Baby Dot Com Carnival

This is by far, THE most extravagantly decorated cake I've made as far as a kiddy cake is concerned. I spent about 1 month doing this. From coming up with the concept, looking for the pics, figuring out how to materialize the idea.

In the beginning, my thoughts were fondant, fondant, fondant but i am not good at modeling with fondant. By now I thought, fondant modeling of cute animals...hmmm, getting all too common, though cute but common. And I was sooooo itching for something different. So I decided to explore the less favored, less common choice...COLOR FLOW. Initially scared because I've never done it outside of class and on cookies but that was the only option since my confidence with modeling is low.

Immediately put to practice what the book says. Since color flow can be used for stand-up decorative items like logos....why not! The wordings, trees and animals...pretty much anything 2-D can be made "3-D".

So this is my exploration with COLOR FLOW. I hope this gives some renewed faith
towards this decorating technique and shows that it can stand just as tall as what fondant can do but often over looked.

It was a tiring day for me. Half of my Sunday morning was taken up by my classes. Rushed home to rest for a really short 15 minutes. Changed and get my groove and headed towards Baby Dot Come, a baby ware supply shop near my house. Christine, the owner and I became friends about 3 years ago and I sponsored a cake for the winners of her baby contest. So that was my first stint ever...introducing myself around and publicizing my services. I wasn't sure how well that worked.

I couldn't participate last year's event so this year, I approached her again and after a short meeting, we agreed on a safari/jungle theme for the cake.

I managed to get my flyers done and by now, I have "grown" as a decorator and this is a far far cry from my first sponsorship. Went around the guests and distributing flyers and introduced myself. After the activities lined up( karaoke contest, baby catwalk which I was the judge and a coloring contest...I was a judge for that too), finally the event ended with posing for the cameras, all the baby contestants and their parents surrounding my cake! It was a great moment for me...in my hopeful effort to increase public awareness of my services in our neighbourhood.

What I've been doing since my last entry

My sincere apologies for neglecting to update my own blog but I was far too busy, not with orders, but life. Well, you know, kids, family, school holidays, new school year...blah, blah, blah. And I was experiencing a "dry" season since last year's school holidays. So there wasn't much activity for LiaCakes to update.

I have just finished my class earlier this morning and some students wanted to look at what I have done. So many thought to come here but I said, "NO! I sudah lama tak update my blog so just refer to my entries in facebook."

Even so when classes finally took of in February, i couldn't find time to update...till now! So, just a short cap of what i've done since my last entry.




A serious LAST MINUTE order i took after much pleading from my customer. I bargained for half the amount she had asked my to do...which was 4 cakes in 1 nite, for 5 different people with 4 different themes! My immediate thoughts were, "are you crazy lady????!!!" Melted by her endless pleas, we agreed that I can only provide 2 of her requests . I also warned her that not to expect too much since there wasn't enough time to ponder what designs would be best...4 cakes with 4 different themes. "Are u crazy lady???!!!"

So the first was a shape of a burger, for the birthday-boy who actually IS a streetside burger seller! And below, is another cake for a 5 year old boy who likes cars. Thank God almighty for a quick thought of doing the car cake with the black-white race flag motiff.






This was an order from an old friend who wasn't confident enough with fondant to do one herself. This was an engagement gift for her brother's engagement. the only requirements were pink and white theme colors and a heart shape cake.


This was an order from one of my seniors who loved the IU cupcakes I did for our first reunion and requested the same. But I coaxed him into a different design since I don't like to duplicate.
Found a different logo pasted on a round cheese biscuits to make the logo "stand-up".

Chocolate Modelling

After such a long long time, i finally took up chocolate modeling...since there hasn't been any orders for the past few month. it's during these "dry" months that I would use the time to acquire new knowledge. So, chocolate modeling class came at the right time. Closed my eyes and paid for the class.

It was fairly simple but as all cakes...it does take work. Which some people couldn't phantom why fondant cakes costs a bomb! We learned how to make the chocolate fondant and how to shape roses out of it. And since roses, beside ribbon roses, aren't my forte, I have long decided to make calla lillies instead. I already had a design in mind for the class and went straight into it after 2 practice tries making the roses. Sorry, no pics. It was so mediocre! And it would jeapordize my reputation as a decorator. So anyway, lillies besides being my fav flower to model, it was simple...much simpler than any methods of modeling roses.

Here's a close up of what i made, which was eaten up by my kids and nephews.

If you look closely, can u spot a flaw?

A cake for my Dido

I don't fancy doing kiddy cakes coz they do take a lot of work to make them real pretty and all kiddy. And it's been a long, long while since i even attempt to make a kiddy cake. As 2009 progressed i found myself indulging into creating elegant cakes...but not much opportunity. but then again...

But since it would be almost blasphemous of me not to make birthday cakes for my OWN kids, i conjurged up all strength in me to make one impressive cake for my son. I was pretty ambitious despite my flesh is as weak as my spirit. But even after procastinating, i got a tad lazy after making the wings at the end of the plane. Make them out of tiger biscuits wrapped in white fondant. it would take me to buy a whole packet of Jacobs crackers but only two was required to make the front wings...so after considering the economics of it (every penny saved is ......). I convinced myself that kiddy cakes were MEANT to have flaws. It didn't need to look like a real plane. So long that it somewhat gives that impression at a glimpse. If anybody who took one look at it and couldn't figure out it was a plane.....now that would mean that something is wrong with THAT person and not this (lazy) decorator. ;)

Anyway, i did thought of how to create the clouds. Used half a muffin and covered it with white buttercream. And what a way to place those "Happy Birthday" candles, eh? Smart? Right! ......always looking for an easy way out.

But at any rate, this is what transpired. And by the looks and the "WOW" response from my kids, I could only be happy that i finally made it without having to shamefully go to a bakery and ordered on instead!



Happy birthday Dido!

And this is what I did for my daughter.