Feeling Stressed?

Are you feeling stressed? Well maybe it is time for some DESSERTS!

As far as I'm concerned, something sugary and delicious makes everything better! And don't even think about mentioning all those calories I'm eating! When I'm stressed, calories disappear and everything I eat is healthy!

Top 5 – Tips for Ordering a Wedding Cake

There are a lot of things that go into planning a wedding! Here are a few of our top tips to remember when looking for a wedding cake. 

1.      Do research. Look at lots and lots of pictures. Determine your style. Don’t be afraid to do something different. Be true to yourself. Take the pictures of the cake(s) you like to your baker. Pinterest is a great resource for this. Not only can you look at lots of pictures, but you can save them in one convenient place. Check out Pinterest!

2.      Look for a baker with a similar style as you. Do you like the style of other cakes the baker has done? Make sure to have the baker show you what he/she has done in the past. Look for someone whose style matches yours. Most cake decorators have a specific overall style, even if each individual cake is different. Find a baker who you like, and then go from there. 

3.      Do NOT wait until the last minute (or the last couple weeks) to order a cake. Make sure that you give the baker plenty of time! Custom cakes are not something that your baker can just throw together, especially if you want something fancy or different. The baker may have to order special supplies for your custom cake, and if there is not enough time, you will be out of luck. Most bakeries also book up fast. Especially during the summer, when there are so many weddings. Get your date booked as soon as you can, so that you don’t get left without a cake. 

4.      Remember your budget! What is your budget? Does the cake you want fit in your budget? Wedding cakes can range from $300 to more than $3000. Don’t be afraid to let the baker know what your budget is. It will not only save time, but it is also respectful to them. Most bakers can fit ALMOST any cake into your budget. But you might have to make some concessions. Knowing your budget will help the baker to help you plan a cake you can actually afford. It’s like test driving Lamborghinis when really all you can afford is a used Honda. Don’t waste their time or yours. 

5.      Be open to change. Remember that your baker is a wealth of knowledge and is a resource for you. They will have great suggestions, be willing to listen. Let them add to your design, make suggestions and help you create the very best cake possible. If you don’t like their suggestions, let them know, but remember. They are there to help you!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Wow. I am so excited to start this blog! I love to share what I do with others and this is a great opportunity!

I figured that I would start out by letting my readers and clients know my story, and why I love decorating cakes so much! 

It all started when I was 12 years old. I was in charge of an activity night for my church group. I had always been interested in cooking, baking, and other creative outlets, so I figured that having someone teach us about cake decorating would be fun! 

I still remember the cake! It was a white (cause that was my favorite) cake that I iced in buttercream and piped a super messy shell boarder around. Then the teacher added a few beautiful buttercream roses on top and I wrote “Happy Mother’s Day” on top! 

I took the cake home. I was so proud of myself. The teacher had even let me take home a piping bag and a rose nail. I was going to master the roses! I remember sitting at the dinner table for hours that night, trying to get it right. I never did get it right that night, but I remember my dad coming in and proclaiming that he could do it! I doubted that he could and what he produced looked a whole lot more like a rose than what I had been making did! I was upset and I vowed to never let my dad out do me at icing roses ever again! 

I was hooked! I knew that I needed to learn all I could about this wonderful edible art! I begged my mom to let me buy some tips and bags I had found on eBay, and it even came with a book to help me! I practiced and practiced and practiced. I made cakes for everything! I gave cakes to my neighbors, to my friends at school, and to my family. I just kept baking. I even entered some cakes in our State Fair. 

I did my first wedding cake at age 15 (pictured above). It was my first stacked cake and I was TERRIFIED that it would fall over! It was still standing at the end of the night, and I was so proud. 

The path to where I am now was not an easy one! I have made hundreds of cakes and I am still learning! Believe me when I say that I am actually quite embarrassed to show you any early cakes of mine! I have gotten so much better! 

As I progress, learn more, and get better. I still remember some of those early cakes. Here are a few of the very first cakes I ever made.

 

A true trip down memory lane!