We’re starting off the week with a big spoonful of cake love!  Today’s beauty has all of the ingredients to make our hearts flutter.  A soft color palette of whites, creams and light blush paired with delightfully delicate details.  Small ruffled flowers intermix with  larger ‘fabric’ flowers in full bloom.  This cake softly whispers romance… do you hear it calling?  We do… and it has us smitten!  Created by Lovely Cakes for a collaborative wedding shoot, prepare to swoon over this incredibly romantic, Blushing Beauty Bridal Cake.

Be still my heart!  Just wait until you see the full cake table, with the light streaming in from the windows behind.  Talk about putting your cake on a pedestal…

Renata kindly shared with us a few thoughts about her fabric flower technique:

“The idea was to create a French inspired cake, with a romantic, retro-chic feel. The larger flowers were inspired by fabric flowers and I constructed them in a similar way you made a fabric one. Each petal was a circle scored with lines and then pleated in the middle to make it concave. The petals were them arranged to dry on a flower forming mold. Lastly I piped some “stitching” on the edge on each petal.”

The detail work on this cake is just breathtaking!  From the stitching work at the top of each tier to the piping on the fabric flowers, it is just gorgeous!

If you love this cake, you seriously need to check out the entire wedding shoot!  A gorgeous setting filled with gobs of eye candy for romantic at heart!  A huge thank you to Lovely Cakes and Candace Jeffery Photography for making our Monday pretty!

Vendors & Credits:
Cake:  Lovely Cakes
Photography:  Candace Jeffery Photography
See the full wedding shoot here: Candace Jeffery’s blog.

We’re starting the week off right with a gorgeous cake from a bakery with a very appropriate name.  Renata of Lovely Cakes in Norwalk, Connecticut, has a knack for creating just that…. lovely cakes!  Today’s cake has a natural feminine charm that would be perfect for any rustic wedding.  With alternating wood grain tiers and oodles of incredible 3D flowers, this unique design makes a beautiful statement.  Created for a collaborative photo shoot with other local vendors, you’re going to fall in love with this romantic Wood Grain & White Wedding Cake!  Not to mention the insider tips shared by Renata… keep reading!

I absolutely love the contrast created by the simple wood grain tiers and the great white-on-white texture of the flowered tiers.  Let’s get a better look at the detail work…

It’s simply beautiful!  The entire table was full of rustic charm featuring a combination of both sweet and savory treats.  From baked blue cheese apples to cinnamon caramel bread puddings!  Not to mention the selection of mini pies, cupcakes, cookies and donuts.  I love the idea of balancing out the sweets with a selection of cheeses and fruit!  It offers a little something for everyone!

And now for an extra treat!  Renata of Lovely Cakes kindly shared a few of her insider secrets to creating the beautiful wood grain effect!  Here are her tips:

• The wood tiers were painted with ivory and warm brown food coloring.
• Using a thick brush helps to create the wood grain effect.
• To make the darker spots on the wood, paint random spots with food coloring (straight from the container) and let them dry for a few seconds.  Then paint it over with diluted food coloring (I use Vodka to dilute the food coloring) and the spots will drag a little and blend in the ‘wood grain’.

A big thank you to Renata of Lovely Cakes for sharing her rustic Wood Grain & White Wedding Cake with us today!  With its natural charm and understated detail work, it’s simply lovely!!

Vendors & Credits:
Cake:  Lovely Cakes
Desserts:  Cookie Creatives
Table Design: Jess Country Flowers
Photography:  Candace Jeffery Photography
Stationary: Parrot Design Studio

It’s Friday!  And I think it’s time for us to have some fun and go shopping together.  Window shopping that is!  A few Fridays ago, we went window shopping for cake stands.  Based on your response to that post, I think we should spend every Friday shopping together!  Are you in?

Today we’re on the hunt for another one of my favorite things… aprons!!  Presentation is key when it comes to food and baking, but it’s equally important for the woman behind the whisk to look good.  With all the sifting and whipping,  it can be a challenge to keep your party dress clean!  So let’s take a look at some of my favorite aprons right now.  From super sophisticated to vintage chic, these Fabulous Hostess Aprons might actually be prettier than your party dress!!

