Crushing on Fake Cakes

I have been a reluctant maker of fake cakes up until now but in my quest to always put a positive spin on things, I've decided to embrace them as an artistic medium. Why, you may say am I anti fake - after all this is Southern California- well it has to do with longevity. I like making a cake and then it getting eaten - my artists medium doesn't have to sit there and be examined for perfection because the goal it that its edible. In other words, I am too much of a perfectionist. But then I found an outlet in a local florist - Little Greenhouse - and my first cake was made. I've done a bunch now and with the most recent one, really allowed myself to make a cake that I probably wouldn't get called upon to make too often. My weddings tend to be rather simple, couples coming to the mountains to marry usually aren't looking for an ornate cake. So now I have fake cakes in two of the shops in Big Bear Lake Village: ReJoyce and United Wood Craftsmen and I am making a goal of keeping the fake cakes coming. This spring, I've done a couple of wedding shows and created new fake cakes for both of them. What's more fun is the edible treats that surround the fake cake - I just love a good display, it speaks to the type A personality in me.

The cakes that started it all at ReJoyce and Little Greenhouse

Embracing the medium - its weird to work with fake cakes because they are so LIGHT- real cakes are much heavier and as much as that might sound strange, the heft makes it easier to work with real cakes in a way. You can apply pressure on a real cake (like when attaching fondant or pressing a pattern) and it won't move but a fake cake could go flying! I love the button cake - hundreds of handmade fondant buttons - actually kind of fun -

Time to eat - the fake cake is surrounded by tasty samples of my treats: red velvet cake and vanilla orange spice cake truffles and a selection of yummy cupcakes!

Crushing on Bread, Glorious Bread

Me with My Baby - I mean my Baguette

I can't believe its been a whole month since I blogged - well, a little more than so its time to play catch up. April totally got away from me but in a good way, with lots of cakes & small parties and then a week long getaway to San Francisco to the San Francisco Baking Institute to take a baking class about Baguettes. Baguettes you may say - what's the mystery about baguettes. Well, let me tell you. I thought I might be bored (!) because I've done some home bread baking and thought I knew what was going on but it turns out, I knew NOTHING. Well, almost nothing. The baguette is bread in its simplest, artisan form: flour, water, yeast & salt (and sometimes a little malt) so it makes a great canvas to illustrate the way bread works and how you can effect the result. More importantly, how you can adjust your recipe/mixing in order to get the result you would like consistently. Before you fall asleep let me just add that the end of every class, we got to eat the baguettes we made - and they were GOOD. Okay, and let me now admit that I am such a brown noser that the couple of times the teacher complimented me on my baguette, I blushed with pride. The class gave me insight into how different ingredients in baking work and as someone who does a pinch of this, a handful of that,
I now realize what a science baking truly is (DUH!!)


Our finished baguettes, waiting to be critiqued

Look at those air holes - now that's a Baguette, oh and did I mention its MINE?!!!!

Crushin on Cinnamon Buns

Sometimes, its not just about the cake. I'm trying to perfect my cinnamon bun recipe and I think I'm getting pretty close. Or else I will wind up really chunky and not in a cute sort of way. I can't resist these - I must admit, there's a secret ingredient which I'm not going to share but YUM for sure! Like a cross between challah bread and cinnamon and cream cheese - gooey and a little but not too sweet (because of the glaze) and warm and satisfying. You know where to get you some - from ME! No seriously, anyone looking to be a taste tester?

Crushin on Vegas, Baby

Anyone who knows me knows I love Vegas - you eat well, sleep all day, shop hysterically and then go home, more tired than when you came but happy. I woke up this morning just dreaming about hearing the pop of the bellagio fountains and the bargains to be had at the Williams Sonoma Outlet in Primm. Oh, gambling, well, that's not really my thing, I got it out of my system in Vermont (but that is another story and certainly not about cake although I have done a red barn but I digress). I was thrilled when couple weeks back a wonderful supporter of my art in cakes asked me to do a dice cake.
What fun this cake was! Poker chips bear the anniversary couples initials and cards that are "blackjack" have a picture of them - it was their 21st anniversary. What's inside? My current favorite filling - vanilla bean cake with bananas foster filling and whipped cream cheese frosting - YUM!!

But it doesn't end there - this past weekend I was asked to do another "21" themed cake inspired by Vegas for twins Nick & Jen:

Asked to make a little bit feminine, red roses definitely fit the bill. I carved the cake to elongate the lines and make it seem taller. What's inside? Red Velvet Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting - taking the "red" theme to a new level. Oh what I would give to be getting in a car and driving the three short hours from Big Bear to Vegas - but since its not "in the cards" I'll just have to content myself with playing with cakes!