Damask Birthday

My good friend from college ordered a birthday cake for her Mom's surprise _ _th birthday ;-) She gave me pretty much free reign as for design of the cake. I decided on elegant but I did not want it to look like a wedding cake.
This was my 2nd time at a fondant tiered cake...WOW I have come a long way!!

I hand made the fondant for the whole cake. I just like the taste better, but I definitely see why bakers just buy it - I got a good arm work out making it and then rolling it out for 3 cakes! The damask design is an edible transfer. First time ever using one - and boy that was FUN jk. The middle tier is real ribbon w/ a gumpaste name plate.

So happy with the outcome. I learned even more for next time...oh and I can't forget to thank my wonderful BF for his help ;-)

Irish Bridal Shower

A friend of mine I've known since high school ordered some cupcakes for her sister's bridal shower. They were an Irish theme. She mentioned the Claddagh ring and I was able to make a few ring toppers out of fondant/gumpaste blend. I also made four leaf clovers using 4 tiny heart cut outs. I painted with food color gels the lettering and flag colors.

Bowling Birthday

Successful weekend! Everything has been delivered and I can sleep once again lol. Lets start with my friend Ashley's order. It was her brother's birthday and it was bowling night too. I topped them off with assorted topping and also made fondant bowling pin and bowling ball cut outs. I hand painted with food color gels, the 'happy birthday' plate.

The Line Up

"Irish Car Bomb"
Chocolate Stout cake w/ Bailey's frosting
Chocolate Orange
Chocolate cake with a hint of orange and fresh orange zest topped with grand mariner dark chocolate ganache
Salted Caramel
Chocolate cake w/ a salted caramel frosting and drizzled with salted caramel
Vanilla Rainbow
Vanilla rainbow cake topped with vanilla frosting
Coconut
Coconut cupcake with vanilla frosting and topped with toasted coconut
Vanilla Lavender
Vanilla cake topped with lavender frosting
Peanut Butter Cup
Chocolate cake, peanut butter middle and topped with peanut butter frosting
Lemon
Vanilla cake topped with lemon frosting made with fresh lemon zest

The array of flavors I made

I just love how you can see the rainbow colors through the zebra liner

I had extras to give a wedding sampling to a friend :)

Taking a break...

Just taking a break from baking for tomorrow's first order due up! Felt like posting a pic of my work in progress :) Here are some rainbow cupcakes getting ready to go in the oven. Final pics will be up tomorrow hopefully or by Sunday ~Cara Lee

Getting Ready for the Weekend

It's been a little over a week since I last posted so I wanted to leave a little eye candy to get you ready for the weekend. I have 3 separate orders for Friday and Saturday. Ranging between cupcakes and a 3-tier cake! I'm preparing a little each day so that I will be ready for the weekend :) I say BRING IT!! haha... had some extra vanilla batter and frosting left over so I made a few cupcakes for my BF's cousin whose coming into town. He lives on cakes and cookies lol (you think I'm joking but I'm not!)

Get ready for lots of new posts coming up this weekend :)
~Cara Lee

Bully Buddies Benefit Show

So as I have been posting in my last few entries, one of my best friends Jessica put together this amazing benefit show for the dog rescue that she works with (Mid Atlantic Bully Buddies). There were 3 bands (123), raffles, t-shirts, dog collars, and of course my cupcakes. I had so much fun rockin out to the live music and selling my cupcakes in the "cupcake corner" (as Jessica referred to it as lol). And it made me feel even better that everyone loved the cupcakes! All the proceeds went to her organization :) Thank you everyone for supporting a great cause!!

Here are some pics.... I was so mad I, again, forgot my camera :( I was running around all morning frosting the cupcakes and boxing them up and getting everything together that I didn't get to take any before I left either. Luckily, my friend Lauren did have her camera and snapped a few for me at the concert.

