Life is a Party...

...or so it felt this week!  We celebrated with moms, kiddos and even some Girl Scouts!  We started with a Girl's Night Out where some fabulous mom's gathered at our shop for a night of decorating and catching up!  They each decorated a dozen cupcakes, and like snowflakes, no two were alike!  They did a fabulous job and hopefully, had a great time!  (I know I did!)

Later in the week we welcomed a Girl Scout Troop who opted for our 6" cake decorating party.  They each had their own personal cake to decorate with buttercream in a variety of colors.  They also worked with fondant to create accents for their cakes.  I love seeing their creations, which we boxed up and sent home to enjoy.  They were a blast to hang out with and we even got some moms in on the decorating action!

The following day it was time to celebrate with a birthday party at All Things Cake.  Eleven friends got together to decorate cupcakes with tasty buttercream and colorful sprinkles.  We even added some disco dust for a little cupcake bling!   They channeled their inner pastry chef (complete with chef's hats!) and created some yummy and adorable cupcakes.  No party is complete with our sampling some cake, so the girls chose a cupcake to eat before the birthday girl opened her gifts.  The best part is that the honoree isn't the only one who goes home with presents...all of our treats are packaged and sent home so no one goes home empty handed!

I can honestly say that this is the first job where I get to PARTY on a regular basis.  Don't be jealous...just come party with us, too!  ;)

Penguins on Parade

What a busy week at All Things Cake! While most were on Spring Break, we were busy with classes, parties and of course, CAKES! We also had a private session request from a fabulous customer who was given a rather large school assignment: Create a life sized penguin!

What we came up with was a 30" tall penguin whose core is Styrofoam covered in rice krispie treats to add shape. The head and feet are also rice krispie treats that we sculpted. The body and head were then covered in black royal icing, which dries hard to hold everything together. The white belly as well as the beak and yellow features are fondant, which can be rolled out and cut in any shape. Eyes and toenails were then added. They were made of fondant and details were painted on with food coloring diluted with clear vanilla. Cardboard covered in royal icing made up the wings and tail. We then perched this penguin on a Styrofoam block of ice and secured it with sharpened dowels. The end result? A super-cute penguin, a lot of fun and hopefully an A!

A Year Goes By In A Blink...

WOW!  I know it sounds cliche, but where has the time gone?  One year ago this week I clicked on the 'OPEN' sign for my cake shop and supply store for the first time.  Since that moment, I have worked six days a week and baked thousands of layers of cake.  But the thing I remember most about the past year is the amazing people who have walked through my front door each day. They are the sole reason I am able to celebrate our first anniversary this week. 

People of all ages and all walks of life come into the shop each week.  Some are bakery owners needing last minute supplies, some are brides looking for information on a wedding cake and some are just killing time while their loved ones shop at the bridal store next door or are getting a tattoo two doors down.  I have my "regulars" who come in each week to get their boards and boxes for their weekly orders...and I have loved getting to know them over the last year. 

And then there are those who come in, some with a picture or sketch, some who have never decorated a cake before. These customers I love...We walk around the store and come up with several ideas to accomplish the same task: making said cake.  It's not about how much money they spend - it's about figuring out all the pieces of the puzzle that they will need - it's about the final product: a cake that will make their child's eyes light up, a cake that their grandchild will remember forever, a cake made and decorated with love.  I truly have the best job ever.  I am so grateful that I got to do it for an entire year and will, hopefully, do it for many more!