulips.

We will be offering these as new designs that you can order NOW by calling us directly. We recommend going to the site first to configure flavors, but we can take the rest from there.

The Tiny Bubbles and Rosette designs can be ordered in fondant icing or buttercream. The Ruffled cake is only offered in buttercream.

Please look for new things on our "What's New" page at the top of the blog. More things to come soon!!!

Congratulations! Another cake for the gallery.

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:56:00 +0000

Thank you so much for the beautiful and delicious cake you provided for my wedding on

September 24th at Tribeca Grill.

It was perfect, I can not thank you enough!

Thank YOU Gina! We wish you too a beautiful sweet future together.

LOOK at us! New York Mag Double Page Spread!!

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:46:00 +0000

Winter 2012 pages 114 & 115

Lauren and I are just THRILLED!! New York Magazine, who has one of the best reference magazines in the region, has honored us with a gorgeous double page spread! Yep, that's our famous Dark Chocolate cake with our fresh Raspberry Cream filling.

I was a delightful shock to open up the magazine yesterday and see our cake so beautifully presented.

Thank you! Thank you!

Silver Dragee cake adorned with flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:05:00 +0000

Kiran and Rishi

Thank you to Kiran and Rishi for sharing this photo with us. It is our Silver Dragee design that they embellished with beautiful fresh flowers. You can see that it all complimented their wedding perfectly.

They write:

You did such an amazing job on our cake- It looked beautiful and tasted even better. Thanks again!

Thank you to you two! and many many years of sweetness and love!

Announcing! Red Velvet Cake- at last......

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 21:24:00 +0000

The truth be told, we have resisted putting Red Velvet Cake on our menu. But y'all love it, and since I'm marrying a Southerner, what have we been waiting for???

We've been making it for about a year now and the reviews are rave. Accolades such as "best I've ever had" and "can't wait to have more" have filtered back to us. So I guess we've gotten it right at least.

Cream cheese is the filling of choice for this cake, but you are welcome to specify something different if you so desire.

Gone but not forgotten

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:38:00 +0000

I am headed off for a little vacation while Lauren holds down the fort. I have a few posts brewing, which I may try and post.... but then again, may be not :)

New sauces, new design ideas and some new additions to the blog/site. Lots to come, so stay posted!

more deliciousness from Shine Trim

Thank you to Foodista!

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:39:00 +0000

For posting us as their "drink blog of the day" and featuring our story on Champagne alternatives to wedding cake.

Keep posted for a new article on other wines to serve with wedding cake, including sparklers.

Thanks Foodista!

Sugar Anemones: The Perfect Touch

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:58:00 +0000

The wedding cake presides over the dining room

Another of our wedding cakes in situ. The pearl dot cake iced in luscious buttercream and accented with a scattering of sugar anemones.

The decor for the room was all white. Branches were accented with dendrobium orchids and surrounded by vases with white hydrangea, roses and peonies. From the branches hung votives making the room a white fairyland.

The cake was positioned next to the bar so everyone had the chance to come up and get a good look.

an overall view of the room

The whole look was so elegant and at the same time casual and ethereal. Located in the penthouse of a building in Greenwich Village-as the sun goes down the view takes over highlighting the room with twinkling lights and the white flowers and votives create a swank, smart ambiance.

Raise Your Glass!- alternatives to champagne with wedding cake

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Tawny Port served with Chocolate Cake

Weddings are all about pairings-at the alter, on the dance floor and definitely between food and wine. Wedding cake and champagne are considered a classic pairing- but depending on the match, it may be a stumble rather than a glide.

Champagne is highly regarded as our celebratory drink of choice. There is nothing like the throaty POP!! of a cork to put smiles on faces, raise arms and get a party started. I love sparking wine, my fiancée loves sparkling wine, and we are happy not to have to wait for a celebration to enjoy it (why not every day a celebration?), and though there is a world of sparklers to serve with Wedding Cake {more than you may think} I am going to take the opportunity to talk to you about still wines, dessert wines and fortified wines. These wines don't get nearly as much attention as they deserve.

Vin Santo is a wonderful wine with a nutty taste

Sweet wines are a bit of a mystery for most and sweetness is often equated with low quality- but I am here to tell you that is not necessarily the case. In fact some of the best wines in the world have sweetness to them. The infamous Sauternes from Bordeaux can reach into the thousands of dollars

When I have dinner parties I often serve dessert wines at the end of the meal, and it is always a surprise and a delight for people. “Oh this is delicious! What IS it?”

