Red, White and Blue

Let's welcome the celebration of red, white and blue, also known as America's Independence Day on July 4th.  Like any independence day, this day symbolizes freedom and hope.  With freedom and hope comes the courage to dream and believe in your self.  Amazing things have known to happen when people believe in themselves and pursue their dreams.  Let's salute those who protect our freedom in all walks of life...

Here's the cold, sweet delight that will supplement the hot-off-the-grill barbeques and sparkling fireworks to make your Fourth of July extra special.  A classic butter cake sliced in half and topped with whipped cream and fresh berries.

Petit Fours

A combination of a few walls, a floor and a roof makes a house.  It takes people to turn it into one amazing thing called a HOME.  There really is no place like home.  And a new one always calls for celebrations.  These tiny pieces of cakes called petit fours were made for a housewarming party. 
The name is from the French petit four, meaning "small oven". Petits fours were traditionally made during the cooling process of coal powered, brick ovens in the 18th century. This was due to coal's high burning temperature, relative to wood, and its expense at the time. Wasting the heat produced was not an option.  And what a sweet idea that was...

For Daddy

From fixing our broken toys to mending a broken heart or two...let us thank dads for the strength and protection they bring to our lives.  With the World Cup soccer in the works, what better way to thank him but to bring sweet treats and his game together.  This year's special order consisted of a simple cake with cream cheese frosting and the logo of the World Cup 2010.  Ready, Set...GOAL!

Breakfast Perk

A light drizzle... the feel of the nip in the air outside (despite the month being June)...children sleeping in late...all adds up to the perfect lazy weekend morning.  What better way to enjoy the quiet solace than with some warm banana coffee muffins and a cup of your favorite beverage?  Make a lot, pack some up and it's a perfect breakfast gift to share with some friends as well...

Celebrations...

Congratulations and celebrations, you made me very proud today!  Emilie graduated today from her pre-K class.  Yes, a small achievement but a big milestone.  Today I learnt why graduation is considered to be such a big event in life.  Sure it is an achievement, but it means a lot more than that for the parents of the achiever.  Watching my five year old walk to get her "diploma" gave me a sense of pride and silent joy.  The type that only a soul can cherish and a heart can know.  After all these years, today I realized why my parents had tears in their eyes and a smile on their lips when all I could think of was "thank God" it's over...

The cake was a mellow lemon flavor with cream cheese frosting (both inside and on top).  Edible decorations mimicked things that were part of her life in school: letters, numbers, puzzles, soccer, rainbow and all things bright.

Brownie Favors

Tiny eyes, tiny nose, little fingers and little toes.  These are the cooing delights of a baby.  These mini brownie balls were designed and created to welcome baby during a friend's baby shower.  The brownie balls were drizzled with white chocolate and decorated to mark the special occasion.

Jungle Fun

This order came through while on vacation visiting extended family in Iowa. There was a new addition to the family. My husband's brother/sister-in-law were blessed with their second boy. The company of family members, great food and the activities of a five year old, a four year old, a three year old and a 2 week old all under one roof surprisingly enough was an amazingly fun time. We had summer on our side with warm weather and sending them outdoors was a great refuge when the decibel rose to a certain level inside. My cake adventures were a popular conversation piece and to my disbelief I had a cake order for a birthday party of a 4 year old. I had limited tools at my disposal and time was in short order, so I chose to go with jungle characters which are always a popular theme amongst children. A mellow lemon cake filled with vanilla pudding was the choice. It was topped with cream cheese frosting and sugar-paste animals. There were two things I learnt from this cake: first, cream cheese frosting melts easily in hot weather and does not hold shape well and second, one can always compromise on tools if you stick to the basics of the trade ;)

Polka Dots!

My all time favorite design for summer is polka dots.  Be it a cool cotton dress or a cake.  This was a cake  to say "Thank You" to my family for all that they do for me.  Classic red velvet cake filled with a soft cream cheese frosting and topped with cherry flavored fondant dots made this a very delicious treat. We ended up sharing it with one of our neighbors :)

Birthday Bliss

A birthday is a special day.  When a wedding anniversary falls on the same day, it's extra special.  This cake was a representation of a birthday and wedding anniversary rolled in one.  The white fondant decorations were reminiscent of the wedding day and the colorful icing decorations celebrated another year of life!  Red velvet cake with whipped cream filling completed the whole ensemble. 

