MIL phoned today to say her friend received the cookies in the post. She thinks they're gorgeous and will take them to the committee meeting on Monday.
Oh my! How am I going to make and decorate between 300 and 400 cookies?????
Saturday 30 June 2007
30 Cake with Me To You Teddies - Finished!
It's finished!!
It's on my 'proper' website and on my blog. I'm really pleased with it, actually. And the customer was really happy, too - which is the main thing.
The teddies came out quite well, although I didn't manage to texture them. I tried various things on the sugarpaste, but it just wouldn't take. It was a bit like a sponge or something.... as soon as I texturised it, it just went smooth again. That's because it wasn't just sugarpaste - it's half sugarpaste and half pastillage (which gives it a bit more 'body' and strength). And I decided piping wasn't the way to go with it (not when I'm tired, working late at night and don't have the energy to make another one if it all went horribly wrong!).
But I think you can tell what they're supposed to be. The patch on the head is a giveaway, LOL. And I like the bouquet and the balloon - it really finishes them off!
Suzanne x
It's on my 'proper' website and on my blog. I'm really pleased with it, actually. And the customer was really happy, too - which is the main thing.
The teddies came out quite well, although I didn't manage to texture them. I tried various things on the sugarpaste, but it just wouldn't take. It was a bit like a sponge or something.... as soon as I texturised it, it just went smooth again. That's because it wasn't just sugarpaste - it's half sugarpaste and half pastillage (which gives it a bit more 'body' and strength). And I decided piping wasn't the way to go with it (not when I'm tired, working late at night and don't have the energy to make another one if it all went horribly wrong!).
But I think you can tell what they're supposed to be. The patch on the head is a giveaway, LOL. And I like the bouquet and the balloon - it really finishes them off!
Suzanne x
Friday 29 June 2007
30 Cake - work in progress
It isn't finished, but I'm so relieved to have got this far with it. Some numbers are really, really difficult to cover. I can do a number 1 without any problem. And I think I've done a number 2 and a number 6, too. But this number 3 - grrrrr!Right. Off to have a tidy up and then I'll get on with the 'Me To You' teddies. I can do teddies, no problem. But the 'Me To You' teddies need to look especially fluffy. So I'm not yet sure if I'm going to just somehow texture the sugarpaste or whether I'll actually try piping onto the teddy. Hmmmmm. I'll have to give it some thought.
By the way, I tasted some of the off-cuts of this cake yesterday. Gorgeous, if I do say so myself! LOL!!
Tuesday 26 June 2007
I've Done It Again
I've opened my big fat gob without really thinking about the words that pouring out.
There's a charity that is very close to my heart - CWAC (Children With AIDS Charity). It was co-founded by a family friend, Rebecca Handel. Please, do visit their website: http://www.cwac.org/
Anyway, in September, CWAC are hosting a ball. Very posh. Tickets are out of my price range. MIL is a trustee, so she's going. Her best friends are patrons, so they're going. Lots and lots of famous people are going. Anyway, without really thinking it through, I phoned my MIL today and offered to make a cookie for each place setting at the ball... I have a cookie cutter that is the shape of the AIDS awareness ribbon (or, if you decorate it in pink, it could be for breast cancer awareness... but you know the shape I mean).
Then I found out there will be between 350 and 400 place settings.
Eeeek. OMG!!!! What have I done?
MIL's friend was over the moon with the offer, but she has to put it to the committee and also get the OK from The Dorchester, where the ball is being held (they may object to 'outside food' being brought in). She asked if I can have a sample with her by Monday, when she'll be at the next meeting. Hubby is seeing his mum on Wednesday, so I'll have it ready by then.
If I do do them, because of time constraints, I will sugarpaste them. Royal icing looks SO, SO much nicer, but I don't think I'll be able to do that many. Shame.
