Sweet Valentine Cake for Gabriella's 1st Birthday

Maryann, Gabriella, Benjamin and Francine.

I loved loved loved creating this cake for little Gabriella who celebrated her 1st birthday yesterday at Lenny's Clam Bar in Howard Beach.

The cake was a three tiered red velvet with cream cheese filling and Italian Merrengue Buttercream frosting under a buttercream flavored fondant.

The tier in the middle...the clear one was filled with heart shaped candies to be shared with guests.

Wishing Gabriella a Very Happy 1st Birthday.

Sportacus Comes to New York

So...what does a cake designer do when asked to make a character cake of a character/s she doesn't know?
Why get to the nearest computer and start researching! Or....the very next best thing? Find a child who can tell you everything there is to know of cartoon characters....and go from there!
For those of us who are somewhat out of the "cartoon/animated t.v. show" loop, here is the low down.
Sportacus, as one can tell is a health nut who is into sports and good sportsmanship along with his side kick Stephanie who live in Lazy Town. Robbie Rotten, a handsome devil, you should see the real life actor who plays this devilishly delightful character, has a mission....to get Sportacus to each super rich and fattening foods. He even attempts to get Sportacus to eat .....CAKE! I like him just for that! lol
What was the result of all this research...why a cake of course. I'm thinking that Robbie Rotten would have a field day with the cake we created for a very lucky little boy just a while back.
Happy 2nd Birthday Benjamin!!!

Mini Cake Favors to Celebrate the Upcoming Arrival of Lilly Rose

These precious mini cakes favors were created for Monica's Baby Shower. They will be naming their little girl Lilliana Rose. One of the mini cakes has a sugar lily and the other a sugar rose.
The mini cakes are part of a new line we have created at Amelia Cakes - sooned to be renamed Sweet Alchemy by Amelia.
Both Doris and Rose are the owners of DesignsByRoseInc.com. They are a florist located in Howard Beach.
Do link to them to see the wonderful creations they make with flowers.
www.designsbyroseinc.com.
We at Amelia Cakes and The Cupcake Experience by Thea are very proud to be linked with Designs by Rose Inc.

Katie and YiaYia Malia Enter Cake Competition at New York Cake Convention

Winter Wonderland Wedding Cake....Advanced Division.

Katie and her Eloise at Christmastime entry - Youth Division - Ages 7 - 12.

Katie placed second.

Back view of Katie's Creation.

Katie on her way to the competition.

Katie at her work table.

As soon as this Cake Blogger/Cake Designer/YiaYia saw that the 2010 New York Cake Convention had a division for Youth, the first thing I did was call my daughter Maria to ask permission to enter Katie in the competition. Maria asked Katie....and I could hear the squeals of delight when she was asked. Needless to say...I knew that was a resounding YES! Katie quickly began sketching some ideas before she came to my house to start working on her Christmas themed cake project. During her sketching time at my place, we were watching Eloise At Christmastime on television. About a half hour into the movie, Katie stopped...took a look at me and said...."That's it!!! That's what I'm going to do!! I'm going to recreate a scene from that movie!"

Very long story short....Katie added the various elements of a scene she thought was hilarious to her sketch.

In a couple of days she came back to sit at my dining room table to begin work on her gumpaste/fondant pieces.

Initially they were a little flat...so she was instructed to give some dimension. She then started work on Eloise.

Katie found a people mold kit I had, and after asking how to use it, and my teaching her...then destroying what I had done, Katie started on Eloise.

At first poor Eloise's legs collapsed while Katie had stood her up to dry. Poor Eloise looked like she was the daughter of an elephant. She tried again...this time sticking skewers in her legs....but the arms were now flapping like a bird....no structure. So she immediately went to getting wire and performed surgery on Eloise's arms...Finally....Katie decided to stick a scewer up through Eloise's torso for extra insurance....The laughs we had when she was pushing that scewer up Eloise's behind! Ouch!

While Katie worked on her figures and ornaments, I prepared the cake and the icing.

This project looked like soooo much fun I wanted to work along side her. But couldn't because adults were not allowed to put their hands to the projects the kids were creating. It was the hardest thing to have to sit on my hands! I didn't have to worry though....as Katie pulled this off like a champion.

At the convention....I heard someone saying that they didn't believe a child had done this. Well...my dear...whoever you are....you can believe it! This is the work of a child who has been watching her YiaYia for 2 years now work on cakes, and has been doing the same alongside me.

For all who have aspiring sugar artists in their midst....all I can say...encourage them to experiment....encourage the young ones to open their young minds and to find their creative selves.

Will Katie grow up to become a professional cake designer....only the Universe knows....but for now....I am enjoying every minute of watching her grow and create!

By the way....Katie took SECOND PLACE in the Youth Division! You rock Katie!!!!!