Petite Delights

Miniature red velvet cupcakes topped with white chocolate designs are a great way to treat yourself without the guilt.  The rich, smooth velvety texture of the cake combined very well with the crunch of the white chocolate on top.  Go RED!

Cupcake Bonanza!

A Very Happy Mother's Day!  A simple and elegant way to wish all the mothers you know is to treat them to some special cupcakes and flowers.  Here are this year's cups of love decorated in whipped cream and butter cream icing and topped with edible flowers.  I hope the lucky Moms find a quiet time to enjoy the special treats sent by their special friends...

Summer Fruits

The hot summer months are relieved by the bountiful sweet berries and fruits everywhere.  A doubly delicious way to thank teachers who do a marvelous job all year round is to put some 'fruits' on a cake!  This cake was a classic butter golden vanilla cake filled with pistachio flavored pudding made from whipped cream and butter.  The cake was finished off with whipped cream frosting and loaded with a basket full of edible 'fruits'.

May Flowers...

  
April showers bring May flowers...  As the sun starts to peep through the clouds with the promise of warm, sunny days ahead, we welcome the month of May.  May is full of exciting events to look forward to.  Summer vacations, Mother's Day, ice cream trucks... This Mother's Day cake consisted of a rich chocolate cake filled with strawberries and chocolate mousse.  The topping was a whipped cream frosting with edible flowers for decoration.

Spring Hues in Chocolate...

I am soon coming to the realization that chocolate is as versatile as dessert can be.  Here is a beautiful example of how it can be presented in many forms, colors and shapes.  The cups were molded out of white chocolate dyed with food colors (yes, they are completely edible!). The filling was a chocolate mousse consisting of chocolate pudding and whipped cream.   My preferred way of serving this was by pairing a chilled bowl with a very chewy and warm fudge stick.  The warm brownie dipped in the cold and airy mousse created a delectable texture/taste.  Let's celebrate Spring hues in the many moods of chocolate...

Edible Car

This is an edible candy car inspired by the movie Cars.  The technique: Pick a picture. Lay acetate film on top. Trace the picture using molten candy of various colors using piping bags with a fine tip.  Let the candy set. Voila!  A 100% edible car made entirely out of sugar, butter, cocoa and flavor.  This was my first attempt at the transfer technique with chocolate/candy melts. I will perhaps use this art form on one of my cakes soon.

A Purple Delight

Quick! Grab a spoon and dig in!  This one won't last long on the plate...This is an individual serving of a flan enriched with seasonal black plums. This is the first time I tried my hand at a flan with fruits.  Traditionally, I use bread with milk, cream and eggs for my flan recipes. I am still debating whether this is best served warm or cold...

April Fool's Cake

Okay, so if it's April, shouldn't the cake be decorated in Spring colors? Yes and no.  First of all this is not your typical cake.  It's chocolate fudge topped with mousse and wrapped in an envelope of white chocolate which serves as the bowl.  It could very well have been done in Spring colors...but then how would it be April's Fool?  :)

A Little Bite of Heaven

The hint of summer ahead and luscious berries lure the soul.  This is what I like to call a little bite of heaven. Individualized treats consisting of layers of cake, whipped cream, fresh strawberries and topped with a touch of cocoa powder that is sure to win your guests.  Eat just one or eat them all.

A Lil' Baby Splash

Babies are special. Always. Everywhere. A baby shower cake is extra special and made with love. This one was made for a shower with the theme of little yellow ducks.  Fondant and sugar-paste combination was used to mold the figurines and animals.  Cream cheese frosting covered a vanilla cake filled with strawberries and whipped cream. Congratulations Gina and Craig!

A Berry Happy Birthday

My daughter is FIVE years old!  She is into fairies, princesses and Strawberry Shortcake characters.  So I put together this garden party cake for her birthday with all edible decorations. Dolls, daisies, bumble bees and the strawberries were made out of sugar paste and fondant.  It was a huge hit with her friends and teachers at school.

Baby Bear

How do you thank a friend who throws your baby shower?  Thank you cards are nice but for something a little more unusual, I would recommend this: a sweet and simple "baby" cake made just for her to show your appreciation. 

