Happy Memorial Day

In Memory of all those that have served, all those we've lost on this Memorial Day. I thank you for giving us our FREEDOM

Happy Birthday Raul

Raul loved Marina's cake so he wanted the same thing.  What he doesn't know is I made a different buttercream recipe that uses unsweetened chocolate vs. semi sweet.  The frosting was good, not as sweet but still borderline too sweet for me.  I am still on the hunt for the perfect chocolate buttercream recipe. If you have one & want to share, send it to me please!!!

cream, confectioner's sugar, butter, unsweetened chocolate & salt

bicycle made out of royal icing

I'm so happy I made 2 bicycles... I went to move it to the cake & it broke, leaving the tire in my hand and th rest in the sink :(   I was much more careful with the 2nd bicycle and it didn't crack until it hit the cake

Happy Birthday Raul!  Hope it was everything you wanted & more !!

Cake Frosting 101

A month or so ago my friend, Jen, asked me if I'd teach her how to frost a cake, my way.  We set a date and she invited another friend of hers.  We used her kitchen ...wish it weere mine with DOUBLE OVENS and a nice ISLAND to use for frosting!    The 3 of us had a great time, lots of laughs, lots of bloopers, and lots of taste testing.   When Taylor & Justin (Her kids) got home, they had a bowl of frosting & thought it was so yummy!

Jen's cake, frosted

Jen practicing with the Ateco comb

Showing Jen how to ruffle with Wilton tip 104

Borders... simple "S" border on top and

shell border on bottom with Wilton tip 1M

Whalah...done! Beautiful cake = Fun Sunday afternoon

Megan's cake flopped 1st time around so she bake danother in Jen's oven while we worked on Jen's cake.

Megan cut her 13 x 9 cake in 1/2 so she'd have 2 layers

Using a cake lifter from Sur La Table she put the top on the bottom

We didn't trim her round corners..it was just a cake to practice frosting on so it didn't matter

thick crumb coat :)

Megan decided she would do stripes on the side..she quickly veto'd that and did ruffles on the sides instead with Wilton tip 104

added a border and sprinkles..another BEAUTIFUL CAKE!

Thanks girls for sharing a Sunday afternoon with me..next time Cupcakes!!

Congratulations Yacil

Congratulations Yacil on your gratuation from SB City College!!

Happy Anniversary to US!

Twelve years ago today, we said "I do"  ... Happy Anniversary to US!

One of our best trips ever @ South Seaport, NYC

Birthday cake

Like I said lots of Birthday's in the office this week... decided to switch up the usual cupcakes and make a cake for Renee.   Using Wilton tip 104 I made ruffles on the sides but failed to take a side shot.

Happy Birthday Renee!

Sweet Spring Cupcakes

Every time I finish a blog it automatically emails a copy to my dad so he is able to follow my blog/creations from Northern California.   He is in town for a week and we had a family dinner last Sunday and Grams asked me to bring desert.  I figured since it was no one's birthday I would make a simple Lemon Cake with pretty frosting and no decorations. Of course, Dad asked where the decorations were :(   We planned another famliy dinner & I knew I could not dispppoint my dad twice in one week so I made cute lil' cupcakes just for my dad!!  Cute little lady bugs & bees. 

on my Gram's beautiful Candlewick plates

Tutorial: Royal Icing Bumble Bee's

Use Wilton tip #3 & fill your bottle or bag with 20 second royal icing

Pipe a small dot for the bee's head on wax paper

Pipe a larger dot for the body

Pipe a small black dot

Pipe another yellow dot

Pipe another black dot

Pipe the tail and pull the tip away as you let up so it creates a point

Use Wilton tip 352 for the bee's wings with white 20 second royal icing

Pipe a wing

Pipe another wing

There you have it..a Bumble BEE!