A Little Something Sweet - Custom Cakes

Rainbow Connection {Rainbow Layer Cake}

2012-02-10T10:46:00.001-08:00

A simple rainbow theme on the outside...
With a suprise on the inside!! 6 layers of vanilla cake, colored and stacked in rainbow order! Now that's fun!!

Beautiful Birdie {Simple Bird Design Cake}

2012-02-09T18:24:00.000-08:00

I love this simple design that Caroline's mommie picked out... reminds me of a kids quilt that would be at pottery barn kids. So cute for a first birthday!

Game, Set, Match {Tennis Cupcakes}

2012-02-09T18:22:00.001-08:00

Love these cupcakes -- what you can't really see in the picture is the texture on the tennis balls and the "strings" on the teeny tiny raquets. So fun!!

Two Birthdays, Three Cakes {Princess Ballet Themed Cakes}

2012-02-09T18:15:00.001-08:00

What to do when birthday sisters share a birthday month, which is also right after Christmas? Make them feel extra special with individual smash cakes and a giant cake for all of their party guests!! I know these little girls felt completely celebrated!!

Dump Truck {3D Dump Truck Cake}

2012-01-28T06:23:00.000-08:00

This is absolutely one of my favorite cakes. I've been wanting to do a dump truck for years, and finally got my first request. Isn't it cute! Little Will is turning 2 this weekend... what a fun cake for a little boy! The best part - this truck is carrying giant sprinkles!

Something New {Jewel and Swag Cake}

2012-01-28T06:09:00.000-08:00

One thing I love my job (there are many things) is that each cake I make is different. This cake was especially fun because it has two new techniques that I've never tried before... fondant swags and sugar casted jewels. Neither technique is terribly time consuming, but they are both very precise, so it took me a few tries to get things just right. Here's a closeup of both...

The finished product:

And a sweet smash cake for the birthday girl to match:

Nicknames {Fondant Alligator Cake}

2012-01-28T06:01:00.000-08:00

Nicknames are fun... most of the time!! I've had many over the years... Trixie (from my Dad), Petunia (not sure how my uncle came up with that one), Toilet Paper (a friend from grade school), and my least favorite... Pattie Sue (ick... no offense to an Patti's out there... it's just not me).

Well, in her first year of life, Allie has already picked up her first nickname - and it's a cute one - Allie-gator. Adorable! And also the perfect theme for her first birthday cake.

Love the back of this gator -- as always, it's the small details I love!

Yee Haw {Cowgirl with Boots Cake}

2012-01-28T05:58:00.001-08:00

Our darling friend Barrett celebrated her 4th birthday this week. It was a tough call on the cake theme... cowgirls or princesses, she loves both. Well, you can tell what she picked... yee haw... Happy Birthday, Barrett!!

Shades of Gray {Dot Cake in Shades of Gray}

2012-01-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

The story of this order is fun. Anne contacted me to make a cake for her hubby's surprise 40th birthday. Fast forward a week, Anne says her friend Monica (who is a friend of mine) will be picking up the cake and bringing it to the party. Fast forward another week, and Monica calls to tell me it's also Anne's birthday and Monica wants to surprise Anne with her very own cake at the same party. The supriser turnes into the surprisee. Love! What a fun party - and fun coordinating cakes to celebrate both of them!!

Stop and Smell the Roses {White Wedding Cake with Buttercream Roses}

2012-01-06T07:06:00.000-08:00

A traditional wedding cake all in white for a small wedding this weekend. I love the scroll work on the sides, and the pile of buttercream roses on top!

Ringing in the New Year

2011-12-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

What better way to ring in the new year than by celebrating a new marriage! Lisa and Jason are getting married today, and will celebrate the beginning of 2012 with 200 of their closest friends and family at their fancy reception tonight (which, by the way, will overlook the Charlotte skyline AND fireworks at midnight) now that's fun! Lisa and I have been chatting about her cake designs since summer, so it's fun for me to finally see the final result all come together.

Four cupcake flavors: walnut studded carrot cake, chocolate peanut butter, vanilla chocolate chip, marshmallow rice krispie (yup, you read correctly, that was Lisa's idea... rice krispie treats shaped and frosted like cupcakes!).

These chocolate peanut butter cupcakes were sprinkled with various sizes of silver dragees, to look a little like champagne bubbles. (In case you were wondering, this design was the beginning of my love for the silver dragee... I ordered 6 lbs of them at a cake show this summer just for this order... now I can't stop using them!)

These were the cute rice krispie treats, frosted with a swirl of buttercream, and sprinkled with clear sanding sugar. (These would be my personal favorite flavor of the evening, considering I could easily polish off an entire pan of rice krispie treats myself!)

The vanilla chocolate chip cupcakes were frosted with buttercream, and decorated with more mini dragees, and a trio of cute black fondant flowers.

