Groom's Cake - Soldier Field & Wrigley Field Combined

Chantelle wanted me to do her wedding and groom cakes, but after much prayer and discussion my husband and I decided it was too hard to do large wedding cakes in our small kitchen at this time in my life.  I still offered to do the groom's cake and was excited about being able to do a groom's cake without also doing the wedding cake.  Wedding cakes are always such large structures, that I have to spend more time on them!!  

Chantelle wanted two half stadiums (baseball and football) put together.  At first I thought there was NO way, since the fields are such different shapes and sizes.  We spent a lot of time studying and researching both and discussed it with Chantelle a second time.  She told us we could do whatever we wanted to do, just to tie in both the Bears and the Cubs together... although she still liked her two stadium combo cake idea! 

Even as we started this cake we were not sure where we were going with it... so I took pictures as we went along!  The shape is a football stadium.  But on the outside we decorated one side as Soldier Field and the other side we decorated for Wrigley Field. The cake is carrot cake (Orry's favorite cake) with cream cheese frosting.

Fondant/Gum paste Wrigley Field Sign

On our Wrigley sign, we put Chantelle and Orrin's names! I always tell my students to practice writing on something before putting it on the 'real' cake or item...  After YEARS of decorating I still practice, as you can see on the wax paper!!

Wrigley Field brick wall and vines

On the inside of the Wrigley field, we put ivy on a brick wall. One thing Chantelle mentioned she would like. (Picture taken before 'people' added.)

Stadium advertisements

On the inside of the Bears Stadium, we put advertisements (what is a sporting event without some of those? LOL - picture also taken before 'people' added.)

Close up of Soldier Field side.... love the lights!!

Front of Soldier Field

 On each side, we also put a cap/helmit and a ball to go along with the 'sport' represented. 

Here is the cake at the wedding reception near the wedding cake!! 

Joseph's Birthday - July 4th, 2012

At first, Joseph told me he didn't want a birthday cake this year... but the night before he changed his mind.  After looking online with his sister, Joy, they picked one similar to this - a nice July 4th themed cake!  The thing he liked the most on this one was the 'banner' with the birthday message on it.  

This is a triple chocolate cake with butter cream frosting covered in fondant - another of Joseph's favorites! It was quickly made and put together on the 4th of July since we had other things going on too.  Good thing it was a simple design!!

We bought some new items from Wilton recently and it was fun to be able to use them on this cake!

Carrot Cake

For Sunday I made a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.  Around the sides I put crushed pecans...  since that is the big thing to do now on the food channels!!   There is a simple shell border around the bottom and carrots on top. 





One of the first techniques that I teach in the Wilton Basics Course is to do dimensional decorating (piping).  The carrots are made using this technique.

A New Cake for the Hobby Lobby Display Case

Basket Weave Cake with Royal Frosting Flowers

     My first cake for the Hobby Lobby display case did not work too good.  The sun shines into the case and melts the fat in the frosting and turns the frosting weird colors...  So, this is plan B and I am hoping it will at least last longer than 3 weeks!!  It is made out of royal frosting - a frosting that has no fat and dries hard.  I also made the colors a little lighter so that they will not fade as quickly as a dark or bright color.

     The sides of this cake have a basket weave design and a reverse shell border on the top and bottom of the cake.  The roses, violets, apple blossoms, basketweave, and reverse shell border all come from Course 2 - Flowers and Cake Design!! 

     I am also working on a fondant cake to add to the display, just not sure how the sun will affect the fondant. A gift cake with a big bow on top would look awesome, but the heat would possibly make the bow fall flat.   Gum paste flowers from the Advanced Gum Paste Course 4 might be the way to go and it will help advertise Course 4 for the month of August!!

     Thanks for stopping by!!

Joy's Birthday Cake

Wilton Roses on white chocolate cake and frosting with raspberry filling!

Here is my daughter Joy's birthday cake!  She didn't care about it being pretty, she wanted it to taste good!  She chose white chocolate cake, raspberry filling, and with white chocolate frosting.

White chocolate frosting is very hard to work with!  It is hard to smooth nicely and also hard to pipe.  I was still happy with the end results.  I was hoping Joy would be able to help with this cake, but she was busy working with the Netcaster team that was at our church that week.  At least she was able to be home on her birthday!!