Berry Burst Cheesecake

A comforting dessert for a simple gathering of friends at dinner is my all time favorite-cheesecake.  With spring close by and summer drawing near, berries come to mind.  Here in the northwest where we live, berries are not only plentiful but their colors and varieties are as lively as their tastes.  A raspberry cream cheese with glazed raspberries on a bed of your favorite cookies makes for the perfect delight.  I like to serve a slice with a small dollop of whipped cream. 

Tutti-Fruity

As we fall into March, we welcome Spring in many parts of the world.  Festivals, parties, Spring break and the list goes on. Why not?  There's so many reasons to celebrate.  My daughter's birthday, the colorful foliage everywhere, new leaves indicating new life...I laid down a table setting full of flowers for this (cake).  Fondant draped down the sides in a tablecloth like appearance and edible flowers on top.  Colorful pebbles can be an alternative touch to this simple, yet elegant design.

Fluttering Hearts! (Fudge Brownie)

This request came from my significant other.  I found him rummaging through my pantry one evening.  I chose to ignore the signs but out "it" came along with a gleeful smile- a box of brownie mix.  Continuing in my "February is the month for brown and pink" I made this fudge brownie topped with cranberry cream cheese swirls in shapes of hearts and butterflies.   It brought a lot of love in the house and to some lucky few the next day (I had to get rid of the leftovers, else he would have eaten the whole treat!)

The Love Bug

This cake was made from the left over batter from the lemon mellow cup cakes I made for a friend.  The moist cake was filled with raspberry whipped cream frosting and topped with a mix of whipped cream and buttercream frosting.  I thought the lady bug and the small flowers would add a touch to signal the onset of Spring...

A Cup of Love

I had to make several cup cakes for some friends.  With it still being the month of February I decided to add a touch of romance to the bite.  I came up with this cupcake covered with raspberry whipped cream frosting and topped with a raspberry, a chocolate ball and a filigree heart made of dark chocolate.

Be Mine, Valentine (cookies)

Every year Valentine's Day rolls around and I find myself baking for friends, family and my daughter's preschool.  This year I came up with these decadent sugar cookies draped in chocolate ganache and topped with mini fondant decorations and sugar crystals.  It was a superhit!

A Chocolate Affair

A dinner invitation to a friend's place in February can only mean 2 things: chocolate and roses.  I like to believe that every month is full of specific colors that make it unique. February is brown and pink/red.  So I made a mini cake -a classic yellow covered in chocolate ganache and topped with fondant mini-roses/leaves.

Happy Anniversary

January is a month for gifts and sugar in our house.  Our wedding anniversary and my birthday to be more precise.  It's also the month of white (snow) all around in many parts of the northern hemisphere.  Also, in the western countries most weddings celebrate in white.  (In the eastern world, weddings are typically full of colors- the louder the better).  Happy Anniversary is a strawberry flavored mini-cake filled with vanilla pudding.  The cake was covered first in butter cream frosting and then wrapped in a delicious wedding white fondant that reminded us of our original wedding cake (yes we got married in the USA)...

Tangerine Cheesecake

Happy Birthday to me!  (Now be nice, and please don't ask my age...) I love cheesecakes.  So I thought of treating myself to one on my own special day.  Tangerine cheesecake was made from cream cheese, eggs, orange juice, orange zest and a cookie crust.  I think it went down fairly well with everyone at home too as there were no leftovers :)

Ribbons of Cranberry (Cheesecake)

Long and cold winter months, rain everday and gray everywhere around where I live.  I needed to bring home some cheer.  Sugar is always the answer (literally and figuratively).  So I found myself baking a delicious cheesecake with a crust of Oreo cookies and topped it off with ribbons of cranberry- whipped cream.  This one didn't even last 24 hours!

Princess Anisha

This Princess cake was made for a little girl who was fond of pink, purple and princesses.  Inspite of the favorite colors on the princess, all the little girl wanted to do was pick the yellow stars and eat them off the cake.  The cake was a multi-colored cake with a filling of vanilla pudding. Buttercream frosting was used for the gown, necklace and bodice.

Happy Miss Sunshine

This cake really should be called "Time Pass".  There was no occasion and I was bored out of my mind so Happy Miss Sunshine happened.  This was a German Chocolate cake filled with a layer of coconut-pecan filling. Iced with whipped cream frosting and dressed in strawberry slices and m&m's, I think it looked happy happy.
 

