Happy Halloween!

NOTE: Yes, these pictures are FROM THE FUTURE. XD

So at work last week, it was announced that we could host our own little Halloween party in the office on Wednesday. So we of course started up a list of food that everyone was bringing. I, without knowing really what I was going to do, wrote down Pumpkin Cake!

I had no idea how to make a pumpkin cake, or even where to start. But after coming home and digging through my supplies I came up with some decent ideas.

Sorry that the photos are lacking more of the process, like the Princess Cake, but I was having so much fun I kinda forgot to snap some photos. :x Also, some got corrupted. -_- Sorry! Enjoy, though.

Unsighly seam behind the cake. It was A LOT HARDER to put a rectangular piece of orange fondant over a sphere than I thought it would be. Lots of nasty creases and folds I didn't really want. Plus the seam. But hey it's a pumpkin right? It kinda works.

The front... Better looking. ;p

I had shots between the cake being covered and this point, but those got corrupted. I had a nice layer of buttercream beneath the fondant which allowed me to mold and shape it with my hands to become pumpkiny! Then I made some goofy eyes and a mouth. Cute, I think. ;)

Leaves, vines, and large stem added on top to finish him off. Last pumpkin in the patch, poor guy.

Side view of the above shot.

Things to learn from this project:

• Covering spheres is harder. Maybe a circular fondant sheet would be better.

Questions, comments?

Princess Cake <3

So, tonight I have finished my first decorated-cake-for-profit outside of a catering company. A delightful woman from work ordered the Princess Cake for her 6 year old niece, Rachel. She had previously ordered a cheesecake from me and absolutely loved it, so she trusted me to deliver a beautiful cake with the simple instructions of: chocolate, pink, tiara. I hope I accomplished that!

Now, pictures!

Moist chocolate cake recipe. One of my favorites and pretty much the only one I use when chocolate cake is called for! The flavor is deep and rich, the cake has a great structure and is very easy to work with.

The template I designed to help in piping out my royal icing tiara.

The tiara drying on it's form. It's on a sheet of wax paper which sits on top of the template which is taped down to the best round object I could find. ;)

The tiara in it's dried and finished form. Notice the lack of the longer side pieces. Ya, those fell off when I removed the wax paper. Royal icing to the rescue!

The fondant bow drying out. I wrapped the bow section around two matching pepper shakers to help keep their form. Worked out well.

The ribbons drying out a bit and getting some wavering shape added. I had them placed on the cake carrier trying to get a feel for the shape they'd need to fit. Everything wound up nice and snug inside in the end.

Add everything together, a touch of piping and... VIOLA! Princess cake is done! The ribbons on each side say...

Happy Birthday...

Princess Rachel

What do you think? Thoughts, comments... compliments? ;D

Things for me to work on:

• Tighten up my piping skills. I did well, I think, but they could be cleaner and there are some hard to get to gaps near the fondant ribbons.
• Tighten up my handwriting when piping! I have horrible handwriting no matter what, so this will be a hard one. ;)