Alencon Lace and Pearl Wedding Cake

When this bride walked in with a Martha Stewart Planner, I knew we would get along just fine. A touch of alencon lace and pearls mimic the brides dress, and the pearl brooches give the cake a timeless and sweet feel. On a side note I have officially given up my dislike of using real ribbon on a wedding cake. This ribbon perfectly "absorbed" into the cake and gave it an even shimmer that couldn't quite be achieved with a fondant ribbon. I know it may not be part of a solid "culinary point of view"but we wont tell Bobby Flay. If it looks sharp (and is food safe) I am all for it!

Vegan Star Wars Wedding Cake

I believe that a wedding should express the combined identity and personality of the couple, and nothing said who and what this couple were about than a vegan Star Wars themed wedding cake! I LOVE the idea of a vegan wedding (even considering my love for cheese and bacon).... but the idea of cake with no butter and no eggs was a daunting order.
I started this challenge like any other baking experiment, with Google. Looking through recipe after recipe, reading the comments left and developing a game plan. I felt like a baking-genius when my first batch of vanilla cupcakes came out delicious and perfectly moist. The chocolate cake was a different story. After a multi-trial nightmare, cake explosions and implosions I felt like a baking-idiot..... that was until I found a vegan cupcake book in Anthropologie called Babycakes. The recipe was wonderful and baked exactly like regular cake (very important to have a sturdy texture when building tiered cakes). To flour the pans I brushed them with canola oil instead of butter and for the fillings I was sure to not suggest anything I couldn't confirm didn't have gelatin. The biggest challenge came with the fondant. I normally add 20% white chocolate for a smoother texture, and without it the fondant was very difficult to get super-smooth. My solution was to ensure the icing was very smooth before rolling out the fondant a little thicker (around 1/4").Ok, now for the fun part, how cute are these little figurines? The groom owned a comic book store and had these antique figurines of Hans Solo and Princess Leia (sporting a white gown.... perfect!).

Simple Drama Wedding Cake

The two words I hear most from brides when describing their wedding cake vision are "simple" and "elegant" This cake is the perfect example of a clean, stylish cake with a pop of drama in the large sugar flower and ornate lace detail. The tone on tone piping keeps the cake looking neat yet still sophisticated. I think this same look can be acheived using a very muted base color (such as blush, or ice blue, or a deeper ivory) along with the ivory piping and flower. The large flower look has graced every bridal magazine this season, and I hope to see many brides embracing the large sugar flower in their cakes as well!


I decided to include the sketch pad for this cake to show the fluidity between concept and execution of the final design.

Scrolling and Quilted Wedding Cake

When I first met this bride, she seemed to know exactly what she wanted....which is not the case with every bride I meet. She LOVED the quilted look, and wanted to incorporate a hint of the damask pattern she used in the wedding invitations and paper accents of the reception. There was last minute decision to use warm orange hues in the floral elements of the cake, which I think added a gorgeous and vibrant dash of color. Although this cake was very fun to make, the best part was the next day when I received this note from her before departing for her honeymoon:
"Hi Jennyfer! The cake was just PERFECT yesterday. Really, the most beautiful cake I've ever seen :-) "
With every cake I make, my dream is to receive a note like this period, (extra awesome it was the very next day)... and it never, ever gets old :)