In addition to the delight of introducing something new or different, the fact is that with desserts the bright sparkling acidity of champagne is not always the best.

{A quick aside- there are many styles of sparkling wines that are fantastic with dessert, which I will address in a future post- there is just too much to share!}

When it comes to dessert I am a chocolate person and with my chocolate I like red wine or ruby port or something husky, full of berry flavor. I like a little ying and yang.

To get a better understanding of this I asked around at a couple of wine places for some insight. I wanted to also offer the ability for you to actually find and purchase what I’m talking about. Unfortunately most of the big wine outlet/shipping places didn’t have much time for me, but my new best friend Scott, over at Appellation in Chelsea, was wonderful.

Scott recommended Maury or a Granache from Roussion to go with my chocolate, two red wines from the South of France where the sun stays high in the sky resulting in juicy berry ripe grapes to make wine from.

For a more refined wine, Tawny Port or a Fino Sherry are really delightful when you want to add a nuttier profile to your palate. These wines can have a muskiness to them that is a great accent to almonds or spice cake. Another wine in this category is Vin Santo-
“Sainted Wine” which also adds a nutty, raisiny component.

For a lighter cake, such as a Vanilla Cake or Lemon Cake I like to serve Essencia, which is an Orange Muscat. It has a bit of alcohol, and great acidity so it’s not too syrupy and you can appreciate the fruit. In fact, my Golden Yellow cake was developed years ago for a client who was pairing his entire wedding menu with wines from his cellar. For dessert he wanted a cake to compliment Essencia. We worked for a few weeks to get the recipe right and over 20 years later I’m still making that cake!

But with all these choices how to really decide? I say call Scott, or speak to the most knowledgeable person at your local wine store. Go equipped with a list of the things you would like to serve and let them guide you through. With your menu in hand they should happily help guide you into what wines they have on their shelves to best accent your offerings.

If your feeling less than confident about your local guy/gal, you can try going to Natalie MacLean's website and blog where there are some great discussions and a "wine match" thingy to help you find a type/style/grape to go with your dessert.

The wines at Appellation are organic, biodynamic and often local to NY. It’s a small store full of gems and you already know how cool Scott is. There are many things there you don't see elsewhere and I have never had a wine I didn't enjoy there. I highly recommend you go see him and tell him I sent you.

As for me, I am planning on doing some further research on this myself- and why not? With so many things to choose from it will be great fun exploring- and my guests are all the luckier for it- as will be yours.

In Celebration of Pride Month-Same Sex Wedding Cakes

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:06:00 +0000

An Arch of fresh Baby's Breath top the cake.

This is an exciting week as we get closer to the passing and acceptance of Same Sex Marriage in NY. It just thrills me to witness and be a part of it. My fiancee and I had the pleasure of attending Brooklyn Pride last Saturday Evening. We stood on the sidewalk with hundreds of others hooting and hollering at the passing floats and marchers. The most beautiful part of it all to me was the heterosexual families with small children joining in the celebration. I can't tell you how happy it made me see small children enjoying the love and the beauty of all people.

Satin Ribbon with a velvet ribbon accent circles each tier.

As gay couples start to gain not only the legal rights but the social graces as well, there are many heterosexual traditions that are being looked at as we forge this new standard for ourselves.

Two Grooms grace the top of our Quilted cake with feather and ribbon accent.

It's all pretty open territory and it will be exciting to see how it all evolves.

But I honestly have to say- and you may think me sentimental- but there are a few wedding websites tailored to gay couples, and when I run through the photographs of couples dressing, sharing moments with family, loving each other, and all that beautiful love that surrounds them.... well it has brought me to tears many times.

Our Sugar Phealenopsis orchids scatter softly down the cake for this elegant wedding.

Though I certainly respect everyone's right to their opinion on the subject, I just hope that the love and sweetness that transpires between all couples, who stand before friends and family to proclaim devotion and enduring love, touches everyone in the way that it should.

We are all blessed by the experience of such love and I have been honored to be a part of so many of them.