Thank You Cake

 Here is a cake given as a thank you.  Debby E. had surgery several weeks ago and her husband and their dog have been taking great care of her!  She asked for a small white cake with white frosting.  We talked about doing a bandaid cake, but when she sent us a picture of Curly and their dog, Daisy, I couldn't resist using it. 

The picture was printed with edible ink on potato paper. The frame is made of fondant that has been indented to look like wood, then painted with food coloring and flavoring.  The roses are simple rose buds, knowing that Debby loves roses, it seemed like a good choice!! 


This was a fun cake to make!  Hopefully Debby will be up and around SOON... we really miss her!!

Hobby Lobby Display Case

There is a display case at Hobby Lobby for me to advertise the Wilton Method classes.   I have papers about each course with pictures from the techniques taught with each course (Wilton provides them online for me to copy and use.)  I also have my class times also for those interested and Wilton papers with my information on them and the link to this blog. I also have a 'cake' that I made.

 The cake is actually a piece of styrofoam covered in Wilton Frosting and shells taught in the first class.  The violets made with royal frosting are taught in the second class.  The only problem I am having right now is that the sun shines into the foyer area and is slowly messing up the frosting.  I will have to redo this and will have to use solid white to frost it in.  The white should not show up the problems as easily.

Nurse Graduation Cake

Nurse Graduation Cake

 Phil P sent me a message on Facebook several months ago asking if I would make a Nurse Graduation Cake for his wife (and my friend) Annie.  I asked for a few ideas of what they wanted, then started researching it online.  I looked at real pictures of nursing items and also looked at how other cake decorators made each of these items.  Each cake I looked at had different things I did and did not like. 

 Annie's favorite flavor of cake is lemon, so the top layer and the hat is triple lemon cake with lemon cream cheese frosting.  The bottom layer is a triple chocolate pound cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting.

 Everything on this cake is edible - gum paste, fondant, buttercream frosting, royal frosting, food writers and food coloring.    I was able to make almost everything I wanted to except a thermometer.  Time ran out unfortunately...

But I was able to get:  a prescription bottle with top and pills, bandage roll, band aids,  tweezers, nursing cap, diploma with Trinity's school colors, hypodermic needle, and pink stethoscope.  The bottle has Annie's graduation date and her cell phone number on it! 

 The last touch was a message handwritten by Phil to Annie.  He planned this party for her and the cake was his idea...  nothing like a personal message from him!

Thanks for looking!  

Wilton Classes

I began teaching Wilton Classes at the Hobby Lobby in Bettendorf, IA last month.   I love Wilton products, I love to teach, and I love cake decorating - so it seems like the perfect job for me!!  It started out slow with only 3 students my first month, but this month I have 4 classes with a total of 21 students! In fact, we were not quite prepared for the great turn out this month with many people signing up in the last few days before the class started!

I love the Wilton Method and how it can teach everyone to make a great looking cake!  Here are a few cakes from my students this past week.  Not sure why they came through sideways... they are lined up correctly on my card and my computer.  After several tries, I gave up, maybe I will come back and try it again another day!  

If you are interested in classes go to http://www.hobbylobby.com/home.cfm and click on the .store finder.  Put your zip code in and click on 'class schedule' to see each month's schedule.  I hope to see you soon!!

  

MD-11 Birthday Cake

MD - 11 airplane cake

 Nick turned 25 today!  Over a month ago he told me his favorite airplane was an MD-11.  His dad flies this type of airplane for UPS. After some research online and some planning, I decided to make it with all sugar.  The base of the airplane, wings, and tail are all made with gum paste. The body of the plane is layered with royal frosting and cake.  Butter frosting and fondant cover over everything for a smoother surface.  It is painted with food writers and lots of food coloring. 

UPS airplane cake

The airplane cake sits on a triple chocolate cake decorated to look like a runway with butter cream frosting.

I had a few problems and will do things differently if I ever make another airplane.  I will have to get a wooden base for the bottom of the plane, because the moisture of the frosting made the gum paste flexible and start to sink at the back.

Airplane Cake

I love a challenge and when I first thought of this cake, I did not think I could do it!!  The more I planned, the more I thought it MIGHT work.  I was still wondering this morning before I layered the fondant on!!  Once it held together, my only worry was getting it on the cake and staying...   Let's just say, pictures were taken quickly!!  lol

Happy Birthday!