Mallory's Wedding

Yes, it has been a month since Mallory and Nate tied the not, but there is no rest for the weary pastry chef.  That being said, it feels like just yesterday I was home in Oregon, indulging in the cool shade of oak trees, freshly picked raspberries, and the company of family and friends.  The wedding cake went off without a hitch.  The wedding itself was a BLAST.  Mallory was a gorgeous and gracious bride, beyond my expectations. 

Again, thank God for Mom/Dawn taking behind the scenes photos and acting as sous chef and dishwasher.  Even the kitten, Cinder, got in on the action, licking up dabs of buttercream and powdered sugar off the floor.  I will fight for a bakery cat one day!!! 

Come with me, on a journey through space and time...

Cinder tempts the neighbor's dog, Buster, to come inside where sweet treats are made!

6 pounds of cream cheese went into the cake and 1 pound when into Bob Wille.

Doing my best impression of Giada DeLaurentis.  We decided at the last minute to add fresh raspberries from my parent's garden to the cream cheese filling in the cake.  Each tier was four layers of Red Velvet cake with three layers of cream cheese icing and fresh raspberries.  Delish!  Here I am brushing simple syrup onto the cake to keep it super moist.

Assembled and chilled base tier, ready to ice. 

I made some separate cupcakes for wedding guests with a gluten intolerance and vegan diets.  This is the gluten free, with buttercream icing.

The vegan cupcakes with fondant circles.  The scalloped fondant ovals are to go on the large cake later.

Rolling chocolate fondant for the surprise groom's cake!  In a dress, no less!

This was one of my favorite parts and something I had not done before.  I used a styrofoam ball to hold the gum paste flowers (which I ordered online to save time, via cakedeco.com).  I love the fullness and proportional interest it gives the cake.

Almost done!  Dawnie rolled all of these balls for me, with the help of a fondant bead maker.  I then cut them in half to apply to the cake.  I wish I could remember what was playing on my i-Pod...maybe Gaga?

All done!  Time to relax!

Groom's Cake: Nate's favorite beer, Red Chair from Deschutes Brewery, with hops vines.

Myself and Mr. Scott!

Mr. and Mrs. Witherspoon!

The life of the party right here.  Recognize Ashley and Chris?  I did their wedding cake last year!

I thought this apron fit perfectly with the Mexican fiesta dinner we shared that night.  

 

Then we danced the night away....

 

And I caught the bouquet!!!

So much fun!  The next day my stomach hurt from laughing, my feet killed from dancing, and my brain was pounding from champagne and margaritas, but I would do it all over again in an instant!  

All my love,
Rachel

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Buttercream Flowers

Hello!

Mr. Scott wonders why I'm spending my day off writing about "work," but I just can't help myself.

As I mentioned before, buttercream flowers are a new challenge for me.  Previous to now, I had only been shown how to pipe roses.  My roses these days are passable, but show room for improvement.  The trick is having really stiff buttercream to work with (Add powdered sugar.  A lot.)  I found this little image of how they are piped using a "nail", since trying to explain the nail concept to my mother was difficult ("It's a stick with a flat thingy on top...")  The majority of flowers are piped first onto the nail and then transferred to the cake with small scissors or a spatula (I use scissors).  The stiffer the flower is, the better it holds its shape, the easier the transfer.

You can also pipe flowers using Royal Icing and allowing them to dry before transferring.  This is a variation  I would like to look into more down the road.

In researching piping , I've found a multitude of flower varieties that can be created from frosting.  It blows my mind how one slanted tip (#104) can create so many flowers!  Its all about pressure and angles.  Check these out:

Carnation

Primroses (violets made with a drop flower tip)

Hibiscus

Daffodil

Orchid

Iris

Wild Rose

Pansy

Daisy

These are other flowers that use special tips:

Poinsettia

Bachelor Button

Chrysanthemum

Shaggy Mum

Drop flowers

Lily of the Valley

Here are some recent cakes I've done with flowers.  Practice practice practice, I say!  

For floral cakes, I pipe the border and stems first as a guide to how I want the design to flow and fill the space.  The largest flowers are placed first and create the focal point of the spray.  Leaves and small flowers fill in and cover any flaws, then I write the message.

Did I mention all of this intricate piping has caused my carpel tunnel flair up again?  Wonderful perk of the job...wearing a wrist brace for a couple hours a day is helping slightly.


The sun is shining outside, so I'm going to go catch it for a few hours and sketch ideas for Mallory's wedding cake!

xoxo,
Rachel


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All I Want For Christmas is A Fondant Crimper

In the spirit of the season, I present a list of pastry tools I would love to add to my collection.  You may think my talent only comes from my wee little midget hands, but having the right tools in one's arsenal can increase efficiency and help create looks midget hands alone just can't achieve.  

For example, this Fondant Crimper Tool Set:

These funny looking do-dads are used to create pretty scalloped edges on cakes like this one here.  So cool, right?!

Cake by The Caketress

Cake by The Caketress

This Number Cutter Set would be handy for poignant birthday cakes.  I have a set of letter cutters I snagged at a garage sale for one dollar and I can't imagine life without them!

Bling is here to stay, folks.  Cake bling is no exception.  This Gem Stone Mold Set would be great for bedazzling wedding cakes or shaping booty for a pirate themed birthday.  The gems are made using Isomalt, a more stable form of sugar used for showpieces, pulled sugar, etc., and can be tinted any color.

I have some sculpting tools, but this complete set would  be handy for adding details to sculpted people, flowers, and creating textures on fondant.

Looking ahead to the future, when I have my own business and money grows on trees, I'm eager to being a collection of cake stands.  Right now isn't the best time (small apartment, no storage, often moving, clumsy cats), but I can dream {and I do it quite well}.

Via Fancy Flours

Via Fancy Flours

Via Classic Hostess

Source unknown

Source unknown, found on The Sweetest Occasion blog 

Source unknown

I could go on and on with those!  

With the business of the season, I hope everyone is finding quiet moments to remember the true meaning of Christmas and you are able to enjoy it with the ones you hold near and dear to your heart.  Cats included.

Love,

Rachel