Friday 26 April 2013

Cake Testing

I may not have been driving around all over the place this week but there has still been a hive of activity in my kitchen as I've been testing the merits of different vanilla sponges and working out the logistics of constructing celebration cakes.
 
 
I was asked to make two special birthday cakes this week, both based on a vanilla sponge... in the end I opted for a classic Victoria sponge recipe.

 
The first was an owl for a fiftieth birthday celebration.

 
My brief was an owl cake with eyelashes. I didn't ask questions... I just made the cake.

 
The second was a much larger more complicated affair. An eighteenth birthday cake and the recipient was very specific about colours and design. It also has to feed twenty four and withstand the journey to Manchester this evening. It's huge!

 
I was way out of my comfort zone with this. By the end of the day yesterday I felt as though I was coated in sugar...in fact my whole kitchen was coated in sugar. Sarah hasn't seen it yet so fingers crossed.*

 
And while these cakes were being baked and constructed I was also trying to work out the logistics for assembling these crochet cakes.

 
So far, four cakes and four slightly different patterns but I think I've found the one that works best.

 
There's been cupcakes, muffins and cookies too... consumed by family and friends. Next week I think I'll be ready to leave my kitchen and head back out on the road again!
 
* She has just collected the cake and loves it... Phew!

26 comments:

  1. oh my Gina - beautiful cakes all but you have excelled yourself with the gorgeous owl cake!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Cakes look wonderful. I am sure clients will be over the moon.Thanks for a very pleasant morning.See you soon.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have taken me back to when I used to make my living by decorating cakes at home. I was permanently covered in icing sugar.

    Your designs are rather special, I would have been pleased to receive any of them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Reminds me of how I started Gina, then it grew and grew and ended up having a separate dedicated cake decorating kitchen, environmental health approval and public liability insurance! Textiles are so much easier..... ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cake testing? Yes I will volunteer - lol!! The owl cake is absolutely brilliant. x Jo

    ReplyDelete
  6. They look wonderful, especially the owl!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I bet she loves it, it looks amazing! The owl is absolutely brilliant too!
    Actually when I read the title of your post, I thought you were adverting for cake eating testers, I immediately put up my hand! ;)
    Happy weekend Gin!
    V xxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. That obviously is meant to be 'advertising' and I do know you're called 'Gina'.
    It's been a long day. ;)
    V x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Fab cakes! The owl is magnificent!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Think you should host a cake tasting party! I will book a ticket. X

    ReplyDelete
  11. Both cakes are wonderful - I specially like the owl's eyelashes!
    The crocheted ones are delightful and I think I would have got sticky icing on my crocheted ones and bits of woolly fluff on the iced ones.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful cakes, I especially love the owl, well done x

    ReplyDelete
  13. Gina, you continue to amaze me with your talents! Of course, that birthday cake was a success.

    I can bake a cake all right, but never,never have tried any sort of decorating along the scheme that you've clearly mastered.

    Wow!

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow! I'm totally in awe of these wonderful cakes, I wouldn't know where to start, I love the owl he's just amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Both cakes are gorgeous - bet they tasted great as well. I have been remiss in reading your blog and only just seen your last post with the walk across the fields, the photos are gorgeous - spring is lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow the cakes are fabulous well done. The owl is my favourite. I like the crochet ones also.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh, that takes me back to my cake decorating days. Your owl is fabulously creative! The birthday cake is great, too. Looks like fondant, and that bow?-amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow, what beautiful cakes, splendid!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I so love the owl cake. It's a beautie. Hug Elizabeth xx

    ReplyDelete
  20. How could she not love that owl cake?? Far too beautiful to cut and eat... Your far-reaching talent never ceases to amaze me! Judith xx

    ReplyDelete
  21. Your cakes are stunning - especially the owl one! xx

    ReplyDelete
  22. Well, of course she loved that cake -- it's beautiful. Both of the cakes are just gorgeous!!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Gina, these cakes are awesome! Anyone who has the patience to not only bake the cakes, but spend the hours in decorating them deserves a medal! I love your creativity in this, and the crocheted cakes are just as sweet ;) Wendy

    ReplyDelete
  24. You're a braver cake maker than I, and that owl is awesome! Well done :)

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.