And then there's the walnut studded carrot cake cupcakes, frosted with a scrumptious cream cheese buttercream and decorated with a single black fondant flower (side note - have you ever tried cream cheese frosting on a graham cracker - yum!).

And the final display! 200 beautiful cupcakes, and a sweet little bridal cake for the bride and groom to cut into. The fun thing about the cake, it's actually all rice krispies inside, which is Lisa and Jason's fav dessert. Very fun!

This post finishes me off for 2011. It's been a busy but really fun year. To all my clients and friends, thanks so much for all of your creative ideas and inspirations... and Happy New Year!

Batter up!

2011-12-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

This baseball cake was ordered to be the groomscake for a wedding rehearsal dinner this weekend. I love working with soon-to-be brides to figure out the perfect design to celebrate and surprise their soon-to-be hubbies! In this case, Lisa's groom was a pitcher during his days at UNC.... love how this turned out! The hat and baseball are sculpted cakes, covered in fondant and hand painted, and the larger base cake is covered in buttercream grass. As always, my favorite parts are the small details - in this case, it's the seam stitching on the hat - look close and you'll see it!

Supreme {3D Pizza Cake}

2011-12-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

Since I grew up in Chicago, I consider myself a pizza expert... I think almost anyone from Chicago or New York would say the same (I won't play favorites in this blog over which city has the better version... but I will say I can't resist a good slice, regardless of the city it hails from). So, since I'm an "expert" and all, I've been wanting to make a pizza cake for years. I finally got an order for one this weekend, and knew exactly what I wanted to do. My only dilemma - how to do the cheese. I pondered a bunch of different options -- grated chocolate, grated fondant, rolled fondant, pourable frosting -- and ended up using melted white chocolate (drizzled on the top), which turned out great. I imagine all of the little girls at Rachel's party will get a kick out of having pizza for dessert! (Now if only they could figure out how to make a pizza look like a cake... that would be fun!)

All Things Girlie {Tea Party, Ballet, Princess Cupcakes}

2011-12-16T14:49:00.001-08:00

What do you do when you have a little girl who loves tea parties, ballet, and princesses?? You have a ballet-princess-tea party themed birthday!! So we did a little bit of everything on these cupcakes. So fun!

Up Up and Away {3D Airplane Cake}

2011-12-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

My good friend Heather and I have been talking about this airplane cake for months. Her dad just retired from his career as a pilot for American Airlines. To celebrate, she ordered this fun cake for him!! It's a mini version of a MD-80, the plane he flew. I just love it!

Trends {Cake Pops}

2011-12-10T18:15:00.000-08:00

Okay, so if you haven't heard, cake pops are the trendiest thing going right now. Here's a super simple version... cake centers, dipped in chocolate, covered in sprinkles. Delish!! I can't keep these in my kitchen or I'll eat at least a dozen. I made these for a party favor for our friend Maggie... happy birthday, sweet girl!

Twinkle Toes {Ballet and Monogram cupcakes}

2011-12-10T18:11:00.000-08:00

My friend Sam (http://pocketfulofposiespaper.com/) always orders the cutest things from me... no exception this time. Adorable little ballet themed cupcakes for her daughter's 5th birthday. Love these!! PS. Yes, I'm still trying to find any reason to use my favorite silver dragee sprinkles!!

Oh baby... {Baby Shower Cupcakes - Diapers and Babies}

2011-12-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

Cute little cupcakes for a babyshower this weekend... Happy babies, sad babies, and lots of diapers. Yup, that about sums up the first few weeks with a new baby!!

3 week hiatus

2011-12-09T18:21:00.000-08:00

After a three week hiatus (which was lovely!) I'm gearing back up for a busy December. I started folding my cake boxes this week to get ready. This is only half of the boxes for December... I wonder if Santa would bring me a bigger storage closet??!!

Surfin' USA {3D surfing cake}

2011-11-22T04:59:00.001-08:00

I have a feeling if we were on the westcoast, I'd get more orders for a cake like this. Laurie ordered this design for her older brother who turns 40 this weekend, and loves to surf!! I didn't really have any idea how to do a cresting "white capped" wave until I started frosting. But it all came together. My trick -- a thick layer of white frosting under the blue, and when I frosted the wave with a top layer of blue, I dipped my spatula down into the white every few strokes. Not sure if the picture does this one justice - it's much cuter in person!

Polka Dots {Green and Purple Polka Dot Cake}

2011-11-20T17:30:00.001-08:00

I haven't done a simple dot cake in quite a while. I love the color scheme of this one. Different shades of green and purple. Hope the birthday girl likes it!!

Red White and Blue {British and American Flag Cake}

2011-11-20T17:26:00.001-08:00

This was definitely a unique request -- a cake with both the American and British flags on display to celebrate an English aunt who happens to be visiting her American family over her birthday. Fun birthday :) Thank goodness the flags have the same color scheme... otherwise it would have been harder to pull this one off! I handpainted the flags (harder than it may seem) and used one of my new fun fondant toys to do her hair. LOVE how it turned out!

