Farewell Cakes

This week was the end of my second week back to work. I'm doing OK, still need reminders, here or there, but most pertinent issues get resolved. I am happy to see my desk uncluttered with manageable groups of paperwork, tidily kept in their little cubbie-shelves.

Friday was the last day of several people, but I only made cakes for the known departees (in the same morning, we were surprised with news of a few who were also leaving, but to different departments/roles).

I would call these cakes "6-inch mini cakes" because they were between 2.5 to 3 inches high (normally, it's 4 inches). Both cakes were chocolate sour cream with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream icing.

The pink cake was for the summer student, which I girlified. The blue cake was for the Australian-bound traveller. Both concepts were simple, because I basically do not have as much time to prep and decorate during the week. Plus, they also had to survive my 2-hour morning commute (GO bus, then subway, then bumpy bus ride).

The meringue icing was a hit! It seemed like to most, this buttercream texture was unfamiliar. Their taste buds were probably used to the grocery-store/bakery's sugary and grainy, shortening-based "American buttercream" icing that cover most cakes. I am very glad that I introduced them to the real buttercream, which isn't too sweet and soooo smooth. :)

Good luck, Maddie and Jason!

Ruffle Cake

I had a request to make a cake for a birthday that had to have flowers on it. We decided on chocolate cake with whipped cream filling and Swiss meringue buttercream icing. I wanted to try out the ruffle technique, and I loved how it turned out! The flowers were made from marshmallow fondant (MMF) with silver dragee centres, and they were painted with pearl lustre dust. The text and dots were piped with dark chocolate. The pearls were made from MMF, too.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Ladybug Cake and Cupcakes

I had a request to make a cake for a 3-year-old. The inspiration came from the e-vite (I was a guest at the party, as well)... so, I had fondant ladybugs, green and teal fondant stripes, and a quilted red fondant cake board. The cake was chocolate filled with dark chocolate ganache (this little girl loved her chocolate). In addition, she liked pink and purple flowers... they got translated into chocolate form, along with mini fondant ladybugs, to top pink- or purple-coloured Swiss meringue buttercream icing over chocolate cupcakes (they were used as thank you favours). This cake was nice and simple and cute!

The white trail marks were individually cut fondant pieces!

Happy Birthday, Mieke!