There's a charity that is very close to my heart - CWAC (Children With AIDS Charity). It was co-founded by a family friend, Rebecca Handel. Please, do visit their website: http://www.cwac.org/
Anyway, in September, CWAC are hosting a ball. Very posh. Tickets are out of my price range. MIL is a trustee, so she's going. Her best friends are patrons, so they're going. Lots and lots of famous people are going. Anyway, without really thinking it through, I phoned my MIL today and offered to make a cookie for each place setting at the ball... I have a cookie cutter that is the shape of the AIDS awareness ribbon (or, if you decorate it in pink, it could be for breast cancer awareness... but you know the shape I mean).
Then I found out there will be between 350 and 400 place settings.
Eeeek. OMG!!!! What have I done?
MIL's friend was over the moon with the offer, but she has to put it to the committee and also get the OK from The Dorchester, where the ball is being held (they may object to 'outside food' being brought in). She asked if I can have a sample with her by Monday, when she'll be at the next meeting. Hubby is seeing his mum on Wednesday, so I'll have it ready by then.
If I do do them, because of time constraints, I will sugarpaste them. Royal icing looks SO, SO much nicer, but I don't think I'll be able to do that many. Shame.
Monday 18 June 2007
Edible Football Photo Cake
I had a photo cake last week.
Easy-peasy. I thought.
They are easy... Usually. However, when the photo and the backing paper won't sperate then it's a complately nightmare. No matter how I tried, the edible print just kept disintergrating. I phoned Sharon - who did the print for me - and she said to put it in the fridge for at least half an hour. It still didn't work.
In the end, I had to apologise profousely to the customer and explain that although it is an edible print, it still has the plastic/paper backing on it! Luckily for me, she was fine about it.
I saw her the day after the party and she said her son was thrilled with the cake and everyone said how lovely it tasted.
All's well that ends well.
Easy-peasy. I thought.
They are easy... Usually. However, when the photo and the backing paper won't sperate then it's a complately nightmare. No matter how I tried, the edible print just kept disintergrating. I phoned Sharon - who did the print for me - and she said to put it in the fridge for at least half an hour. It still didn't work.
In the end, I had to apologise profousely to the customer and explain that although it is an edible print, it still has the plastic/paper backing on it! Luckily for me, she was fine about it.
I saw her the day after the party and she said her son was thrilled with the cake and everyone said how lovely it tasted.
All's well that ends well.
Saturday 9 June 2007
Ham Salad Sandwich Collection
The chap came to collect the cake and he said it was perfect! Just what he wanted.
I said to him 'I have to ask... why a sandwich for a birthday cake?'
He said 'My dad likes sandwiches and it's a bit of an on-going joke'.
So, now we know!
I said to him 'I have to ask... why a sandwich for a birthday cake?'
He said 'My dad likes sandwiches and it's a bit of an on-going joke'.
So, now we know!
Friday 8 June 2007
Sandwich Cake - Finished!
Yay! The sandwich cake is all done!! I'm really happy with it.
You can see it here: www.patacake-parties.blogspot.com
It was hard to photograph so that you saw the shape of the bread and the lettuce, tomato and cucumber... there is a slice of 'ham' in there, but you can't see it unless you're lower down.
It's something of a 'door step' - my cakes do tend to be quite deep - but there wasn't any point making a cake and then only using half of it....
Yesterday, I wrote that I was worried the filling would be hard to do, but it wasn't difficult at all.
I've added a pic of the cake from another angle, so that you can see the filling a little better.
Suzanne x
ps: went out with my friends for a long, leisurely breakfast this morning and had a lovely time. And shortly I'm off out for dinner with Steve and the boys! :o)
Thursday 7 June 2007
Sandwich Cake
I'm probably going to put the mockers on it by saying this, but the sandwich cake is going really well!
All I have to do is make the filling and do the inscription and it's done!
It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, although I have to do the ham, lettuce and tomato tomorrow. That'll be the tricky bit, actually.