Yellow Rose Anniversary Cake {Fondant Yellow Rose Cake}

2011-11-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

My generation is getting to that age where our parents are celebrating major milestones. My friend Anne's parents just hit their 40th anniversary. Amazing!! I'm so excited to have a tiny part in their celebration! Wonder what my kids will do for me on my 40th anniversary?? Hmmm... in September of 2042. (That just sounds crazy!)

"Tomorrow... tomorrow... I love ya tomorrow" {Annie Movie Cake}

2011-11-18T10:32:00.001-08:00

Yup, it's an Annie cake!! I love that this movie is still so popular - it was one of my favs growing up, and now it's definitely in the top 5 for my girls. This cake is for a little girl who already, at the age of 2, adores the little redhead. Can't say I blame her!! Happy Birthday, Vivienne!

Bzzzz... {3D Birthday Bear with Honey Pot}

2011-11-14T12:31:00.000-08:00

I've done a few bears over the years, and I've even done a bear and a bee theme in the past. You'd think this design would get old for me... but it hasn't!! I still love watching the cute little bear take shape... adorable as ever!

Glass Slipper {Cinderella Doll Cake}

2011-11-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

Amazingly, this is the first Cinderella doll cake I've gotten a request for - and she turned out just lovely!! (And yes, I'm still looking for any reason to use my new silver dragees -- they work perfect for dress beading in this case!!)

Bugga Bugga {Bug Cupcake Toppers}

2011-11-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, when my kids were smaller, I remember them saying words wrong, and hoping that they'd never learn the right way to say them because it was so cute. (Hannah would say "Mommie, I can feel my heart beeping." It was so cute, I couldn't help but make her repeat herself a few times... not correcting her a single time.) Well, our friend Charis is that fun age, turning 2 this weekend. And she loves "bugga buggas" (aka. ladybugs). She was in my car this week, riding home from preschool, when I heard her chanting "bugga bugga... bugga bugga... bugga bugga..." I turned around and saw her holding a long lost ladybug toy she must have dug out of a crack in Leah's carseat (side note - wonder what else is in there?) Couldn't help but smile, and ask her over and over what was that in her hand again?! "Bugga bugga!! Bugga bugga!!" So cute!!

These cupcakes are perfect for her 2nd birthday - they may be bug themed, but I'm pretty sure I know which cupcake she'll pick to dig into at her party!! Happy Birthday Charis!!

A visitor in my kitchen...

2011-10-31T10:07:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine from church asked me if I'd give her middle daughter a lesson in cake piping, since she's developing a bit of a passion for baking! Now, I'm not going to lie, I have very limited skills in the area of teaching (which is why I appreciate my kids teachers so much!!) but I adore all of her girls, so how could I refuse?? It took a bit of time, but we finally found a morning that worked for both of our schedules. Sarah Kate came over today, and in between Halloween orders, we worked on some technique. We started with mixing colors, prepping and filling the piping bag, and then started talking about which different tips can make different designs, depending on the angle and pressure you use on the bag.

She was a QUICK learner!! Check out two of her cupcake designs (which she did ALL by herself, I might add)... we had so much fun!

A festive pumpkin patch - lots of technique to practice here - grass, round fat pumpkins, leaves, and vines! Perfect for this time of year!

And a super cute buttercream spiderweb with a fondant spider... can you see his shifty little eyes.... yup, she painted those on!! Adorable!

Watch out Cake Boss... here comes Sarah Kate!!

Happy Halloween!! {Halloween Theme Cupcakes}

2011-10-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

Some festive (but not too spooky) cupcakes for a preschool Halloween party. So cute!! Happy Halloween everyone!!!

A Trick-o-Treat Birthday {3D Halloween Pumpkin Birthday Cake}

2011-10-30T15:44:00.001-07:00

Little Lola celebrates her birthday on Halloween day! I anticipate YEARS of fun birthday parties for her!! This Halloween-Birthday, her mom told me she would be a princess witch wearing a black tutu. So cute!! So, we made a little Lola sitting ontop of the pumpkin, dressed to match big Lola on her big day!

"GGGOOOOAAAALLLL!!!" {3D Soccer Ball Cake}

2011-10-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

William has a birthday this weekend -- so his mama ordered a fun soccer cake -- how perfect for a bunch of little boys!!

Little Lady Bug {Stacked Lady Bug Cake}

2011-10-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

I got lots of comments last time I took pictures of a cake in the making... so here's another go at it!!

Leveled, torted and ready to start icing...
Looking a little rough around the edges (this is usually the point my girls tell me I've missed a bumpy spot... oh so helpful!)

Cleaned up the buttercream bases.... looking pretty good.

Stacking the tiers... my least favorite part. Always makes me nervous!

Moving on... time for fondant!! How does a little red ghost fit into this cake?

Another tier to stack - hoping I get it centered JUST right.

