Posted by Terri Leckas on Thu, Feb 04, 2010 @ 07:46 AM
Fashion accessories are all the rage; especially when it comes to cakes! Here we'll show you our step by step creation of a designer purse cake.
We've cut a base of cake to give our purse the correct height.
A single layer 12"round cut in half and sandwiched.
Round cake on the base.
Ice it!
Rolling out fondant.
Measure.
Apply the fondant strip to the top of purse.
The 12" cake pan makes a good pattern!
Apply the fondant sides.
Measure the spacing for the "stitching" lines.
We use a tracing wheel to create the stitching lines.
Apply pearl dust to make the lines "pop" and create a sheen.
Make some fondant ropes for the purse handles.
Grommets are cute! Paint with silver highlighter.
Zipper is piped in buttercream, then painted.
Add a message: "50...purses or years?"
Lovely!
Posted by Terri Leckas on Mon, Jan 25, 2010 @ 08:02 AM
White cake, white icing, piping and scrollwork done in white, white, white….the “traditional” has become “old fashioned”. Incorporate a splash of color on your wedding cake to tie in your color scheme and make your cake unforgettable!
Color in decorating needs to be chosen carefully; the shades as well as placement.
It’s not a good idea to ice entire tiers of cake in bright or dark colors; the food coloring can stain your mouth and teeth. (Imagine the photos!) Pastel colors are safe, and appear more palatable. Keep in mind that most buttercream icings are a very pale shade of yellow or ivory, and colors like periwinkle or lavender are hard to achieve from a yellow-toned base.
Colored border work can appear cartoonish. Your design will flow more if you put your colors throughout and overall on each tier. If your colors are deep, such as wine or eggplant, consider a lighter version, or less saturated hue for the cake decorating.
A popular look is an overall coverage of henna-like swirls done in white, with accents of colored “tri-dots” through the pattern for a hint of color.
A good way to add deep colors to your wedding cake is using satin ribbon. Create an “over-lay” look using a wider ribbon in one shade, topped with a narrow ribbon in another shade.
A good cake decorator can match color swatches pretty closely using food coloring. It’s most helpful if you provide some type of color sample, rather than a description of the color. “Tiffany Blue” means a lot of things to a lot of people.
Your cake colors will really “pop” if you use a colored fabric on the cake table, even the trim from the bridesmaids dresses can be gathered around the base cake for accent color.
It’s fun to carry your color to the inside of the cake as well! A white cake marbled with a light pink batter is a fun surprise. Or choose a tripleberry mousse filling tinted a light shade of lavender. Red velvet cake is delicious and will showcase your signature shade on every dessert plate.
Whatever color you choose, your cake maker will help you find the best way to create a modern look in tones that work well with food and your color scheme.
Posted by Terri Leckas on Mon, Jan 18, 2010 @ 08:00 AM
Wedding cake styles can vary from fun to formal, tone-on-tone to dramatic colorful designs. What’s important is that your cake reflects your personal style. A good cake designer will help you pull together elements from all parts of the wedding and beyond.
Colors are a natural way to tie a cake in to the décor and theme of your special day. A satin ribbon at the base of each tier is the best way to use a dark color such as red or black. Colors found on the invitations or bridesmaids gowns can appear in a small dotted Swiss pattern on a cake. A location or a venue offers inspiration as well: A garden-themed wedding would be reflected in a spatula-style icing, accented with tons of flowers. The beach locale of a destination wedding can be reproduced in white chocolate seashells and cracker-crumb sand. The bridal gown itself may be the most inspirational of all. Edible pearls, brush embroidery and edible glitter can all be used to create a cake designed after a couture gown.
The best advice on cake design is this: let all the other important elements fall into place before you choose a cake style. Let your cake-maker see, feel, and understand what your personal style is by sharing details about your wedding and reception plans, and most importantly, about yourself! When you can make a real connection with your baker, the cake will be truly yours.
Posted by Terri Leckas on Wed, Dec 23, 2009 @ 08:13 AM
The snow blows in as our customers bustle in and out of
Queen of Cakes picking up their cake and cookie orders for the holidays.
Jessica and Katie hum along to their favorite carols playing on the radio as
they add the final touches to the special cakes for today, while Brynn is
carefully piping the royal icing snowflakes needed for this weekend's wedding
cakes. The whole shop smells like gingerbread.
I love to see all the familiar faces of our customers as
they share their holiday with us, making us part of their family celebrations.
I'm reminded of the hospitality of the Christmas season, and how fitting it is
that the New Year will usher in our new concept: Queen of Cakes DESIGN STUDIO.
We wanted to create a place where our customers could fully experience the
hospitality that Queen of Cakes is famous for. Our Design Studio will showcase
our Wedding Cake work, with a large showroom of tiered cake displays, wedding
cake tastings done "buffet-style" and a wedding cake consultation with our
designers that is unparalleled.
Queen of Cakes Design Studio will be open 7 days per week,
with expanded evening hours. Customers who need to order any type of cake can
come in to write their order. We're still baking everything FRESH at our shop,
and you can still stop in there to chat with Patty, grab a cake slice or some
bars, or place an order. All cakes will be available for customers to pick up
at the Retail Shop. Both of our
locations are in the same shopping center at 70th street and Cahill Road in Edina. The Queen of Cakes
Retail Shop remains at 7027
Amundson Ave, and the Queen of Cakes Design Studio
is at 7104 Amundson. (just down the hill!). One phone number will get you both
locations: 952-942-7628.
All of us at Queen of Cakes are excited for our customers to
see and experience our new location. We want you to stop by for a bite of cake
and let us know how we can serve you. It's what we do best.