I made an 8" square cake. I cut it horizontally so that I had two slices (which wil represent the bread). I then cut each slice into two. I sandwiched the two halves of the bottom slice [of 'bread'] together with buttercream, and then sandwiched the two halves of the top slice [of 'bread'] with jam. Each of the two slices were then marzipanned. The top slice of 'bread' also has marzipan on the bottom, to keep the cake fresh. I didn't need to marzipan the bottom of the bottom slice of 'bread' because it's on an iced cake board.
I coloured up some icing and covered the top slice of 'bread'. I also put a strip of the icing around the side of the bottom slice. I didn't need to cover the top, because it's already marzipanned and you won't see it. It will have the 'sandwich filling' on it and then the other slice on the top of it.
I mixed a few colours to get a golden brown colour and then coloured the sides of the 'bread' to look like a crust.
So, I think I will go to lunch with my friends tomorrow (if they're still up for it - I saw one of them this morning and told her I was worried about finishing the cake and she said not to worry... if I need to work during the day she totally understands). Then, I can finish the cake tomorrow evening.
Happy, happy, happy!
:o)
All I have to do is make the filling and do the inscription and it's done!
It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, although I have to do the ham, lettuce and tomato tomorrow. That'll be the tricky bit, actually.
I made an 8" square cake. I cut it horizontally so that I had two slices (which wil represent the bread). I then cut each slice into two. I sandwiched the two halves of the bottom slice [of 'bread'] together with buttercream, and then sandwiched the two halves of the top slice [of 'bread'] with jam. Each of the two slices were then marzipanned. The top slice of 'bread' also has marzipan on the bottom, to keep the cake fresh. I didn't need to marzipan the bottom of the bottom slice of 'bread' because it's on an iced cake board.
I coloured up some icing and covered the top slice of 'bread'. I also put a strip of the icing around the side of the bottom slice. I didn't need to cover the top, because it's already marzipanned and you won't see it. It will have the 'sandwich filling' on it and then the other slice on the top of it.
I mixed a few colours to get a golden brown colour and then coloured the sides of the 'bread' to look like a crust.
So, I think I will go to lunch with my friends tomorrow (if they're still up for it - I saw one of them this morning and told her I was worried about finishing the cake and she said not to worry... if I need to work during the day she totally understands). Then, I can finish the cake tomorrow evening.
Happy, happy, happy!
:o)
One More Thing
I added a spider on his back. Although it's quite crap and looks more like a dung beetle! I couldn't be arsed to put up the photo tent again, which is why I've just taken a quick pic in the box.OK, I really am finished now. If I don't stop, I'll keep fiddling until I completely ruin it. You have to know when to say 'step away from the cake!'
Spiderman - Finished!
The photo is on the other blog (www.patacake-parties.blogspot.com).
It's OK. It's fine. I've done better.... but I've seen worse.
It's actually really difficult to do the web. And it's really brittle, because it's just a thin piped line of royal icing.
Right.
Got to tidy up then start the cake for Saturday. I've mentioned to my friend that I might not make lunch tomorrow. She was absolutely fine about it. She's such a sweetie!
It's OK. It's fine. I've done better.... but I've seen worse.
It's actually really difficult to do the web. And it's really brittle, because it's just a thin piped line of royal icing.
Right.
Got to tidy up then start the cake for Saturday. I've mentioned to my friend that I might not make lunch tomorrow. She was absolutely fine about it. She's such a sweetie!
Tuesday 5 June 2007
Engage Brain *BEFORE* Opening Mouth!!
Sometimes, I open my mouth and words just pour out. It's only afterwards my brain registers what's been said....
On the way out of school today, I said to a couple of my friends 'Are you free to do lunch on Friday? I thought we might go for a light bite somewhere?' They're both free and would love to. And why not... after all, it is my birthday! :o)
Erm... so when am I going to work on the cake?
Spiderman is being picked up on Thursday, so that only gives me Thursday night to do the ham sandwich cake. Nowhere near enough time. Maybe I can persuade Steve it will be nicer if we go out for dinner on Saturday night instead of Friday?? But we always go out for dinner on my birthday.
