Rock Climbing Groom!

He will get his girl :-)

On the road again....

This one was a challenge and there are SO many things I would do different next time, but, pretty cool anyway:

Little Bee

I absolutely fell in love with this little bumble bee!!!

New Orleans Anniversary

25th Anniversary cake for a St. Charles Avenue pub crawl celebration:

Birthday Cake Trio

Just a few recent small birthday cakes...

Text Me, LOL

Whoo, Whoo's Birthday?

Buttons and Bows

Playing with Chocolate

So, remember that modeling chocolate ruffle flower? Well, here it is on a cake. This is a white chocolate macadamia nut cake with milk chocolate filling, wrapped in white chocolate. Yum yum! This modeling chocolate is dreamy :-)

Moment of Truth

One year ago, little thoughts started gathering themselves in my mind about becoming a self-employed cake shop owner. Them those pesky little thoughts began organizing themselves into an army and that army launched an invasion on my brain and, eventually, my brain was conquered! At this point, that army of ideas forced my brain to make my mouth move and the thoughts spilled themselves out of my mouth and into my husband's ear. Now, I had caused my poor husband's mind to be invaded too! What were we to do? Our defenses were trampled and we were under complete control. So, for the past 6 months, we have been researching, planning, signing papers, developing business plans, floor plans, equipment plans, and the like. Yesterday, all of this craziness came to fruition and we finally signed our life away at the bank (yikes!) and we are on our way!

Before

After - you have to break it down to build it up, right?

Testing, testing, 123...

I know that many, many people have been amazed by what can be done with fondant. A wonderfully moldable, shapable, stretchable, edible... (sound of brakes squealing, smell of tires burning) Edible? Really? Could have fooled me. Although the fondant that I use on its own resembles the flavor of a vanilla tootsie roll and my kids thieve it like they would any forbidden candy, it is more the texture when combined with the soft, fluffy goodness of cake that turns many people off. I have watched as many people painstakingly peel away any and all traces of fondant from a cake like kids pick out all the green stuff from a plate of food before eating. Sometimes, the cleanness and sturdiness is irreplaceable, or is it?

Well, always up for a challenge, and still a novice in many things in the glorious pastry and cake kingdom, I began researching and testing (and tasting, such a grueling job, I know, but, alas, I persevere). Through all of this, I have found (and eaten and enjoyed) a wonderfully smooth, decadently delicious, heavenly creamy medium called modelling chocolate or chocolate clay. Yep, you got it, chocolate! White chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, with a little addition of some corn syrup can transform into a clay like material that can be cut, formed, molded, shaped and, the best part, enjoyed! I am still a little skeptical how this stuff will hold up to humid, intense southern summer heat, but, I'm keeping my fingers crossed and I will definitely keep you updated! Stay tuned...

White chocolate test flower (will eventually be on a test cake if it doesn't get eaten!)