1.  For when you’re feeling formal, this Trousseau Apron, available here on Anthropologie.com

2.  Sophisticated and sleek Rollings of Cinnamon Apron, available here from Ice Milk Aprons

3.  A charming apron in soft putty grey with white polka dots, available here from Creative Chics

4.  Grab a scone and model this Tea-And-Crumpets Apron, available here on Anthropologie.com

5.  Rustic linen gets a touch of ruffle with this Up Early Apron, available here on Anthropologie.com

6.  Houndstooth and creamy florals create this vintage delight, available here from Creative Chics

7.  Embrace the hot color for spring with this delicate coral linen apron, from Anthropologie.com

8.  Cotton twill and great pleats gives this bold colorblock apron structure, from Anthropologie.com

9.  More of the Tea-And-Crumpets Apron, this time in a bright sky blue, from Anthropologie.com

10.  Argyle meets chevron and fringe in this Sweeping Angles Apron,  from Anthropologie.com

Do you have a favorite hostess apron that you’re loving right now?  Be sure to share it with us!

Happy Friday everyone!

	Carrie Sellman is the Founder & Editor of The Cake Blog. Her work has been published in BRIDES Magazine, The Bride and Bloom, on DIYnetwork.com, TLC’s Parentables and more. Read more about Carrie on her bio page.

Why hello, beautiful birthday!  Today’s party comes to us from the same talented lady who brought us the charming Barber Shop Birthday last September.  While that party was definitely a manly-man theme, today’s party is all girl!  With a hot pink, black and white color scheme, polka dots, damask and feathers… this party is so sassy.  And talk about oodles of incredible desserts.  This party would have Minnie herself saying “Aren’t you sweet!”  Let’s take a look at this precious Minnie Mouse 1st Birthday Party, styled by Dawn Menon of Bee*s Knees Parties and featuring an abundance of delightful cakes and sweet treats!

Dawn shared a few thoughts about this event:

“This party was for one of my clients whose daughter loves Minnie Mouse.  My client owns a D’Lites frozen yogurt store on Long Island, and wanted to have the party there. We chose to follow the color palate of the store, which happens to be black, white and hot pink.

Look at all of those incredible sweets!  Minnie Mouse cupcakes, cookies and an adorable smash cake for the first birthday girl!  And check out the main cake… it’s actually an ice cream cake made by the frozen yogurt store and then decorated with fondant pieces from The Hudson Cakery.  Doesn’t it look delicious?  Not to mention oh-so-cute!

So many delightful details in pink and black, all adorned with Minnie’s little black ears and signature bow!

Minnie, Minnie everywhere!  From the whimsical backdrop down to the every last cake pop, this party is like a trip to Disneyland!  Perfectly sweet and full of fun!

A special thanks to Dawn Menon of Bee*s Knees Parties and Keiko Niwa of 2 Girl Phototique for sharing this darling Minnie Mouse 1st Birthday Party with us!  It is just darling!

Vendors & Credits:
Smash Cake, Cookies, and Minnie Mouse ice cream cake fondant pieces:  The Hudson Cakery
Ice Cream Cake:  D’Lites Woodbury
Mini Minnie Mouse Cupcakes- The GoodieBox Bakeshop
Cupcake Fondant Pieces – Claudia The Cupcake Lady
Minnie Mouse Cakepops – Edible Encores
Party Decor and Styling – Bee*s Knees Parties
Photography:  Keiko Niwa of 2 Girl Phototique

It’s Friday!  So I thought we’d have some fun and go shopping together.  Window shopping that is!  For one of my very favorite things… cake stands!  Can a girl have too many cake stands?  I say, no way!  They’re almost like shoes… the perfect accessory to glam up to your sweet treats and cakes.  So we’re taking a look at some of my favorite stands and pedestals right now.  From tall and dainty, to glass domes and mini stands.  These are some Fabulous Cake Pedestals!

Crystal clear, tall and dainty. These glass pedestals let the beauty of your baked goods shine through. Covered with a glass dome, any dessert looks more tempting…

1.  Tall and delicate with a perfect little dome. A charming glass pedestal from the Martha Stewart Collection.
2.  For when you feel like splurging. These fabulous glass stands from Neiman Marcus are seriously spectacular!
3.  Once again proving that budget friendly doesn’t have to mean boring, a gorgeous glass dome and pedestal from my favorite go-to-store, Target.

Small, petite and perfectly sweet. These mini cake pedestals are perfect for little indulgences. Cupcakes deserve to be put on a pedestal as well! Or try stacking a few cookies, macaroons or mini desserts on these little babies.

