A week of change

I like to think that in general I am pretty flexible- if clients wish to change their cake design or order- in most circumstances- I have no hesitation in saying Yes! Sure OK- lets do it!!
But often my willing nature can lead to me working added hours each week, as I work with the changes at hand. don't get me wrong- I am not complaining about the added work load- the end results far outweigh that- but I wish sometimes that I knew how to use the word no ;))
My eagerness to please always seems to override my sensibility- but in the end a beautiful cake emerges- with very happy clients!

The Weekend of the 26th of September was a big one indeed! Smack bang in the middle of the school holidays- it was a weekend that I have been fully booked with for Ages!
Many clients choose a variety of designs on their quotes and decide on a final design closer to the date.

Around the beginning of September I had so many of my bookings for this weekend change/alter and adjust their order- I thought that their was a conspiracy happening!
I am happy to say- I survived, the cakes- well they speak for themselves- and I have heard fabulous reports from the clients too!

To start things off I will begin with what may have blossomed into a beautiful butterfly by the end of the week- had me going stark raving mad! As Gorgeous as mini cakes are- they are so so so time consuming- not to mention they are done in may stages- that after all of the countless hours ( in fact these 50 mini cakes had over 2o hours of labour in them alone) of making them, I am so glad they are finished!!
My facebook friends worked through the stages with me- each cake was cut from slab cakes- two circles- filled with ganache- then coated in ganache- and let dry overnight.
Then each cake is syruped- and then iced in the rolled fondant(plastic icing) - once that is dry- then each cake had the cut detail applied to it- each cake had 17 cut out shapes in 4 different shape/sizes- then the cakes were boxed- until I got to set them up at the venue on the wedding day! My sister Kate actually came and helped me do some of the cut shapes- it was like doing a little puzzle on each one :)

The ones with the black pattern were chocolate mud- the white pattern were White chocolate macadamia.
I often see my clients jaws drop when they hear how much a mini cake is- but they really are 5 times the amount of work of a regular cake- not to mention the added icing that you use covering each cake- but if this is the expense you want to go for- then this is the cake for you.
Black and white themes are so hot right now! Not to mention how wicked they look set up!
I took a picture of the mini cakes in their room- it looked just beautiful!

Keeping with the black and white theme this week was this next cake- it is a replica of one sent tome by the clients- I don't know whose cake it was originally- but this design also had fresh roses across the tiers in a blood red- just romantic!

I was still working very late into the night that week- not only was 'I finishing this lot of cakes- but I had a wedding expo on the Saturday- but that's another blog story all together.
Late at night pictures don't really turn out that well- but I have to mention this cake- it was for a gorgeous family, and not only did it have the cartoon toppers on top- but a pair of dogs at the base too! The bride is really allot shorter than the groom- I didn't get the scale of the toppers wrong ;0)

In Amongst all of the black and white cakes I did that weekend- I had a Navy and white cake to do.
Although in the pic it looks like black- it really was Navy in real light!
The cake was banded at the base with the invitation fabric lace- and two very thin Navy ribbons. the mid tier with their names piped on the front and filigree details around the sides. The top tier was quilted with a piped navy dot at each cross point- Fresh Antique roses decorated the top at the venue.


This was another design change cake- and it looked so gorgeous! Vintage chic.
I piped the names on the front free hand- and I had to keep telling myself "Sarah and Nick.....Sarah and Nick...." and I am so use to writing Sarah and Steven for myself and my husband that I was scared I would automatically pipe it on- and in Navy that would have been disastrous! but my mind chant worked and it was Sarah and Nick!

I am blessed to have allot of great friends who are fellow cake decorators here in Brisbane. We all refer to each other when we are not able to help- and we share information on where to get supplies and great suppliers alike!
I was given the name of a new edible image company by my friend Leonie- from Icing on the cake- and having a brilliant black damask cake on order I gave them a try! FABULOUS!!!! I was so excited by the quality of their print and the pure black colour (often the edible images are not a true black) that I cannot wait to use them again.
I loved this cake for so many reasons- Leesa came to change her design in Late August- I was super excited by the change- She also had asked for offset tiers- but when I was stacking it it just didn't look "right" so I called Leesa and asked for permission to set them square- she trusted my judgement and went with the change. I was loving the cake with just the ribbon and image- even before it was complete.

But there was more to come. A set of cartoon toppers!
Leesa's dress had beautiful lace detail- and she wore a thick pearl necklace too- stunning!

up close you can see the tiny lace detail- it looks so cute!

With Spring well and truly sprung- this cake was all about new beginnings.
Replicated from the invitation paper- the colour of the cake was the base of the paper- with the floral design overlaid the print on the paper.
Ceramic birds sat on top in a nest- and in amongst the blooming flowers were tiny caterpillars, lady bugs and mini butterflies.


My mum is a gem- and used her dexterity to model the ladybugs- then hand paint them- and the caterpillars too! Thanks Mum!! I only got up close pics of these with my phone camera- and with the sugar crusted lens- need I say more!

I managed one good butterfly close up before my batteries died.

Despite all the black for the week I had a very pink cake!
Pink pearl painted icing- pale pink piping and deep dusty pink ribbon.
Fresh flowers finished off the cake!

If my brides are reading this and having a chuckle because you too changed your cake- no worries at all- my main aim is to give you the cake of your dreams!
This cake was for Victoria Park- I had 3 weddings there that weekend- and sadly one of the cakes didn't get its picture taken- I can trust Steve to set up and deliver- but remembering to take a picture is still a work in progress!

My weekend was not over with the cakes above- I had a wedding expo too- More on that soon!
Thanks for reading
SJ