Harajuku In The House!

Harajuku in the house!!!! This cake and cupcakes were created for my great niece Penelope who turned 5 this week.

When asked to create the Harajuku cake....I sort of had that deer in headlights look on my face....Didn't know what or who Harajuku was! But I have got to say...once I researched it...I fell in love....just as I guess the kids did and do! I love love love the seemingly unrelated designs come together. Genius fashion concept.

Now just for the record....the blonde Harajuku girl has a black ribbon in her hair. But Penelope was going to wear a blue ribbon....so I took creative license and made the blue ribbon. Turns out that she wore hot pink ribbons!  But that's what it's all about....Taking creative license and making something your own.

Happy Birthday Sweet P!!!! Love you so much!

Even Raging Street Rivers Can't Prevent the Dynamic Mother/Daughter Duo From Delivering a Bride-To-Be's Shower Cake!

I don't know about you my friends but there is something about lavendar and lace that at least for me evokes a nostalgia for turn of the century grace and feminity. A time when all was well with the world. This lavendar and lace bridal shower cake - was created for a lovely bride - with input from her handsome fiance and very sweet mother-in-law.

When Stacy and her son Steve came for a consultation and asked me to create a cake for Steve's fiance Chrysoula, I must say I was very excited. They showed me pictures of the invitation and of ideas he had for the shower cake. Which by the way, is something I recommend to all my clients. Have something .... anything....for your cake designer - It helps with the inspiration. If not....it's okay...many of us can get the general inspiration through talking.

We had a wonderful consult and then a tasting with the groom's wonderful mom and dad, and our bride's lovely mom and sister.  During tasting I like to let my guests play with their food. I put out different cake flavors and buttercreams and toppings and then just let everyone play....no there is no food fight...just the lovely sound of people bonding and ooing and ahhhing and ...."try this combination" or "you have go to taste this combo!"

For this cake...the family came up with a twist to otherwise standard flavors. We created two flavors for this cake. Tier one and tier four....a Brooklyn Blackout Chocolate Cake filled with Nutella Italian Meringue Buttercream and topped with Ferrero Roche. For tiers two and three...Tres Leches Cake...semi-soaked in Tres Leches....didn't oversoak as the cake structure would be compromised.....but to make up for less leche we filled the cake with a capuccino-tiramisu Italian Meringue Buttercream topped with Dulce de Leche and accented with  intense orange chocolate bar shavings.  Cake flavor pairings to make your eyes roll back in head in sheer delight.

The piping on this cake was all freehand. Which once in the zone flew like a gentle summer breeze.
Too bad that gentle breeze didn't last through to the delivery. But you know what they say...the calm before the storm?

All went well with this  project .... until...day of delivery. Waking up in the morning to stormy skies....remnants of Isaac from the gulf....I held my heart in my hand whispering . Please God...Please....let this delivery go without a hitch. Well God must have been attending to someone else's more important pleads....cuz.....the minute Theodora (my daughter) and I started packing up our emergency cake kit and had just finished putting the cake on our cart - the skies opened up like a water balloon being thrown off a roof. The rain was so heavy and  pelting it created a flowing ...no let me correct that...a raging rain river 3 feet wide and 4 inches deep  in the street right by the back door of my Rav4!

Staring at each other like deer in headlight.....and with the clock ticking....it was already 11:15 and the shower was at 12...we couldn't wait this one out....we decided to go for it. Now mind you....this cake was at least 60 pounds....I'm not exactly a weight lifter. At least if you dropped the weights the most you would get is a broken toe....This was cake..you drop this one...there is no cake and one very upset customer.

We quickly wrapped the four tiered cake in plastic...put the cake on our cart....wheeled it to the door....and then....and then....that look of now what? How do we get the cake to the car? Quickly assessing the very stormy situation...we knew that even with the plastic covering and umbrella shield did we have to get the cake INTO the truck. without one drop touching the cake...we had to wade through the river! Not an easy feat with Tory Burch sandals and BCBG leather flats! Biting the bullet....we managed our way through the rain to the river...when all of a suddent Theodora says...."Mom...stop! My sandal came off it's flowing down the road!" "Don't worry about it", I said..."What are you kidding? They're Tory Burch!" So we stopped....with cake in hand....she caught her sandal....flipped it onto the sidewalk and then proceeded....one foot bare...in the water which was quickly rising another inch and placed the cake in the truck. In the meantime....my shoes were soaked....my dress was dragging in the water....and by this time....had soaked up to my behind....Theodora's denim pants....soaked to her knees. We still had the emergency kit and the top tier and extra flowers to bring to the car....I started to slip and slide and so decided to do the rest of the delivery barefoot. It was now...11:38! Party in 22 minutes!  Crap!

