Slimed Ghostbusters

Got a request for a Ghostbusters cake for a little boy's birthday. I love Ghostbusters! The birthday boy's mom had a couple pictures of cakes she found online. So I combined a couple ideas and came up with this:

I made the topper using a print out of the logo that I cut into it's different layers: ghost, background, red sign. Then I traced them on to different colors marshmallow fondant (MMF) and cut them. This is the finished look before I added the black details:

The slime I made from green buttercream that I thinned with corn syrup. That was fun!

Soccer and Stripes

I recently joined Icing Smiles. They are a fantastic organization and I love making birthdays extra special for these amazing kids. This was my first cake order for them.

The Birthday Boy loves soccer and the cake colors match his team colors. Soccer ball is covered marshmallow fondant (MMF). I watched multiple tutorials on how to make it look it. Stripes on the cake are also MMF. Grass is buttercream. I used the scraps from the stripes, rolled them together into a long snake and made the name at the bottom.

Inside, I used a new recipe for cookies and cream cake. Not perfect. Still trying to find a good recipe...

Neverland Pirate Ship

This order was for a a Jake and the Neverlands Pirates cake. The client pretty much let me design the entire thing, as long as I was able to fit all the figurines and it would feed about 25 people.

The ship is cake, as is the main portion of the island. Both are covered in chocolate marshmallow fondant (MMF). The railing I made using toothpicks and Tootsie Rolls. The sail is paper that I drew lines on to look like the one from the tv show, then I hung it from a bamboo skewer mast. 

I do not know where the client got the figurines. Sorry!

Monster High Skull

This client just wanted a Monster High cake. She didn't much care about any other detail, except that it be on the small side. I made this one by carving an 8-inch round cake to the right shape, covered it in marshmallow fondant, and then attaching more MMF details.

The Birthday Girl totally "squee'd" when I delivered it. Pretty much made my day.

Olaf and Sven

** I've removed the rest of the Frozen cakes because, frankly, I'm sick of my own designs (having made dozens) and would rather make something new. But this one stays. Because I love Sven.

The obligatory Frozen cake. This one was a cookies and cream cake with marshmallow fondant (MMF). This is also my first attempt at using gum paste. While the gum paste snowflakes turned out fantastically wonderful, Olaf was another story. Rolling a smooth ball with fondant? Not a problem. Rolling a smooth ball with gum paste? Not gonna happen. Lesson learned.

Sven is chocolate MMF and, excluding the antlers, entirely edible. Antlers were made using toothpicks as the base, then covered in fondant. I found an awesome tutorial on YouTube that made a reindeer out of polymer clay and adapted it. Olaf is gum paste with some MMF details. He is entirely edible, but biting into him might result in broken teeth. His arms and hair used uncooked spaghetti as the base, then covered in MMF. Snowflakes are gum paste with edible glitter and there are some buttercream accents on the case.

Owl on a Book

This cake was a compilation of the Birthday Girl's favorite things: Harry Potter (golden snitch on book), Percy Jackson (trident symbol on Camp Half Blood bookmark), owls, and reading. The book is opened to Chapter 12 for her 12th birthday.

The cake was butter almond, covered in marshmallow fondant (MMF). Entirely edible.

The owl was also cake, covered in fondant. I used a 4-inch round pan, sliced off a piece from one side so it wouldn't roll away, then covered it with MMF. I found a similar owl on Pinterest and made a few adjustments.

Petal Cake with Baby Hippo

Make this one for an adorable mom-to-be who was having a zoo themed shower (she absolutely adores hippos). The nursery colors were pale turquoise and grey.

It turned out so great. I'd seen the petal method (also called pulled dot) and thought it looked so fun. And it was very easy!

Cupcakes are frosted with buttercream and then I added a marshmallow fondant animals cutout. This project also got me addicted to finding mini cookie cutters in cute shapes. I have far too many now and yet I keep finding more!

My first attempt at the hippo ended up adorable, yes, but in fear of his fate as cake topper…

Poor baby…He also looked too purple. I started over with the MMF and coloring, coming up with a happier result.

