My husband's Birthday Cake

I made something simple for his birthday. He said, he wanted something simple and not too sweet.

Actually I got the idea from Cake Walk book by Margaret Braun...so, the theme of cake is elegant.

I almost color and cut my fondant, then I remembered he (my husband) like not too sweet cake...I canceled and painted the cake instead.

The color I used were Royal Blue and Teal....after I done painted the cake, I felt something not enough. It was too simple, I like something fancy looking cake...

Okay, I added rope style fondant and painted with gold and silver luster dust. Diluted the dust with vodka.

Still....something, I felt empty...I added wine glass, the real wine glass, because I didn't have time to make chalice. I'll fill that glass with real wine for him.

There you go......cake for my husband !!!

My birthday cake

I was planning to make a simple small cake for my birthday, but it ended up with a big almost 2 tier cake. I said "almost" because I made 11" cake for base and 5 layers, pandan cake with macadamia nut in every layer. And top tier was butter cake 6" with raspberry filling, 4 layers.

For decorate I made (it suppose to be) habanero. But some of my friends said strawberry and some said tomato.....I think I failed LOL...

I let the leaves dried almost a week, I put the on aluminium foil, inside pan.

For soil, I used leftover chocolate cake and chopped macadamia nut.

I join Cake Central Forum and meet lots of fabulous baker. Professional or hobby baker, I got many many lessons from their experiences. I just say, that forum addicted. One of their forum is Cake Disaster. Some people says, sometimes Cake God maybe piss of....I'm just a hobby baker right now, but I pray..if there is the moment of cake disaster..please, only the cake for me. Not for family..friends or especially customer.

I got the disaster with my birthday cake.

I don't have pan smaller than 6"...I wanted to make pot for my "plant". So, I baked 2 cakes (6") and cut with Agbay (another story, love this tool). I carved the cake, not easy..this is first time for me. And corrected the shape with buttercream.

Time to move the small cake and put on the base cake.....I lifted the cake aaaaand...boing..boing...it felt down on the base cake and jumped to the table.

Almost got heart attack.....soooooooo sad. My "pot" shape not pot anymore... :((.

I took a deep breathe and said to myself...."Let see the bright side, this is my cake". I felt better a little bit but still sad...I tried to fix my cake. Not perfect !!! My son so sweet, he told me...that pot cake looked so cute with that shape...

For this cake I found a recipe from my research in the kitchen, not too sweet. But I don't know about crusting or not. Oh yeah, the fruits from marzipan.

Cake for my little cat, Tiger

I made this cake to celebrate my cat Tiger back home from hospital. Of course he didn't eat the cake....sometimes I think I'll be happy if he act like Garfield, he eat everything...LOL.

No, my cat doesn't like cake...he's a picky cat.

Well, the cake was butter cake..very moist, rum, kahlua and chocolate ganache covered the cake. Then I cut fondant to cover chocolate ganache shape like basket. One by one...

I made Tiger figure from fondant. Pillows behind him were gumpaste, I rolled thin and covered cotton (wrapped with plastic wrapped). My first plan was flowers, but I didn't have energy to make gumpaste flowers in that time.

I painted the basket used vodka and wilton brown gel color.

I never thought the result will be good and shiny... :)

For the recipes, cake or buttercream or ganache...I'll put in my other blog www.siuing-kitchen.blogspot.com

Thanks !

Cake for mother in-law

I'm so lucky..I have a sweet and kind mother in-law.

When she heard our lovely cute little cat, Tiger Brilhart got FLUTD (Feline Lower Urine Track Disease, I hope I'm right)..he needed surgery. Believe me, not cheap about thousands bucks...okay..so, no vacation for us. I don't feel regret...he's our baby.

Back to topic, my mom in-law heard about that and sent us a check. I just feel thank from the deepest of my heart. I did what I could do to say "thanks".

I bake a very delicious and special fruit cake, very moist and dense. I soaked the fruits in dark rum overnight before use it. Covered in fondant and decorate with 2D cat (Tiger). Why 2D, because I sent the cake in the box with USPS. My husband helped me, he packed that cake.

I got very positive compliment from my mom in-law and my sister in-law Susan. They like the cake... :)

Sam's Club Cake

My son works in Sam's Club, cellphone and computer department. One he came to me and said their department will celebrate something and there was potluck party. As usual, I asked him "What you want me to cook ?". I always happy to cook something for potluck party. He came with the idea cake with Sam's Club logo on top...

I promised to him, I'll make that cake. He wanted simple because he had to carry that cake by bus used my cake carrier.

At home, I was thinking what I had to make to make that cake a bit nice and cheers. But still no red color because red color is the other competitor wholesaler.

Finally, I made butter pound cake extra moist and chocolate ganache covered with fondant.

I did that cake in one day from prepared, bake, decorate....done !

Cake, cake and cake

I never thought will write anything about cake. Cooking is my hobby, but I'm a vegetarian..simply because I a really big animal lover (except cockroaches in any kinds and the friends, but I think they're insect..oh whatever..I don't like them). So, in Indonesia I cooked for myself and my son...people (family and friends) tried my dishes and asked "what is it ?" I explained and they said...."Oh, without meat/chicken/shrimps/etc...will be delicious with meat/chicken/shrimps/etc".

I never felt I can cook, until I met my husband (he's a vegetarian too). First think I told him...I can't cook. He said, cook is easy if you know the recipe.

He came to Indonesia, ate my dishes and said delicious. Surprised !!!!

I moved to America, more people said...."You're a good cook".."This is delicious, are you sure this is vegetarian ?"..many kind like that. Feel confident about cooking :)

I started to look something I always want to learn.....pastry !!!

All kind of pastry, don't ask me how many time I failed ! My husband begged me to promise not to make puff pastry again...LOL. But I kept practice....until I can make good pastry. And people compliment me about my pastry....very flaky, very light and taste soooo good. What next ? CAKE...

I couldn't bake a cake before..too dry, to wet, sunk, crumbly, etc....

Decorate a cake ? Nothing in my mind....I just want to bake a delicious plain cake.

Many times failed, looking for best recipe....I found my own recipe....moist, delicious and sturdy.

Tried to decorate for July 4th, 2011....I'll upload the pic in this blog, but please please don't laugh ! After that cake, I started my journey in the cake world.

Still newbie and need learning and ask to many cake expert.