Brianna's Graduation Cake

This is the cake I made for my daughter's Graduation from High School this year. The little graduate is made from fondant. Buttercream frosting over a strawberry cake with twinkies on each end to make the rounded edges. Roses and vines made from frosting complete the decorations. The old english lettering was done with stencils.

My Niece's Guitar Cake

My niece wanted a guitar cake for her birthday and since she is going through a sort of Goth stage right now I did it in black and pink icing. All of the fondant components are little skulls with pink bows on their heads. It ended up being a nearly full scale model by the time I was finished. The main part is carved out of cake and the handle is made from square snack cakes that I just lined up and iced over. She really enjoyed it.

Rick's Graduation, Congrats on New Job Cake

This is the cake I made for my husband's Graduation/ Congratulations on a New Job party. He graduated with High Honors earning an Associates Degree in Applied Science for Graphic Design and landed a new job before he even graduated! The little figures are made of fondant and they looked so much like him that my mother in law took one home with her joking that when ever she gets mad at him she will pull it out of the freezer and yell at it! The cake was a sheet cake covered in fondant and the cap was baked in a pyrex bowl, the top of the cap is a piece of cardboard covered with fondant.

Dad's Beagle Birthday Cake

This is my Dad's birthday cake. I always try to come up with a cake that will actually mean something to the person that it is for and so I decided to try to replicate the thing that he loves most, his dog Holly. Strawberry cake was baked in 4 loaf pans and then I carved out the shape free hand and covered her using star tips

Mom's Birthday Cake

This is the cake I made for my mother's birthday this year. A German chocolate, double heart shaped cake with pale green buttercream frosting and gumpaste roses and butterflies. This was my first experience with gumpaste but since I wanted the wings on the butterflies to be raised I used it because it dries faster than fondant. But, you have to work it really fast or it will start to set before you are finished. She really liked it!

Easter Cake, Calla Lily Flower Pot

Easter cake from this year 2009. German chocolate cake made from 3, 6 inch round layers. Crushed oreo cookies made the "dirt" in the top of the pot. The calla lilies are made from fondant and formed on dowel rods which are also supporting the cake so it doesn't collapse.

Just a couple of tips

There are a couple of little tips that I have discovered through trial and error. 1st, if you are making a tall cake, always use pound cake, at least for the bottom layer or 2 depending on how many layers you are putting together. The density of pound cake will support the upper layers and make your cake less likely to collapse. Also, bamboo skewers are perfect for holding layers together, they are alot stronger than toothpicks and a lot less trouble than dowel rods because you don't have to cut them, just break them off at whatever length you need. Another plus, they are super cheap, about $1.97 for 100. One last thing, parchment triangles!! I had always used regular decorating bags but they were such a mess to clean, so then I switched to disposables, much easier to clean but they can get costly, then I tried parchment triangles and was sold on them. They are suprisingly easy to use, it worked for me the very first time, I had no problems with them coming unfolded or with icing squirting out the sides or anything. Also, $5.97 per 100 instead of $3.97 per 12 for the disposable bags. In case you didn't notice a pattern, I am thrifty, my kids call me cheap!!! Hope someone may find these tips helpful.