Opening up another session of the FNCC! Who's up? Whatcha' working on?

Cat

Hi everyone!

This week brought me two cakes. One is a little 6 inch covered in Tiffany blue fondant and royal icing daisies. The other is a two tier Patriotic Betty Boop cake. This last one was fun to make but a client doozy to work with. We discussed the design at the first of June and found the Betty figurine online and asked her to order it immediately and have it shipped to me. Well, she waited until the 25th to order it..and didn't expedite shipping. So...it arrived today. The cake is due tomorrow and I had to leave to go out of town today to go to that area and couldn't finish the cake until the figurine arrived so I could stack the cake properly. So we are supposed to leave at 1 and the figurine didn't show up till 11:45...and then I had to stack and trim and finish before we could leave. SIGH. Top it off she is a very slow communicator so any communication with her took days, not minutes or hours. I'm very proud of the cake but man, oh, man, not sure I would want to work with her again and she is already talking about the "next" cake.

So now I'm in San Jose...which is about 150 miles from home..the cake is safe for delivery tomorrow morning and Betty is safe on the top. The first cake was delivered on our way. Next week is my vacation week of the summer and I'm SO happy for the time off!

What is going on with everyone else?

Cat

Making a 50 th Anniversary cake. Hawaiian theme. Cakes baked in freezer. Next weekend. Have changed my mind a million times. They told me do what I want. 6, 10,14 rounds. Any ideaqs?

Busy night for me! Just got home from an outdoor swim meet in 104 degree heat and got right to work in the studio. 5 tier wedding cake tomorrow, 10 cupcakes to go with it, and 2 2-tier birthday cakes ~ all due tomorrow. Better go....

I love beach or hawaiian themed cakes! I'm a beach girl<G>. Have you thought of using different shaped cakes? Like a square a round and a square? Or round square round?

Sounds like you both still have a VERY busy night tonight before you can get some sleep! Remember to post photos here??? I just love to come back later in the week and see what everyone is working on!

I am, as I mentioned, out of town, so I don't really have a photo of the Betty cake to post. I'll make sure to do so when I get home Sunday night.

Cat

Happy Friday-

Well, I'm working on TWO cakes for tomorrow--- one is almost done and the other- let's just say I have ALOT of work to do-- oooh yeah I think I mentioned i was going to bring cupcakes with me -- ugh!!! It is for y sisters holiday bbq/pool/birthday celebration- seems I always waitto the last minute for family, they get short changed for sure.

So, the one I'm almost done with- baked, torted, fille, stacked, ganached- (whew)- is a 6 inch square- purple fondant- with diff colored gems and pearls- I just have to add the fondant (which is already colored) and prep the board. The board is always an issue for me- I wait till the last minute or don't realize how long it takes etc- so... hmm I have to work on that in the future- OOh this is a welcome home cake for my other sister's Nanny- she had to go back to Germany to renew her Visa-

The other cake is 8 in round- red white and blue layers- Cakes baked filled stacke- they are settling now- the embellishments are all made- and are drying-, board done on that one- just have to ganache and fondant- want to try the inlaid techinique on this one-

If I could get these done tonight- I try and whip those cupcakes up tomorrow- I have the batter and buttercream already made-

UGH-- just remebered my buttercream seemed grainy--- I don't know what the heck happened there-. sigh

Ok-- back to work I go- I'm sure I'll be checking back in and updating- ha!!

Mo

Whoo hoo, I actually have a cake to talk about this Friday nght! I'm hosting a party tomorrow for a friend who is visiting after having lived in Europe for the past year and a half, I took the opportunity to really do it up. The theme is "A Garden Party, to Reminisce With an Old Friend" (the over-40s will get that ). I just love how the cake came out. It's 2 tiers, 6" & 9", white fondant with 5 hot pink dahlias on it. Also on the dessert table: decorated almond sugar cookies, raspberry meringues, 2 flavors of cupcakes and assorted candy. Very styled, a la Hostess with the Mostess. I have about 25 people coming for dinner and about another 15 coming later for dessert.

Hi all, from Downunder,
I didn't get in here last week as by Friday I was flying down to Sydney to surprise my bestie with a birthday cake.
My first time flying with a cake and it got to it's destination unscathed and much admired by all of the airline staff along the way.

I did surprise my friend though , she thought I was just going to send her a cake by courier and couldn't believe that I delivered it personally.

