Flowers Everywhere

Clockwise, L to R

1. Bananafish 2. Magniolia 3. Audrey 4. Old Fashioned Wedding

It's summertime and the livin' is easy. So the saying goes. These cakes though are no easy feat. The Flickr members above continue to inspire me with their gorgeousness one cake at a time.

A New Year

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After much debate, a return to blogging is pulling at my heart. I have been so fantastically inspired by so many cake designers, I have to come back. I love cakes. Let the New Year begin!

Happy Holidays To All

I am a bit tardy on wishing you all a fabulous holiday season. We are still celebrating in our home, and will continue throughout the New Year. I am browsing online today looking for an amazing New Year's recipe to bring to my sister's party. I decided to pop over to see what Matthew Mead had been up to lately, only to find his recent post on my favorite kitchen accessory, The Cake Stand. He sums up how I feel precisely about my personal cake stand collection.

Please stay tuned, I am finding the perfect recipe for all of us cake devotees. Here is a hint: Champagne + Butter=Celebration!

A Little Uplifting For a Wintry Sunday

"As long as we can breathe, or eyes can see. So long lives cake, and cake gives life to thee."

-Shakespeare


So little posting here, but I had to share a Chocolate Rose Tutorial I found on a favorite blog of mine, Cake On The Brain. Enjoy! Another very pretty chocolate rose cake can be found at the blog, Jenny Bakes Cakes. Check out this picture.

Happy Fall!

Amazing Wedding Cakes Show

Where have I been? Well, apparently not watching television. I have heard for a few weeks now about the Amazing Wedding Cakes Show. How could I not want to watch this? We, however, did not get the We(T.V., that is). Rumor had it my not-too-far-away cake designer favorites, The Cakegirls, were on the show (please check out their fabulously updated site). That was enough to get me an upgrade. I now have 250 channels so that I can watch one hour of television per week. Really, I have four kids and work full time outside the home. I don't watch t.v.

Why are the Cakegirls my favorite? When searching for modern cake inspiration over two years ago, I looked for cake and Chicago and their site appeared. I told my daughters, "these girls should be on Food Network". Well, now they have been there, done that. Another swell reason I love the Cakegirls? Michiganders. Detroit-area Michiganders. They look like family, or some friends I would see at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Detroit. I hope the show gives me some hints....we will see! I am off to watch!

It's a Blogger's Life

Image Source

Phew! Summer has come and gone and not much blogging going on here! Our family just ran a three month long race of weekend trips to the farm, and almost nil time on the computer (gasp!).

Amid my quick trips to my favorite store, I was able to pick up some cake stands for a steal. What baker cannot use more stands for their goodies? If you are looking for a great buy on cake or dessert stands, online give ABC Distributing a try. Very reasonable for stands!

Lazy Swell Days of Summer

Blooming Hydrangea Cake

Why am I so out of commission these days? I can't even answer that one. I miss my blogging desperately, however, summer has been more than busy. My days are filled with working and nights are filled with beach time, laundry and cleaning. Thoughts of turning on the oven fade quickly when my air conditioning is already cranking. The baking bug bites me though at night when the sun has faded and our house is cooling. I realize I can't wait to get back at it....

That being said, I am taking the second Wilton class finally. Time goes by so quickly here at our Swell House and before I know it another month of no cake learning is happening. I finally have an excellent teacher who really wants us to learn the ancient art of piping.

I am still seeking knowledge from other places, and I found a great clay tutorial on Martha that is really appropriate to use for gumpaste. Check out her link on how to make a hydrangea. Just substitute gumpaste for the clay and you are all set--the best part is virtually no supplies are needed to make her hydrangeas. That is really a bonus because most cake ventures require a purchase of some sort. For a full-bloom tutorial on the buttercream hydrangea, check out Whimsical Bakehouse's tutorial on their Blooming Hydrangea Cake.

More Swell Stuff

I am having big problems uploading my favorite apron pictures, but I will send you to her website anyways. Just get an eyeful of Callie Mick's aprons and I think even the most defiant baker will agree that the apron should never go away. The logic of the apron defied my sensical ways until recently when I realized I was the only modern baker still wiping my hands on kitchen towels. Tired of looking for the towel, I realized the "always on another counter" towel could easily be replaced by the good old fashioned apron! Oh, and when you are looking around for cute aprons, you also need to try Sommer Designs. Carrie Sommers and her apron's could not be any cuter and may just make your husband want to pull out his pipe while reading the newspaper.

Not that I don't already own one. A picture of my female cousins and I was taken ten years ago at Christmas when one of the Aunt's gave each of us an apron from our beloved Grandmother's collection. It was in those apron's she made her Irish Mashed Potatoes, of which I could not stomach, onions and all. Thank goodness she usually made the onion-free, or American version, for my carb loving self. I refuse though to wear the apron from my Grandmother. Yet. First, I feel it may just be too special to wear. She died in 1988, after living since the turn of the century-last century. Second, it is in the Valley of the Unknown, a.k.a., My Hope Chest. I just don't know if I could bear to open a box full of so many momentos from years past. I fear the afternoon would be gone before me.

