Beer Mug Cake

I created this Beer Mug Cake for my friends' birthdays! First, I made a Guinness chocolate cake .! which I baked in four layers of 6 in rounds. In between each layer of cake, I drizzled a liberal amount of caramel topping and added a layer of Guinness buttercream icing as well. I piped vertical lines of dark chocolate Guinness buttercream icing around the mug cake, and used an offset spatula to distress those lines and simulate an oversized mug of beer.
                                                   

I piped large rosettes of creamy foam-like icing over the top of the beer mug cake. I molded a handle out of gumpaste, and used gumpaste as a surface to further decorate the mug and write Prost! (Cheers in German) and Happy Birthday using food-safe markers. I covered a wooden dowel with dark brown tinted gumpaste that I attached to an empty Guinness bottle and let fully dry before inserting into the mug cake in order to create the illusion of pouring a beer into an oversized mug. I accented the finished product with additional caramel drippings and bits of "foam" and "beer".!

Rustic love birds wedding cake

 My sweet friends Olivia & Joey tied the knot today.!! They had a gorgeous rustic wedding with touches of dark purple and burlap, and a love birds theme.

 I made a delicious hummingbird cake and assorted cupcakes.

 First, I applied a thin crumb coat of cream cheese icing and let it set in the refrigerator. Then, I piled on additional icing using a spatula to create a rustic, textured look.

 I added thin ribbons of burlap around the base and middle of the cake to further tie in the rustic theme.

 Olivia bought this adorable love birds topper- it matched perfectly! Too cute.

 I used gumpaste (an edible clay-like substance) mixed with purple food gel to form the roses. I also used pearl accents and covered the flowers with a dusting of glittery disco dust for some extra bling.!

I finished the cake off with sprigs of baby's breath. We used a burlap bird runner and a variety of wooden crates and stands to display all the baked goods. We had a gorgeous, perfect day! I'm glad I could be a special part of my wonderful friend's wedding day 💒💑😘💞💍

Beatles cupcakes

 One of my sweet college friends is about to turn 27.!! Where does the time go? .. 27 is my favorite number though so I'm not too worried yet. Anyways, she's an avid Beatles fan like me, so Beatles cupcakes were an obvious choice.! I used gumpaste and different cutters and edible markers to make most of the decorations. I made apples, British flags, all you need is love signs, and stars with different Beatles songs on them. I also used pearl sprinkles, heart sprinkles, and a dousing of glittery disco dust to finish everything off.!

 With leftover batter, I made a small cake that I let her son decorate! He had a blast dumping on piles of brightly colored sprinkles! We had a fun day celebrating his amazing mom!💞

Harley Cake

I made this cake for a sweet lady's son who loves his Harley Davidson motorcycle more than anything else. I fashioned the speed limit sign out of gumpaste and an orange toothpick. I also made the motorcycle out of gumpaste. I recommend letting the wheels dry out as well as the handlebar before trying to build the rest of the bike- I didn't have the time to do that but it was more difficult than it needed to be to stick everything together. I piped the road and border using a variety of decorating tips!

Breakfast at Tiffany's bridal shower cake

 Well this cake has a story.! Glad it all turned out so well :) I got to make a bridal shower cake for one of my good friends- the shower had a surprise theme of breakfast at Tiffany's.! I don't know much about the movie, but I do love the combination of black and blue.! I was away at a cabin this weekend at high altitudes, with no air conditioning and no refrigerator, had to drive down rough, steep mountain roads, and then drive a few hours more to get to the shower in my car with no air conditioning.! But somehow me and the cake both made it intact.! In order to troubleshoot as much as possible, I decided to go with a simple design to lessen the chance of melting or any other catastrophe.

I baked a cake in a 9x13 in pan and in a 9in square pan frosted with icing tinted using a small amount of light blue food gel. I used black icing and a generous amount of sugar pearls to adorn the cake. I used gumpaste to fashion the engagement ring 'O' which I then dusted well with silver shimmer dust and super glittery disco dust for the bling.!

Fishing Cake

I made this cake for my Grandpa's 87th birthday! I'm running out of themes for his cakes- he doesn't have that many other interests. I've already done a garden cake, a crab basket cake, a tractor cake, and a barn and pigs cake for him. Oh well, he seemed to enjoy it! We had a big crab feast and party for him, and so much fun celebrating. First, I baked two 9x13 cakes and let them cool. Then, I stacked them with icing in between, and carved out some of the middle to make a lake, and arranged some of the extra cake pieces to create a hilly landscape. I used kelly green and moss green food gel to make different shades of green grass, which I piped all over the cake using a multi-opening grass tip. To make the cattails, I rubbed green and brown foodgel on thin wooden skewers, and used brown gumpaste to form the top part. I also made the fishing rod out of a wooden skewer, and the worm and hook out of gumpaste- it is attached with floss "fishing wire". I made the lily pads out of gumpaste, and the worms to form 87 out of gumpaste too. I crushed up some oreos for their dirt bed. The fish head and tail I made out of rice krispy treats that I then covered in gumpaste with green and brown food gel, and piped scales on with icing. The finishing touches were adding a small bobber to the fishing rod, and spooning in blue jello "water"!

