Dib Dib Dib... Dob Dob Dob

No, I haven't joined the boy scouts. But I am taking a leaf out of their book... well, using their motto, actually. Be prepared!

So, to that end, I've made three ikkle flower pots from modelling paste, for one of the cakes this weekend (gardening theme). I've also made part of the hand-fork and the trowel that are going on it.

My niece's cake is baked. I learnt, today, that you can actually freeze a fully decorated cake. The trick is to let it defrost slowly, and not touch it at all whilst it's defrosting - so that the condensation is re-absorbed back into the cake and won't mark it. So I may decorate it tomorrow, wrap it well, then bung it in the freezer. Or I may just fill it and marzipan it, then freeze it. I'm not sure yet. It would be good to try, as an experiment... and as it's "only" family. ;o) As I may have said before, I'd never ever freeze a customer's cake. But this is for my niece. LOL!!

The tendonitis in my feet is still agony. It's been about 4 weeks now. I think a trip to the doctor might be in order. But let's get these cake orders out of the way first, eh?

Suzanne x

Ouch

There's a reason I haven't updated for a while.

I've just been so darn busy! :oD Unfortunately, the upshot of that is I've been on my feet A LOT and I have tendonitis in my feet. It's agony :o(

I'm getting enquiries almost on a daily basis now... people are not only hearing of my by word-of-mouth, but they're doing Google searches for the type of cake they want, I'm coming up on the first or second page a lot of the time. So that's fantastic!!!!

I was up until quarter to four this morning, finishing the wedding cake that's on the 'other blog'. I can hardly see straight, if I'm honest. In fact, as soon as I've finished this, I'm having a wee snooze!!!

The bride was really pleased with the cake.

I really like how the roses turned out - I'm not a confident rose maker. But they look lovely.

I've got a busy week, so I have got to REALLY plan my time well.

Wednedsay I'm meeting a friend at Brent Cross.
Friday I'm meeting a friend at Bluewater. I'm especially excited about this, because she's a friend I haven't met before (no, I haven't gone mad! She's a friend I made via the British Sugarcraft Guild website.) Oh, and did I mention I've got two cakes for Saturday?????????

Oh, erm... and it's my niece's birthday on 2nd May and I promised her a SpongeBob SquarePants cake! Eeeeeeeeeeek!!

I'll be fine. I can do it!!!!

Mind you, it wouldn't have been that long ago that I'd have been panicking, wondering what on earth I'd done, taking on two cakes for the same day and also arranging to meet a friend the day before. Hmmm.... well, maybe it was a wee bit 'lacking in planning'?

The week after that, I've got a First Holy Communion cake. That's a fruit cake and is already baked. The week after that, I've got a make-up bag cake. And then nothing until the 27th, when I need to have made 30 cookies for a baby-naming.

Cakes, cakes, cakes

I've done all the baking for the teddy cake.

There's a cake which I baked in a large pyrex bowl for the face. There's an even larger cake which I baked in an even larger pyrex bowl for the body. There is a 6" round cake which will make the arms. There's a mini semi-sphere for the nose. There are 4 x 2½ rounds for the legs.

I've marzipanned the face. I'm just having a five minute rest, 'cause my legs are aching - which is why I'm on the computer! LOL!!

Then, I need to put everything together, pipe the chocoalte buttercream all over, then make a pink bow and pipe the inscription!

Right... better get on!

Funny Poem

Someone showed me this poem, and I think it's so apt that I wanted to put it on my blog!

ONLY A SPONGE

You're ever so clever - I'll get you to make
for my mother's birthday a beautiful birthday cake
Only a sponge - that's all I need
('only a sponge', I thought, 'only' indeed)

Make it look pretty, she'd like it in pink
put one of those frills on - no - two frills I think.
Insert some ribbon and cover the board
remember to put 'Happy birthday to Maude'

As for the flowers, her favourite's sweetpea
and orchids and roses - well just do all three.
Mustn't forget some embroidery things you know,
flowers and ribbons and birds on their wings

You'll charge me 'nine fifty'?
Well that's a bit steep
It's ONLY A SPONGE
and they're ever so cheap!!

IMBC

IMBC - Italian Meringe Buttercream.

I made some for the first time last night.

I'm not sure about it. I'm just not sure. At first, I thought it was really sweet. But thinking about it, is it any sweeter than 'normal' buttercream? Probably not. It had the most unusual texture... almost like a mousse. Really, really silky. In fact, I would probably serve it as a mousse at a dinner party!

I made it into chocolate IMBC. And it was a delicious, sweet, chocolate mousse!! I put it in the fridge overnight and it's set really hard - as you'd expect.

But I don't think I'll be doing the teddy with it. It's way too soft.

Might take a wee bit out to have a sweet snack later.... just a little bit in a bowl, as some mousse (once it comes back to room temp, that is.)

Now, can someone just remind me why I'm 2½ stone overweight?????????????????????

Biiiiiig Cake

Well, quite a big cake!

I've got a cake to do for Sunday... a teddy (like the one below, which was originally done by 'Magical Myschief on the BSG website - and a HUGE thanks to her for all her help so far!) to feed 70 people, plus an 8" square cutting cake.

I couldn't get a cake board big enough, so I bought a piece of 9mm MDF at B&Q and had it cut so that it's approx. 30" x 17". I bought some really pretty sticky-back plastic and have covered it. But now I'm worried about how the cake will stay on the board, because of the plastic!! I mean, I'll be putting the cakes onto gold cake card, but I usually stick the card to the board with either royal icing or buttercream... but the board is usually covered with sugarpaste, not sticky-back plastic!!!! I'm going to ask for some advice on this one. I'm just not sure.

I'm making the teddy thus: the head is a pudding basin, approximately equivalent to an 8" round tin. For the body I'm using an even larger pudding basin which is roughly equivalent to a 10" round. For the legs, I'm baking cake in some of the 2½" mini cake tins. And the arms will be a 5" or 6" round, cut in half, and one half put either side of the body. The nose/muzzle will be one of the mini half sports balls!

Then the whole thing will be covered in chocolate buttercream. That's a lot of piping!! I bet my hands and arms will be aching afterwards! :o)

Should be good, though. The customer didn't want plain sponge; she's requested sponge with both chocolate chips and pistachio nuts. Sounds nice! :o)

Thank Yous

I got the most beautiful card in the post this morning, from the customer for whom I made the number 1 cake with the building blocks.

It says:

Dear Suzanne

Thank you so much for making the most amazing cake for my lovely Millie's 1st birthday.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, had a photograph taken next to it!

Thanks again, and I will most definitely be back to order her christening cake.

Lots of love

........

I really am touched. Not only did she love the cake, but she actually took the time and trouble to send me a card to say thanks. I love making cakes anyway - and especially this one - but when someone says 'thanks' it makes it even more worthwhile.