Double Baby Shower

I was asked to do cakes for a double baby shower. Both moms-to-be were expecting boys. One mother couldn't stomach chocolate since becoming pregnant (the things we suffer in order to have children…). Oh, this was gonna be fun!

Stripes was dark chocolate with MMF covering. Polka dots was butter cake, also with MMF. I tried two different methods trying to determine which one was best to setting the dots and stripes. I covered both cakes with white MMF. Dots were then cut out and inserted in the proper color, but a few looked like they might fall out. For the matching plaque, I used blue MMF then pressed the dots on with a rolling pin, making sure not to deform the circles. Same process with the stripes and such. I think I like the pressed and rolled version better but not sure how I would wrap a cake with striped fondant…

Please ignore the cracked fondant on the edges, there…not sure what was going on.

One Big Birthday

I frequently donate my skills to be auctioned for fundraisers. I used to bring an actual cake but find it much more fun to come up with something specific just for them. This was one of those. Made for a first birthday party. Have I mentioned how much I love making cakes for first birthdays? Well, and baby showers. But I really love making smash cakes for the birthday kid.

The mom wanted a giant number one, with building blocks somewhere in the design. Then she brought me a sample of the party supplies. The idea just sort of grew from there.

The cake inside is marbled, one of my most requested. Signature buttercream accents with MMF covering (the red band is also MMF). Smash cake is more of the same and a building block as requested. Letters and  block accents are made from an awesome edible play dough.

Hot Air Balloon Baby Shower

My sweet, sweet friend was having her first baby and I got to be the one to make for shower cake. The theme was hot air balloons. This seems to be a popular theme right now so I had lots of inspiration online. The only problem? I could not use chocolate due to an allergy.

The day of the party was a hot one and unfortunately, my top layer went all lumpy. But it was still very fun to make! Cake was an new recipe for a dense almond butter cake I've been playing with. Frosting clouds are my signature buttercream, then covered in MMF. Hot air balloons are a fantastic edible play dough sculpted on white candy melt base. Banner is not edible; used lollipop sticks.

Presents!

Had a little birthday girl that didn't much care what her party was like, as long as there were presents! Made designing the cake easy enough.

The white package and the tall yellow one are both buttercream with marshmallow fondant accents. The red gift is the only one that was entirely MMF. Kinda wish I'd wrapped all of them in the stuff. Inside is carrot cake.

Popcorn Bucket

Made this for a baby shower where the theme was "Ready to Pop." Really cute shower for an equally adorable soon-to-be mom. Glad I got to be a part of it!

Three layers of dark chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream. Covered in marshmallow fondant. Some details are in buttercream.

The popcorn pieces on top are made from mini marshmallows. To make them, hold a mini marshmallow, then snip it from one end to about the center. Rotate and snip again. Now press your thumb against the snipped end. Viola! Popcorn faster than in the microwave! Feel free to email me with any other questions.

See also the Carnival Tent with the Popcorn Cupcakes.

*This cake was also ordered for a bridal shower, where the theme is "He popped the question and she said yes!"

Eagles Cupcakes

My friend's son recently turned 16. He's a big Philadelphia Eagles fan and she wanted cupcakes for his party so this is what I came up with:

And before I get snotty emails or comments, I am well aware that the Eagles are not affiliated with Dallas. But that happens to be the Birthday Boy's name.  :P

Cupcakes are chocolate with my signature buttercream. Decorations are marshmallow fondant, except for the black and white accents - those are buttercream. I got lucky on this one since I have a shirt-shaped cutter and an oval for the footballs. Ended up hand-cutting the Eagle heads but I really liked how they turned out so they were worth the effort.

Solar System

I made this cake for my neighbor's daughter, who is also one of our best babysitters. The Birthday Girl is interested in all things outer space (here's a previous cake). Lately, her interests have expanded to include the entire solar system, so of course I made it into cake

The base is a chocolate cake, frosted with buttercream. The sun is streaked buttercream. The planets are actually candy covered in marshmallow fondant. (And? These were really fun to make! I might have to convince more people that their cakes need there…"Ya know what would make this Hello Kitty cake perfect? Planets. Just around her face.")

