I’m chief cake baker for most birthdays for our family. It’s definitely what one would say is a labour of love. My favourite part is always the “cake reveal” when you get to see the recipient’s happiness at something created just to celebrate their special date.

Initially my just-turned-seven year old niece wanted the same cake as her older sister – a flower cake. But when I checked in a week before, flowers were were out and cats were in.

No problem, I said, as I quickly pivoted and got on board with the feline cake theme.

I love this adorable cake. I made a chocolate cake with buttercream icing. Both recipes from Jenna Rae Cakes. 

Gotta love those smooth edges. 

This cake required painting on buttercream. To do this technique you have to make sure your buttercream is nice and cold! The eyes, whiskers and mouth were made from black Masters Elite powder and vodka. The hint of blush on the cheeks was Wilton’s petal dust in pink. And the ears, nose and paws were made from gum paste (you could also use fondant if you want but I had the gum paste out already). A finished everything off with a little dusting of gold dust to give the cake some sparkle!

This might be my new favourite make!

This is my rendition of a gumpaste peony. While I taught gumpaste flowers as part of the cake decorating classes that I led years ago, peonies wheren’t the “it” flower back then like they are now so I had to improvise. I didn’t have the peony cutters so instead I used three different sizes of heart cutters and shaped and molded them accordingly. I’m actually really happy with how this flower turned out. 

This is after I coloured the leaves with pink petal dust. 

I’ll be sure to share the final look (I even steamed my flowers to finish them off) after the birthday girl has seen her cake!

Have you been doing any baking or cake decorating lately? What’s one creative thing you’ve done previously that you’d love to give a try again?

It’s become an annual tradition to make croissants on New Year’s Day! The first Croissant Days were developed after a desire to recreate a certain croissant experience had in New York City – a little coffee, a little pain au chocolate! 

I can taste that lil Dean & Deluca’s pain au chocolate and coffee like it was yesterday!

My go-to recipe for croissants comes from Peter Reinhart’s book Artisan Bread Everyday. It’s been a staple recipe and every year I make it I feel like I learn something new. Like the time I set the oven on fire because I didn’t use a rimmed baking pan and the butter melted out on to the oven element. Or the year we tried to use home-made butter thinking we were going next level but in fact it had a different water content that affected the croissants in a less than ideal manner!

Let me tell you – butter is everything in this recipe.

I had my expert baking assistant with me this year. She’s a pro and takes baking very serious.

Also – croissant making is hard work! 

We made both chocolate and Swiss cheese and ham versions. I have become very partial to a savoury croissant over the years. 

Regardless of what kind you make, nothing beats seeing that flaky goodness!

Have you made croissants? What is your favourite recipe that’s become an annual tradition? 

Recently I took a fabulous class featuring this cookbook.

I’ve been decorating cakes for longer than I care to admit and have even taught classes for a while. My Mom got me interested in this. She took all the Wilton’s cake decorating classes in the 80s and made all our birthday cakes.

I love a good excuse to bake. I learned a few new tricks with this class and got to try out a few new products that I’ve seen on Instagram.

The first new item I tried was this vanilla bean paste that I ordered from Flour Confections. I used regular vanilla extract in the cake because that get’s baked in and I figured the cotton candy flavouring would overpower the vanilla anyway. But in the icing, I used the paste. OMG – it makes ALL the difference.

The second item I used was some new decorating pigments. I’ve seen them used a lot on instagram. I’m used to using paste but a lot of mine are quite old (embarrassingly old). I have started switching to gel colouring which produces a nice colour but it still adds some moisture to whatever you are adding the colouring too.

This is a dry pigment called Master Elite from The Sugar Art. You use less than a 1/4 tsp for most projects. 

Look at the saturation of colour in my cake batter!

Goodness!! That colour is perfect.

The class was an hour and a half long and you prepped some of the stuff in advance. Or, watched it through once and then walked through it a second time while you did your cake. I learned so many new tips. For years I resisted using a dough lifter to smooth my cakes. I can’t explain way… I was just taught to use my decorating spatula. But the dough lifter makes all the difference. 

Of course, my little kitchen helper was right in there for the classes. I made her cupcakes that she could decorate on her very own. Without any guidance or instruction from me she just got right to it. Honestly, I think she does a better job than I did!!

The sprinkles were her favourite part though!

So happy with this cake. 

Elliana loved her cupcakes so much that we snacked on those before we got to the cake!

But there was cake!

Have you been doing any online classes during these different times? What’s your vote on sprinkles? Extra or minimal?            

But I stole away a few hours on Sunday afternoon to work on this cute little project. 

I recently was able to pick up a few metres of gorgeous knit fabric from Blended Threads. I purchased these off someone who had a few extra metres to sell but I have been following their pre-orders for a while. Their fabrics have the most beautiful, saturated patterns and colours. And it’s a perfect garment sewing weight. This could be dangerous!

The pattern is from Ellie and Mac and is a bundle pack of the Going Home sweater. I made the tunic length in a size 5 for my there year old (how is she in a size 5 already)??

I can see making this pattern a lot and would love to make the adult version of this tunic! 

Elliana was excited to see her new top after she woke up from her Sunday afternoon nap and tried it on immediately for me.

I’d say she likes it, wouldn’t you? 

Have you found time for sewing lately? Are you ready for the holidays?