Ocassionally there's a cake made here!

It seems like lately I've been so busy with things other than actual cakes. I'll go so far as to tell you I've actually been asked recently if I still make them! Of course I do! Here's a little peek at a cake from Halloween weekend for a surprise birthday party at the Red Mill Inn in Baldwinsville. The guest of honor's wife and MIL asked for a MacKenzie Childs-ish cake in square with fall colored sugar flowers and a hand cut guitar topper out of gum paste. I think we delivered. Hope you all had a great time, thanks again for your order Roxanne and Danielle, it was a pleasure!

Every girl's first cupcake should be this grand...

I had so much fun creating this little cutie, it was a real joy to design this cake for one of my favorite families (between mom and daughter #1 they've become welcomed regulars). The cake for Audrey's first birthday was based on a handful of photos that were sent to me and a copy of the invite - with a cupcake on it of course. We needed to pump up the colors just a tiny bit, and make the cupcake the focal point. I love that Audrey's mom let me sort of do my own thing with the cake within the idea range she sent me. They loved it!

Birthday girl was napping at delivery time so I'll have to wait to see her reaction in photos; I especially hope to see her with her very own little coordinating "smash cake" sitting to the side of the cake. I make those for every first birthday cake I do as my little gift - hey...gotta get 'em hooked young! ;-)

The bottom cake is a 4 layer 10" round Caramel Apple cake (one of my signature flavors) and the cupcake was made using a couple 6" layers, a 7", and half of a ball pan. No giant cupcake pan here, just a little carving and voila! Add some delicious butter cream, made from scratch fondant and a chocolate #1 and there you have it - a first birthday cupcake fit for a princess!

After delivering the cake, I took my own little cupcakes out for a great day of some very last minute back to school shopping. It was a terrific day all around!

Cheers!

Or should I say, "have a frosty one on me"?

A fun little cake for today's pick up. This little bugger(er...mugger?) is on it's way to a surprise party for the client's 80 year old mother.

I typically find out what the client or recipient likes to do for a hobby, or maybe even their occupation, or I'll ask for favorite colors or flowers, etc. We didn't really know what direction we were headed with this order, those questions were met with little response. When I asked what does she like to do..."she loves beer" was the response.

With a little laugh I suggested a big ol' beer mug and boy was I surprised when that comical idea was met with an overwhelming YES! Of course I wondered if this was the most tasteful way to go and the response was a very clear "have you met my mother?!"

Indeed I have...we think she'll like her cake. I hear it's been fun keeping the party a surprise. The countdown has started, we'll see if she is blown away by the effort her family made to make today special.

Of course she'll love it, who wouldn't? I love it when I can be part of such a terrific event, comical or sober (bad pun sorry). Clients who work hard to make an awesome surprise party for their mom....hey, I'll drink to that!

That stand is the Boss, man!

So I finally did it...bought an awesome cupcake stand instead of making them all the time. Because let's face it, at some point one really just needs to eliminate unnecessary work and make things just a tiny bit easier. Picture me, planning and baking, baking and creating; wondering just how in the heck am I going to get that stand made for a last minute order when I am already neck high in sugar and butter?

Boss Manufacturing to the rescue!! I'd had them in the back of my mind for some time, but just put off buying anything in the past. I am so totally at the point where saving a buck does NOT always overrule my own time and effort. And really, sometimes it's ok to just buy it elsewhere...not to mention one tiny little detail...this stand is AWESOME!

I looked them up online at www.bossmanufacturing.com, I gave them a call very early in the morning expecting a machine to answer and low and behold I got a live person and Julie helped me place my order for this stand in silver powdercoat. I was done in less than 10 minutes and because I needed the stand right away we went with 3 day shipping...can I just tell you I got it in 2 days!

For the cupcake tree pictured above, I removed one of the plates, so they are slightly versatile in that way. The event planners that ordered the cupcakes loved the display and the stand itself. it's easy enough to dress it up just a bit if you like that sort of thing, but really it can totally stand on it's own.

So thanks Boss...your customer service and your stands rock!

This stand is now in my arsenal of items you can use with your cake orders or rent when it's available.

This birthday is in the bag!

So, today is my step-dad's birthday. I thought it would be fun to give him a perfectly fitting cake. We celebrated with his league night buddies at the little clubhouse at Apple Creek Country Club on Mariposa Road just outside of DeRuyter. A new course still in it's youth; nurtured by my family.

Me, I stick to cakes, but Ron, Danielle, and RJ along with all their dedicated staff and loyal volunteers and supporters have this course well on it's way to becoming a favorite for a challenging round or two. Check it out! www.applecreekcc.com.

As for the cake...as usual it was up to par!

groan....