White heart cookies

Small heart cookies in various designs.  White on white works every time!

These cookies, in a glass apothecary jar, would add a touch of elegance to any event.

Love Affair

 

I have a love affair with cake stands.  Milk glass, pressed glass, porcelain, vintage - I love them all.  They are my reason for going to vintage and op-shops.

 

  And this is why:

 

 

{A flapper-inspired birthday cake, displayed on an absolutely beautiful, vintage pressed glass stand}

 

Compliments the cake wonderfully, doesn't it?

 

 

{Embossed cupcakes, cupcakes with art deco flower, and quilted cupcakes to match}

The cake and cupcakes were all for a 21st birthday party in Kingscliff.

The cake was lovely, thank you for your top work.

 

-   William N



Danielle's Cupcakes

Pink flowers with flirty petals and butterflies for Danielle's 21st birthday.  I would love these to be in a vintage-inspired birthday, engagement or wedding, too.

A Madhatter's Teaparty

"There is a place.  Like no place on Earth.  A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger!  Some say to survive it, you need to be as mad as a hatter.  Which luckily, I am."

-  The Madhatter, from Alice in Wonderland

I think sometimes, there is a madness to cake decorating.  One would have to be, to spend over six hours on a single cake (that's how long it took to make the roses, bake and assemble this cake).  Luckily, I love what I do.  

{single tier madhatter, chocolate mud}

{vanilla bean cupcakes with top hats and tea cups}

{vanilla bean sugar cookies}

Cupcakes with red flower and butterfly

It's been awhile since I posted anything.  Life has been busy, with Christmas and school holidays, then getting the kids settled back into school and all their various activities.  Now that I can catch my breath, I can sort through the photos of what I made towards the end of last year and put them up. 

These vanilla bean cupcakes were made for a 21st birthday.  They would be perfect for an engagement or wedding, or for no other special reason than to say 'I love you.' 

Luau Birthday Cakes

One of the most amazing things about what I do is having the opportunity to be part of a family's celebrations.  A few years ago, I made red, black and gold-themed cupcakes for Maddie, Caro and Alex's 18th birthday.  Soon after that, Maddie called me and asked me to make their mum's 50th birthday cupcakes.  And now, the triplets are turning 21, and having a Hawaiian luau.

I'm glad they chose to have three cakes to be displayed on a row of cake pedestals instead of sharing a single stacked cake.  I'm glad they picked to have layers of dark and white chocolate orange mudcakes instead of just the one flavour for each cake.  Each girl picked the colours that she loves.  They may be triplets, but they are different too, each in her own special way.

Haley's 21st birthday cake

Sophisticated, pretty and pink.  A chocolate mud cutting cake and matching white chocolate raspberry cupcakes for Haley's 21st birthday dinner.

Natalie's 21st birthday cake

A 5" chocolate mudcake for Natalie's 21st birthday, covered with Tiffany blue icing and decorated with a handmade open rose.  Simple, but sophisticated, and in my view, perfect for a young lady on the brink of all the adventures that life offers. 

Sunny Days

This is the cake I made at Jackie Thompson's stencilling class and gave to MacGregror State School's Mayfest cake stall.   

This is the letter that was forwarded to me after Mayfest.

Hi Peter,

Thanks for calling yesterday. It was a real surprise to hear that we had won the cake auction and we are happy to honour the bid. Haydn will hand in a cheque for the cake today.

As discussed, I confirm that we'd like to donate the cake to all the wonderful staff at Macgregor who work tirelessly every year to make Mayfest a success. It requires tremendous effort, dedication, professionalism and teamwork to seamlessly stage such a huge event year after year for the benefit of students, families and the community at large. A lot of the work is clearly done behind the scenes by the staff of Macgregor. Judging by the responses from the children as they wander with a sense of freedom and safety, from stall to stall, ride to ride, stopping occasionally to check their loot, refuel or play with their friends, Mayfest is a great day out for families.

The cake is absolutely beautiful, clearly represents many hours of expert workmanship and was generously donated to the school for the benefit of many. We don't think its right that just one family should gain from it.

So, we hope you and your wonderful team are able to enjoy a slice of cake as a symbol of a big thank you from all the families in the Macgregor school community for the wonderful work that you do.

Many thanks,
Eleanor, John, Connor, Haydn and Chyna

Zoe's 21st birthday cupcakes

Zoe had her 21st birhtday party at Laruche, an opulent bar in Fortitude Valley.  We decided to keep Zoe's chocolate mud cupcakes simple, decorating them only with a monogram disc in rich pink and gold. 

Instead of a more traditional cupcake tower, the cupcakes were presented in painted craft boxes with a ribbon tied around them (display inspired by a feature on Donna Hay Magazine).  These are photos that Zoe sent to me.  Pretty wonderful display, eh? 

 

Lucy's 21st birthday cupcakes

Simple vanilla cupcakes with buttercream, delicate pink roses and sugar pearls.  Lucy had her birthday party at the Victoria Park Golf Club, and these cupcakes were arranged on a stand with tea lights all around.  The whole display looked really lovely and sophisticated, specially with the black and white cupcake cases. 

"Just like to say thank you for my cupcakes on Friday!  They were a massive hit!  We only brought home three in the end!  And they looked amazing!  So thank you!"
-  Lucy D, Brisbane

Pink flower cupcake...

... on my new milk glass cake stand.

The colour of my world

I am working on my new website, and have been looking through photos of the cakes and cupcakes I made.  Although it is taking a bit too long to put all the text and photos together, it is a good journey, especially when I stumble onto photos like these, all bright and colourful and... happy :-)

21st birthday cupcakes

Simple vanilla cupcakes, some with embossed sugarpaste tops, some with buttercream and a sprinkling of pearls for a 21st birthday celebration.  I am pleased with my husband, Waikay.  He did great with this photo (Waikay Lau Photography, http://www.waikaylau.com/) - I could just scoop up that fluff of buttercream with my finger and... mmm...  

Emily's 21st birthday cake

I made this 9" chocolate mudcake for Emily's 21st birthday last weekend.  I have a thing for harmony, and so designed this cake to fit in with Emily's pale pink and gold dress, and her pink, gold and white balloons.  All the gold bits were handpainted with edible gold - an exercise that I find calming, specially when I am alone in the room with my aromatherapy candle burning, guitar music in the background, and my cake paraphernalia left, right and center.

"Thank you so much for the beautiful cake.  It looked gorgeous and tasted delicious!!!"
-  Dani O, Brisbane   

21st Birthday Mermaid Cake

This cake was specially designed for a girl with a mermaid and roses tattoed on her leg.  Pink, black and red makes an edgy but beautiful and sophisticated comibination.  

"The cake and cupcakes were SIMPLY AWESOME!  They made the day... thank you.  They tasted so good as well.  SENSATIONAL service!  Will definitely be using your services again... and again..."

-  S Barabas, Brisbane 

21st birthday cake and cupcakes

The theme was 1920s flapper.   The colour combination is striking on its own merits.  The cutting cake has a bit of boldness with the red bow and the black dots, but delicate too with the small pearls.  Some of the cupcakes had a flower embossed off the side; some had quilt patterns and black pearls; and some had black swirls.  I love how these cakes are elegant and sophisticated, yet has a certain edginess to them.  Perfect for a confident young woman.