A June Wedding With Elegant Silver Details

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 15:06:00 +0000

It's rare that I go on deliveries these days, except when the cake might need some on-sight zhooshing, so yesterday was a lovely and surprising treat. I am such an eye candy junky (who isn't) and seeing how all the details come together. During the planning process I am described in detail all of the elements of the decor, and though I can get a pretty good idea of how that can translate into reality, there is nothing like seeing the real thing. Sadly, because I wasn't planning on tagging along, I didn't have my camera with me so I had to take the photos with my iphone. I hope you can still appreciate how subtly sweet and pretty this wedding was.

This bride chose our Silver Dragee cake with buttercream icing and our Satin Ribbon Bow on top. The silver plateau was hers and the "Just Married" banner was glittered an antique-y silver to match. The tulle draped table cloth lent an ethereal romantic touch and flounce to what can typically be a stiff table. The cake was tucked in the corner at the end of a long banquet table against a dark folding screen.

On the table gorgeous blossoming peonies, roses, ivy and jasmine spilled out of footed glass containers, no two alike, amongst distressed silver votives and candlesticks. The architecture of the room was detailed in parquet tiled floors and vaulted ceiling. Most likely constructed around the turn of the 20th century when stonemasons did magical things all over NYC. Stone columns added to the grandeur, and overlooking the lake was a long wall of French doors allowing light and air to soften and lighten the room.

The effect was a soft, romantic, elegant and intimate ambiance. As we were heading out we saw the bride and her bridal party taking photos. I had to resist running over to kiss her and congratulate her, not only for the handsome husband on her arm, but for creating such a wonderful day.

Stunning tile floors and soaring vaulted ceiling

The ceremony overlooking a lake with a cut paper canopy in the breeze

Wedding Cake of the Week: br/ MUJI Wedding Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:53:00 +0000

Wedding Cake of the Week: br/ MUJI Wedding Cake

I am So Thrilled! That Aisle Say at Brides.com has anointed us with this honor.

Thank you! Thank you!

Wedding Cake in Action

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:27:00 +0000

From time to time we get photos, or the opportunity to take them, of cakes that our clients have ordered. I like to post these so you can see how others are using our cakes and/or decorating them.

Simple Calla Lilies here on our Sugar Draping design using buttercream icing. This is one of our more popular designs and you can see why. The Venue was rustic with brick floors, a huge skylight over head, trees and hanging lanterns. I believe the florist intended to decorate this table but hadn't arrived by the time the photo was taken.

If you have photos of our cakes and ideas you would like to share, please send them to us!

Fresh Strawberry Mint Sauce for your Wedding Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 15:37:00 +0000

As we are approaching Summer I can't resist sharing this wonderful sauce to go with your wedding cake. The beauty of this sauce, aside from it's fresh goodness, is how easy it is to make. No cooking is involved at all, and just a few steps. Great for a Brunch reception, or even for cake at a Bridal Shower.

Dribbled on white cake, or coconut cake as well- divine. Oh! and how about lemon cake with this sauce??

I've been making this sauce myself for many years. The fact that it is healthy and non fat is a bonus that has no bearing when I reach to create this. Though I do like cooked fruits, especially in pies and tarts, the brightness of the fresh berries just dazzles the tongue and the mint is a mellow kiss at the end. And now, with berries that are in the market that are plumper and sweeter as the season comes on, it's hard to resist. When I reached into my shopping bag and pulled out the container of berries, I was hit with an aroma that made me think of warm days, outside gatherings and fingers dipping into bowls. It makes me smile.

Recipe:

1 quart of fresh Strawberries
1/2 c sugar
3 T fresh mint, minced

Rinse and dry berries, picking out any that are not in good shape.
Slice berries and place into bowl
Sprinkle sugar on top and stir to combine
Allow berries to macerate for 1-2 hours
In blender or food processor combine berries and mint
Whir away until smooth

and Viola! Ready to serve. You may also prepare a day in advance and keep cold.

*makes a little over a cup- 6 servings of 3T each

Though I am perfectly happy with this sauce as it is- feel free to venture into trying it with a splash of Cointreau, rum or dare I say... tequila?

Wedding Cake Topper: NYC Skyline

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Mon, 30 May 2011 20:31:00 +0000

So many of my couples talk about incorporating something about NYC in their cake toppers. NYC is either the place they met, or the place they intend to forge their new life together. There is something magical about the music of the streets of NY and the romance of a growing ember of love in the midst of a rough and tough town.

