Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend

Diamonds ARE a girls best friend, especially if you are getting hitched!  Here is my latest adventure in cake for a wonderful lady tying the knot in October. (Good Luck Crystal).

The cake was a yummy RED VELVET with CREAM CHEESE filling and iced in CREAM CHEESE ....yummm!!

The box was made by using fondant panels that were cut just a bit larger than I would need and dried for 3 days with a bit of Tylose kneaded in to help it harden (aka Gumpaste), then "gently" cut to size after the cake was baked, torted, filled and iced.

The lid was made by using the same size pan (10x10)  I was going to bake the cakes in.
It is made out of gumpaste which was rolled out and dried a top the pan that was doused heavily in cornstarch on top and criscoe on the sides to prevent lifting.

I wish I could say the diamond is made of sugar... well, I tried... 9 times!!  But working with sugar is sooo TEMPERMENTAL!!  It was either not cooked to the right temp so it turned into a big blob, it was too humid and sticky, it turned amber colored....and each time it takes about 30-45 minutes to cool on top of the 30 minutes it took to get the sugar measured and cooked!!  ARGHHH!

So...the next formal sugar class that is offered I AM TAKING!!!

Icing Smiles

Sometimes we get a bit wrapped into our own little world and we miss that there is a world out there bigger than us . 

I want to share something that has inspired me...

There is an awesome lady out there starting a Non-Profit Organization called ICING SMILES (http://www.icingsmiles.org/Site/Welcome.html) This is a place where we can, as bakers and cake artists contribute our talents to those families who have children that are very ill. 

The mission is stated best by this following quote :
"The smiling face of a child can light up the darkest room and warm even the coldest heart. When a child is seriously ill, sometimes a smile is the thing they need most. That is why we are so excited about the mission of Icing Smiles. Birthdays can be very difficult for children who are enduring a difficult illness in the hospital and receiving a very special cake helps children feel especially loved. Everyone loves to be surprised with a cake on their birthday. It is a tradition that is loved by children and adults alike. The gift of a cake that is specially designed for each child can make a tremendous difference in the life of a child when they need it most. We are thrilled to be partnering with Tracy Quisenberry and her team of bakers to brighten the lives of children being treated at Nationwide Children’s Hospital."
- Ryan Wilkins, Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio

If you are interested in volunteering your time, or teaming up with me to volunteer.  Please let me know and I would be happy to partner with you.!!