Have at it folks!

I am getting back into cake decorating after a 5+ year long hiatus from the hobby. With my daughter's 1st birthday fast approaching and not finding any bakery willing or able to do what I want I decided to just do her cakes myself.

So I'm doing 2 cakes, an 8 in round smash cake and a half sheet cake which I will actually buy done plainly and decorate myself. I just know I won't have time to bake and decorate 2 cakes in addition to traveling to FL for her birthday, shopping for food, and setting up the outdoor tent and decorations, etc.

Both cakes will be white with buttercream icing. I am one of those people who does not like fondant or royal icing, so buttercream it is.

My original diagrams that I made up for the bakeries to follow:

Original diagram for her 8" smash cake




The 8" edible image that I had printed and will place on her cake when I make it:





Original diagram for her half sheet cake (I have made some minor modifications since and will explain later)




I have since changed what I wanted printed and had the following edible image printed instead:


So for the half sheet cake I am buying one already baked and covered in white buttercream icing with a white top border and a green bottom border. I will be decorating it myself after picking it up. I have the edible image already, which is the size of a letter size sheet of paper, and will place that in the center of the half sheet cake. I have 4 small Winnie the Pooh characters that I will place on the cake as cake toppers. I will make buttercream roses to place on the top of the cake along with smaller flowers of various colors. I will also make green icing stems and leaves on the sides of the cake topped with small flowers of various colors. I will also be placing edible hard sugar candy bees around the cake top and sides to look like they are flying around the flowers.

I am open to other ideas if people have them. For now I've gotta run but I will add more later if I forgot something.

Oh god that is cute stuff! I want to see photos when you have it all done!!

I LOVE to bake, and recently got into decorating a bit more. I am not super talented, but for a DIY I'm not too bad, especially for events that arent super crazy. So in the past year, I have done a few cakes and cupcakes for showers and birthdays. Here is my "portfolio" (please be gentle, I know they are o where NEAR professional grade)

This was my sister's shower cake, made with marshmallow fondant (the easiest for me) with a ton of help from some friends. It took use forever and was my first really big one, so its less than perfect,


This was my sister's giant cupcake for the same occasion


I made an army of penguins for a friends baby shower, another friend supplied the cupcakes to put them on




This was the Boobs I made Chris's Grandpa for his 80th, he laughed SO hard.


and fianlly my neices baptism cake, one of the better ones, however my flowers are still kinda crappy. Ultimatly when its free, you cant complain I guess, my sister and her hubby loved it



I have since bought the lettering templates to help with my writing so it doesnt look all crappy (and they were on liquidation for like 2$) My sister asked a friend to make the cake for my neices 1st, which I dotn really mind. I have 2 events I will be making for in the next few months, one baby shower, and my mother's 60th birthday and retirement. The shower is under the sea, so I will use cupcakes and round cakes to make fish like below and my mom will get normal cupcakes but with fun decorations.


Thats about all I have! Would love to see what you guys have done and get tips though!!

Cute stuff, Kelly! Good luck with the cupcake fish, that looks like a fun project. Do you work with fondant a lot?

I've been brainstorming an Easter cake after Isabella's birthday. And I need more practice with my roses as well. Planning to start practicing my buttercream roses later this week or this weekend. I'm going to just bake a batch of cupcakes and place my practice roses on them.

I will definitely share pics as I go along. I have some pictures of past cakes but I need to find them on my other computer.

i can bake pumpkin pie.....


and muffins


but not cupcakes....


Val cant wait to see the cakes, and kelly good job!

Lol the last picture cracked me up. All of the above is making me hungry. It's is such a neat hobby. Have you guys taken any classes or self-taught? Most of my baking falls flat...literally. My family seems to think that since I majored in an artistic field I have decorating talent (including cakes) but that's not really the case so far hahaha

Jenn, what about cakes?!

KibaHope, I am self taught. I am not artistic at all but I love decorating cakes. Few things bring me as much joy as cake decorating. I don't care so much for actually baking the cake though, just the decorating part. Lately I have also taken an interest in setting up for photo shoots so I must have at least 2 slightly artistic bones in my body.

Val, my cakes turn out like the cupcakes I have always wanted to take a cake decorating class, need to do that still. I refuse to make box cakes and I think that's my issue here in CO, I could bake in PA!

Oh I love this.
Girls I have two friends I grew up with that turned there hobbies (cakes) into businesses. They are on FB if you ever need ideas I have seen some great ones and their FB sites would be good ones to check out. Not saying you do not have great ideas. I love them.
Val if you need more for the cake since you asked not since I think you do what about continuing the confetti from the edible image into the rest of the cake (in icing).

