I really do. I crave cake. Sometimes just plain cake, no frosting, no filling, just good, simple, not too sweet, cake.
But then sometimes I crave mashed potatoes, so there’s no real common thread here.
I was doing so well last week, posting something new almost every day, and then…………..
I don’t know what happened. It seems all it takes is one super busy day and I’m too fried to blog.
We’ve been having a fantastic run in the shop. Two solid weeks of good business, a steady flow of customers, and only a couple of cupcakes gone to waste.
We had a special order cake last week with no particular color specification. “Just make sure it has balloons.”
There was no way I was going to make big, bulbous, icky looking balloons like those nasty ones I’ve seen on Cake Wrecks (and let’s be honest, every Birthday cake in the supermarket) You KNOW what they usually look like.
I had Dave make me a balloon cookie cutter and I made some fondant balloons. I’m not a huge fan of the fondant, and I didn’t want to use cookies, but I figured such a small element on the cake wouldn’t be so bad. It’s not like the entire cake is covered in the stuff.
The cake is one layer each of chocolate and vanilla with chocolate buttercream filling and vanilla buttercream frosting.
The February flavors are finalized and ready for opening today. Traditional Red Velvet with Cream Cheese frosting and a handmade chocolate heart. (callebaut bittersweet and milk chocolate).
Spicy Cinnamon Chocolate: cinnamon, chili cupcake with cinnamon/chocolate buttercream and a chocolate topper. (I’m alternating between chocolate discs with transfer designs and the hearts.
Passion Fruit x3: passion fruit cake, passion fruit curd filling and passion fruit buttercream. Passion fruity good.
So good we needed another picture.
And last, but not least, the Chocolate Caramel Cupcake. Chocolate cake with caramel Swiss Meringue buttercream topped with a hand made caramel truffle.
Of course I nearly killed Dave making the caramel yesterday. Nothing says toxic smoke like burnt sugar. We had to open the garage door to clear the smoke. Now I think I’ve got the hang of it….
13 Responses to “I Still Love Cake.”
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February 2nd, 2010 at 9:06 am
The new flavors and decor look amazing! Is it February already?
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:52 am
The cupcakes look divine. Wish we lived closer to purchase some for our Valentine’s day party!
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:44 am
All beautiful! I really love those pretty chocolate hearts! I feel the same way about fondant but some people really love it!
Those balloons would come out just as good in modelling chocolate if you really hate to use fondant…
Glad business is good! Keep it up!
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:58 am
Dang I wish I lived in Vermont. I would run over there and scoop up some of those passion fruit cupcakes. They sound marvelous. And the toppers are so cute. You do great work, girl. Congrats on all the business.
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Oh and on the fondant issue. The commercial stuff tastes gross, but if you make your own with marshmallows, it tastes, well, like marshmallows. Now I know you might not have time to work with that, but in cases of these decorations, it is not a bad idea to make a batch and store in the fridge for later use. I dont know shelf life, but it really does taste very good and works well just like the commercial stuff. Just fyi. Google it, you will find many recipes for the same thing, with videos, pics and lots of narratives.
February 2nd, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Everything looks great. I think we are long lost sisters – I hate fondant – all these “beautiful” cakes covered in that mess – I think your cakes are beautiful – as they should be in frosting. I’ve been craving salad lately go figure.
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:17 pm
They look so yum!
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Chocolate + Caramel… I’d love to have at least one!!
February 2nd, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Those chocolate hearts are stunning. I am very very very bad at tempering.
Those balloons on Cake Wrecks are hilarious. Especially the ball sack ones. Ew.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Boy you keeping topping this stuff. IT really really looks great!!
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Sorry, typo,you keep topping “yourself” lol! I am so blown away by this work! It really looks amazing.
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:20 am
Alaina, I googled the marshmallow fondant and am thinking of making a batch to try out. That commercial stuff tastes horrible, almost fishy, gross. It’s a shame because it looks so nice.
Jen, you don’t know how I fight with the chocolate. When I worked at Hamersley’s we had to make chocolate “cigarettes”. What an effing nightmare. In the end though, I was the only one that could make them properly. It was almost as if the stars and planets had to be aligned in order to get it to work.
As soon as Dave said there had to be balloons, I had vsions of the “sperm balloons” on CW.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:53 am
I am now officially addicted to your cupcakes. They are possibly THE best cupcake I’ve ever tasted. I live about 2 miles from your shop — it is so hard for me to not stop by every day for a treat!!