Valentine's Cake!

I made this little cake as a valentine's promotion two years ago and it went over so well we thought we'd do it again this year.

Dense chocolate cake, covered in a mocha butter cream and then enrobed in rich chocolate ganache.

Then decorated in the classic "birds holding a banner" motif.

At 4"x4", the cake is perfect for two (or perfect for yourself with leftovers to take to work the next day :)

$20

We will be taking orders for these until Monday, February 7th and they will be available for pick-up on Friday (11th), Saturday (12th) and Monday (14th).

Drop us a line at

orders@cakeology.ca

or call us at 612-yumm! (9866)

variations on a theme

These guys aren't terribly exciting, but wanted to get them up as an example for a couple who would like something clean and modern, but pretty.

I love the whole theory of "less is more", and I love doing cakes that way.

My favorite one at the shop right now is similar, black and white, 1 large flower cluster.

Anyway, off to caking, we have one of our busiest weekends since the summer wedding fest.

Seems this is the weekend to have Christmas parties so have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

variations on a theme...

Same cake, same Cohen.
I got half way through the first one until it dawned on me I was doing the wrong design. Figured I would at least finish it and take a photo...
Then redo it all...
1st birthday style this time...
Sigh.
At least they are both cute!

sophisticated birdys

Here's a cutey of a wedding cake that was inspired by the couples stationary they used (invites and such). Two sweet birds; monocle and top hat on the sir and her with her little pearls, so classy they are.
This is a 6" and an 8" cake and perfect for the smaller wedding reception, serving 15-25 people.

happy spring!

I find it only fitting that as I post about the arrival of spring that I can hear on the radio in the kitchen that we are expecting snow tomorrow.
Lovely.
With a wind warning.
Glad my sign isn't up yet...

But so many other things are ready to go! I hope to be able to call the health inspector on Monday to come in and check us out.

In the mean time, here are some of my latest cakes. I chose some pretty ones as spring time makes me want to make pretty things. Speed up that whole "cleaning up winter" process.
Have a great long weekend!

who who whooooo are you lookin at.....

Mmmm. I seriously love owls. My jealousy of Harry Potter is pretty silly; but what I would do for a little snowy white owl...man, I tell ya...

I thought it was cool that my client had requested an owl for her mom's 50th birthday cake. It's her moms native american spirit animal. Super cool.

join the handmade revolution...

So many things to touch on with this post...where to begin...

Let's start with the owls. Am feeling the owly love around these parts lately. Owls to me, remind me of fall, and fall has certainly arrived. I haven't seen the sidewalk for a couple of days now.

I had the prestigious opportunity to be in my first wedding show this weekend, and with none other than Madeline of Madeline's Wedding's herself. It's been a real honour to work with her and her team as their "cake girl" and appreciate the lovely couples they send my way. Knowing their cake will be in a stunningly decorated room makes me even happier.

Madeline's hosted her very own wedding show, with her hand selected vendors at the St. Boniface Golf Course this past Sunday. I did up two cakes for the event and this is one of them.

So pretty.

Back to the owls...

In my excitement to do up some demo cakes with no limits to the design, I hit up etsy for some topper inspiration. I knew I wanted some cuties for the top and cuties I found. The world of handmade has exploded and places like etsy are a treasure trove of fun. I like to look through the "shop local" category and find some local artists. That's how I came across Heather Bays. I contacted her with some pictures and asked if she would consider making me these adorable owls for this show and away she went. These little guys arrived in the mail a couple weeks later and the rest is history. To see what else she makes and some other fabulous cake toppers, go here. Isn't she great? Just lovely work :)
Thanks Heather!

Here she is, the 32nd year birthday cake. Still have an obscene amount left sitting on my kitchen counter (read- entire bottom cake) (eep). I have decided instead of making New Year's resolutions, I'd make birthday resolutions. Perhaps because I've already dumped those New year ones....

Anyway, birthday resolution one- don't eat that cake on the counter. Or any extra cake for that matter. Being your own boss has it's perks but certainly also has it's downfalls. Like finding something to do with extra cake. Resolution two is to go above and beyond my comfort zone. I've done a number of cakes now, and I've certainly developed a style that I enjoy doing. Now it's time to kick it up a notch. What I tried doing with my birthday cake was really a challenge. I tried inlaying one of the birds, so it has a smooth outside, instead of simply putting the bird onto the outer fondant layer. Tricky! I wasn't to impressed with the amount of time it took and the result so I only did one. Looking at it in pictures though, it looks a lot better. As most things do, I suppose. Step back and see it differently. I will definitely try it again.

Sometimes I make a cake that I am so very proud of. Okay, maybe not sometimes, perhaps "often" is a better word.

I have been doing some cakes lately that the customer has let me do the designing. I'll ask a series of questions; classic or trendy, colorful or muted, cutesy or serious, and then I have carte blanche for the outcome. As I spend a good chunk of time cruising the web for pictures, patterns and ideas, I have a folder simply dedicated to "inspiration". I get so excited when I can use it!

Like this little gem of a cake. The party was a little tricky. It was a shower, but not for new babies, instead for adopted boys. So any cute baby booties and bottles were out of the question. We wanted something that symbolized family, so we did just that; a little family. A bird family, but a family no less. The words family in both English and Russian were used, along with a lot of baking love.

I seem to have made quite a number of cupcakes over the holidays. In hind sight, I didn't see them all coming, they snuck up on me a little. They are just the way I like to take my holidays- light, fluffy, sweet, with a side of Irish cream. Quick to make up on a whim, always appreciated host gifts and are very portable. This cake/cupcake combo is for a one year old's birthday, and his dad's birthday (I took this picture earlier and have since adorned the owls with Oiler's jerseys for dad.) The cake is chocolate and vanilla, filled with vanilla butter cream. Finished with rolled fondant.

Just wanted to share a picture of cake and cupcakes, served as one piece. This little ditty is from the Bakery Bar, out of Portland, Oregon. Their little birds are oh so sweet. I have two orders coming up for this style and I'm excited to add them on to my list of "sure, I can do that!"'s.

And .........we're back

I'm giddy with delight as I write the first "new" blog entry for cake-ology. And which cake should I feature? I've been setting things up for so long that I've got a stock pile of photos coming up so check by often, this place will be a party before you know it. This little diddy was done up on the fly for dear Tom and his Sherri. We're glad he's still around these parts. The cake itself is lemon poppy seed pound cake with a citrus butter cream. Covered in home made fondant, sprinkled with little birds are here and there.