The flat cupcake pic I love.
I never have reason to do my own cake decorations but I have always been a godd cook and a decetn baker.
My mom did a barbie cake I loved growing up she just got a Barbie and stuck it into a mounded cone cake (think bottom of ball dress) and frosted it with ripples then rippled the top of the "chest" and cake done one smart dressed Barbie.

The facebook sites:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/chattygatty?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kellys-Cakes/491581107554194?fref=ts

Thanks guys,
Val I work mostly with the fondant because I find it easier to mold shapes, I have yet to attempt buttercream roses. I tend to get intimidated by little things.....lol.
I just enjoy doing it for parties, it would take a lot of practice for me to get more proficient, and lets face it, I do NOT need that much cake or frosting in my house. Or on my ass.....lol

Val I think that cake is going to be adorable! I found something on pinterest that may interest you.
http://www.brasstacksandbasics.com/2011/08/super-fancy-cake-decorating-tutorial.html

Kelly, you have a lot of talent! The baby block's were too cute!

I bake a little myself and am completely obsessed! I find any excuse to do so. I have an album on my facebook and I'll share a couple pictures. It's not the greatest, since I'm still learning and self-taught.

Banana Split Cupcakes
German Chocolate Cowboys Cake
Halloween Sugar Cookies
Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcake
Poppyseed Poundcake
Neapolitan Cake
Tuxedo Cake
Camo Cake
Inside Camo Cake
Zebra Cupcakes
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes
Red velvet brownies with a white chocolate buttercream frosting
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins w/cinnamon pecan streusel topping
Chocolate Eclair Cupcakes

Yum

These pics are making me hungry!

Colleen, I was seriously considering adding a little extra colored "confetti" (colored hard sugar candies like I use on rolled sugar cookies) but wasn't sure if it'd be too much. I may bring them with me and make an on the spot decision when I am working on it.

On the spot would probably work best so that it is not too busy

You guys got me wanting to make cupcakes now, lol. I think I'll try a few different combinations out. I was thinking chocolate covered strawberry, boston creme pie, and chocolate peanut butter cupcakes.

All these pictures make me want to eat cakes right now. I love sweets so much. I'm craving them.

Kelly those are all gorgeous! Would you be play with posting recipes for a few? The Poppyseed Poundcake, Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes, and Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins all look beyond fantastic!

Yeah I should just stop looking at this thread because it makes me want to go eat a fat slice of cake lol. Maybe one day ill take a class or try to learn some sort of technique for this kind of thing. I love it!!

You guys are making me regret the whole diet thing.

A couple friends back east have also taken their hobbies and made businesses out of it. I've seen some of their creations and they look delish!

I'm a pretty good baker. I was MUCH better at sea level, but I'm learning to adjust for the elevation here.

Keyda81 wrote:

You guys got me wanting to make cupcakes now, lol. I think I'll try a few different combinations out. I was thinking chocolate covered strawberry, boston creme pie, and chocolate peanut butter cupcakes.

You had me at chocolate peanut butter~


I seriously had a friend of mine send his mom home with cupcakes from Sprinkles in L.A. one time because I was CRAVING a peanut butter chip cupcake.

I can bake and make some things but my skills are no where near level with some of you guys.

This week I made cupcakes and practiced making butter cream roses on them, here are a few of the results:


And yesterday I made Isabella's smash cake for her first birthday party on Saturday. I had to make it early since we will be traveling. Overall I am mostly happy with it. Although I'm a bit disappointed in how the draping on the sides came out all crooked. Considering I had my husband and baby both running around me, an important phone call interruption and the Neato vacuuming the floor (literally) directly underneath me while I was decorating I am just glad it didn't come out worse. You can definitely tell it's homemade but what can ya do? I'd hoped it would come out better but it's not terrible either.





Now I just have to finish off the half sheet cake on Friday. That update will have to wait till after we get back from our trip though.

Wow Val I think the cake is great.. You do alot better than I could..

Val, I think the cake looks fantastic! You have much more patience than I do lol!

It looks fantastic Val!!
Cant wait to see the sheet cake too!

Val I think it looks great, now it is Thursday so chill a bit and relax and do not forget to tell your self to enjoy the rest of it even if you do feel a bit busy. Great Job! Be proud of yourself I am sure your daughter will love it and so will the guests!

Well thank you ladies, you're too kind. Fingers crossed I do well on the sheet cake. I will try to de-stress on Thursday after we get all the food shopping done. After all this anticipation I'm ready for it all to be over!

Will have another update after the party.