My fav wedding cake ever and why I want to beat the flower lady

My latest cake was for the cutest little couple getting hitched on Friday the 13th.

Since I'm not at all superstitious, I actually was kinda amused.

The bride and groom came to meet with me about a month ago. They had a couple of friends that I had previously done cakes for and had heard good things about me. because I threaten people if they talk about me otherwise

They came out to my house and I showed them pictures of the cakes that I had done. Then, they showed me a picture of the cake that they wanted.

I have to admit, that I got totally excited a wee bit happy when I saw the cake picture. It was totally freakin awesome! It was beautiful and classy.

But, because they had already been to three different bakeries before me, "shopping around", I wasn't sure that I would be chosen.

Even though my prices are really reasonable, I don't have a professional "bakery". Just a kitchen, that I keep yelling at my kids to get out of. ahem...

The bride grilled me asked a lot of questions and it became apparent that she was a control freak very particular about how things would be done.

In the end, they choose me which was very good for my cake diva ego.

The bride called me a couple of times to pound the details into my head make sure that I had not forgotten any of her requests.

The day of the reception came and I prepared the cake as planned.

Here is the before picture. Perfection. if I do say so myself, which I just did

The roses were to be added at the church by the "flower lady".

I took the cake to the church.

I met the flower lady.

I asked to see the table where the cake would be going.

She told me that there was a lot of stuff on the cake table and to just go ahead and set the cake on the floor.

**crickets**

Wait, what?

Put my masterpiece cake on the floor?

I think not.

So, I ignored her, moved stuff over to the side on the cake table, and brought in my baby the cake.

Because I knew the bride was adamant about the cake details, I went over the rose placement with the florist.

I even offered to put the roses on my self. Which is what usually happens anyway.

But the flower lady said that she knew what to do.

Because I wanted a "finished" picture of the cake, and I didn't want to hover like an overprotective parent while she was working on the flowers, I left to run an errand.

When I came back, the flower lady was done.

There were finger imprints all over the cake and flowers stuck in the back of the cake where they shouldn't be.

I was mad all night. Actually, I'm still annoyed.

I guess I need to figure out a way to be more assertive. Next time I'll demand request that no one else manhandle touch my cake.

Not even to eat it.

Kidding.

But, since my reputation is at stake, shouldn't I be the one responsible for putting the flowers on too?

Here is the after... Read em' and weep.

I did.

Wedding cakes

I did another wedding cake this weekend even though after last weekend I had sworn to never do another cake. I can't remember ever having so much fun doing a cake before. I used this cake as my guinea pig tried out a couple of new techniques and was deliriously happy with the result.

Apparently fondant icing tastes really, really bad. But it makes the cake look as smooth as a baby's butt really nice so people use it. The cake is first frosted with buttercream and then covered with fondant. When the cake is served the fondant is supposed to be peeled off (think like an orange) but mostly this doesn't happen. The fondant is served with the cake and, even though edible, the fondant really doesn't add to the whole cake experience.

I found a new technique on-line that makes the buttercream appear to be fondant. That way you have the nice smooth look without the whole wax eating experience of fondant.

The swags on the above cake are actually fondant, but homemade marshmallow fondant. So, although better tasting, I recommended that the swags not be served with the cake. The fondant has the taste/texture of a really thick marshmallow.

The innards cake itself was lemon with a homemade blueberry filling. Yummy!

And because you are curious about my disastrous cake from last weekend you asked for a pix of the last cake, here it is. Taken by my husband's cell phone, and almost not at all because I didn't know if I wanted photographic proof of the cake from Hades.

You can look, but don't mention it to me if we talk in person. I'm still suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Becky vs. the cake

Way back when...when we only had four kids, I thought it would be fun to take a cake decorating class. Figured, that way, I could make some really cool birthday cakes for our four boys.

I took the first couple of classes and really enjoyed myself. Our instructor was amazing and uber talented. Someday, if I ever grow up I want to decorate cakes just like her.

She was very encouraging to me personally and told me that I had a "knack" for decorating cakes. Apparently, she would get contacted frequently from bakeries looking for decorators and she wanted to know if I wanted a job. Although it was a boost to my cake decorating ego that she would recommend me for a job, I didn't want a job. I already was employed as a mom.

With her encouragement, I entered a large wedding cake in the local county fair. And I won a blue ribbon. Good times...good times...

Some people saw my cake at the fair and asked me to do their wedding cake. I accepted the job and so my wedding cake career was born. My first clients were two women exchanging vows. Not my lifestyle obviously but to each his own, know what I mean? They were super fun to work with and since it was going to be a very large affair they needed a very large cake, actually my biggest to date. I had nightmares the night before the big event, with all these awful scenarios wreaking havoc with my mind. Thankfully, the cake was beautiful and the bride and groomette were very pleased. I was grateful for the positive feedback.

Fast forward a number of years...I was still doing cakes, word of mouth only, but was finding that my growing family made it more challenging to get it all done. So, as I started down the road of having the last litter batch of kids, I decided to go into semi-retirement. Meaning, that I needed a break from cake decorating.

Now that I'm done having kids can we have a big HOORAY!!! here I thought it would be kind of nice to decorate cakes again. Of course, the shoe money is nice but, that aside, I really enjoy doing a wedding cake. Like baking pies, it's like therapy. And we all know that I need lots of that.

This last weekend, I had my first wedding cake after coming out of hibernation retirement. Not a hard cake, pretty simple really, but the bride wanted some specific things. What can I say, I aim to please. She wanted pudding mixes added to the cake batter so the cake would be extra moist. The cake was to be stacked (no separator plates and pillars) and she wanted it frosted in cream cheese frosting. With the weather being so warm, I was a little hesitant about a stacked extra moist cake with cream cheese frosting but I plowed on ahead, taking extra precautions. I beefed up the frosting with stabilizer and added a lot of wooden dowels to hold it all together.

It was perfect. As I finished the last of the border, I stepped back and....admired. Big sigh of relief...

Because I was nervous about the heat, I decided to move the cake out to the pie cooler to firm it up a bit before leaving. Especially since it had so many factors stacked against it get it, stacked against it...isn't that funny? No? Ok, guess you had to be there.

As I carried the cake out the door, into the heat, the frosting gave way and the top part of the bottom layer ripped through the wooden dowels and slid over an entire inch. I now had a massively lopsided cake.

After my heart restarted, we brought the cake back inside for me to survey the damage. I thought through my options. After Corey talked me down off the ledge option #1, I reached down deep inside and found my inner adult crazy to think she has been there all along. I strapped on my bakers hat and went to work. I literally scooped all the frosting back off the cake (think handful after handful of beautifully placed frosting) and started over, with only 1/2 hour to get it all done. Freaking out? ya think? Yep, it was bad Of course not, I was as cool as a cucumber. When I was all done I pushed up my sleeves and went all commando on the cake, hammering (with an actual hammer) three long wooden dowels through the entire height of the cake. while shouting "Take that, cake!" loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

In the end, the perfectionist in me was crying but the kids came in (they didn't know about the little mishap) and were oohing and awing over the cake and how beautiful it was. Still, I think it took 10 years off my life.

It think I may go back into retirement after all...