Good stuff

With regard to Easter eggs, I don't know what others do, but in our house we give them out on Easter Sunday.

This year that's going to be perfect because it gives me today and tomorrow to (possibly) make some of these cute fondant bunnies from Verusca Walker.

This free tutorial has been made by Learn Cake Decorating Online and they have lots of other free tutorials. They and   Verusca will be at the Cakeriffic expo in August.

Here's the You Tube video - you'll need about 16 minutes to watch Verusca work her magic. 

I made some mudcake and some ganache last night because I'm thinking cake pops, however I am out of pop-sticks :(

All is saved though, because I've just found these cute wee lambs from The Pink Whisk in the UK.

These ones use a Cadbury Creme Egg inside, however I'm thinking that they will work just as well as cake pops without the sticks. There's a good step-by-step process on their website and I have some sugarpaste in the cupboard! 

Woohoo all set to go! 

Happy Easter everyone!

chirpy

Todays post is about chicks and eggs. 
Raspberri Cupcakes from Sydney has a few ideas which look pretty good and quite simple to make (if I can get off this darn computer I may have a go myself).
Here's a chicky macaron atop a trifle:

Or if you couldn't be bothered with the trifle, present your macaron chicky in a nest:

Stephanie has come up with another great easter food idea - Cheesecake-filled chocolate eggs: 

Stephanie uses passionfruit sauce for the yolk of the egg, but I think you could also use lemon curd (you Aussies call it "lemon butter"). Obviously you have to use a chilled cheesecake recipe (not a "baked" cheesecake - could be a wee bit messy! grin). 

She has the instructions on her blog - scroll down for them.

I love this variation using a pastel-coloured egg instead of a brown chocolate one.

Hopping madness!

Today I've just gone completely silly. I've looked at sites from all over and present all the following pics for your interest, inspiration but mostly just for your amusement!

From "All About You":

From Bakerella:

From Heather Donohue:

From Skip to My Lou (they also have the cupcake wrapper to print off):

From Miko Design (ah there's hope for me yet!):

and from Cookie Crazie (she has a helpful step-by-step tutorial here for the icing of the cookie):

and she also has chick, lamb and duck face tutorials - the lamb is way cute.

Enjoy your day!

Easter coming

Only a few days left and I'm thinking easter buns and bunnies.

How great a piccie is this from Mon Delish! All those cute-as bunny ears waiting to be put on bunnies or...?

Very short today - got a lot of things on but will see you tomorrow.

If you are seeing my blog for the first time please check out my past posts for some fantastic cakes.

If you or someone you know would like to be featured on the Cakeriffic blog, drop me a line.

Simply elegant

I've spent some time this morning going through the beautiful cakes at Coco Cakes trying to decide which ones to put on here. There are so many wonderful cakes here, however I've decide just to show you a couple of their gorgeous wedding cakes and let you discover the rest of their repertoire for yourselves.

And whilst I'm not fond of arum lilies, they have made a spectacular job of these and this cake:

Coco Cakes on Facebook here.

a bunch of flowers

Who doesn't like to receive flowers as a thankyou or "just because" - so instead of a bunch of flowers, give a bunch of cupcake flowers.

Cheeky Pantry from Ringwood Vic, has lovely flowery cupcakes on her blogsite.

I for one would love a bunch of these flowers! grin (hint to husband. sigh - not going to happen, because he never reads this blog).

Here's a bunch of fondant flowers from their facebook page

Mixed bag

Sitting at my computer here, looking out of the window - might rain soon I'm thinking. Should get out into the garden as it's a bit cooler (save that thought).

Onto today's ramblings. Came across Cakes to the Max who don't live too far from my place. looks like they have just a facebook page at the moment, however it's full of wonderful cakes, cupcakes and cakepops.

Here's a sampling:

I do so much like "colourful and cheerful".

Going across the border to South Australia this morning (figuratively, not literally!) to check out Sugar Push Cakes.

Awesome is the word that sprang to mind when I saw this one:

I love the madness of this cake - not just the wonky attitude but all the details from the wee green caterpillar at the base to the tiny pattern on the tea-cup. Awesome!

Taryn Elise who has a day job and works part-time with her cake making is the creator of this magnificent creation.

Here's a quote from her site which I totally agree with:

“You can't buy happiness - but you can buy cake, and that's kind of the same thing.” 

Just been on Taryn's facebook page and read an announcement that Sugar Push Cakes is no longer just a hobby, they are officially available for order.

With her talent I'm sure that Sugar Push Cakes will be successful.

How cute are these wee cupcakes.

smashing cakes!

Something a lot different - Naughty Nush Smash Cakes! (which strictly speaking are not cakes at all).
Have you ever been to a party with a pinata - those cardboard thingies you wack with a baseball bat and lollies fall out, well that's the idea here except - these are made from chocolate!

Who hasn't revelled in the sound that Easter eggs make when you crack them open - I'm guessing that this would be similar.

I cannot think of an occasion that you wouldn't want one of these "cakes" and had to share the following testimonial from their site:

“For five years KOALA Kids searched for something by which children and young people in cancer treatment and their families could celebrate special milestones and birthdays in Childrens Cancer Centres.  Naughty Nush Smash Cakes have provided more distraction and joy than one could ever imagine.”

Amanda Mandie, KOALA Kids co founder

Here's "Naughties" facebook.

Monday pops!