And now the fun begins... hello little lady bug!! (Made a few attempts on the name, couldn't decide how I wanted it to look - love the end result though!)

This is the point where I start to wonder, will it turn out the way I've pictured it in my head?? I'm not anywhere close yet. So, out comes more fondant and frosting...

Add a bunch of daisies, some grass, and a few more mini ladybugs...

Now THAT's what I was picturing this cake to look like!! Plus a cute little smash cake just for Jada. I absolutely adore this cake!!

And The Tree Was Happy {"The Giving Tree" Cake with Apple Cake Pops}

2011-10-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

My sweet 85 year old grandma came to visit us in Charlotte this week. She's only been here one other time, 9 years ago, for my wedding. When we were talking about her visit and what she wanted to do while she was here, her answer was always, "I just want to watch you." So, she sat and watched!! And it was so fun! She watched the girls at school, she watched us do yard work, she watched us play, and she even watched me make a cake. I've never had such a fun audience! She was amazed at the transformation of cake and sugar and food coloring into this super cute Giving Tree themed cake design. And she even stopped the watching for just a bit, and pitched in to help roll the cake centers and stems for the matching apple shaped cake pops... she did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself!! The final products:

Dinosaur Month {3D Brontosaurus Cake}

2011-09-23T06:04:00.000-07:00

Apparently September is the month of dinosaurs!! I've never done a dino theme cake, and all of a sudden I've had two in a row!! Barney was last week, and this adorable brontosaurus was this week. Connor's room is orange and blue, so we went with that combo... I absolutely LOVE this cake. It's even cuter in person - I wish I could see Connor's face when they sing him Happy Birthday! (Oh - and the inside is vanilla chocolate chip - yum!!)

He or She? Open to see!! {Gender reveal cake}

2011-09-11T17:56:00.001-07:00

Baby gender reveal parties are all the rage these days... whether or not you'd personally find out the gender of your own baby via ultrasound, you have to admit, this is a fun idea... to have all your friends and family around when you slice into a big cake that will be either pink or blue on the inside, thus revealing either a future of ballet and tutus or football and helmets! This cake was for my friend, Jen (who also happens to be my hair stylist... who does the best cut I've ever gotten... ever!!). I was beyond thrilled to be a part of this super special event for her and her hubbie.

And since the party was yesterday, and the big reveal has happened, I can happily announce here the inside was BLUE!! Congrats, Damon and Jen!! I'm so excited for you guys and can't wait to meet your sweet little boy!

A Purple Tribute {Purple Cake with Green Flowers}

2011-09-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

When I took this order weeks ago (for a cake in shades of purple), I didn't know everything else that would happen this week. On Monday, we said good bye to a sweet friend, Sydney, who's 2 1/2 year battle with brain cancer finally ended. Sydney was many things (too many things to list), but among them she was a lover of all things bright, bold and colorful. She could pull off styles and colors that I'd never even dream of, ever... including a pair of bright purple Puma tennis shoes. I'll remember a lot of things about Sydney, but for some reason, those purple Puma's are top on my list... they were just so "sydney." I loved standing in my kitchen this morning, mixing purple after purple, and remembering my friend, her crazy purple shoes, her smile, her way of listening so intently, and her amazing love for Jesus. Sydney, I'll miss you!!

Polka Dots {Multicolored Polka Dot Cake}

2011-09-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

This picture was the color inspiration for another cute cute polka dot cake, to celebrate the arrival of Quinn!! Horray!!

Dots and Stripes {40th Birthday Cake}

2011-08-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Love this cake -- it's a combo of flavors (one tier of vanilla, one tier of chocolate peanut butter)and a combo of designs (stripes and dots) -- all done up to match the invite sent out to celebrate Tim's 40th birthday this weekend. I'm guessing he's 5ish in this pic - so cute!!

Introducing Carrot Cake!!!

2011-08-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Motivated by a cute bunch of carrots from our summer garden AND a winter bride who wants carrot cake cupcakes, I've been fiddling with a carrot cake recipe for a few weeks. As of this week, I'm super happy to add carrot cake to my flavor list! With or without delicious cream cheese buttercream! I'll take mine with... yum!!

Fire, Fire! {3D Firetruck Cake with Hydrant}

2011-08-19T17:24:00.001-07:00

I'm honestly surprised I haven't had more orders for firetruck cakes. All little boys (and lots of little girls) I know love firetrucks. This is only my third firetruck cake... and they are probably one of my favorites to create. It's all about the detail. I spend hours on the cute little details - I just can't help myself - it's so fun! My favorite on this cake is the little metallic instrument panel on the side of the firetruck. Love love love!!

Ballet {Ariel 3D Doll Cake}

2011-08-19T17:02:00.001-07:00

A sweet Ariel cake, for a little girl's ballet birthday party!