I don't know what I'm going to do. My friends will think I'm potty if I cancel straight away. After all, it's not like I didn't know I had the cake to do.
Oh pooh!
On the way out of school today, I said to a couple of my friends 'Are you free to do lunch on Friday? I thought we might go for a light bite somewhere?' They're both free and would love to. And why not... after all, it is my birthday! :o)
Erm... so when am I going to work on the cake?
Spiderman is being picked up on Thursday, so that only gives me Thursday night to do the ham sandwich cake. Nowhere near enough time. Maybe I can persuade Steve it will be nicer if we go out for dinner on Saturday night instead of Friday?? But we always go out for dinner on my birthday.
I don't know what I'm going to do. My friends will think I'm potty if I cancel straight away. After all, it's not like I didn't know I had the cake to do.
Oh pooh!
Monday 4 June 2007
Spidey Again
Is this a bit better? I've altered the arms. It's all in the detail, you know. Sometimes, you think something is crap, but then as you put the last tiny little finishing detail on it, it all comes together. So let's see how this goes.Spiderman Cake
So, it's Monday night and I'm preparing for two cakes this week.For Thursday, I'm doing a cake with Spiderman on it and for Saturday I'm making a cake that looks like a ham salad sandwich.
Instead of just doing a Spiderman face on a web, I thought I'd try to model an actual Spiderman figure. I'm not much good at this modelling lark. It's not finished, but I've posted pictures of what I've doen so far. I'm quite sure the proportions are out but I'm not sure how or why or what to do about it. Obviously, it needs all the detail and finishing. And I'm not even sure if I'm going to use this or just resort back to a Spidey face.
Now I've previewed the pictures, I probably will just do a head. Bit crap, isn't it? It's not too bad when you view it head-on, but from the side..... hmmmmm. Oh, we'll see.
Suzanne x
Sunday 3 June 2007
The beginning
On my favourite website (www.babyworld.co.uk) one of my on-line friends suggested I keep a cake diary.
Fantastic idea!
I'm not exactly sure what form it will take or what I'll put in it.
But fantastic idea!
Warning. I type as I think/speak. So although I tend to punctuate correctly (with the exception of the over-use of exclamation marks), I will probably write in incomplete sentences.
I'll start off with a very brief intro. I'm Suzanne, I'm 36 (well, for the next 5 days, anyway!) and I live in Gtr London with my husband and our two sons. I'm a stay-at-home mum; a cake maker and decorator (my business name is Pat-a-Cake Parties); I help with cooking activities at a local youth centre and I also work there during school holidays making lunch for the children.
I have another blog with photos of my cakes - www.patacake-parties.blogspot.com
So, that's it for now.
I have two cakes coming up this week..... a spiderman cake and a ham salad sandwich cake! Wouldn't you just love to know the story behind some of the cake requests? Or maybe it's better not to ask?
I shall update as and when.
Suzanne x
Fantastic idea!
I'm not exactly sure what form it will take or what I'll put in it.
But fantastic idea!
Warning. I type as I think/speak. So although I tend to punctuate correctly (with the exception of the over-use of exclamation marks), I will probably write in incomplete sentences.
I'll start off with a very brief intro. I'm Suzanne, I'm 36 (well, for the next 5 days, anyway!) and I live in Gtr London with my husband and our two sons. I'm a stay-at-home mum; a cake maker and decorator (my business name is Pat-a-Cake Parties); I help with cooking activities at a local youth centre and I also work there during school holidays making lunch for the children.
I have another blog with photos of my cakes - www.patacake-parties.blogspot.com
So, that's it for now.
I have two cakes coming up this week..... a spiderman cake and a ham salad sandwich cake! Wouldn't you just love to know the story behind some of the cake requests? Or maybe it's better not to ask?
I shall update as and when.
Suzanne x
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