Slept in for a while this morning as I was away all weekend in Bendigo with the papercraft expo I run so a bit weary. All good though. Had a great weekend and now back to cakes!

Today a wee bit different - Cake pops!
I love them and... yes I have made them. I know you're surprised but every Christmas (for the last 2 anyway) I have made reindeer cake pops using strips of licorice for antlers (I'll show you how when we get near Christmas).

Boutique Cake Designs by Jojo has some gorgeous cake pops on her website and also on her facebook site.

Jojo also does cakes, macarons, cupcakes and heaps of other stuff - best to go to her website to have a lookie.

Here's a couple of cake pops to entice you.

Just had another squiz and cannot resist showing you these cupcake bouquets which are stunning:

More green stuff

I'm going to be very busy today so here's just a sampling of cakey type stuff for St Patrick's Day coming up on Sunday - which means you still have time to make one for your own celebration! (as if...grin).

This one is from the "girlybubble" site:

Clover cupcakes from Cupcake D'lights

And here's some fantastic cookies from Polka-dot Zebra

Scroll down her page for more great cookies.

And some cake pops from Diddles and Dumplings:

To the only truly Irish person I know - Renee have a great day on Sunday!

Being green

My old mum always told us kids (and there were 7 of us) to eat the green stuff on the plate because it was "good for you".

Following on that sage advice I'd like to offer up the following "green food" from Copy Cat Cakes in the Sydney area. 

Obviously these cakes are green, therefore they are good for us. "Be a greenie, eat cake!" I say.

And as it is coming up to St Patrick's day on Sunday there will likely be more green musings tomorrow. Until then...

(Copy Cat Cakes also have a facebook page)

Made with love and skill

"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skilful execution; it represents the wise choice of many"

this is the quote on the home page of Handmade With Love by Lisa and looking through her gallery photos I think she lives up to this quote with her beautifully decorated cakes.

These cupcakes - so pretty and delicate.

And this selection of cakes for a morning tea:

Couldn't resist one other from her facebook page:

I've often wondered how to work out how many people a cake serves. I can work it out for sandwiches but cake, now there's a different thing. 

If it's for a wedding then I guess you serve one piece per person, but how do you know how many pieces a cake cuts into.

Crumbs Celebration Cakes from Koo Wee Rup in Gippsland has a handy-dandy portion size chart on their website. This tells you how big a "coffee portion" is and how big a "dessert portion" is, as well as how many of each you get from a particular size cake (of course if it's for teenage boys then it has to be a bloomin' big cake with big portions!).

They also teach classes in piping and cake-making/decorating. Here's a couple of piccies from their site (there are heaps more cakes on here):

It's a holiday Monday here in Victoria - "Labour Day".
Nearly slept in and nearly forgot about the blog.

When I first looked through the website of Mon Delish I thought "here's a girl who speaks my language" - anyone who uses the word "chuffed" is right up my street!

Michelle Derrick who runs Mon Delish also has been very generous and posted recipes for some of her cakes (and her own Nana's sponge cake) as well as this recipe for vanilla buttercream.
Here it is in action on top of her own vanilla cupcakes (recipe also generously provided):

I suggest that you check out her facebook page too for some of her more recent creations.

See you tomorrow!

Shameless self-promotiion

I have decided that today I am going to do a wee bit of shameless self-promotion (and trust me, it is only a wee bit!).

For all those doubting Thomases out there who think I may never have decorated a cake - given my previous comments about buttercream ruffles - I'm here to dispel that myth.
Well...nearly dispel it.

The closest I have come to cake decoration is these two guys that I made for someone's wedding cake.
I have no idea who's wedding it was, as I did it for a favour for Laura of La Belle Cakes.

These cake toppers are made from aluminium foil and polymer clay - except for her veil which is tuille and that wee plastic tiara. It's difficult to see, but her wedding dress is lacey and his suit has pinstripes. The groom also has sunglasses which he wears on his head backwards (the "cool way" - if you know what I mean).

Just a note on polymer clay and food - you should not have polymer clay come into contact with food so if you are making cake toppers from polymer clay or you have ordered polymer clay cake toppers, please make sure they are on a separate base and not in contact with the edible parts of the cake. 

Use a card or plastic base of some sort.

Delicious flavours

My old mum was talking to me the other day about all the cakes she used to make for weddings and birthdays etc.
And I have to say they were pretty good for someone who'd never had a formal lesson. She is a stickler for presentation and her cakes reflected this.
She made a comment about the ingredients being quite expensive today and of course she was talking about the dried fruit she used back then because all the wedding cakes were fruit cakes.
I did explain that things have moved on since her day (you know, back when the animals emerged from the ark! - just kidding Mum) and now they use a lot of mud cake mixes.

Of course I also explained that there were lots of flavours and here's one I hadn't heard of before - choc cherry mud cake mix.
How yum does that sound. Although I have found that you either love cherries or you don't.
Hunting through my list of cake suppliers I'm happy to see that Choice Cakes in Chirnside Park Vic sell the choc cherry mud cake along with some other flavours (I'm happy because they aren't far from my house).
They also have an impressive range of moulds - oh I must tell you about the moulds I bought at a garage sale once...no actually I'll keep that for another day.
Choice Cakes sell lots of stuff to help you in your cake-decorating travels and yes they also make cakes.

You can go like them on face book too.
Did I mention - they'll be at Cakeriffic in August.