Thus a minuscule history on how we came to love the apron again. I will happily wear the new ones making cakes. Maybe Grandma's should be brought out on special occasions. Please pass the ba-tatas.

Glam Cake

O.K., I am really loving the glam look and love even more that it has transcended into the cake world. This gorgeous cake is from I Dream Of Cake and couldn't express the glam trend any better. I am trying to imagine how in the world Shinmin Li made this one, but if I learn, I will let you all in on the secret. True artistry!

In fun family news, we returned from a visit to my husband's hometown for the Fourth of July weekend. Oh, the fun we had. I had a chance to go out with my crazy sister in law and we all have children similar ages, so it is one non-stop funtime for the whole fam. The twins even ran a booth with my niece doing hair wraps and friendship bracelets at the nearby Farmer's Market. They were so cute and so excited to earn money! My hubby's family also has a farm so next weekend they are going to sell some raspberries from it. I am so happy they are able to create such fun memories of summer. Off to bake for now.....and to enjoy these beautiful summer sunsets.

Into The Oven!

My sentiments exactly! I think I can eat cake daily, although, I do not! I could manage a cupcake a day, but if I make them, they are pretty much gone within a day. My husband is getting annoyed having so much cake around. Annoyed almost as much as when I had to have Dairy Queen blizzards every night during the loooong nine months of pregnancy with the twins. I think he gained fifteen pounds that pregnancy and it never really left him. Sorry Honey!!! I will begin giving these cakes away soon!

On to my original thoughts with this post. The picture above is just a portion of the logo from the website, Into The Oven. Not only do I love the simplicity of the site, their product lines are the ones I am looking for. They also have excellent shipping rates and ship very fast for those of us who delay. Xia, your baking mistress at Into The Oven, brings a nice variety of newer unknown products while keeping the mainstays in stock. You can find everything from great looking cupcake liners to fishing lure chocolate molds. Xia also stocks India Tree's vegetable colored sugar crystals for anyone who wants to keep their cake as natural as possible. So much variety, it is hard to choose where to begin.

P.S. She also has a super cute logo!

Damask Stencil Cake Supplies

As I have been wondering where do all of these cake designers get the amazing stencils and script letters for use on cakes. I knew they were not doing these intricate stencils freehand. Ahhh, Designer Cake Stencils to the rescue! They have the stencil as featured on Martha's cake above. In addition, they have cookie stencils, really cool stencils for cake tops and full size cake stencils. I had seen their site a few months ago when I first saw the above cake, but they did not have the stencil set for sale yet. This cake has to be time consuming, but sooo worth the effort.

In unrelated news, I have been a bad blogger. The woes of mommyhood. I now find myself working full time in an uninspiring position whilst my kiddies spend their summer with an amazing nanny. And just recently the job of a lifetime came across my lap. No, not cake related. But one that would give my undergrad degree meaning, one mile from my home, and extremely prestigious and allow me to pay for my children's college. Will I get it? Who knows. It may dash my cake dreams in the short term, but may also fuel a kitchen addition. Hence, the lack of posting. No worries, though. Cake does not leave this swell kitchen. Oh no, it will carry on. If not with me, the next generation. I can't wait to post what my two twinnies have recently made.

Onward with the week-have a great one!

Let Them Eat Cake

(photo source)

So I was browsing my favorite blog of late....and could not resist sharing this dress with you! What is up with the Australian scene? I can't get over how much I love everything they are doing these days! Not just cakes....check out Wedding Style Guide's post about Rose & Ruby. Their clothing designs are total Breakfast At Tiffany's meets modern extravagance. Give their website a browse...their Winter 08 (remember we are talking Australia here) collection was/is superb. Visions of cake designs with draped and marbled fondant danced in my head....oh, sorry, cake on the brain-always!

Swell Recipe: Chocolate Buttaahcream

I am sharing my chocolate buttercream recipe with you. Honestly, I think I got it from Martha, but it has been so long that I cannot be sure. This buttercream is the perfect blend of sweet, chocolatey and salty all at once. You can use unsalted butter, but I (and the family) really love the salty side of this icing when I use the salted butter. Sounds funny, doesn't it? Well, it really works and you will know what I mean when you try this. I am sure Martha would have you use an unsalted butter and then add in the salt later. It is up to you, but if you try it my way, I don't think you will be disappointed. For some reason I wrote on the recipe that you can halve the recipe for a regular cake. Better not do that, as you may have too thin of a layer of icing. I made a half recipe for these cupcakes and it was not enough when I did the big swirls on top.

My husband wrote his love note on the recipe one night when I was up late baking. He enjoys that I love baking-and the end results! I really need to go through all of my abused recipes and get organized. This one is starting to worry me. At least I have it here if I lose my post-it. As far as mixing up the icing, just beat the butter for a minute then add in the vanilla. I also tend to add extra vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar and cocoa slowly. Sooo delish!

