She Touched My HEART and I Said YES !!

I know you all must be thinking here she goes again......... I don't want to go into too much explanation as to why I did this but the Title says it all I think....A 40th birthday cake for a musically inclined friend of ours requested by his dear wife. A Indian Classical Music Stage setting with few of the classical instruments. The base or the stage is made of vegetarian chocolate cake and the accents (Vennai, Mirudangam, Thamboolam with flowers floating, Indian Cymbals and the Leaf ), with fondant/ gumpaste. I didn't have enough time to experiment to see if I could make the Vennai (or  Venna,  a classical Indian musical string instrument ) all edible hence some parts of it like the strings etc is non edible.

As for my hands....I caused it, so have to go through with it. This time, it was especially taxing physically and time wise( I was asked  last Monday and till Wednesday I was still thinking of what to make while baking the cake, only on Thursday started doing something and finished it 4am Saturday!). At the end I was quite satisfied with what I was able to make  and very happy that they loved it but going through it again is what I wouldn't do till I fix my hands somewhat.......I know I am playing around with my hands instead of looking after it and there has to be a stop somewhere........ and hopefully it is from now on......

Canon EOS - 1D X cake Topper

Just realised that I hadn't added this to my Blog, one of my creations from last year ( Aug 2012 to be precise). This was one of the quickest cake topper I had made. Started the previous night and finished the next  morning. If I can't buy this(Canon EOS-1D X) yet... I guess I can make it, a cut down version though ;-).

The size is about 5cmx5cm x7cm I think . This was just the topper for a 22cm dia cake .Writing and time was the biggest pain. My eyes were going blurry trying to write 'cos it was quite small( I am really not happy with the writing).

Little Things a Girl Dreams of.......

Making this cake was an experience and a half......I had promised a cake for one of my special nieces  back in August last year. While trying to gather information on what she likes from her mom, I was told that she might like a Jewellery box.....voila why didn't I think of that. So it was decided and dusted back in September that I was going to make a Jewellery box chocolate cake with purple in it (' cos my niece likes purple of course!! and the chocolate cake 'cos her Mom likes it!!! :-)) . 

Starting this was the biggest hurdle for me, after a personal loss and a holiday, just couldn't get myself to do anything. Finally I forced myself to begin thinking that I had to do this for my niece, who ( I was told ) for some unknown reason thinks that I am the Queen of Designs and I spit out all these wonderful cakes just like that!!!. Well even if I am not..... I have to at least try or pretend to be ONE in her EYES!!!. So this is what I have come up with and hopes she likes my effort ;-)   P.S. I also had a bit of a battle with RAIN which was not very helpful with the DRYING.

This cake is supposed to be a Trinket box, Jewellery box, Miniature Perfume bottles, Pieces of jewellery and a Wrist Watch placed on a table for the little LADY she is going to be.......

Iron Man Birthday Comic Strip

I was asked to make an Iron man cake by my little nephew, he was well organised, he brought home a big book on the Avengers to show me just in case I didn't know who "IRON MAN" was!. This was three or four months back. I had to have a think of this and finally decided on a comic strip..... This is the rough version

A journey back into nostalgia. Making this piece brought back so many fond old memories(These memories are more pronounced when there is a loss in the family.) ......when comics were the norm of the day for the kids back then and I used to bug my parents to buy Tin Tin, Super heroes, Phanthom etc... I don't know whether kids still read comic books these days...... but here goes my attempt.

Due to unforeseen circumstances I was able to make only the top part (decoration) of the cake. The actual cake will be done by my Sister-in-law and these decoration will be placed on top. Once the cake is done , will post  a picture.

 

 

A birthday cake for my Dad

A fondant/ buttercream chocolate cake with my Dad and his grand kids sitting in our sitting room.

 I went through hell doing the soccer ball.......maybe the next time I do the soccer ball, I will plan it better. That is, if I have learned anything from the experience!!! Covered the cake with fondant and painted it to get the floorboard effect. Internet  and my dad was my inspiration for this one.

The cake that started me off in this journey...

The one....the very cake that got me hooked into the crazy and beautiful world of cake decorating was the one I made for my son's birthday.  With practically no experience in baking let alone decorating, I didn't have the guts to make  his 1st and 2nd birthday cakes. I had done one or two cakes when I was in school and always wanted to formally learn decorating cakes but never ended up doing it. Finally for his 3rd birthday I thought that if I don't start now I never will. Next thing was to decide what cake to make. I asked my son what he wanted....hmm wrong move?? or did he push my boundaries ???

Initially he said he wanted Mcqueen and Tow Mater....that was settled I thought. Couple of days

later he said he has changed his mind now he wanted peppa pig...then winnie the pooh.... then back again to Mcqueen!!!!.  I didn't know what to do but in the meantime I thought I will use my son's Mcqueen and Mater toy cars as models for my gumpaste / fondant figures and I was also looking around on the internet  and books for inspiration and tutorial. Found the following:

1) Thank you MinjinaKuhinjica for your Winnie the pooh tutorial and also giving me the idea of using the number as the race track, cactus with a hat, border, flag and grass ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIDV1iW-_y0 and  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0jOtZuqckg&list=UUJ11MtVA4M6W5E-gFo9nyrw&index=9&feature=plcp )

2)I needed additional race cars for my race track and didn't feel like making more from the car's series. So I looked around on the net and  found the following tutorial. Thank you Louise for your tutorial on race cars ( http://cakejournal.com/tutorials/how-to-make-a-race-car-cake-topper/ )
 

 Thank god for the internet and books.  Thank you all bakers and cake makers that have inspired me.

1) 1st Fondant figures; 2) Curious George Ver 1 & 2; 3)Mcqueen figure + toy

My Son still hadn't decided what he wanted, so I thought I will do all the characters my darling son loves...what else are mothers there for :-). Do a race track with an auditorium where they all are sitting and watching the race!!!. Used printed out pictures to do Peppa pig, Pingu, Curious George, Cookie monster, Elmo, Bob the builder and the logo... 

 

Lots of sleepless nights and planning this is what I finally ended up with.