Three Weeks Off!! {Rainbow & Flower Cupcakes}

2011-08-13T19:24:00.001-07:00

Have you missed me?? I pulled out the cake supplies today, and dusted them off, after a 3 week vacation... it was so nice to take a break!! And what better way to start back up than by celebrating my baby's 5th birthday! Hannah has been talking about her birthday cake for at least 10 months, and just about every week the design idea changes. So, this morning we sat down and discussed the "final" design (a baker/client meeting!!) and she decided on rainbow and flower cupcake toppers - that she'd be allowed to help me make!! So we pulled out all the tools, and got down to business. With my two pint size helpers, these toppers took me double the amount of time they would have taken me alone... but it was worth it. I think my girls have a future in the world of sweets!!

Anthropologie {3D Shopping Bag Cake}

2011-07-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

One of the most fun things about my business, is making cakes for my friends. Cari turns 35 this week and her fun lovin' hubbie wanted to surprise her with a cake - we had a few options - but this girl LOVES to shop - so how could I not make a shopping bag from her fav store, Anthropologie? Now - for you avid Anthropologie fans out there, I know my final design isn't their current bag - BUT, I really really wanted it to be super fun - so I went old school - white bag, red handle, simple anthropologie logo. Just like this:

I think it's a pretty good match!! Happy Birthday to my sweet friend, and faithful taste tester, Cari!!

Something Sweet - Custom Cookies??

2011-07-23T10:25:00.001-07:00

People ask me all the time if I just love to eat cake. Believe it or not, I really don't. I can easily resist a piece of cake at a wedding or birthday (and it's not because I have strong will power)!!

Cake is probably last on my list of favorite desserts (that being said, I can't resist cake batter or warm cake right out of the oven... oh my). Top on my list of desserts - cheesecake (creme brulee cheesecake, to be specific... yum!). Second on my list - a really good cookie. Which is why, when Chris tests out a new recipe, I can't walk by the cooling rack without having at least one (okay, actually three...)

His new cookie test recipe... s'more cookies... oh my... I can't admit how many of these I've eaten in the past two days, it's embarrasing! They are soooo good!! So, while he's working on his cookie arsenal, I'll dream of the day when the kids are through college, and the house is paid off... where Chris will quit his real job (i.e. the one that pays our bills!) and spin off the cookie division of Something Sweet :)

Happy Saturday everyone!! (PS. If you get to my house fast enough, you might find one or two of these cookies leftover... it'll depend on how long I stay in the kitchen looking at them though!)

Girl Booties {Baby Girl Bootie and Button Shower Cake}

2011-07-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Love this cake - it's all edible - the booties and the buttons! My favorite part though is the "quilted" fondant disk under the booties. The small details area always the most fun!

Barn Repeat {Farm Barn Cake with Farm Animal Cupcakes}

2011-07-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

Another barn cake - I just love doing these - they'll never get old!! (This cake served 15, and then was accompanied by 12 cupcakes.)

50 Years! {Wedding Anniversary Tiered Cake}

2011-07-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

I love this cake - First because it celebrates 50 years of marriage - amazing! Second because it's a mini version of a traditional wedding cake. And anything mini is just completely cute. This cake serves only 50 - compared to a similar cake I made earlier this summer that served 150 - otherwise they look just about the same!

Pink Cross {Baby Girl Dedication Cake}

2011-07-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

These dedication cakes are quickly becoming one of my most requested designs - but I love that each one is just a little bit different. The cross on this cake is less "linear" than the crosses I've done in the past - I just love how it turned out!

And the Oscar Goes To.... {Film Reel Cake}

2011-07-08T17:46:00.001-07:00

Anyone who knows my husband knows that he LOVES movies... and anyone who knows my father-in-law knows that that's where he gets his love of movies from. Opa (as my girls' call him) not only loves to watch movies, but he loves to make them as well - and by make them, I don't mean dusting off the camcorder for the spring recital each year - he'll write a script, scout out locations, get the wardrobe ready, and direct the willing (mostly) participants. This love of movies makes for a fantastically funny footage to show at family events (like our rehearsal dinner)!!

So, to celebrate Opa's love of movies AND his birthday this year, a set of film reels... old school style... Happy Birthday, Opa!

A New Nephew {Baby Boy Leaf Shower Cake}

2011-07-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

With all the girlie girlieness at our house, we couldn't be more excited to have two new nephews about to join our family -- this cake is to celebrate Baby Ernsberger, who hopefully will make his debut in August!!

And the close-up, cause I just can't resist!! So cute!!

A Trendy Old McDonald {Farm Cake with Farm Animal Cake Pops}

2011-07-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

Kids LOVE farms - the tractors, the animals, the barns - so I wasn't surprised to get another order for a farm theme cake this summer (this one from last year http://somethingsweetcakery.blogspot.com/2010/06/old-macdonald.html was tons of fun)...

The trick to this new order -- combine the farm theme with the new "trendy" thing in the confectionary world -- cake pops!! (Pretty much a cake truffle on a lollipop stick. If you've not heard of them, check out Bakerella's blog - she's one of the creative ones responsible for take off of these cute mini treats.)