I had planned for my grandpa's cake, but decided to make an extra accompanying cake for my cousin's friend. He just turned 25, so his worms spell out 25 instead. I used one 9x13 cake cut in half and stacked on top of itself. I looped some wire and stuck it in the cake, then made a small fish out of gumpaste on the wire, leaping out of the water and wearing a party hat. I scooped out the middle of the cake to form a small lake, covered the outside of the cake with more grass, and filled the lake with jello water and lily pads.

We didn't have 87 candles, so I put 8 candles on one side and 7 on the other. This is Grandpa's excited happy face haha.

Bridal Shower Cupcakes

I got to make cupcakes for my wonderful friend Tanesha's bridal shower.!! :) There was a pink and yellow theme, so I made pink, yellow, and white cupcakes. I used a star tip and swirled vanilla buttercream icing on the chocolate cupcakes, finished with a dusting of clear sparkles and  a pink glittery heart. I used a large round tip to ice the pink cupcakes, and accented each with edible sugar pearls. To make the yellow roses, I used a thicker star tip, built up a bit of icing in the middle and then swirled the "petals" around, then sprinkled with yellow sparkles.

 The yellow and pink decorations with black and white accents were beautiful!

Can't wait to celebrate in California at my beautiful friend's wedding this summer :D

Preschool Graduation Cupcakes

 My sweet little nephew just graduated preschool..!!! So next year he will be attending...more preschool.! Luckily for him, he loves everything about it. I had to do something special for my favorite guy :) so I made cupcakes of course.! His graduation was patriotic themed, so full of red, white & blue. First, I baked some (funfetti.!!!) cupcakes. When they were cool enough, I prepared a decorating bag with a large star tip, and brushed one side of the inside of the bag with a stripe of blue food gel and the other side of the inside of the bag with a stripe of red food gel. Then, I filled the bag with white icing and piped a spiral to cover each cupcake; the striping on the inside of the bag created the unique, fun red & blue accents. I also used red, blue, and patriotic star shaped sprinkles for an added patriotic sparkle. Then, I used gumpaste (an edible clay-like substance) to form a variety of preschool graduation related objects- apples, stars, a diploma, a graduation cap, a pencil, and ABC.

We shared the cupcakes with his tee-ball team later that day- everyone loved them!

The National Capital Area Cake Show 2016

 Oh my gosh.!!!! I had an absolute blast at The National Capital Area Cake Show (2016).! My friend found a Groupon for the event, and passed it along since she knows how much I love cake decorating, and we decided we had to be there. What an awesome event.! There were so many inspirational, gorgeous, unbelievably intricate, creative works of art.!! The auditorium was filled with these masterpieces that were on display and judged by all of the attendees as well as professional judges. Several different vendors encircled the cakes, there was a bakesale,  and free demos were offered, as well as the opportunity to take a variety of advanced classes for an additional fee.

I took pictures of most of the entries and compiled them all here, for myself, and for any friends interested in taking a closer look. There were several different divisions, all of which showcased a variety of technical and creative skills and amazing talent. I reallllllly wanted to enter a piece, but didn't have the time to prepare this year. Next year though, I can't wait to take part in the competition!

 It was so interesting watching Isomalt demos- I can't wait to try that technique.! Very neat.

 I love my penguins :)

 I can't get over all the fine details.! So incredibly realistic. It was so inspiring to be around such creativity.!

 One of the division themes was Destination Wedding Cakes. There were several insanely beautiful interpretations of some of the most luxurious, exotic places in the world.!

 The Pixar lamp.!

 There was also a few submissions made of different mediums such as modeling chocolate and sugar work.

 All of the flower work was absolutely unreal.! Beautiful. I love the chalkboard effect!

 Australia Cake.! :) They even have the little blue fairy penguins I got to see during my Phillip Island adventure <3

 We attended a free demo for Cake Lace Flowers (to the left), and then for Gown Embellishing Techniques (the cake to the right). Both were informative and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the Gown Embellishing Techniques by Kathleen Lange because she stressed the importance of learning a variety of skills, and of speed and depth of knowledge and creativity over constantly buying each next new trendy (oftentimes expensive) tool(s). Also because she gets to travel all over the world decorating cakes *sigh* my dream job.!

 We missed the fashion show, but did see the display of edible (.!!!!! crazy right.?!) sugar outfits that were worn by models and accompanied with matching cakes.

 There was also an airbrush competition that we did have the awesome opportunity to watch. The theme was underwater fantasy, and each team had to airbrush models using edible ingredients, and design corresponding cakes. It was so interesting to watch and to hear the artists' inspirations as well as fun elements that were used (including outfits made of wafer paper, gelatin webs, oatmeal accents, using mesh and nets, and so much more.!)

 The sloth riding the turtle is so happy :) -And why shouldn't he be riding a turtle.?!

 These were my two personal favorite cakes. The underwater theme and the jungle theme- both over the top intricate, detailed, amazing, amazing colorful, creative, gorgeous pieces.!! I definitely couldn't imagine wanting to cut into one of them!

We had an amazing time.! I Can't wait for next year :)