We’re just getting started with our holiday cake inspiration, The 12 Cakes of Christmas.  12 days of festive cakes to make you merry, shared with us by some of today’s top cake shops.  Whether it’s a winter wedding, an elegant cocktail party or an open house, every occasion deserves a great cake appropriate for the season.  And our 2nd Cake of Christmas would definitely steal the show!

An enchanted forest comes to life in the form of cake.  With hand-painted winter landscapes and delicate fawn figures, today’s cake from Cake Opera Co. is a snow covered fantasy.  Prepare to get lost in this magical world of elegant birch trees and glittering deer….

And because two cakes are twice the fun, this design has a stunning counterpart.  Elegant quilting, ruffled flowers and willowy branches dusted with silver snow…

This extraordinary pair is truly magical!  The ladies of Cake Opera Co. take cake artistry to an entirely different level.  I’m just captivated and in awe of this exquisite cake duo.  The painted scene alone is dreamy, let alone the entire display!  Could you image this as the centerpiece of your holiday event?

A huge thanks to Jessica and Alexandria of Cake Opera Co. for sharing their Wintry Enchanted Forest Cakes with us today.  I could totally get lost in this sugar-coated winter wonderland!  Tomorrow, the fun continues with cake #3 of The 12 Cakes of Christmas!

Vendors & Credits:
Cake: Cake Opera Co.
Photography:  5ive15ifteen Photo Company

Half Baked is excited to announce the newest addition to our Top Tier Cake Directory! If you’re a lover of cake or a loyal Half Baked reader, you’re probably already familiar with this very talented lady.  If you’re a bride-to-be or party planner extraordinaire in the Kansas area, now’s the time to listen up!  Rebecca Sutterby has been baking since grade school, creating cakes for happy customers for years and inspiring us all along the way!  Her work has appeared on TLC, Food Network, BRIDES Magazine and more!   Today, I’m truly honored to welcome Rebecca and her cake shop, Sugar Creations, to our cake directory!

Rebecca opened Sugar Creations in 2002 after discovering her talent while creating a cake for her son’s birthday.  Almost 10 years and oodles of cakes later, Sugar Creations will grow again with a new store location!  Rebecca and her husband are renovating an old cafe in Uniontown, Kansas, with the hopes of opening their new shop in late 2012!

Rebecca specializes in wedding cakes but also happens to make the most amazing party cakes.  With clean lines and a whimsical flair, her children’s cakes are over-the-top adorable! Get ready to ohhh and ahhh… and then hop over to the Sugar Creations website, Flickr and Facebook Page to see more of these incredible cakes!

I could not be more thrilled to have Sugar Creations as part of our Top Tier Cake Directory!  Show them a little love and check out their full listing in Top Tier.  A special thanks to Rebecca Sutterby for joining us.  We can’t wait to see more of your spectacular work!

Quick Reference Links:
Website: www.sugarcreations.com
Be Inspired: Sugar Creations on Flickr
Be a Fan: Facebook Page
Top Tier Directory: Full Listing

Today we’re turning up the spotlight on another wedding trend as it exists in the world of cake.  Succulents!  These sleek and sophisticated desert flowers are sprouting up everywhere, even on cakes. Naturally occurring in a variety of fresh tones, with a complex leaf structure that is both captivating and full of character, succulents add a contemporary floral touch to a cake design.  And whether they’re fresh succulents or hand crafted from sugar, no one knows how to work them into a design like the Sweet & Saucy Shop in Long Beach, California.  If you’re not already a fan of Sweet & Saucy, you will be now!  Prepare to get lost in their world of polished and modern Succulent Cakes!

This design steals my heart and most definitely warrants a close up… two great trends on one cake!  Chevrons and succulents!  Loving the grey and white with the little pop of green succulent.

Melody Brandon, owner of the Sweet & Saucy Shop, shares her thoughts about succulents on cakes:

“I do have to say that I love the succulent trend. Of course as all trends go, succulents on cakes can be over done and not original, but on the other hand I do see a lot of cakes that feature succulents that are amazing. I really love the idea of doing all gold or silver succulents instead of the typical green. I also like seeing various succulents being used rather than always the typical basic succulent style.”

I have to completely agree with Melody!  Whether fresh or sugar, green, gold or white… I’m loving succulents as an accent ‘flower’.  What do you think?

A huge thanks to Melody and the Sweet & Saucy Shop for the amazing cake inspiration!  They have a way with cake and dessert tables that tickles me pink!  Honestly, I could click through their wedding cake gallery and blog for hours.  Be sure to hop on over to the Sweet & Saucy Shop and see for yourself… but be prepared to stay awhile!

Vendors & Credits:
Cakes:  Sweet & Saucy Shop
Photography {Chevron & Succulent Cake}:   Meg Perotti
Photography {Fresh Succulent Cake}:  Jack Wittbold
Photography {White Succulent Cake}:  Max Wanger