As for Yiayia....no I didn't place. But it was such a wonderful first experience at such a convention. I met the most wonderful people...both young and older...experienced and novice! I have been bitten by the competition bug and will be competing in future events across the country.

I think one of best parts of this convention besides being with Katie was meeting such celebrated cake designers as Michelle Bommarito, Ashley Vicos, Christopher Russom and Marjorie Chu, Mary Moy H, Michelle Doll, and Alexandra Pellogrino, Pat Jacoby, and Ruth Rickey...all competitors on either TLC or Food Network.

They were all so generous in sharing of their knowledge in sugar art.

So back to the drawing board to prepare for my next competition. Oh by the way....both Melina and Costaki, Katie's siblings have been bitten too by the sugar bug....They both want to compete next year!!!! I can see the wheels turning in their young heads!

Vanilla Cake Recipe

This delish recipe is from a book I acquired a couple of years ago...so I can't take credit for it. Rewrote it in my recipe file and have been using it exclusively for my vanilla cakes. It's moist and has the perfect density for sculpting too.
You can add flavors to it by adding a simple syrup.

When I remember which book this is from I'll let you all know.

Yields: Three 9 inch rounds
1 half sheet ( 13 x 18)
24 cup cakes

Ingredients:

2 cups (8oz) cake flour
1 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons (8oz) all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 cup (2 sticks; 8oz) Unsalted Butter
3 cups (21 oz) granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Pure vanilla extract
1 cup (8oz; about 7 eggs) Egg Whites or pasteurized egg whites in liquid form
1 1/2 cups (12 oz.) milk

Proceedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the bottoms and sides of pans with melted butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and bet on medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add the salt and vanilla.
5. Set the mixer to low speed and gradually add the egg whites, scraping often.
6. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture in two batches, starting with the flour. Scrape down the bowl between each addition and beat until thoroughly combined. Set the mixer tomedium-high speed for about 20 seconds then stop and scrape the sides of the bowl.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans or muffin tins. For 9 inch cake pans, bake 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean; for hald-sheet pans, bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean' for cupcakes, bake 20 - 25 minutes, or until they spring back after being touched.
8. Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes. Once the cake is cool, release it from its pan by running a metal spatula or knife along the sides of the pan. Flip the cake over onto another pan or cake board and peel away the layer of parchment.

To Make this into a Lemon Cake, add the zest and juice of two lemons to the batter.

Good Luck All.

Oh by the way...for amazing recipes...and fabulous tips for baking from scratch I Warren Brown of Cake Love has a fabulous book! "Cake Love".
Also, Margaret Braun in her "Cakewalk" has several delish recipes. I use her Blackout Chocolate Cake....It is toooooooo good!

Santa and Rudolf Taking a Break and Getting Reading for a Snowball Fight!

This famous duo needed to take a break before they set off on their worldwind tour of the world delivering their gifts to all the good little boys and girls....but not before they had their annual snowball fight!

This cake was made for a group of good boys and girls in the 4th grade in Ms. Martinez' class at P.S. 166Q in Astoria, New York, for their Holiday Party. Their teacher called me and left a message that was "crazy"!!! Never had I heard such a reception! I've heard oohs and ahhs and squeals of delight on previous deliveries....but this was totally insane! I felt like a rock star! The screams of glee and excitement were unbelievable! Wow!!! Now I know how Duff must feel when he delivers to Fenway Park! This is tooo cool!

Wow! The world of cakes has totally become outrageous! Such a simple delight to have become such a sensation!

Oh! I keep on forgetting...the flavor of the cake...One of my most popular....Red Velvet with a Cream Cheese Frosting! Yummo!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND CUSTOMERS!

MAY 2010 BRING WITH IT MUCH JOY AND LOVE AND HEALTH AND PROSPERITY TO ALL!!!!

Grand Opening of Creekside Market Place in Windham, New York

Mary and Lambros Flouras, the proud owners of the new Creekside Market Place in Windham, New York had their grand opening on December 19, 2009. To celeberate their long awaited dream come true, they asked me to create grand opening cupcakes for them.
Of course this cake designer couldn't leave it at that...so she (moi) created a cake to go with the cupcakes.
The cupcakes were designed like cherry pies and the main cake a simple yet elegant white cake with burnt orange whimsical roses, kissed with 24k gold dust.
Flavours...why Mary's favorite of course...Red Velvet and Cream Cheese Frosting.
Unfortunately, we were not able to attend due to the snow storm conditions that hit the Northeast. But we were there in spirit.
Mary promised to forward pictures of the opening. We're looking forward Mary!
The Creekside Market Place features gourmet delicasies as well as everyday staples. The warm environment and most hospitable owners make Creekside Market Place a must go to when you are in Windham, New York.
Here is wishing both Mary and Lambro great success in their new venture!
Can't wait to come up and sit in your enchanting shop by the creek with a cup of steaming coffee and great conversation!