These cookies were for fun. I thought my kids would appreciate their initials on some cookies. The colors turned out better than I thought they would. I love the royal icing recipe that I found on Cake Central. It has a lemony flavor from meringue powder that is super tasty!

I have seen these cookies on Martha forever, but was not too excited about trying a cookie with hard icing. These are fast becoming my favorite cookie though, mostly because they do not become a gooey mess in the hot and humid weather we are having here in West Michigan.

School is out and my kids are celebrating with parties and picnics and last soccer games. Have a great weekend everyone!

Lemon Cordial Make a simple sugar syrup by bringing equal quantities of water and white sugar to a gentle simmer until all sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool. Mix 750ml of sugar syrup with 250ml of fresh lemon juice and pour into clean, dry bottles and seal. When ready to serve, fill each chilled glass with 1/3 cordial and 2/3 mineral water, together with plenty of ice and a hint of fresh mint.

(recipe and image source)

Jane from Wedding Style Guide sent me a copy of their super luxe magazine a couple of weeks ago. It arrived in a beautifully wrapped package, just waiting for me to delve into Aussie style. I cannot get over the amazing work that Australians are doing related to weddings. What I really love most about their magazine though, besides the amazing photography and classic style, was the size. Wedding Style Guide is perfect to carry in your purse, and is just large enough to give great seasonal wedding ideas while not overburdening the consumer with advertisements.

While I am on the subject of this gorgeous magazine from Down Under, I will tell you I have recently found many amazing cake designers from Australia. I have known about Planet Cake for a long time. They have great videos on YouTube, for the beginning cake designer.

BabyCakes is another great Australian vendor. These three sisters don't just provide cake services. They also do event styling and stationary. A one stop event shop! Also check out Polka Dot Cookies & Cakes. I love their retro website!

Thanks again, Jane! I only wish Wedding Style Guide would publish here in the States!

We Ran A 5K!

Today was the big 5K. It was awesome! Over 600 girls participated from across our county. This event reminds me every year why we chose to live in West Michigan. We have a beautiful city, with people who really care about our overall well-being and the future of our children. I have never lived in such a family-friendly place, and am proud of the effort that every person in this city puts forth to keep it so family-oriented.

If you have never heard of this awesome program, please check it out! I can't even tell you how happy my girls were when they finished this race! A couple of years ago, the program founder, Molly Barker, came to speak at our annual event. She is awesome and very inspiring!

Sorry...I had to brag on my town. I love this place and the beauty that I am surrounded with living here. The people are great, too!

Cute Cuppie Papers!

How cute are these cuppies? They are from Etsy seller, Yummy Cuppy Crafts. Really reasonably priced at $6.00 per dozen, I think they give a great presentation to the plain cuppy! Where else can you find such cool cupcake designs, you ask?

Definitely try Fancy Flours. They have some really cool cuppies, as well as regular cupcake liners. And check out the price on some of their liners! Very reasonable!

Spring Flowers....

This is my latest creation...just for spring. I am trying out buttercream recipes and this was a tester. Also more practice with fondant. I just cannot bring myself to do a whole cake in fondant as my family and I do not enjoy eating fondant. I am really on the fence about fondant. The look is awesome, but eating it is a whole other issue for us. It was tough to make the scrolls I wanted here, but I believe it is because I make my own fondant. All in all, a great practice cake that my kids can't wait to get their hands on!

Silhouette Love

Are we all loving silhouettes, or what? I know I am and was inspired from My Sweet and Saucy to make some silhouette cookies. When I think of silhouettes, I think of the old days in school when our parents were provided with a silhouette of us kids. I have always wanted a silhouette of my own children, and even found an artist at a local art show that makes them. Instead of paying $75 per child, you could make them at home using these directions from Brooklyn Bride.

I did not have a cutter for these, so I made a template from Sweet and Saucy's picture and hand cut the dough. Whew! That was a long process and just writing about it I am reminded to never do that again. They are my first royal icing decorated cookies, and I had a great time making them, minus the cookie cutter. I am now on the hunt for a cute silhouette cookie cutter. If I find one, I will let you all know!!

It was Friday, with Dorie

While I figure out my &*$#! camera problems, I have to let you know I just scored this baking handbook for $7.99 at T.J.Maxx. Searching and searching their book section I knew there would be a dessert book that I was dying for. T.J.'s did not fail me, as usual!

I have been wanting this book for a long time but being the mother of four children, I do not pay full price for much of anything. Retail would have been $40.00, and Amazon would have been $26.40 plus shipping. Gotta love T.J.'s!

I am not a member of Tuesday's With Dorie....yet. I am just finally getting ready to beg for membership to the Daring Bakers. I think a once a month baking commitment is about all I could handle right now.

I devoured the "baking book" immediately. Beautiful photography, recipes that all seem to die for. Highly recommended, but see if you can snag the deal I did at T.J.'s!