So -- here's the barn -- oh so cute (and choc chip cake inside -- yum yum)!

And here are the pops -- I mean, seriously, aren't these adorable!!

I'm not going to lie -- they took a TON of time. BUT, it's totally worth it and even cuter when you have dozens of them looking at you!

Beckett's fun mamma has a cute idea for the party display, so I'll try to post a pic of everything set up in an update later... in the meantime... happy farming!!

It's a.... {Baby Ultrasound Gender Reveal Cake}

2011-07-02T07:18:00.001-07:00

... boy or girl?? These gender reveal cakes are so much fun! I love being part of such a special surprise!! This is a chocolate cake with pink or blue frosting between the layers on the inside... you'll have to wait for a post update to see which! Congrats Mike and Anna!

Slowing Down...

2011-06-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

To my faithful blog followers and wonderful repeat customers -- It's been a hectic spring and summer (over 50 orders in 6 months!!), and I'm ready for things to slow down a bit!! So, I've decided to limit the number of cake orders I take in July and August. If you're in the market for a cake before September, let me know ASAP, so you'll be sure to get one of my calendar slots. (The weekends of July 8th, Aug 5th and Aug 12th are already full.)

The good news is, in the fall I'll be ramping up again. With both of my girls finally in elementary school (sniff sniff), I'll have more time on my hands to play with sugar!!

Wishing everyone a happy, cool, and relaxing summer!!

Tiny Toes {Boy Dedication Cake}

2011-06-24T17:34:00.000-07:00

There's a song we love in our house by Randall Goodgame (of Veggie Tale fame) - the chorus lyrics go "Well, she's got one bellybutton and two elbows, a cute little chin and pretty little nose, and one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten piggy little toes..." Couldn't help but hum this song while I was working on this cute footprint cake for a dedication this weekend!

Mermaid {Ariel Doll Cake}

2011-06-22T13:40:00.001-07:00

Another doll cake for a sweet little girl celebrating her birthday this week!!

A Popular Princess {Tinkerbell Doll Cake}

2011-06-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

Two little girls, one turning 3, one turning 4.... both wanted tinkerbell cakes this weekend! See if you can spot the differences in these cakes, there are a few!

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines {Race Car Cake}

2011-06-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

Can't live in Charlotte and never get an order for a racing cake... this is another one of those designs that I ran across years ago and was just waiting for someone to ask for a racing theme. Marshall turns 5 this weekend - to celebrate the birthday boy, I have the No. 5 car in the lead and about to win the race!!

The Final Product {Yellow & Black Wedding Cake}

2011-06-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

Sneak Peek

2011-06-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

A little preview of another wedding cake... pre-flower placement... which I'll add tomorrow before the reception. I LOVE this cake - especially the triple french dots, which I've never had the chance to do before. Fingers crossed that this baby will hold up in the heat! Will post a final pic with flowers tomorrow...

Modern Wedding {Stripe Wedding Cake}

2011-06-08T18:39:00.000-07:00

Tis the season of weddings! I love that this bride wanted to do something non-traditional and go with a modern design for her wedding cake. This cake is 4 layers (2 layers of almond, 2 layers of mint chocolate) surrounded in a blanket of vanilla buttercream and layered with fondant stripes! This cake looks deceptively small in the photo - it's actually over 10 inches wide and 8" tall - and a whopping 15 lbs!

All Star Cupcakes {Sports Cupcakes}

2011-06-03T06:38:00.000-07:00

Trey loves sports - lots of sports- so we did a selection of fun cupcakes for his birthday this weekend. Usually when I do cupcakes, I have a favorite. Not so with these - I love them all!

Her Favorite Things {Gymnastics, IPOD, Basketball, ESPN Cake}

2011-05-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

What to do when you can't decide on a favorite theme/design for a cake? Just do a little bit of all of your FAVORITE things! (I feel like I should link the sound of music soundtrack to this post... raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...)

Swish {3D Basketball Cake]

2011-05-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

May has been a busy month! 14 cakes in total - which is the most I've done so far. I've loved every one, and this one is no exception! I came across this design years ago, and I've been dying to make it! So, I was thrilled when Ben's mom asked me about a basketball theme cake. Hope Ben loves it as much as I do!!

Congratulations!! {Graduation Book Cake}

2011-05-24T19:04:00.001-07:00

To all the 2011 graduates out there -- happy new beginnings!!

Paradise {Island Hammock Cake}

2011-05-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

One of my lovely friends, Lisa, had a birthday this week - and her equally lovely (sorry, Forrest, I mean... manly!!) hubbie called me to make a surprise cake for her. I LOVE it when husbands do this - especially when it comes to planning the "theme" of the cake. This is Lisa in her happy place... I mean, wouldn't you be happy here?