We get into car...raining cats and dogs now...even more than before...the rain pelting on our windshield with a vengence...I'm in the back seat holding onto the cake....Oh by the way cake people....I'm sure you've already discovered this....even though my internal structures are very sound....I'm still very paranoid with multiple tiered cakes....I extend the center stabilizing dowel about one or two inches and hold onto it as we make our turns....and in this weather....especially....because there might be a short stop or two....which we had....or someone possibly rear fender bending you....Just my paranoia as I said.

Time? 11:45 just as we turned the corner on Northern and Searington Road...e oila!!!! LIMANI!!! The venue! We get to the parking lot of the venue....and the valet....after letting us back up into the handicap space directly in front of the restaurant....called the head waiter who promptly brought out 5 other waiters to help bring this cake in! They must have felt sorry for us...We (Theodora and I) were still dripping!!!!  We had 10 minutes to spare by the time we  finally got the cake to where it was set up....and placed the top tier  and final deco's and a couple of photos.  I said my good byes...checked to see if I had left a puddle....and swiftly ran to my car. The minute Theodora turned on the engine....the rain stopped....almost as if someone had turned off the faucet and the sun....albeit...briefly....came out!!!!!!!!  Mama said there would be days like this!

In the end...the cake....made it to the venue unscathed...On the other hand...we ...Theodora and I are still assessing and regrouping...and redesigning our delivery strategies on days such as the one we had yesterday....Oh and looking into less expensive shoes to wear just in case there is a river we have to go through. You want real cake challenges like on the cake shows you see on cable tv...which are trumped  and edited for drama....ask a cake designer what it's really like on some delivery days.

All in all....the cake was indeed delivered ....without a scratch or a water drop...and with memories we will laugh about over a glass or two of mavrodaphne!

Many many showers of happiness to the bride and groom to be...Steve and Chrysoula. May every day you spend together be strewn with flowers of love...happiness and health and prosperity.

 

Battle of the Bartenders at TGI Friday's

What a fab evening! Jack Daniels Burgers and Cocktails and all for a good cause....Island Harvest Charity.

You know how people say that everything is meant to be? Nothing is by chance...all is written. Well I didn't ascribe to that .... well not fully ....until this event!

Theodora, my daughter and I were having dinner one evening at TGIF, and "by chance" Theodora picked up a sugar packet. On the back of the packette was a trivia question..."What famous actor was trained by TGI Friday's bartenders for the movie "Cocktail". Not telling you all until the end...but most I'm sure know the answer. Anyway...being who I am...I thought it would share this info with our server. Of course she knew the answer....that's not the point...the point is that within our conversation...she told me that TGIF was having a charity fundraiser for Island Harvest soon. Ding Ding Ding...Lightbulb over my head....Why don't I donate something for the event! The server....thought it was a great idea....and called over the assistant manager...who took my card! Well....the very next day...Christopher, the store's manager called me and we set up a meeting to  discuss what would be appropriate for the event.

Met with Christopher and Tiffany, one of the servers and planner for the event, and we came up with the idea of making a huge hamburger cake to represent their famous Jack Daniels Burger. Brilliant!

I set about creating this cake...chocolate cake with cookies and cream filling....complete with fondant fries...chocolate dulce de leche sauce to represent the Jack Daniels Sauce on a board decorated to look like the TGIF tablecloths!

The reaction of the patrons and the TGIF staff was incredible!

The evening at the TGI Friday's in Manhasset was a huge success. The the bartenders exhibited awesome fancy bartending skills, and the drinks along with other goodies were auctioned off. Our burger cake was auctioned off as well at the end of the evening. A very very generous patron won the auction and then had it served to everyone at the bar! Wow!!!

All in I had a fabulous time. Theodora and I met some wonderful people...and to top it off, we met people there we hadn't seen in a while. And the best part of it all! TGI Friday's raised quite a bit of "green" for a very worthy charity...Island Harvest. 

Oh...before I forget...the answer to the question....Tom Cruise of course!

Oreo Cookie Cake and Keyboard for Josh Dodes' 39th!

What better way to celebrate your 39th Birthday but with an Oreo Cookie Cake and your best friend Annette Artani!

When Annette Artani called me to create this cake for her best friend Josh, I was thrilled! Just imagine creating a cake for a friend...but also in the shape of yes....I have to admit it....my favorite cookie in the whole world....Oreos!!!! Not only was the cake in the shape of a double stuffed no less Oreo Cookie...it was made with Blackout Brooklyn Chocolate Cake and Cookies and Cream! Something about cookies and cream that just does it for me and for a lot of other people I might gladly say....Very very popular lately. Why this weekend...I've had three orders with the same fillings! hmmmmmm!

