In a bit of a break from the winter theme....I think I've found my wedding cake:

 

So completely in love with this, I don't know where to start--although what looks like royal icing wings might be in close contention with the blue smoke design down the sides...or the lovely luminescent scales....or...okay, no, I'm just completely in love.  (Any Spirited Away fans out there?)

Also: if anyone knows the baker who made this, I would love to know!  I saw this on the site "I Waste So Much Time," which unfortunately did not cite its source. EDIT: Good news: the lovely peeps of Cake Wrecks featured this in this week's Sunday Sweets (02/17/2013), and tracked down the bakery.  Big huzzahs to The Butter End Cakery!

Happy Studying, fellow students!

Oh Tannenbaum...

....please be as adorable as these:

From Sweet Disposition Cakes

 

 

I think the white and gold one is my favorite, but I can't get over how lovely this design is!  I wish they'd post a tutorial--I'm guessing the leaves and decorations are some combination of gumpaste and/or fondant.  

Continuing the count-down to Christmas!

Well hello, December

Well, it happened...
Despite my best intentions for October and November, school work and life and intern-y things got the best of me.  Not to say it isn't crazy now, but how about some wintery cakes to tide everyone over during Finals season?

First, this lovely lovely painted delight, by Nevie-Pie Cakes:

I'm absolutely smitten with their hand-painted style--especially having struggled to achieve a similar effect on fondant, buttercream, or chocolate with marginal success.  And--birds and berries.  What could be better?

Maybe penguins.

Frolicking penguins, from Highland Bakery.  I know, I know, the adorableness of it all just hurts, doesn't it?
Keeping with the bird theme, there's also this glittery bit of elegance by Brooklyn Cake:

 



If you couldn't tell, I'm rather fond of the whole bird-on-branches-with-berries theme.

Short post for now, hopefully cookies to come!

Oh goodness, Highland Bakery

Yes, it's a cake.

Check out more of their work here: http://www.highlandbakery.com/#

A Paper Break from Cake

All images from BritSketch.blogspot

I know I normally feature cake artists here, but a friend sent me a link to Brittney Lee's blog, and I simply had to share.  Her prints are adorable... 

Hats

Caged Birds Sing

Morning Fog

 ...but I'm particularly in love with her paper sculptures, starting off with an Edward Scissorhands tribute that's just wonderful.

Small World

 And the best part of all?  She's a Disney and Harry Potter fan.  What's not to love?

Little Mermaid

(Lookit little Harry!  With OWLS!  So adorable)

 

Brittney also has an Etsy shop that you should definitely check out; lots of prints, and it sounds like some of the paper carvings show up there occasionally as well.  

Summer Lemonade

Why hello there, my lovelies!  It's been awhile, hasn't it?  All I can say is that with June came an super fun internship that eats up most of my days, and the rest of time seems to be spent in the garden, or exploring Rhode Island, poking in antique stores, biking through Newport (oh my goodness, Newport.  I'm in love) and trying to figure out the mundane things like gas and groceries. 

Still, in the spirit of summer, I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes: lemon pie.  Made by letting fresh lemon pieces soak in sugar overnight, this pie is tart, and in my opinion best served cold from the refridgerator, or with a dollop of whipped cream for a slightly sweeter version. 

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium lemons
• 2 C granulated sugar
• 1/2 (15oz) package of refrigerated pie dough
• cooking spray
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Whipped cream

• 1/2 C heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar

1. Grate 1/2 C rind from the lemons (here's where a fifth lemon might come in handy). 
2. To remove the white, pithy covering that remains, slice the lemons on either end, and then slice the pith away, top to bottom, following the curve of the lemon with your knife.  Remove the lemon segments by cutting on either side of the remaining membranes.  Chop the lemon into pieces, discarding the seeds and the pith
3. Combine the grated rind, chopped lemon, and granulated sugar in a large bowl; toss well.  Cover and let the bowl stand at room temperature for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
5. Roll the dough into an 11-in circle; fit into a 9-in pie plate coated with cooking spray.  Fold edges under & flute.  Add flour, salt and eggs to the lemon mix, sitrring eith a whisk until combined.  Pour lemon mix into crust, bake at 450 for 15 min.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Shield the edges of the piecrust with foil, and bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until the filling is set.  Remove from the oven, and cool completely on a wire rack.

To make whipped cream:

1. Combine cream and powdered sugar.  Beat with a mixer at high spped until stiff peaks form, then serve.



Well, well--Happy June! It's been a busy few weeks, ending finals, moving into an apartment, starting an internship--and oh yes, turning that magic number for the American adolescent: twenty-one.  Indeed, I am now finally able to legally acquire alcohol.  I can go into bars, and order those cute little umbrella-topped drinks in restaurants, and no longer have to be frustrated when the cake requires Grand Marnier and there's none in the house.
While, generally, this occasion is marked by a certain amount of consumed alcohol, one must ask oneself: is alcohol better than sugar?  Better, say, than frosting?  I think not. 

So to duly celebrate my 21st in true cake style, I took a decorating class at Amanda Oakleaf Cakes, located in Winthrop, MA.  It was quite excellent; lots of useful tips for decorating, but especially for decorating with fondant, a substance that has never been my closest friend.  Happily, by the end of the class I was rolling and smoothing and stacking layers almost like a pro.

Finished cake, with birthday candles.

The cakes the Amanda Oakleaf Cakes' crew turns out are pretty awesome, too.  It's generally all fondant, but there's a great array of styles:

There are the pretty ones...



 ....and then the less traditional ones.

The brain cake makes the psychology major in me giggle, and does anyone else want to know what the support system for that lobster wedding cake looks like?  Talk about a balancing act...

They've also done crazy amazing things like being featured on TLC Fabulous Cakes, build a life-sized Stormtrooper out of cake, and compete on the Food Network Cake Challenge.

Be amazed, my friends.  Be very amazed. 

They'll also be heading down to Florida in the nearish future to make another cake-figure, this time a life-sized Darth Vadar. 

Sending you lots of cake-love!  Stay tuned for a few more kitchen posts for July, and maybe even a couple more cakes.



**Logo and cake images from oakleafcakes.com