Bzzzzzzz {Bear and Bees Cake}

2011-05-20T17:30:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite college friends is celebrating the first birthday of her cutie pie, Alex, this weekend. We went all out on the cake - to match the theme "bears and bees" - I ADORE the honey pot smash cake. Can't wait to watch him dig in tomorrow! Happy Birthday, sweet boy!

It's Gonna Be A Bright, Bright Sunshine-y Day! {Sunshine Cake}

2011-05-20T17:24:00.001-07:00

Little Murphy turnes one this weekend... and I swear, for 12 months of life, this cutie pie has always had an enormous smile on her face. She rivals Julia Roberts for the title of biggest grin, for sure! Murphy's fun mamma ordered this sunshine cake and small smash cake to celebrate. Happy Birthday, Murphy!!!

Baby Feet {Girl Dedication Cake}

2011-05-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

This is another combo design - a Charlotte mom saw two of my previous dedication cakes, and wanted to use aspects of both. Easy as pie!! (Or cake, in this case!)

A Tiny Doll {Mini Princess Doll Cake}

2011-05-13T13:28:00.001-07:00

This mini doll cake is for a little girl who turns 2 this weekend and has just discovered princesses! So, of course, a little princess cake is just perfect to celebrate her birthday! This one is smaller than the other doll cakes I've done in the past - but still just as cute!!

Hamburger or hotdog?? {3D Grill Cake}

2011-05-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

Anyone hungry??

I am totally in love with this cake. I had no idea how I was going to pull it off when I started - which makes it so much more fun when it all comes together in the end. Everything you see is edible - the "burgers" (chocolate cupcakes), the hotdogs (molding chocolate), the lid (rice krispie treats covered in fondant), the WEBER logo (handpainted gumpaste), the grates (fondant), and the charcoal (mini marshmallows rolled in powdered food coloring). The only question remains -- hamburger or hotdog??

Yippie-Ki-Yai {Cowgirl and Boot Cake}

2011-05-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

One of our friends is having a "Cowgirl" theme party this weekend - love that! So, I made this set of sugared cowboy boots and a cute little girl, modeled out of chocolate, to look like Lila. Can't wait to celebrate!

Pretty Pink Elephant {Pink Elephant Cake}

2011-05-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Finished off the crazy cake weekend with this adorable elephant cake for Emmerson, who turns two this weekend. I absolutely love how the elephant turned out!

Girl Dedication {Girl Dedication Cake}

2011-05-06T16:09:00.001-07:00

The second dedication cake for this weekend (apparently Mother's Day is a popular weekend to dedicate babies)!

Boy Dedication {Boy Dedication Cake}

2011-05-06T16:05:00.001-07:00

I did almost three years of cakes without having a request for a baby dedication cake... now all of a sudden they're rolling in! It must be the season... :)

Surprise!!! {Boy or Girl Suprise Cake}

2011-05-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

My friend Sam is very creative (check out her blog if you have a minute... http://pocketfulofposiespaper.com/) so I wasn't at all shocked that she came up with a super cute idea to find out the gender of her third child.

She has a boy and a girl already, and wanted them to have fun finding out if a brother or sister was on the way... so she ordered this cake, colored on the inside to match the news from her ultrasound, which her tech called me with yesterday. So, the first slice out of this cake tonight will be the big reveal... will it be pink or blue??!! I told you... so creative!!

(Here's the pic from Sam, a few days later!! Congrats, guys!!!)

When MTV actually played music videos... {80s Theme Cake}

2011-05-05T16:19:00.000-07:00

... and smurfs were all over saturday morning cartoons... and the rubix cube was the rage... and pac man dominated the arcade scene. It was the 80s, and for better or worse, they definitely brought with them some fantastic fads. I love that Alexsis is turning 16 and wants to celebrate with an 80s themed party. Bring on the hot pink, scrunchies, and sequined glove, girl!!

Psalm 139 {Stripe Verse Cake}

2011-04-30T05:46:00.001-07:00

If two cakes got together and had a baby cake, this is what the cake would look like! This cake design is a combo of two cakes I've done in the past:

For a Princess {Square 3D Castle Cake}

2011-04-30T05:43:00.001-07:00

Another sweet castle cake in pinks and purple to celebrate a first birthday.

Dozens of Daisies {Yellow & White Daisy Cupcakes}

2011-04-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

3 dozen gerber daisy cupcakes to celebrate an uncoming wedding. These are lemon poppyseed with vanilla buttercream - perfect for a brunch event!

Patticake Patticake {Girl Smash Cake}

2011-04-30T05:38:00.000-07:00

A sweet little patticake for Celia, who turns one this weekend.

Little drummer boy {3D Toy Drum Cake}

2011-04-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

An adorable little smash cake for a baby who's daddy loves the drums. So sweet.

Planes, trains & automobiles {Tiered Transportation Cake}

2011-04-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is definitely one of my new favs! The pics hardly do it justice - my favorite part is the airplane pulling the banner with the birthday boy's name. And I LOVE the choo choo with the puffs of frosting "smoke" - what a fun cake for a little boy!

