Graduation and Summer Lovin...

 Going to all the graduation ceremonies is always fun!  This year I made our cousin's graduation cake.  She graduated from middle school and so I made a three tier cake in her school colors. 

The cake is frosted with buttercream and the purple accents are made with fondant.  I had so much fun making this cake and it was a big hit at her graduation celebration!  She was totally surprised.  I'm personally proud as this is one of the most detailed cakes I have done recently and the first time I attempted the quilted pattern design which came out beautifully.

A lot has happened since I was last on....I now have a facebook page for my business and am excited to finally be spreading the word!  I have drawings for free treats if you are a member so look it up, its called cakes by j. 

This week I'm working on a fiftieth birthday cake for a Nascar fan and an end of the school year party cake.  Next week a baby shower cake!!  Exciting busy times ahead...I love it!  Keep those orders coming!!  ;)

Spring Birthday and California Dreamin!

So recently I made a cake with a Spring theme.  It was for a first birthday and turned out sweet....here are the pics.

This order was for two cakes....one for the guests and one for the birthday girl.  This flower cake was for the guests and has candy ladybugs on the side.

Here is the ladybug cake...

So this week I have plans on making a California Dreamin cake.  I miss living in California and lately I have been reminded of my home in many ways so I've decided to make a cake about it.  :) 
This cake will be a challenge for me but I'm excited!!  It will be three layers with each layer representing what I love and miss about Cali.  The bottom layer will be the beach, the middle layer will be family and friends, and the top layer will be Disney!  Can't wait to get started and post some pics!  Wish me luck...

Till next time...

My Latest Creation...

   I was asked to make an Angry Birds cake for an 11 year old boy's birthday.  For those of you that don't know, Angry Birds is an extremely addicting game that you can play on your phone or online that involves using a sling shot to fly birds into these wooden structures where pigs are awaiting their destruction.  I have become addicted to this game...I admit it!  ;)
  So back to the cake.  I thought it would be really neat to re create a scene from the game on top of the cake so here it is....

 I made the Angry Birds out of Cake pops and used graham crackers for the wooden structure.  The customer loved this cake and I am extremely proud of it!  I had a little trouble with the sling shot and now have decided to invest in some gum paste and fondant classes.  If you know of any good classes let me know.  I have done some research online and have tried a few tricks of the trade but I am a hands on learning kind of girl and I know that is what you get with classes.

 More cakes coming soon.  I am making an FC Dallas soccer cake for a friend's birthday this weekend and will post pics soon.  By the way, I'm still thinking of names.  I've gotten a few suggestions.... "Frosted"  "Jewels Cakes" (cute...my daughter.)  And I've thought of "Sugar Cakes" or "Cutsie Cakes"  If you have any suggestions send them my way!  Thats all for now....

So all the good names are taken....

    I'm going to put it out there and ask for suggestions for a possible cake business name.  Any ideas?  So far I have come up with Frosted Pink which I love but already exists.  Sugar Sugar so cute but also already exists.  All Things Sweet which is not taken but I'm just not "sold" on it.  Send me your thoughts and suggestions would love to hear what you can come up with.

   In the meantime I will keep practicing and filling orders....

  Here is one I made recently with my first attempt at gum paste flowers.  Gum paste is very tricky to work with and the only suggestion I have is to make sure you have the appropriate model frames, i.e. a curved piece of plastic for flowers that retails for $10 for a kit that I "thought" wasn't needed...ha!  I was wrong....well here is my attempt.  Don't mind the vain family statement...we enjoyed eating it!  ;)

 Keep those orders coming!  I'm having fun with some of your design requests...



And the adventure begins...

  Today I officially start selling my cakes.  I'm so excited and know that this is going to be an exciting new chapter in my life.  I enjoy making and decorating cakes as it is kind of therapeutic to me.  Something about creating a masterpiece that just soothes your soul and makes you feel good.  I love the look on people's faces as they see the cakes I create. 
  Here are some of my cakes I have created with fondant.  Fondant is pretty tricky and I finally came up with a recipe that is appetizing! I'm so excited...I make it with marshmallows and flavoring.  The kids love it!  Let me know what you think...

  The customer of this cake specifically asked for the number 15 which is why its on the cake rather than Lightning McQueen's number.  The number one was pretty tricky to get on the cake but I am happy with how the overall appearance came out.

    This cake was for an owl baby shower theme.  The inside of the cake was layered with chocolate and vanilla which gave a zebra pattern.  I gave the baby owl blue eyes to symbolize she was having a boy.  This cake was for a good friend of mine and I know that everyone enjoyed the cake!
 
So this week I am going to make some sample cakes!  Look for those and I may have a giveaway!!

Hello Cake friends!!

    So this is my first blog for my cakes.  Growing up my mother would always make our birthday cakes and cakes for other occasions.  I admired my mother for her talent and secretly knew that one day I would be doing the same thing for my kids.  And so we have a beginning....I owe this all to my mother and my kids!  My mother gives me the inspiration I need to succeed in making these works of art while my kids give me the motivation and reason for making the cakes in the first place.  I have always been a creative person at heart but never really had a chance to show it.  Now I can show my creativity through my cakes!  My most recent cake is the silly strings and balloons cake pictured here.

   This was the first time I made cake balls, which I enlisted the help of a close friend who has plenty of experience.  These will most certainly not be my last as I enjoyed making them and had fun experimenting with the designs.  This cake was for my daughter's eleventh birthday which she wanted a "crazy fun cake."  How much more fun can you get than with silly string and balloons!  I absolutely love this cake and am very proud of it.  So the surprise to the cake was the inside which I layered to represent a tie dye effect.  It turned out great!

  She loved the inside of the cake and the colors turned out perfect!  Some of the kids at the party didn't try the cake...I think out of fear they would taste the coloring.   The cake was a vanilla cake and tasted just like it...the yucky dye taste that can sometimes happen with frosting didn't exist with this cake!  Yippee!

Well, this is all for now...I hope you will continue to read my blog and watch me grow my cake business!!