Recipe Website: AllRecipes.com

You know occasionally I’m at a lost for how to make a particular flavor of cake or other food item.  Lately I’ve been dabbling at actually cooking meats and appetizers.  But not to worry, cakes and decorating them are still my first love.  I’ve just been doing a little cheating on the side.  Anyway, I mention this because I love the website AllRecipes.com.  Not only can you find good recipes submitted by your everyday cooks such as ourselves but the comments by others who have tried the submitted recipes are quite helpful.  I had tried one of the cake recipes and the comments mentioned that the recipe was too sweet and suggested reducing the amount of sugar.  Of couse sweetness is subjective but I felt the comment was correct and adjusted my baking according.

 

Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show & Grand National Wedding Cake Competition

Its that time again!  For all you competitive cake decorators out there, the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show and National Wedding Cake Competition will be October 3-4, 2009 in Tulsa, OK.  This year’s theme is “Of Sea and Shore”.

Visit the website for additional information on contest rules and registration forms.  Good Luck to all who plan to compete!  http://www.oklahomasugarartists.com/Event_Details.htm

 

EXTREME CAKE CHALLENGE NOW CASTING

A major cable network is casting cake artists/sculptors to compete in the extreme cake contest!

 

They are looking for incredibly talented  cake artists/sculptors to square off in an extreme cake contest. The winning cake will be showcased at a live event and on National Television.

 

Casting closes on 5/18/2009.  If chosen to appear, time commitment is 3 to 5 days.  Go to “RealityWanted.com” for more info.

 

WE TV Presents “Amazing Wedding Cakes” An Original Series

“Amazing Wedding Cakes,” an all new series, premieres on WE tv on Sunday, September 7 at 10PM ET & PT/9 C.  The six one-hour episode series takes viewers inside the world of high-end cake-making, from larger-than-life designs to the over-the top personalities who create them and features some of the best bakeries in New York,

Photo Credit: We tv

Chicago and Los Angeles.  In the first episode, the Cake Divas in LA have their work cut out for them when someone orders a wedding cake that resembles a favorite icon – the convertible car – but they’re up for the challenge.  In Chicago, the Cake Girls encounter a first: a groom who wants to order the wedding cake!  He’s confident, but will he get it right?  Meanwhile, the Cake Atelier has taken on interns to help with their heavy load, but will the extra hands help or hinder their perfectionist personas?   View slideshow.

Upcoming Air Dates: Monday, September 15 at 1am | 12c Monday, September 15 at 4am | 3c Monday, September 15 at 8pm | 7c Monday, September 15 at 11pm | 10c Tuesday, September 16 at 2am | 1c Sunday, September 21 at 1pm | 12c Sunday, September 21 at 11pm | 10c Monday, September 22 at 2am | 1c Monday, September 22 at 7pm | 6c Tuesday, September 23 at 12am | 11c

 

Food Network: Ace of Cakes (Episode DB0308)

Duff and his team of bakers will be making 3 cakes in this episode. A birthday cake in the shape of The Tower of London for writer Tom Clancy’s birthday, a 4-tier asymmetric cake with a Chesapeake Bay theme, and an exact replica of the King Tut sarcophagus out of cake.

Check out this epsiode on the following dates/times:
Aug 21, 2008 10:30 PM ET/PT
Aug 21, 2008 1:30 AM ET/PT
Aug 26, 2008 10:30 PM ET/PT
Aug 26, 2008 1:30 AM ET/PT
Aug 31, 2008 5:30 PM ET/PT

 

Tastier Decorator Frosting

We all learn the basic decorating frosting in our first cake decorating class, confectioner’s sugar, shortening, water.  This is fine for borders, flowers, and other decorations but if your going to serve it to guests you may want something a little tastier to frost the entire cake. 

