Simpsons' Cake

In April 2011, I received an order for a birthday cake for a young lady who was turning 11.   The Birthday Girl had attended her cousin’s party the previous Christmas and seen her Princess’ Castle Cake.   Suitably impressed and with her own big day looming she announced to her mother that all she wanted for her birthday was one of my cakes.   How lovely is that?   Compliments are never greater than when they come from children.   Needless to say my schedule was most definitely going to accommodate this cake request.

So armed with a brief of a ‘Simpsons’ theme and my personal desire to live up to the expectations of an 11 year old admirer, my design process commenced.

The Birthday Girl was thrilled with her Simpsons’ cake.   What more could I ask for?

17th April, 2011

17th April, 2011

17th April, 2011

17th April, 2011

Teddy Bears' Picnic

Following on from the Fairy Toadstool cake, I was asked to create a birthday cake for the family’s youngest child on the significant occasion of her 1^st birthday.

This time the brief was ‘cake’, the best any baker and cake decorator could wish for when designing for a young child.   Needless to say my mind was awash with ideas and aspirations.   Having allowed my imagination to run riot with the endless possibilities, I settled on the timeless theme of a Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

The party took place last Easter, so the fresh colours of green and yellow seemed appropriate and the addition of two Easter Bunnies munching on some eggs was a must.  

The family was delighted with the cake.   While the Birthday Girl won’t remember her first birthday cake, the photos of that day will be ones she will most probably look back on at various stages throughout her life.   Hopefully she will feel I chose the right theme for her landmark cake.

23rd April, 2011

23rd April, 2011

Fairy Toadstool Cake

In February 2011, a Mammy who had seen my Princess’ Castle Cake asked if I could make a cake for her daughter’s 3^rd birthday.   As my first commercial engagement I have to admit that the following week was scary and exhilarating in equal measure.  

The brief was ‘anything pink’, which was fabulous giving me a complete free reign.   Having just purchased my first two cake decorating books, I took inspiration from Debbie Brown’s 50 Easy Party Cakes.   After a long week of self-doubt, new techniques attempted, and great enjoyment, this pretty Fairy Toadstool Cake was created.  

The Birthday Girl and her mother loved the cake so a successful result.

19th February, 2011

Princess' Castle Cake

Having completed a basic cake decorating course in mid December 2010, a good friend kindly volunteered the occasion of her eldest daughter’s birthday as an ideal opportunity for me to practice my new found skills.   And so the process of creating a princess' castle cake began.   Looking at the photos now, 15 months later, my eyes are drawn to all the flaws and I think of how much better it would be if I were to create a castle cake today.   However, this cake acts as a nice reminder of how I’ve progressed over time.

Despite its basic nature, this princess' castle cake will always be a particularly special cake for me, as I remember the look of wonderment and awe on the face of the 4 year old princess as she saw her princess' castle for the first time.   In her eyes there were no flaws.   It’s always nice to give a birthday present which is received so enthusiastically. 



30th December, 2010

Happy Mother's Day

Baking has always been in my life, spending Saturday afternoons as a child in the kitchen with my mother and fighting with my brothers over whose turn it was to lick the bowl.   Mam is a great baker and it was these afternoons that inspired my love of baking.   Today, a lot of my ‘go to’ recipes are ones made on those Saturday afternoons.

Thanks Mam.   Enjoy the Mother’s Day biscuits.