Fling into Spring Watercolor Cake

Christos Anesti! Today was Greek Easter (I like to call it Greekster), and oh my god was it good to stuff my face and then sit in the sun! Everyone was just basking in it.... We literally haven't seen it in six months.. so glorious!!

I love Greek Easter because I love food.  Our table consisted of juicy lamb with garlic cloves, grilled chicken, spinach rice, corn, pastitiso (cheesy Greek lasagna), lemon oregano potatoes, Greek-style green beans, Greek sweet bread, salad with kalamata olives and feta, and wine of course!

We cracked eggs and laughed, as usual.. I love seeing my cousins who are like my siblings and reminiscing of our childhoods.. so much fun!

Then, we ate cake! 

Recently I found a blog post that showed how to watercolor fondant to use for cake stripes!  I thought it was really neat looking and so spring-like so I wanted to give it a try! I used gel-based food colors mixed with vodka as paints and just haphazardly painted all over rolled out fondant!  Then it took some measuring and cutting to make the strips which I then attached to the cake with a bit more vodka as glue.  You don't taste the vodka.. it dries odorless and tasteless!

I also created some of my own fondant flowers to add something special to the finished product! A ribbon around the bottom edges tied in all the colors.   This was a strawberry vanilla swirl cake with bourbon vanilla butter cream.

I really love the delicacy of this cake. The watercolor look is so different, and looks complicated even though this cake wasn't too hard to complete.  It definitely took some time though!

Cutting it is always the hardest part!!!! So happy everyone enjoyed it though!

I hope everyone enjoyed this beautiful weekend!! Tomorrow is going to be 70 degrees -- time for skirts and dresses at work! So excited! 

-Elena

A Bridal Planning Weekend

Oh such a fun weekend filled with wedding details! 

I spent the day Saturday with my best friend and the bridal party shopping for our bridesmaid dresses!  It is so exciting to pick out styles and colors and try on all of these gorgeous dresses!  After we went out for lunch and drinks, and had a blast talking over details of the upcoming wedding. It is thrilling to watch your best friend so happy... I literally can't contain my excitement for them, and can't wait for September!

Sunday I met with a bride and groom for a cake pop testing for their October wedding!  They are getting married at a vineyard in southern CT and I can't wait to see this place all done up for their big day!  They are going with deep, rich purples and shades of gray with pops of pink, all mixed in with the rustic winery and wine barrels.. It will surely be gorgeous! 

They are an adorable couple, so clearly in love and very excited! 

I put together a tray of flavors for them to try with an array of colors from their color palette and they were just beautiful.  I love hydrangeas, and Brittany told me she will have purple hydrangeas in the centerpieces so these cake pops matched perfectly!  I also love the contrast of the deep purple with the white hydrangea.  

This wedding will surely be gorgeous and I am so happy they've chosen me to contribute to what sounds like their happy ever after, dream come true fairy tale :)

Needless to say, my mind was in the clouds this weekend! So much planning, excitement... I can't wait for my turn ;)

-Elena

Sunny Treats

It is hard to believe it is the end of October. With Halloween right around the corner, I find myself in awe at how fast time is flying by me.

A few weeks ago, my blog turned 1! I've been baking like this for over two years now.  My two year anniversary at my job is very soon.  Louis is almost done with another semester in school, and we've almost been in this cozy apartment for almost a whole year already. November also marks our 3 1/2 year anniversary (do people celebrate half anniversaries?) The time is literally flying.

In between all the craziness that's been going on this month, I've managed to get a few orders in!

First was another birch tree cake.

I was a bit more heavy handed on this one... Not sure if I like it more or less than my first, because it just is different. We added sunflowers and I definitely hand painted more onto the fondant.

This couple was eloping and having the ceremony in the woods aside a stream.. Very fall, and the cake was a perfect touch!

Second order was for 100 cake pops for a housewarming/engagement party!

These were chocolate and pumpkin spice, and the color scheme was yellow and gray with sunflowers. 

 

I wanted to add a fun, artsy element to these, so I decided to try stenciling on fondant with some oil based food coloring. I was so in love with the results!

 

Sunflowers are definitely a great fall theme that I hope to do again soon.  They are classic New England, and fit in with this gorgeous fall season we've been lucky to experience this year!

 Next up, some spooky treats to pack in my suitcase next week, as Lou and I fly out on Halloween to visit Nick and Marissa in Ft. Lauderdale!!! We DEFINITELY could use some days away in the sunshine!

-Elena

The Birch Tree Engagement Cake

In 6th grade, we became best friends.  Inseparable best friends.  Our teacher knew it, and she would let us "take a break" and go for walks around the school to get all of the chatter out of us so we'd stop talking in class... Middle school came around and it was all about planning school dances, watching the boys we liked play sports after school, and having sleepovers.. High school brought us the most fun, filled with parties, Chinese food nights blaring Paula Abdul, and tons of memories I'll never forget.. Growing up with Maureen was FUN.

Our 17 year old selves got in the way, and we didn't see or speak to each other for four years.  One fateful "sighting" prompted her to give me a call, and ever since that call Maureen has been the most important friend in my life.  All of my best memories of the later years of college, summers, birthdays and all of our milestones are with her. We sit for hours with each other, drinking wine and talking about life.  It's the best, and she truly is the sister I have never had.

The most important milestone thus far, is Maureen's engagement to Caleb, her boyfriend of 9 years. I met Caleb as soon as I reconnected with Maureen, and instantly I could see the connection the two shared.  Their love for each other radiates from them both... Even when he's outside doing his thing, and she is inside doing her thing, he pops in and gives her a quick kiss and you can tell just being around each other makes them happy.  I am so friggen happy for the both of them, and so excited to be a bridesmaid in their wedding!

