Princess tiara III

So this is the third tiara cake I've made. It seems that this is a favourite with all young princess-wannabes! :) Even my own girls tell me they want one like this for their next birthday! Though come to think of it, they say that about most every cake they see!

Anyway, I've been making mostly cupcakes and single tier cakes lately, as I find large and multi-tiered cakes too time consuming, considering the fact that I have only one teensy oven (with frustratingly uneven heating, by the way). I usually have to bake in multiple batches and end up taking hours just baking the cake, when all I really want to do is decorate it!!

However, I am in the opinion that tiara cakes are best when tiered. I think it adds to the 'regal-ness' of the cake. So when a customer requested a two-tiered tiara cake, I couldn't say no.

So here's my third tiara cake. It's all chocolate cake, bottom 7" and top 6". The cakes are covered in soft fondant. I made the tiara a week ahead, from gumpaste, so that it would have time to dry nice and hard. This time I used more dried spaghetti to attach the curly bits to the main frame of the tiara, in an attempt to make the structure a sturdy as possible.

My client loved the cake and I hope it helped make her daughter's birthday a memorable one! :)

Lovey-dovey sweet surprise

I got an online order from a girl who wasn't in town. She wanted a dozen chocolate cupcakes for her boyfriend's birthday. It was going to be a surprise.

My client asked if I could call him to him on that day, and tell him to come and pick up a package from my shop. (I own a pharmacy, not a bakery, so that would throw anyone off a bit!) Under no circumstances was I allowed to tell him who it was from! I didn't mind helping her out, cause it sounded like fun! :)

The problem was, on the day  itself, this guy did not answer his phone!! I called a dozen times and left plenty of messages! It was night, by the time I got him and he managed to get to my shop just before it closed!!

After receiving his 'package', he called me and tried to get me to tell him who it was from! I played my part and told him I did not know as it was ordered online! :)

Anyway, my client said he found out in the end and it was a pleasant birthday surprise!

I love playing a part in 'love' and 'happiness'! :)

Bob the Builder

An old schoolmate ordered a dozen chocolate cuppies for her son's 4th birthday. He is a fan of Bob the Builder, and luckily the Debbie Brown Children's Cartoon Character book which I have, includes Bob the Builder. You could make gumpaste figures just by looking at pictures of the character, but it helps so, so much to have step-by-step instructions.

So the cupcakes are chocolate fudge cakes topped with chocolate ganache. They are covered in fondant, and the figures are made from gumpaste.

I love Bob the most, of course. I especially love all the details on his tool belt. Other than the tools, his checkered shirt was pretty time consuming as well. I did not want to cheat and use food markers, because tiny red fondant squares would give a much more solid colour. Food markers would produce ill-defined lines and also could bleed into the yellow. Intricate details are always time consuming, but they really make all the difference!

I made his two friends (Sorry i do not know their names!! The cement mixer is Dizzy or something??) in a bit of a rush, so I'm not that satisfied with the result. I'll try them again soon.