Wow September, huh? I'm a slack! No... I've been keeping busy. Also being one who watches youtube on a regular basis and under another login... YES I don't like logging in and out... but I'm not lazy... just semi haha. But no... really I have been keeping busy; and seeing as we're all snowed in today (and had to call out today) and have the next two days off (since I made the schedule to work 40 hours instead of 45)... I figured it would be a good opportunity to update my blog instead of just reading blogs through my iphone app (and yes I finally joined the rest of the world and got a smart phone).
So I guess first I'll say... farewell 2012... you will not be missed. After September came... well October. I was moved to full time and "head" of HBC because they liked me and because they wanted to get rid of my manager. Anyways their plan worked and my manager was transferred and I'm rather resentful of their games. I'm don't really like being used (go figured) and I don't like plotting against people. My biggest dispute every year is which charity to donate to and still I usually end up just splitting the meager amount that I can afford and end up donating to both because I'd feel guilty if I didn't. So why someone would think I'd enjoy not being myself is rather pigheaded. So it's just fueled me even more to gear my career path. So with art and baking, I at least have multiple doors up to me or am trying.
So after October came November... November came the big birthday cake for my friend Ryan's daughter and niece. I made a half and half cake (half chocolate and half cinnamon vanilla) with swiss meringue buttercream. I decided to do a little experiment which I know Ryan would have been fine with. I wanted to make cookie characters of the girls. I had never done it before so I came up with the idea of making lemon cookies with lemon glaze as a sealer and glue for the fondant (done in a cut paper technique). Then used frosting to do details like smiles and text. At the party they were set on fluffs of buttercream clouds. For the cake I did a city scape. I had invested in an airbrush machine with my birthday money last year so I had wanted to test it out; and this is what I came up with.
Next came Thanksgiving Day, I had an order for an Austrian Sacher Torte (an almond cake with apricot preserves, buttercream, and chocolate ganache). I decorated it with Marzipan and airbrushed fondant. I like the splattering that air bushing has on fondant. I also had a birthday cake order from Lillie's boyfriend for a carrot cake. Then I wanted to do something special for my best friend's/ roommate's family. We see each other as family and usually spent Thanksgiving together but I had a family reunion to go to. Also I had always wanted to make a cake that looked like a bouquet basket.
In December came an order for themed cupcakes. My friend Heather's was planning her mother's 50th birthday party; and she LOVES Disney related things. So I did mickey and minnie cupcakes that were half sour cream chocolate and half strawberry with an extra dozen that were gluten free chocolate. They had cream cheese frosting and fondant decorations.
For the holidays I made assorted mini pastries and chocolates; but specially I made orange cheese cake covered in chocolate ganache. After that I had a "farewell to 2012" burning party at Ryan's. Many of us had a really rough year so we were to burn something in a fire pit as a symbol. Unfortunately that party was postponed do to the weather. I had made another experiment... orange cupcakes with buttercream and fruit caviar. I had never made fruit caviar before and wanted to try. I made it about half way and ended up having to turn around; but they weren't wasted. I gave them to friends that were on the route and thought they would enjoy them.
Following that my roommate was promoted to front end manager and was transferred to Medford; but before he left the store wanted to put together a farewell. One of the managers requested that I'd be the one to make the cake instead of their usual (stop and shop assembled cake). So I made a checker board cake (chocolate and vanilla). I dyed the vanilla cake green (to make it stop and shop colors). The logos are made from gum paste and cut sugar paper. It has swiss butter cream frosting and more airbrush work.
And so we had our "farewell 2012" party; and this time I wanted to try a hand at cake truffles. I REALLY wanted to try and make sushi cakes so it was a great opportunity to give it a go. I made orange cake truffles with cranberry buttercream and fondant for decorating. I was always hesitant on cake pops because conceptually they seemed odd (being crumbled cake and frosting); but I thought I would give it a go... that it might be good if I made them my way. So I used my favorite homemade swiss meringue buttercream and mixed it in portions with a nice orange cake. Then I rolled them in sprinkles to look like rice. I had pre sculpted the sushi pieces and air brushed them so that they dried before assembly. They were loved.
Well this is probably a lot for now. Currently I'm working on two portrait commissions and teaching myself how to work with royal icing and flood cookies. So maybe I should post the art things later and give you a break?
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| Lemon Cookies with Lemon glaze and Fondant |
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| City Scape Super Hero Cake (half chocolate and half vanilla with buttercream frosting) |
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| Carrot cake with swiss meringue buttercream |
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| pumpkin apple cake with swiss meringue buttercream |
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| sacher torte |
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| strawberry and chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting |
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| orange cheese cake with chocolate ganache |
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| orange cake with swiss meringue buttercream and fruit caviar |
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| chocolate and vanilla checker board cake with swiss meringue buttercream |
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| orange cake truffles and cranberry buttercream with air brushed fondant |