At Gail Watson Custom Cakes I make a beautiful custom sugar topper and love to incorporate important buildings and addresses- such as the location of the first kiss, or the couple's favorite Thai restaurant, first apartment together etc. But those toppers can get costly and are not for everyone.

When walking past MUJI on 40th Street, I spied in the window a cute display that read- "City in a Bag- New York". It is meant to be a child's toy, but the clean and simple lines make the pieces very cool and elegant. And at $14 for the set I couldn't resist.

Inside the bag were several recognizable buildings- The Empire State building, The Chrysler building, The Statue of Liberty, The Guggenheim Museum and a few cars, including limos.

I glue gunned the pieces to one 6" Wilton separator plate (buy here) on the smooth side. The notches for the plastic columns sinks down into the cake make it stable without gouging the cake too much.

I could see someone going to town (pun) on this by adding street signs, and I was even tempted to add "just married" and miniature tin cans to the back of a limo. But just as it is lent a beautiful simplicity and grace to our concrete jungle.

Wedding Cake Stands: the Rustic Look

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:52:00 +0000

Tree Slice

Properly presenting a wedding cake can make all the difference to the ultimate feel of the design. It's the final touch after putting so much thought into the design of the cake, or making A Simple Cake more elegant and revered. I have never been a fan of just plunking a cake down on a white clothed table- the cakes always look so adrift and solitary and just too stand alone.

But as it is with so many wonderful things these days, there has been a growing market of very interesting and very beautiful alternative cake stands.

Today I've decided to focus on rustic or earthy feeling cake stands, which I absolutely adore. I can easily imagine one our our cakes decorated with fresh flowers or fruits.

Magnolia Floral Moss Stand

This idea of moss covered stands I fantastic.
So earthy and natural. I also really like how you can add in some other materials that are on your cake to the stand- imagine some of the fresh flowers and leaves from the previous post. This conjures up ethereal thoughts for me. Imagine our Wavy Stripe cake with just leaves and tiny blossoms....

True Connection Rustic Box

The Rustic Box tableau reminds me of the weather beaten wood near the beaches where I grew up on the East End of Long Island.

Our Sugar Sea Shell decorations on the Raining Dot cake would spectacular on this stand, with some shells scattered along the base as well.

Cake Stand Boutique

Lastly, this pedestal stand is just gorgeous. It is hard to find a solid pedestal that has a platform large enough to accommodate a large wedding cake. Perching a large cake on a small stand can look great for photos- but when sitting on a table for the duration of a wedding with (hopefully) dancing guests potentially bumping into a top heavy balancing act- it makes me shudder with anxiety.

This stand comes in several sizes and this one is 16". The quiet simplicity of this stand could easily be used again and again after the big day.

Wedding Cake with Fresh Flowers- From Trader Joe's

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Tue, 24 May 2011 21:39:00 +0000

It's nice to think that everyone can afford gorgeous flowers for their wedding. Everyone has a budget, or a place where they feel they would like to prioritize spending. At my first wedding (many moons ago), the bulk of the budget went to fantastic champagne. As a lover of the bubbly, I wanted to delight my guests with the best wine possible- and what suffered? my flower arrangements. I did simple potted plants (for a late summer outdoor tented wedding)- which got something on to the table- however in retrospect, I wish I had gone just a little further. For my upcoming wedding the decor will certainly be much different.

But here we are now decorating cakes- and living in NYC there is not a day when I don't walk past a deli with buckets of flowers outside on the sidewalk. In the Winter months there are usually rows and rows of Carnations and various Mums and, of course, the ubiquitous Rose- but now that Spring is here, Lilacs are singing to me and Peonies and bobble headed Tulips.

We've been having a lot of rain here the past few weeks and if not wet, it has certainly been gray. This morning there was a bit of a reprieve- the sun has finally muscled through, and with that a lilt in my step and a flush of inspiration.

Ducking into Trader Joe's to collect a few groceries, I spied along the window a huge row of fresh flower bouquets! Not just clumps of cellophaned single variety- but lovely arrangements. Pretty mixes in hot pinks and reds, oranges and yellows and some bright green and burgundy. And even better- They were $3.99 a bunch!!!

So I grabbed a few and here is what became of them. Same cake- our Florentine Swirl design in buttercream- and the same flowers- but several different ideas.