Here's a little closer look. The asteroid belt is made from Raisinettes and the stars are shimmery white sprinkles. I could not believe that my local grocery store didn't carry dragees*! What is this world coming to?? 

* Don't be too confused. Three years ago, I called them "edible BBs" or "those silver ball thingies."

Toy Story Cupcakes

"To Infinity, and Beyond!"

These cupcakes were for my friend's baby shower (because they were decorating the nursery with a Toy Story theme, focusing on Buzz Lightyear) but they would be great for a first birthday or even an older Toy Story fan. Hey, 40 is not too old to have an alien cupcake!

The cupcakes were vanilla almond with my signature buttercream piped on top. Toppers are all marshmallow fondant (except for black details, which are buttercream).

I had a lot of fun making these! And the aliens are my favorite. I contemplated not bringing them to the shower and just encasing them in varnish so they would last forever.

Hot Lips

The Birthday Girl would be spending her Sweet Sixteenth birthday at camp so her mom surprised her with a party, complete with a giant cake.

The main cake is chocolate and vanilla marbled pound cake, with a buttercream filling. It's then frosted in buttercream with Hershey's kisses and drop flowers as the border. The lips are another matter...

I'm still getting the hang of carving cake into the desired shape. This is more of the pound cake baked in an oval, frozen, and then carved to look like lips. I used red marshmallow fondant to cover, then brushed over that with red luster dust. Not perfect, but my toddler could tell what it was supposed to be and that's good enough for me.

Bigfoot

The Birthday Boy happens to be a fan of Bigfoot, so much so that he's a member of the local research association seeking Sasquatch. Not many people know this. What better way to out your husband's quirky hobby than with a giant cake at his 40th birthday party?

The interior is a marbled chocolate and vanilla pound cake with chocolate buttercream filling. Toes are covered in marshmallow fondant (even the toenails) and the rest of chocolate buttercream fur.

This was also my first attempt at carving a cake, even though there wasn't all that much to carve. I made this on very short notice but I think it might just be one of my new favorites.

Carnival Tent with Popcorn Cupcakes

My friend's daughter wanted a carnival theme cake. No problem.

The tent is made using rounds with a Wilton Wonder Mold on top. The birthday girl is not a big fan of fondant so I frosted the cake in buttercream and used marshmallow fondant only for the details: stripes and curtains.

Now, the cupcakes were my favorite part! Just bake ordinary cupcakes and frost them with white buttercream. Then open a bag of mini marshmallows. Using kitchen shears (or another pair of clean scissors), snip about halfway down the end, turn 90 degrees and snip again, making four nubs. Slightly squoosh the nubs down and then affix to the cupcake. It'll take you 25-30 marshmallows per cupcake so I recommend gang-pressing your eldest child to marshmallow snipping duty. I finished it off with a spray of yellow food coloring. The cupcakes were baked in ordinary wrappers. I used real popcorn bags, trimmed down and wrapped around the cupcakes. You could also use red and white striped liners with popcorn stickers or labels you make yourself.

Graveyard Cake

For her birthday this year, Boo wanted a Halloween party, since her big day is pretty close. No problem! I love that holiday. Now, getting her to decide on what she wanted for the cake was a lot trickier. She wanted ghosts and pumpkins and scary and headstones and chocolate. Oooookay...

Luckily, I found a cake posted on CakeCentral.com that was perfect.


Headstones and ghosts are marshmallow fondant. Trees are melted chocolate (and were surprisingly easy to make!). Inside is marbled vanilla and dark chocolate cake.

Assorted Cupcakes

I tried to come up with some simple to fancy cupcakes with a turquoise/calla lily theme.


Clockwise from the top: star tip with fondant initial, star swirl with green sugar crystals, round tip, white marshmallow fondant with marshmallow fondant lily, marshmallow fondant with fondant and buttercream initials, marshmallow fondant with cornelli lace in buttercream.