4. The scallop edge and glazed finish on this Flora in Taupe stand by Clara French Ceramique has a great vintage vibe.
5. Tiny white beading on this delightful mini stand from Target is both beautiful and budget friendly.
6. What’s better than one petite stand? Two petite stands! Loving this pair of simple white cupcake stands from the Martha Stewart Collection.

White stands are chic, elegant and can withstand the test of time.
7. This simply sleek white pedestal by Sarah’s Stands is the perfect accessory for a modern cake or dessert display.
8. Add a little touch of flirt with this ruffled cake pedestal from Crate and Barrel.
9. Sophisticated and stunning. An all white square pedestal from the Martha Stewart Collection.

Do you have a favorite cake stand or pedestal that you’re loving right now? Be sure to share it with us!

Happy Friday everyone!

	Carrie Sellman is the Founder & Editor of The Cake Blog. Her work has been published in BRIDES Magazine, The Bride and Bloom, on DIYnetwork.com, TLC’s Parentables and more. Read more about Carrie on her bio page.

Whether it’s February 14th or 15th, love is in the air everyday here on the blog.  Cake love that is!  As we usher out Valentine’s day, don’t be sad.  Today’s cake will make your heart equally as happy!  It’s another great example of how beauty inspires beauty!

We talk a whole lot about inspiration day after day.  A few weeks ago, we featured a gorgeous Ruched Cake inspired by the bride’s wedding dress.  Today we take another look at cake inspiration.  So, what happens when a talented cake designer is inspired by a photograph?  A gorgeous bridal bouquet captured forever in a stunning snapshot… and then (several years later) is brought back to life in the form of sugar and flour.  Join me as we go from flowers… to a lovely Winter White Wedding Cake, created by Erica O’Brien.

Incredible, isn’t it?  Just wait until you see both the flowers and the cake, side by side.  From floral inspiration…. to cake!

On the left, you have the inspiration.   A stunning image of a gorgeous winter white bridal bouquet.  (This shot by CAVA Weddings actually graced the pages of The Knot Magazine back in 2010 and it’s easy to see why!)  And then on the right, you have the resulting cake!

Let’s get a better look at Erica’s amazing cake, all by itself…

Erica shared a few thoughts with us about her design:

“The cake features sugar peonies, roses, dusty miller, pine cones, and (my interpretation of) silver brunia.  For the pinecones, I purchased a silicone mold on etsy and molded them from brown gumpaste.  I then used royal icing to get the snow effect.  Everything is edible, except the ribbon.”

Isn’t it just beautiful!  I love exploring the inspiration behind a cake, especially one as delightful as this!  Erica did a phenomenal job of bringing this image to life, in the form of cake.  From the sugar flowers to the color tones, even to the styling of the cake portrait.  It looks as though they were meant to be at the same wedding.  I have a feeling, they will be now…

A huge thank you Erica O’Brien for sharing her lovely Winter White Wedding Cake with us today!  We love everything about it!!

Vendors & Credits:
Cake:  Erica O’Brien
Photography (cake):  Brooke Allison Photography
Floral Bouquet:  Seasons
Photography (flowers):  CAVA Weddings

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, things are about to get a little lacy.  Crochet, lace and doilies have been making an appearance in weddings and parties for months now.   We see lace doilies being repurposed for garlands, favors, gift wrap, lanterns, corsages and more!  So why not add this same touch of vintage charm to a cake?

Our contributor, Miso of Miso Bakes, created today’s oh-so-cute button cake based on one of her earlier designs.  This time, Miso gave the cake a more delicate and feminine touch by adding some sugar doilies.  With sugar buttons that gradually progress from a soft pink to a deep red (love the subtle ombre nod) along with a few perfectly placed hearts, this cake is just adorable!  And as a Valentine’s treat for you, Miso is sharing a super simple tutorial for the doilies!  So first, let’s enjoy this delightfully Cute as a Button Cake… and then we’re on to the Lacy Sugar Doily DIY!

I love the flirty little doilies, peaking out between the two layers of cake!  Not to mention the overall Valentine’s vibe!  Let’s take a closer look at these delicate sugar doilies and the ombre buttons as well.

Just lovely, isn’t it?  I have a feeling that you’re going to be excited when you see this tutorial.  These sugar doilies are as easy as 1… 2… 3!