While I use several different frosting recipes, such as boiled frosting and Italian meringue buttercream, here’s a little tip to make your basic decorator frosting more tasty.  Add 1 can of store bought vanilla frosting to your basic decorators frosting recipe.  I use Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting.  I find it accomplishes too things, it adds flavor that just adding clear vanilla extract doesn’t and it makes it easier to spread. 

I love using this for birthday cakes and someone always seems to comment on the frosting.  Note this is best to use when you are going to color the frosting.  Adding the can of store bought vanilla will give the frosting a slight ivory color and is not suitable if you are trying to achieve a pure white color such as with a wedding cake.

I suggest you experiment with the amount of store bought frosting you use based on the amount of frosting you are making.  You may want to added more or less to suit your taste and desired consistency.

 

2008 International Cake Exploration Societe Convention

The 2008 International Cake Exploration Societe (no, I didn’t spell it wrong) convention will be held July 17-20, 2008 in Orlando Florida.  For more information on the convention, classes, speakers, and of course cake competitions, visit the ICES website at www.ices.org.

 

Video: Gumpaste Calla Lillies

Edna of DesignMeACake has posted a great 4 part tutorial on creating gumpaste calla lillies.

 
More Videos:
Part II:   Gumpaste Calla Lillies
Part III:  Gumpaste Calla Lillies
Part IV:  Gumpaste Calla Lillies

 

National Wedding Cake Competition – Entry Deadline

If you planning to enter this year’s national wedding cake competition hosted by Kerry Vincent at the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show be sure to get get your entry form completed. Deadline for entry form submission is June 30, 2008.

The actual show will be Sept. 27-28, 2008 with cake/table setup on Sept. 26 for those entering the competition. Food network star Keegan Gerhard, Pastry Chef Extraordinaire, will be one of the celebrity demonstrators this year.

This year’s theme is the Language of Flowers. There are many books available that describes the symbolic meaning behind flowers. It might be helpful to you as you are deciding on a design for your cake.

See you there!

Books on the meaning and Language of Flowers:

The Language Of Flowers

The Language of Flowers: Symbols And Myths

The Language and Sentiment of Flowers

The Secret Language of Flowers

Oklahoma State Sugar Artists – National Wedding Cake Competition

Click here for Entry Form
Click here for Event Details/Competition Rules

 

On The Wild Side Cake Decorating Competition (Chicago)

The Chicago Area Retail Baker Association will be sponsoring On The Wild Side cake decorating competition April 27th from 10am-4:30pm at the Cafe Brauer in the Lincoln Park Zoo.  The event is free, open to the public, and will feature 50 cake decorating artists.  For more information, visit their website at www.carba.com.

 

Wilton Castle Cake Competition

You have until July 31, 2008 to enter the Wilton Castle Cake Decorating Contest!

You must decorate your cake using pieces from the Wilton Romantic Castle Cake Set. Once its ready, you can upload a photo of your cake for judging online at the Wilton website or send it in via mail.

Each month Wilton judges will pick a winning entry. Prizes are Wilton products like the Cupcakes Galore Decorating Assortment, a Castle Pan and Decorating Set, and the Professional Decorating Turntable.  A grand prize winner will be chosen from the 12 monthly winners.  The grand prize winner will receive a Wilton 2-week Master Course at the Wilton School of Cake Decorating and Confectionary Arts in Darien, Illinois, including transportation and lodging.

For complete contest rules and details, visit the Wilton website at http://www.wilton.com/contests/castlecontest/index.cfm

 

Basic Cakedecorating Skills: Shells & Stars

Two of the easiest and most useful techniques a beginner can learn are shells and stars.  These are the most common techniques used on kids birthday cakes.  The shells are typically used for borders.  Stars are great for stenciling letters or even characters on a cake.  For the doll cake to the right, the doll bodice and part of the cake are decorated using the star technique.  For the base, I used a ruffle technique but a shell would have been just as nice.  To create the shell, use Tip 21 or 32 and for the star, use Tip 16 or 18.   The Wilton website has detailed instructions and video for the Shell and Star technique.