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

My son's second birthday and Disney characters were pretty much ruling our house.  I simply cannot forget how he dances to the closing tune of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series on TV.  This is also one of my proudest creations in the timeframe that I completed it in.  I ran out of time to add the slide and the glove balloon.  The mouse head and ears were  covered in black gel color. The fence was made from vanilla sugar wafers. The cake was an apple flavored one with banana cream pie filling. Butter-cream frosting was used for the clubhouse and grass. Pebbles were m&m's and the figurines were borrowed from his sister's lego piece.

Mermaid Adventure

This was Emilie's (M as we call her sometime) fourth birthday cake.  She was all into princesses and characters and came to me with her Ariel and Flounder toys with the request of a cake.  I thought of an underwater adventure theme.  I debated over whether to make the ocean blue or not, but decided to leave it white.  In keeping with Spring colors, Ariel and Flounder sit atop a colorful array of underwater features: reflection of a rainbow, sea shells, sea creatures and sea weeds. Flounder swims a small distance away on a single layer cake. The cakes were layered with pudding and fruit filling and frosted with whipped cream. Decorations made from butter-cream frosting added a vivid life to the white background.

Teddy Bear

It's August and time for Ronak's 1st birthday! How time flies, my little baby is now a year old already.  A classic vanilla cake, layered with custard/fruit and frosted on the outside in buttercream frosting, this was a hit amongst all kids.  Served cold, it was just right for the grown ups as well at the hot outdoor party.

Caterpillar

The first birthday is always very special for every baby.  My son was born in August and so when his first one year mark rolled around, I got busy again.  Summer months are full of bright colors and creatures.  The Caterpillar cake was a white cake with no filling. Iced and covered with colorful fondant decoration the cake brought on a lot of smiles and giggles from little ones at the party.

Clowns

It is amazing how there comes a time in our lives when we think clowns are the greatest things on earth.  My girl at 3 yrs of age had a similar obsession.  Silly little clowns in all poses atop a yellow cake (pineapple flavor) was her dream come true. Spring colors in mind (since her birthday falls in March), I used soft pastel colors, whipped cream frosting and banana pudding for the filling.  A touch of m&m's and we were all set to celebrate in her pre-school!

 

La Princess Emilie (from Princess and the Frog series)

It's March again and time to celebrate M's birthday.  The Princess and The Frog is a story she loves, especially the kissing a frog part.  She considers it to be extremely funny.  I guess funny may change to something else later...  I made her a Princess (and Frog-as shown in separate post) cake. Cake was layered with banana and pudding filling. The bodice and gown were made from whipped cream frosting with pink and turquoise flowers-her favorite colors.

La Frog (from Princess and the Frog series)

In the series of the Princess and the Frog theme for M's birthday, this was the frog part. Filled with slices of fresh banana and vanilla pudding I think this pair is my best cake yet.

 

Piglet

Emilie turned terrible 2 today! I am preparing myself for her acts to show up as the books promise.  So far, it has only been chewing on a piece of ginger and leaving the piece behind in my pantry, giving her toy a "bath" in the toilet bowl and turning the yogurt cup on top of her head in the time it took me to switch on a light.  I can't see how it can get more terrorizing...I made her the pink Piglet cake filled with strawberries and pudding. This is the first time I tried to use spray color.  Why am I showing the other cake?  Well, I wasn't sure that my cake would turn out good, so it was plan B.  Plan B was left untouched at the end of the party!  This has been the best compliment yet. 

Nemo

In my mind, if there was ever an animated movie that was close in color vibrancy and effects to the real world, it had to be Finding Nemo.  The characters were amazing as was the storyline.   When my daughter's first birthday rolled around in March, it was spring and my cake had to be a burst of colors.  Nemo was carved out of a 1/4 sheet vanilla cake with strawberry/banana and pudding filling. I decorated the features in butter-cream frosting to  and placed it on a tray with the ocean backdrop.

A Bouquet of Roses

Nothing says I love you more than lovely roses. This cake was an ice-cream cake made for my father on his birthday in June. Filled with strawberry ice cream, frosted with whipped cream on top and a bouquest of roses drawn using food color this one was a classic.