A Little Late for Spring...

This cake was made at the end of summer, but the flowers were created to reflect the freshness of springtime! Delicate purple freesia, mixed with green hydrangea and white filler flowers...all grouped together in bouquets and set against a pale yellow fondant background.

Here are some photos of the freesia in progress:

Sugarpaste buds:



Dusted with color:



Freesia flowers:



Flowers and buds taped together into bouquets:



Bouquet placement on the cake:



And the final cake with the addition of a big, playful bow!

A Little Late for Spring...

The Last Gardenia

I made several extra gardenias for the wedding cake in the previous post...just in case any of the petals were broken during assembly or delivery. With the last flower sitting prettily on my work table this morning, I thought it might be an elegant choice to use on its own on top of a very small cake. With that in mind, I created this little four inch anniversary cake...the perfect size to be shared by two:

The Last Gardenia

A Late August Seaside Wedding

This past week, I had the pleasure of making a cake for a lovely couple who are also dear friends. They were married at the Scripps Seaside Forum, a gorgeous new indoor/outdoor venue in La Jolla, California, with incredible ocean views. While early in the day it was quite hot and muggy, the evening could not have been any more beautiful, and the couple's ceremony was a warm and wonderful event.

The beautiful view:



And what we all enjoyed as the ceremony ended:



The bride and groom asked for a small cake to include alongside the caterer's table of mini desserts. Custom sugarpaste flowers included gardenias, green hydrangea and little white jasmine flowers and buds, all coordinated to go with the green, white and ivory color theme.

Here are some photos of the flowers in progress...

Jasmine filler flowers and buds:



Gardenia centers:



A gardenia close-up:



Hydrangea centers ready for green petals:



And a picture of the completed cake at the venue:



Many thanks to the bride and groom for letting me be a part of their beautiful day. What an amazing way to enjoy the last few days of summer!

A Late August Seaside Wedding

Just Enough for a Small Gathering

The cake I designed this week was small and unfussy...but challenging due to its simplicity and clean lines. My kind and lovely bride wanted just enough cake for a small, intimate gathering of her family and friends. She had planned a Sunday morning wedding at the beach, followed by brunch on the patio of a beautiful venue...and requested dark chocolate cake hidden beneath ivory colored buttercream. She also knew she loved Phalaenopsis orchids and was hoping I could incorporate a few of them and some simple greenery into the design.

Here are the sugarpaste orchids and leaves while they are drying:







And the orchids once dusted and painted:



And dusting colors for the leaves:



And some photos of the final cake!





Congratulations to my lovely bride and her groom! It was such a pleasure to be a part of their wonderful celebration!

Just Enough for a Small Gathering

A charming pair...pink and green

There is something about the combination of pink and green that always makes me smile...a little bit cute, but fresh too, and the colors work so well for both spring and summer weddings. Here is a cake featuring pink sugarpaste tulips, green hydrangea and little five-petal blossoms to fill out the bouquets:





I'm still smiling...

A charming pair...pink and green

Simple and pretty...

It's been too long since my last post...I've let too many other responsibilities get in the way of creativity. Shame on me! My daily work obligations have finally slowed, allowing more time to create cakes and flowers, and to meet with some lovely couples who have asked me to make their wedding cakes this summer. It will be such a pleasure to do so!

Here is a recent cake...a simple and pretty little blue number with gardenias and hydrangea:



I'll be back soon, I promise!

Simple and pretty...

An amazing class with Ron Ben-Israel!

I just returned from Savannah, Georgia, where I participated in a sugarpaste flower Master Class taught by the wonderful and truly gifted Ron Ben-Israel. The class took place at Custom Cakes, owned and operated by the very kind and gracious Minette Rushing (with help from her caring and talented staff). What a fabulous three days! Ron was a terrific, patient and detailed teacher, and I feel fortunate to have spent time with him getting feedback on my skills, and getting to watch the incredible artist at work! The flowers we made included peonies, sweet peas, roses, calla lilies and cattleya orchids. It was a fantastic class, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone interested in developing their skills. Minette's cake studio was a wonderful environment to learn in, and she made all of us feel so at home. We were spoiled each day with morning coffee and pastries, a delicious lunch, and wonderful snacks and cookies in the mid-afternoon. She truly knows how to host an event! Thank you again to both Ron and Minette for a wonderful experience!

Here are a few photos from our class, posted with permission from Ron.

Dry petals and leaves ready for dusting with color:



Ron making rose leaves:



Dusting a cattleya orchid:



Completed peony, roses, orchids, calla lilies and sweet peas. Beautiful!

An amazing class with Ron Ben-Israel!