Yesterday we celebrated their engagement with all of their families and friends, and I made a cake for the two that I think encompasses them as a couple.. Rustic, fall-themed, and sweet!

I am still new at covering cakes in fondant.. My fondant bubbled a bit which after researching I've found out what I did wrong.. but I think it actually worked for this cake as the birch isn't supposed to be perfect.  Distressing the fondant and painting it to give it a birch tree look was scary but I think it worked!  I also created the leaves using real leaves and pressing the fondant into the leaves to get the veins to show!   The cake was a spice cake with pumpkin spice butter cream, since those flavors are all the rage right now!

The initials were my favorite part.. carved into a tree for all of eternity.. so romantic!

The cake was a hit and they both loved it which melts my heart because that is why I do what I do! To make people happy :)

Many more to come!! Congratulations you two crazy kids!! It is going to be an exciting year!

-Elena

Peachy Keen

This weekend I casually stopped by Home Goods to look for some new sprinkles.. 

I only planned on running in, taking a quick look, and rushing out.  I was so dead set on being quick, I actually threw my bathing suit on and cover up, as I figured I'd be in, out, and would rush to my parents' pool right after.  I wasn't going to actually do any shopping while wearing my bathing suit..

I cannot help myself in Home Goods. Even though I love all aspects of the place, nothing compares to their plate selection. I am a sucker for beautiful plates, for obvious reasons!

So a plate I picked up about two years ago made a reappearance this Saturday, and it turns out they had the entire set! I was in my glory.  I instantly thought of the wedding I am doing at the end of August.  We were going for a vintage/rustic feel and these were perfect.  So there I am in the middle of the store, in my bathing suit and cover up, taking pictures of these plates and sending them to the bride, shuffling ten into my cart like a mad woman who just struck gold. The detail in the edges are so beautiful.  I couldn't pass them up.

 

At the checkout the woman looked at me like I was crazy probably thinking "Why does this girl need ALL of these plates?" and "Why is she wearing her bathing suit?"

So I displayed them all out today for the bride and groom to see when they stopped by to taste test some cake pops!  I know I am going on and on about these plates but, I certainly plan on keeping them a secret until the wedding! 

I will however, reveal some of my ideas for the wedding!

I went with a few different shades of peach, green, gold, brown and added whites and silver in there was well. 

 

I also went with different flower molds to give the bride the choice of what she likes best!

 

No wedding is complete without romantic fondant ruffles! My heart melts for these little sweets.

Peach hydrangeas were very delicate, and happen to be one of the bride's main flowers. These will be a beautiful focal point in the whole display.

This color palette is beautiful and gives me so much room for creativity. It will surely be a beautiful display for a beautiful couple!

-Elena

Fondant and the Fourth

Fourth of July weekend was a total blast! Though it rained like crazy all day Friday, it still beat having to go to work! I was able to get so many things done around the house, as well as bake some yummy treats for a party we were attending on Saturday! 

I had peanut butter cake in the freezer for like two months, waiting for the right time to use it and this was it.  I did peanut butter, chocolate and vanilla cake balls with marshmallow fondant festive accents!

Making fondant was a messy but easy task. I had been wanting to try it because buying fondant at the store is so expensive ($17/lb) and I’ve been going through it so fast lately! So I found a recipe and went for it… and it was delicious. Obviously, anything marshmallow based is going to be awesome.. I melted two bags of jet puffs, mixed with confectionary sugar and a little bit of water and done!

Here is what a pound of melted marshmallows looks like.. yes, it looks like heaven.. 

It sounds easy, but the mess was insane and I had to literally put my hands in shortening first so it didn’t stick so bad to my hands as I mixed (it stuck anyways so it was a lost cause) and I think I got more sugar on my floor than in the mix but it was an experience and I will definitely try again!  Not sure if I would use it to cover full cakes until I master it, but definitely good for accents and fun things that go on top of cake pops!

So I made some vintage looking red white and blue stars and streamers to put on top of the pops and they were perfect! Everyone ate them right up and just like that, I am back in the zone!

The weekend was filled with friends and family.. Louis and I got to see basically everyone we are close with during different parts of the weekend and it was great catching up with people!  Not sure I can eat any more hamburgers for the rest of the summer though… I am definitely BBQed out!  

So on Sunday, we decided to grill up some pizzas with my parents while sitting by the pool for the day.  I loved grilled pizza and I definitely want to post a tutorial soon!  We topped them with fresh mozzarella, various other cheeses, spicy Italian sausage, grilled chicken breast, vegetables and basil pesto! So delicious and filling, without the fat and oil in take-out pizza. Such a refreshing way to BBQ!

Hope everyone’s holiday was relaxing and fulfilling! It was a great three days to be with the people we love and reflect on our freedom we all sometimes take for granted!

-Elena 

Simple Chic Bridal Shower

Today I brightened another rainy day bridal shower with bright, springy cake pops!  My friend Becky is in a wedding this spring for a friend of hers, and I'm happy she asked me to make these for the shower!

These were simple and chic, not a whole lot to them in terms of complexity--the shower was meant to be simple but elegant and that is what I was going for here with scroll piping patters, fondant flowers and muted white/gray colors with pops of pink.

I went with the square plate for this one, as I think they are simple and allow the cakes to shine on their own without the distraction of ribbons and bows. 

Sixty little cakes, in red velvet, vanilla and chocolate flavors, sure to brighten anyone's day!

I hope the bride loves them!

-Elena