Margarita Hawaiian Cake

If the "Margarita Man" had a "rent-to-own" program, my cousins would be giving those babies out at Christmas by now.  So it is only fitting that they get my first cake featuring the favorite family drink.  This particular cake was for my cousin Genell on her 21st birthday.  She was looking forward to joining us for margaritas this time, since she had never, ever tasted alcohol before this party.  So I merged the margarita with the Hawaiian party theme and this was my result.

The bottom tier of the cake was cookies & cream cake with cookies & cream filling (a cousin favorite).  The top layer was my (what else?) margarita cake with a lime scented buttercream filling.  I covered the whole cake with hot pink fondant and wrapped the top tier with brown fondant that I molded and painted to resemble bamboo.  On the bottom tier, I piped white hibiscus flowers with white buttercream and brushed the icing to create an embroidery effect.  Then I spun a rich, emerald color liquid sugar into a margarita glass and ....  JUST KIDDING!  It's a plastic glass from the party store.  (It's a spatula, not a magic wand!)  I filled the glass with more margarita cake, piped on icing, and added a fondant wedge of lime and a real straw.  I finished the cake with a few gum paste and fondant flowers (orchids, stephanotis and plumeria).

I have done a few first birthday cakes where the top tier of the cake was a large cupcake that you can remove and give to the birthday boy/girl as a "smash" cake.  I decided this one is the adult version of that cake (where the smash cake gets you smashed! ha).  My cousin got to take the glass off the cake and walk around the party with her own personal 21-year-old cupcake.  Fun!  Let the drink-cakes begin!

    

Wedding Cake - "Wedding on the Green"

This cake was for a beautiful wedding on the golf course of the Mission Viejo Country Club.  The square, 3 tiered cake consisted of layers of yellow spice cake, cookies & cream cake, and vanilla cake with strawberry filling.  The tiers were covered with white fondant and stacked; then I added a band of black fondant that I embossed with a scroll design to add some texture.  Once the cake was all set up at the venue, I added fresh flowers (hydrangea, cymbidium orchids, lemon blossoms, stephanotis and mini calla lilies in shades of green and white), which gave the cake the pop of color that really made it shine.  The room looked gorgeous - the centerpieces were so striking with all different green flowers and even a variegated kale that made such interesting arrangements.  It was very elegant and I was so glad to be a part of this wonderful family's special event.  Best wishes!

Black and White Wedding Cake

Simple and elegant - my favorite kind of wedding.  And this cake was a perfect match for that theme.  I created this 4 tier cake with layers of white cake and raspberry filling.  The tiers were covered in vanilla buttercream and white fondant, with a band of black fondant at the base of each cake.  Then I hand piped the scroll pattern with white buttercream and added a pearl finish.  I always love the "white on white" theme; it's sophisticated and a classic wedding look.  The couple also had a modern looking ceramic cake topper to place on top, but since the reception was being held outside and the weather was warm, I delivered the cake and set it up inside the house where the wedding was being held.  The cake topper was added when the cake arrived at its final destination in the backyard.  This cake served about 120 guests and looked beautiful on my silver cake stand.  I hear it was a big hit with the guests!  Congratulations!  

Hawaiian Pineapple Cake

If you've been to my house, you know that I love all things tropical, especially pineapples.  Pineapples are the international symbol of hospitality, and I love to entertain.  Plus, my husband proposed to me in Hawaii, so it has a special place in my heart.  But I digress....  I was excited to do a Hawaiian themed cake!  So excited that I finally perfected my pineapple cake recipe, which I used in my egg shaped pan and fondant leaves to create the pineapple shaped cake that sits on top of the purple base cake.  The base cake was cookies & cream cake with a layer of purple fondant, which I quilted and added fondant flowers and palm trees.  It was a simple design with bold colors and a fun summer birthday theme.  Aloha!