So back home on monday and another Birthday cake that was due out on Wednesday. It was fruit so it had been baked for several months.
Then I had to make a teaset for the top of a 5 year olds birthday . Also to go on Wednesday .
Then I did a Giant Cupcake birthday cake for my other bestie to have at a birthday lunch yesterday.

Now I am just going to have a good rest and hope that I don't end up with any cakes to do next week as I have hopefully a week off.
I will upload later when I have had a bit of a nap..

Can't wait to see the Betty Boop Cat, and all the other cakes everyone had been working on.

Nothing for me, thank goodness! We've had widespread power outages since last Friday and it's hot as Hades and humid to boot! Some people in Ohio still don't have power and I feel really bad for them. I came home today with 2 more window air conditioners because I can hardly breathe when I'm doing anything other than sitting still.

Last weekend I had a two tier baby shower cake and the shower was at my place. Gulp! It was an unforgettable shower since we didn't have power (and therefore no water, either). lol

WOW! SO much has been going on this week! Flying a cake to AUSTRALIA!!??? How did you DO that? Special carrier or??? Please do share!

And a power outage too...I have friends who were in your same spot and it wasn't pretty!

MO...your grainy buttercream could be the type of powdered sugar you used. PS from beets tends to not disolve the same as pure cane sugar and so you end up with a good tasting but grainy buttercream if you don't use pure cane sugar.

Cat

Hello fellow cakers!! Just finished my creation for the night, it's ready for 9am pick up. Check it out. It was my first time doing a topsy type of cake. I love decorating!

The cake that I was working on was a Dr. suess themed graduation cake. I am debating if I need to add more ribbon roses, especially by the K on the second tier what do you ladies think?

Cat don't you love your cake safe? I do, I wish I could use it more.

Less is usually more in my opinion but some cakes are just more is more. With Suess I think I'd do less is more.

And YES!!! I love my Cake Safe!!

Cat

Cat I am an Australian so I flew from one state to another. I live in Queensland . SO the cake just went with me and sat under the seat in front of me.

Love the Doctor Seuss cake , I think it looks great , I love ribbon roses I always feel they are my emergency get out of Jail free card. I use them whenever I am short of time or when I can talk someone into them. However because people know me by my realistic flowers I don't get to do them that often.

Chelle, even tho you were not flying International that would still give me a heart attack...SO brave!!!

Thanks chellescakes. I was doing what the customer asked. I just thought something was missing and maybe one day I would be able to do more realistic flowers. I have only been baking and decorating for 2 years. Lots to learn.

It was only a small cake , fondant covered and I always do a snail trail of royal icing around the bottom of the cake so they don't move and of course I used grip matting in the box and I had a little piece ready to pop under the cake on the floor. I have to Fly with a wedding cake in November a two tier although I think I will travel it unstacked , so this was a dry run.
I was actually quite proud of myself , I managed the cake , my carry on suitcase and my handbag by myself.

Sberry, it is a wonderful journey caking , I have learnt so much and yet there is still so much to learn . The hardest thing I learnt is when to step away from the cake . LOL

Well done! I'd still be terrified! LOL! Ok, I would have to use my Cake Safe for the wedding cake but I'd still be terrified! LOL!

Cat

Well done! I'd still be terrified! LOL! Ok, I would have to use my Cake Safe for the wedding cake but I'd still be terrified! LOL!

Cat

Ok, signing off for the night...I have to deliver the Betty Boop cake in the morning and then we are off to play in San Francisco for the day! Have a great weekend!

Cat

Okay here is what I did last week , I finally recovered enough to upload the pics onto the computer.
this is the one I flew with.

this was for my Aunt

This is for another caking friend the frosting was fresh cream mixed with a homemade cherry compote ( the cherries were imported from the USA .)
the cherry pieces made piping neatly a little difficult.


And finally my only paying gig for the week a teaset. Completely edible.

Oh My gosh!!! Those are SOOOO cute! And that tea set is beyond adorable! LOVE THEM!

Here is my Betty Boop Cake...the client was thrilled!

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/2363743/patriotic-betty-boop-cake


I am SO tired tho...spent the rest of the weekend with an out of state friend and we ran all over San Francisco...stayed up WAY too late and now I'm just exhausted. Glad to have this next week off! LOL!

Hope to see more photos this week!

Cat

looks great Cat , I have been stalking this thread waiting for you to come home and post the pic. Sounds like your weekend was like mine last week. It is great to get out of town even if it does leave you a little worse for wear.

I too have the week off , I am hoping to start on my project for the Gold Coast Show.