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

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow!  If you’re still looking for a sweet treat for your loved ones, I have just the thing!  A super easy, last minute idea that you can pull together in no time flat!  Stop at the store tonight and pick up three ingredients.  In less than 10 minutes, you’ll have them saying…. I love you s’more.  To which you’ll reply…

No… I love you s’more.    No… I love you s’more!    No… I love you s’more!    No, I love you S’MORE!!

I Love You S’Mores

Ingredients:
Campfire Heart Shaped Marshmallows (available at your local grocery store or online at Amazon)
Graham Crackers
Chocolate Bars

1. Preheat broiler on 500.  Line a baking tray with tin foil.
2. Break graham cracker sheet in half and place onto baking tray.  Top with half of a chocolate bar and one heart-shaped marshmallow.
3. Repeat to create as many s’mores as you desire.
4. Place under broiler for roughly 60 to 90 seconds.  Watch the whole time so that the marshmallows do not burn.  Just lightly toast!
5. Remove from oven.  Let cool.  Use a spatula to move s’mores to a serving plate.

If you want to eat these right away, I recommend topping with another graham cracker {after you show them off!} to help contain the ooey, gooey, goodness!  Or you can prepare these 30 minutes to several hours in advance.  This allows the chocolate to firm up so you can enjoy them open faced, heart exposed!  You could even make them tonight to serve tomorrow!  I made this batch yesterday and they were just as delicious today!!

Happy Heart Day!!

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!