Baby Face {Baby Boy Cupcake Toppers}

2011-04-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

These are the sweetest cupcake toppers! Just perfect to celebrate a new baby boy!!

T is for... {Monogram Cupcakes}

2011-04-19T12:27:00.001-07:00

... in this case, the bride's new last name! These lemon poppyseed cupcakes were for a bridal luncheon.

It's A Jungle Out There {Jungle Cupcakes}

2011-04-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

Cupcakes are very trendy right now... so I wasn't surprised to get this order for jungle themed cupcakes for a baby shower this weekend. I designed them to match her invitation below, I think I got pretty close, check it out!!

Gymnastics Party {Gymnastics Theme Cake}

2011-04-09T12:09:00.001-07:00

Our friend Amelia is having a gymnastics birthday party this weekend - this cake matches her cute little invitations!

Busy busy!!

2011-03-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

To my blog followers and faithful clients - spring is getting busy - mainly thanks to you!!

I've gotten tons of orders from your referrals this year. So many orders, in fact, that my April and May cake weekends are already filling quickly!! (April 2nd and 16th weekends are full.) If you know of an event you'll want a cake for this spring, and we haven't talked yet, let me know so I can save a spot for you on my calendar.

Thanks for spreading the word about my little cake shop!!

Celebrating 60! {Polka Dot Cake}

2011-03-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

I love that a bunch of sisters ordered this for their mom's 60th birthday. So sweet!

Dedication {Boy Cross Dedication Cake}

2011-03-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore the simplicity of this baby dedication cake. What a special day to celebrate!

Monkey See... Monkey Do...{Monkey Balloon Cake}

2011-03-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love molding little figures. These girl monkeys were no exception... and a great idea for a joint birthday party at Monkey Joes this weekend!

Twiggy {Owl and Branch Cake}

2011-03-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

Who knew that a cake with "twigs" and red mushrooms and a cute little owl would work well together on a cake? Jen, knew, of course! I love that my clients are all so super creative! This is definitely what I call a custom design!

Cuter Than Dumbo {Elephant Cake Topper}

2011-03-08T08:33:00.001-08:00

It was impossible to capture the full cuteness of this little girlie elephant in a photo, but I did my best. She's molded out of chocolate, and I'm quite sure the birthday girl (or her parents!) will think each little bit of her is delicious!

Choo choo choo {Modern Train Cake}

2011-03-08T08:30:00.001-08:00

I can't take credit for this design, only the execution of it! Wendy found some super cute train invites and had me match them for her son's 2nd birthday. I love that it's cute and yet kind of modern at the same time.

Tinkerbell {3D Tinkerbell Doll Cake}

2011-02-26T11:53:00.001-08:00

I've had lots of doll cake orders this year -- perhaps because we know so many sweet little girls in the princess phase. I absolutely adore this tinkerbell cake because the leafy skirt is so different from the dresses I've done recently. Isn't she adorable? Happy Birthday, Sophie!

C is for Cupcake {Monogram Cupcakes}

2011-02-26T11:51:00.001-08:00

Almond cupcakes with a handpainted initial to celebrate a new baby boy! So sweet.

So Crafty {Craft Supply Cake}

2011-02-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

My girls LOVE crafts... we spend every free minute, and use every strange thing laying around the house for crafts. So, when Maggie's mom asked me to design a cake for a craft-theme party, I didn't have a shortage of ideas! The problem was, I couldn't get everything I wanted to on the cake! I picked my favs though, and ended up with this. The best part -- all the craft supplies are made out of chocolate.

Whooooo's 6??? {3D Owl Cake}

2011-02-19T15:45:00.001-08:00

Hard to believe but my baby is 6 years old this weekend! We celebrated with a princess party in the backyard (thanks to the 70 degree weather!) What does an owl have to do with princesses?? Absolutely nothing :) But when your mamma is the cake maker, anything goes! This was a cake Leah spied a few months ago and loved. I just so happen to love it too!! Happy Birthday to my sweet 6 year old!

Under the Sea {Sea Creature Cupcakes - Crab, Fish, Shark, Starfish, Turtle}

2011-02-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

I always try to work-in last minute orders. Most of the time, I can, but sometimes I just don't have enough hours in the day. When I got the email for this order, I knew I had to figure out how to squeeze it in this week, sea creature cupcakes... adorable!! I love all of these toppers, but the crabbie with his cute little claws is my fav :)

Happy Valentine's Day... {Valentine Cupcakes}

2011-01-29T12:01:00.000-08:00

... a little early... but I couldn't resist my sprinkle shelf this afternoon!!

Pitter Patter {Girl Dedication Cake with Footprints}

2011-01-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

Best part of this cake... spreading foodcoloring on baby Murphy's teeny tiny little feet... yup, those are her REAL footprints! I LOVE the design that her mama and I came up with for her baptism tomorrow. This cake makes me smile :)