The bouquets consisted of Roses in hot pink and deep red, and freesia in purple and pink. There were some green leaves in there too- a waxy long leaf- used as a filler. Altogether I purchased 3 bunches. Again- same cake, same flowers- different looks.

The first cake is only the roses- I made up easy, graceful groupings- not too ordered and a pretty mix of each type of rose. The stems were taped with florist tape and finished pretty. They may either be tucked into the cake, or laid alongside.

The second cake is a generous grouping of the roses on top and then on the bottom a parade of heads around the base of the cake. The rest of the tiers were sprinkled with petals to add lightness and romance.

The third cake used the alstromeria too. A ring of the alstromeria ringed the top tier and then the roses were nestled in between as a topper. Then sporadically simple little groupings of flowers scattered here and there. Again- not too organized, just something that made the eye flow from one to the other.

Lastly- a bit more involved. I purchased at NY Cake and Baking Supply a few things-

The first is a Wilton Crystal Look Bowl insert that is intended for placing flowers underneath and between column separated tiers. It's a clear, fluted plastic bowl in two pieces. I just used one half (it comes in two pieces). I then bought:
2 sets of Wilton Fresh Flower Holders (4 all together). They are white plastic cups that are semi circular and also have a long lip that you can tuck into or under the cake to secure them to it.
A pair of Wilton plain plastic separator plates, without the columns.
A block of floral Oasis from Jumali Garden Supply
A small quantity of hot pink grosgrain ribbon 7/8" from Pacific Trimming Enterprise

I then hot glued together the bowl half to the smooth side of the separator plate. The little knobs on the bottom help to secure the plate into the cake icing and anchor it.

I'm not a fan of the bright white plastic of the flower holders, so I glued on a strip of ribbon. I've also been known to paint these plastic things with a craft latex paint- you can even antique them up- it's stunning!

The next step was to soak the florist oasis in cold water and allow it to sit for a good 15 minutes. You really want the water to soak in. Then the Oasis was trimmed and put into the cup holders.

The flowers were then arranged in the cups and bowl to my satisfaction. I used some of the filler leaves for this one too. The benefit of this method is you really don't have flowers touching the cake at all, and they make for easy removal when its time to cut and serve the cake. In addition the oasis offers the flowers water to drink, so they stay fresh throughout the reception.

These flower holders may also be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge overnight before putting them on the cake.

Please let us know what you think- and certainly if you try it!

Crystal decorations-More DIY bling

noreply@blogger.com (Gail {ASimpleCake.com}) — Sat, 07 May 2011 18:27:00 +0000

Like I said in the previous post, that was just the beginning of some of the things we found to decorate A Simple Cake at Shine Trim. As their business card says, "brilliant embellishments..." I wholeheartedly agree!

For this cake, which is our Ribbon Band design, I purchased 4" ivory satin ribbon from Pacific Trimming (see previous post for info), about 6 yards for this cake. Then using 3, 4" crystal buckles I threaded the ribbon through, leaving swallow tail ends. I positioned the ribbon to go at different directions, which was a secondary thought. At first I had the buckles lined up like soldiers in a row, but then didn't like the severity of that. A little more softness, a little more ease was needed. For the top of the cake I used a set of our Garden Rose decorations from our collection. In the end, a swanky and romantic cake.

When Helen and I first started talking she immediately brought up how much the rhinestone ribbon was requested. No argument, it's stunning. She offers several different thicknesses (rows of stones). At first I did the classic band around the bottom of each tier- ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with that, but I wanted something a little more.

Using the rhinestone hairpins (not listed on the site, but she has them) I laid a second row of the ribbon on the top tier and then using a hat pin attached the large lacy brooch as an accent. For a little warmth I wrapped the bottom tier with 4" satin ivory ribbon- the next time I would add a thiiiiin ring of rhinestones at the bottom to give it weight- but didn't have any for this shoot.

One could easily be tempted to add feathers and such to the top of this cake. Floppy white calla lilies would be divine or even luscious peonies...

And now lastly, my beauty. 4" silvery gray ribbon wrapped the cake and then I got an accenting taupe ribbon (2") to enhance the top. The two Autumn Leaf pins are just so stunning and so graceful. I thought about how they could be representative of the bridal couple. I simply pinned them into the cake and then used another hat pin underneath to prop up the leaves so they hung nicely.

Helen was nice enough to lend me all of these pins and they have since been returned- but I think I really need to go purchase them for myself....