The Cupcake Display
I love my new Wilton rotating cupcake stand!! Each plate rotates!!
The Cuppies
I made fondant bone toppers - for human consumption of course

The Line Up: Red velvet, Vanilla Bean, Irish Car Bomb, Mocha and Peanut Butter Cup


The Cupcake Corner
Jess and I

Grand Total Raised: ~ $3,000
Congrats Jessica and the Bully Buddies

Happy Valentine's Day

Whew! Did lots of cupcaking this weekend :) I made a dozen for my boss' wife, 4 cupcakes for his son, 4 dozen for the benefit concert tonight, and 4 dozen minis for the bands.

Here are the cupcakes for my boss. I used the bumble bees and roses I made while snowed in during the blizzard ;-)

And here are a few I made for his son who loves superheroes, so I made a little Batman symbol.

I will post pics of the rest of the cupcakes after the benefit show tonight!!! Can't wait!!

Fondant Doggies

So we the snow has finally passed! We should be ok for the next few days... maybe a few inches Sunday/Monday night (but I'm hoping NOT!). Did I mention this is a "record breaking winter" we have had this year?! Anywho, we thawed out a little bit today and I was able to get outta the house. Only I would be SO excited because I got to use my 40% off coupon at Michael's to finally buy the Wilton fondant/gumpaste tool kit :)

Since I didn't have to work yet again today, I decided to made some fondant/gumpaste blend doggies! I, of course, used a tutorial. It's amazing how "easy" they are if the steps are broken down for you. I need some more practice but I am very happy with the way they turned out :)

I am going to use these for my display at a fundraiser/benefit concert my good friend Jessica has put together for Sunday. If you are in the Baltimore area try to come out Sunday and check out some awesome bands. There will be raffles and of course CUPCAKES (made by yours truly) in which all money raised will be going to Mid-Atlantic Bully Buddies! Oh yea admission is $15 and all of it goes to the organization as well.

Blizzard Round 2

So we are once again snowed in here in the DC area. I'm running out of things to do! I think I am going to make some more fondant cut outs later for another event this weekend. But anywho... I woke up this morning with a craving for cinnamon rolls!! If I was smart I would have made the dough last night... but since I'm snowed in I have plenty of time!! Took about 2 hours to prep them - including the time for the dough to rise.

But they came out pretty darn good!! I used this recipe, supposedly the "Cinnabon" recipe. Came out a bit more dense then I wanted, doesn't remind me of Cinnabon, but still VERY good! I made them minis - cuz I always feel like I can eat more of something when its in a small form lol. I topped them with a homemade cream cheese frosting. I also made a pan with chopped pecans and an orange glaze (my BF's dad hates cream cheese WTH?!)

I know this isn't a cake or cupcake post, but I was kinda influenced to make these becuase I read on another blog about cinnamon rolls cupcakes! Guess ya gotta get the roll down before ya put it in cupcake form right??

Snowed In

The Blizzard of 2010

So it will be just about 2 whole days of being snowed in due to the Blizzard of 2010 here in the DC area. Had plenty of food and snacks and thank goodness the power stayed on! I decided to pass the time away putting together some fondant/gumpaste figures for an order for valentines day coming up next weekend. I molded a dozen roses by hand and created 2 of the cutest lil bees!I just love my bees! This may sound lame, but the more I create things, the harder it is for me to "let them go." Don't get me wrong, I make them for people to enjoy, but it can be hard to say "good bye" because you work so hard/long on them. It took me about 2hrs to just to make the dozen roses. But I am super excited to use these for V-day! I think they will be very impressed :)

Giant Cupcake!

Had an order for a giant cupcake for a friend (his GF's bday). I was so excited all week to decorate it and everything, but this giant cupcake drove me nuts!! I literally had to start all over...But it got finished... but NOT to my standards :( AND oh yeah a huge blizzard is comming in soon...

My new logo!!

I want to send a shout out to my friend Cattina! She designed me a beautiful new logo :) Notice my initials "CL" in the image with the cupcake and cake... I love it!!

PLEASE check her out:

Design By Cattina

She rocks!! Thanks Cattina :)