Of course no delivery of mine is without a little story. Well almost no delivery....This one was easy peezy....I only had to combat one traffic light and three stop signs! It goes on record as the easiest....fastest....no brainer deliveries of all time! Except that...even though I knew the neighborhood I still got a little lost....How the heck do numbers on houses go from say....63 - something....to 57- something.....on the same block!!!!  Only in Queens my dear friends...only in Queens...But then again...delivery was before noon. I don't do well before noon. LOL!

Well...just got word that Josh was shocked and surprised and loved the cake! Just take a look at the pic Annette sent and posted on FB! Picture tells a thousand words. That said...enough words from me...just enjoy the pic....Got Milk anyone!

Happy Birthday Josh!

Three Adorable Little Boys Celebrate Their Birthdays With A Legoland Themed Cake

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Vincenzo's, Giacomo's and Pasquale's Legoland Cake

When asked to create a Lego themed cake for these three little boys, Vincenzo, Giacomo and Pasquale, I thought, what better way to get inspiration but by looking at the California Legoland website....well....second best...I would have preferred to go to California for a first hand experience....but the website was a decent alternative. The first thing I saw was the Lego structure of their 10th Anniversary Cake. Aha! There it is...why not make a real cake inspired by this Lego structure.
                                             Decorating Process
Each tier was first covered in white fondant, and then....painstakenly, one by one, strips of fondant were placed over the base coat of fondant, to similate the Lego rods. Then, another layer of fondant was added to make the cakes looks like they were dripping in icing. Each letter in the boys' name was freehanded, and placed on a black background. Lego blocks were handcrafted as were the Lego men. No molds here baby!!!!

                                                 Flavors
The cakes were, top tier....Mojito Pound Cake filled with rum Italian Meringue Buttercream, (something special for the adults). Middle tier was a moist vanilla butter cake filled with fresh sugared strawberries and Rum Italian Meringue Buttercream, infused with a strawberry, rum simple syrup. The bottom tier, was a Brooklyn Blackout Cake....Go Brooklyn!....Filled with a pumped up Nutella Italian Meringue Buttercream, garnished with real Baci Hazelnut/Chocolate candy. Num...num.....nummmmmm!

                      How Many People Will a Cake This Size Serve?

Party slices in general are: 1 1/2" x 2" by 4 - 5".

6" Round Cake Serves: 10 - 12
8" Round Cake Serves: 28 - 30
10" Round Cake Serves: 38 - 45

                                 The Joy in Creating Cakes?

There is nothing...but nothing like the look of children's faces when they first see their cake! My only regret was that my camera phone was having issues! However, their faces will forever be in my mind. It was awesome.

Well...here's wishing, all three boys a very Happy Birthday! Hope they had fun on their special Lego Day!!!

Melina Maria's Christening Cake

Photo of Melina's Christening cake sent to me by Joanna.

This elegant Christening Cake was created for baby Melina Maria, who was Christened on June 30th.

The flowers were a mixture of fushia gumpaste magnolias studded with crystals. The middle floaters were  created with crystals which were individually placed all around them. Realized later on....after the fact that I could have purchased crystals on a strip! 
Since the cake was a four tiered cake, with floaters, we decided to assemble the top tier at the venue.

Melina Maria's reception was held at Il Bacco in Little Neck, New York. A really very lovely restaurant with the friendliest of staff and delicious food!

I had so much fun working on this cake's concept with Joanna, Melina's lovely mom. During our consultations it was decided to create a sleek, elegant cake with the colors of the flowers to compliment the fresh verdena roses her florist was to bring to the reception. It's always a good idea when creating any cake with sugarpaste flowers that the designer ask the color scheme and type of flowers will be at the reception.
As we were leaving...Joanna's florist was arriving....Oila!!!! the verdena roses were a complete match!!! We had nailed it! Left smiling!

 If you're wondering what flavors we created for this cake...well...it was a moist, brandy vanilla butter cake, filled with a pumped up Pistachio Italian Meringue Buttercram, infused with just the slightest hint of almond. num num!!!!  From what I heard....everyone loved the cake! Best compliment ever...."The cake was phenomenal! It tasted as great as it looked!" and "Why didn't you leave cards!!!" LOL That's something I simply have to learn how to do. I guess I just get caught up in the set up at delivery...that I forget.

Wishing Joanna and George - kaloriziko to onoma! And may all their dreams and wishes for their little Melina Maria come true.

Playstation3' and Panda's Weekend!



Playstation3 and Battlefield

Panda Cake for Paul

Twas a busy weekend this past weekend with two cakes ranging from techy to cutsie....Our cake to the right was a cake for a lucky young man who's girlfriend Mercedes had this cake made for him to celebrate their one year of being together. He loves his Battlefield Game. Happy One Year! 






The cake to the right is a cake for a gentleman who wanted a cake with a Panda wearing a Met's hat. Can't see the hat with this pic...but it's there....trust me. The birthday celebration took place at Jimmy Hays in Island Park, New York.
Happy Birthday Paul!