Sugar Doily Tutorial
by Miso Bakes

1. Roll out white sugarpaste and cut it out with a multi-petal flower cutter. (Even the cutters from the carnation tutorial will work!)
2. Using the tip of a small round piping tip, cut out little dots around the border of the flower. Or, you may wish to make any pattern your heart desires.
3. Frill and thin out with roller, and voila! You’re done!

A huge thanks to Miso of Miso Bakes for sharing this lovely cake and tutorial with us today!  I hope you’ll give her three-step, Sugar Doily Tutorial a try!

Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day draws near!  From here until the 14th, we’re all about the sweet inspiration for Cupid’s holiday!  Because really, nothing says ‘I Love You’ like something sweet and delicious.  Today we’re crushing on some incredible goodies from our friends at The Pastry Studio!  With red glittering hearts and oh-so-pretty lips ready for smooching, these Valentine’s treats are sure to make your heart flutter!

Oh the glitter!!  Red velvet cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes get an extra pinch of shimmer with glittering red heart toppers.  I love the idea of boxing up a cupcake in a craft-brown box and tying with a red polka-dot bow!  Who could resist a delightful gift like that?

It’s all about the hugs and kisses with these charming cookies.  Talk about sweet smooches…  time to pucker up!

And I absolutely love the idea of stacking up your Valentine’s cookies on a pretty white pedestal!  Beautiful cookies deserve a beautiful stand too.  This would be perfect as part of a Valentine’s dessert table or all by itself for a smaller crowd.  Who says you can’t present cookies in a fabulous fashion for your family?

Sending a little love to Sherri and her team at The Pastry Studio for always making us swoon!  You should also check out their lovely Valentine’s Cake that we featured last year (HERE).

The Pastry Studio:
Web:  thepastrystudio.com
Be a Fan:  The Pastry Studio on Facebook
Tweet:  The Pasty Studio on Twitter
Top Tier Directory: Full Listing

Our cupcake contributor, Lauren of Crave. Indulge. Satisfy., is sharing a Valentine’s recipe to make you swoon…

February is a month full of sugar, love, and all things pink and red!  When I think of sweets the first thing that comes to mind is Red Velvet cake, followed closely by chocolate.  So with Valentine’s Day quickly approaching what better way to show someone you love them than with a batch of Red Velvet Cupcakes frosted with a decadent White Chocolate Icing! I know you may be thinking that red velvet cake is traditionally topped with a cream cheese frosting, but let me just say that the white chocolate icing really pairs nicely with the red velvet cake and makes for an extra sweet Valentine treat!

If you’ve been checking out all the latest cake decorating trends and are a frequent follower of Half Baked then you know that the ombre technique is pretty popular right now!  After ooing and awwwing over ombre cakes for the past few months, I have been dying to use this technique!  I couldn’t think of a time more perfect than the month of love to pull out the pink and red food coloring and give it my best try at decorating with gradients with these Ombre Ruffle Cupcakes!

Although all these shades of pink and red may look a little intimidating when it comes to decorating, this method could not be any simpler.  It just requires cleaning up a few extra bowls and spatulas after the decorating is done!  But I say a little more mess was definitely worth it with these sweet cupcakes.

I love the ruffled and frilly appearance of these cupcakes, it reminds me of lace and doilies.  To recreate this look all you need are four Wilton #104 piping tips, piping bags and pink and red coloring which you can find at your local craft store.  It seriously requires more effort to mix your shades of icing than it does to decorate the cupcakes!  Just squeeze the piping bag and let the decorating tip do all the fancy work for you.

You can pipe horizontal lines across the cupcake to create the ruffled look from light to dark.  Or you can pipe around in a circle from the outside of the cupcake to the inside to create a layered flower.

Red Velvet with White Chocolate Cupcakes
recipe by Lauren Kapeluck
(makes 24 cupcakes)

For the cake:

3 cups cake flour
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp vinegar
2 Tbsp red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In medium bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In bowl of stand mixer combine sugar and vegetable oil and beat until combined.
4. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
5. Add vanilla, vinegar and food coloring and mix well.
6. Gradually add in flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with flour. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
7. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
10. Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with White Chocolate icing.

For the icing:
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
8 oz good quality white chocolate, melted (I used Lindt)
5 cups confectioner’s sugar
4 Tbsp heavy cream

1. In bowl of stand mixer beat butter until creamy.
2. Add vanilla and mix well.
3. Heat chocolate in microwave safe bowl for 30 second intervals stirring in between until melted.  Approximately 2 minutes.
4. Gradually add in confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
5. Add heavy cream 1 Tbsp at a time as needed until reach desired consistency.

To Decorate:
Wilton Pink Coloring
Wilton No Taste Red Coloring
Wilton Tip 104
Piping Bags

1. Divide icing into 4 separate bowls of equal portions. (Approx 1 1/2 cups each)
2. Tint 3 bowls with Wilton Pink coloring, creating a pale, medium, and darker shade of pink.
3. Tint 1 bowl with Wilton No Taste Red coloring.
4. Place icing in piping bags fitted with tip 104.
5. To create the ruffle look:  Start with the lightest shade of pink. Hold the piping bag so the narrow part of the tip is facing towards you and gently squeeze in a slight back and forth motion as you go across the bottom of the cupcake to create a ruffle. Make 2 rows of ruffles using the lightest pink. Repeating the same technique, make two rows of ruffles using the medium pink, dark pink and red icing until your entire cupcake is covered.
6. To create the flower:  Start with the lightest shade of pink. Hold the piping bag so the narrow part of the tip is facing the outside edge of your cupcake and gently squeeze the icing out of the bag in a ruffle pattern going in a circle while turning the base of the cupcake with your other hand. Repeat the same technique to create the inner ruffled circles of the flower with the medium pink, dark pink and red icing.

I hope you enjoy this delicious Red Velvet and White Chocolate cupcake recipe! And I hope you have even more fun decorating with ombre ruffles!  XOXOXO

	Lauren Kapeluck Lauren is a monthly contributor for The Cake Blog. She is a self-taught baker and lover of all things sugar. Read more about Lauren on her bio page.

Whoo…  Whoo…  Look whooo’s turning one?!?  Oh my goodness, today’s party is soooo incredibly adorable!  It’s a snowy, winter dream filled with sweet owls and sweet treats!  Created by Rachel Skvaril of Fondant Flinger for her son’s 1st birthday, this celebration is just dreamy!  A soft blue, grey and white color scheme is accented with small touches of woodsy brown.  Perfect for a winter birthday and a birthday boy who chants “whoo, whoo”, this Snow Owl First Birthday is a hootin’ good time!

Rachel shared a few thoughts about her inspiration for this party:

“We currently live in Kodiak, Alaska so I wanted to embrace the wintry home that we have come to love during our time here. Our little guy, Levi, used to chant, “whoo, whoo” when he was just a few months old so I knew we were going to go incorporate an owl theme. I decided to combine both the snow and the owl into the snowy owl theme.”

Oh. My. Cuteness!  Levi’s birthday hat and onesie are simply precious!  I can only imagine how handsome he must have looked as he enjoyed his first birthday cake!

Now, let’s get a better look at this cake!  Rachel did an incredible job of tying this snowy owl theme together, especially on the cake.  How adorable are the snow covered branches, wrapping around the side of the cake?  They’re the perfect place for a snow owl to perch!  Especially this charming fondant snow owl, created by Brittany at Edible Details!

I love the entire display!  From the wooden cake stand to the white vases filled with tall, willowy branches…. a gorgeous cake surrounded by precious snow owls and sparkling, snow covered trees.   The fun, wintry vibe continues on with burlap goodie bags and snowflake cupcake toppers.

Did you see the crazy-cute owl pinata?!?  I almost missed him lurking in the background behind the milk bottles… but he is too adorable to miss!!  So many snowy owl details, all coordinating with the delightful invitation and party printables created by Gwynn Wasson Designs!

I love seeing a theme brought to life with such thoughtfulness and attention to detail.  Such a beautiful party to celebrate a special day for Rachel’s family and her little Levi!

A huge thank you to Rachel of Fondant Flinger for sharing this dreamy Snow Owl 1st Birthday with us!  Love the cake, love the theme, love all of the amazing details!  Happy Birthday to your little owl!

Vendors  & Credits:
Cake, Desserts & Party Styling:  Fondant Flinger
Fondant Snow Owls and Cupcake Toppers:  Edible Details
Invitation & Paper Goods:  Gwynn Wasson Designs
Phototography:  Simply B photography
Birthday Hat & Onsie:  J. Marie Designs
Burlap Bags and Milk Bottles:  Pink Lemonade Party Shop
Owl Pinata:  ¡Dalé! piñatas