Lightning Mcqueen Cake

For my son's 3rd birthday party, I wanted a car theme to show his love of wheels and speed.  Lighning Mcqueen, of course, is the best pick, because he is speed!

Lola by Mark Jacobs Cake

A weekend ago my son's school had their most-awaited annual spring fair. They had a bouncy castle, a dunking station, gelato stand, white elephant stall, barbeque, and of course a cake stall.   My contributions were decorated chocolate mud cakes for this fund-raising event.

The first two cakes were inspired by the new fragrance Lola by Marc Jacobs.  It's attractive bottle, topped with a fancy flower in bright colours,  shows fun and liveliness coupled with flowing femininity.  I was also amused by its wonderful name, because Lola means "grandma" in my language, so I like this bottle too because it reminds me of my own two Lolas and my kids' Lola.

($82)

Gogo's Crazy Bones Cake

Most children, from kindergarten to year 5, in my son's school are currently going crazy over Gogo's Crazy Bones. They're colourful and cute little figurines, each carrying a special 'power', that are played against each other. I'm impressed how my son knows plenty of Gogo's names and characteristics, so he must be discussing a lot about gogos with his friends. Pity for him that I don't know how to play them, but I do love them for their cuteness. I made the following chocolate cakes for the school fair for those who love Gogo's Crazy Bones:

This is MOSH. He's very friendly and kind, and most Gogo's want to be his friend.

This is TREMI. Appearances can be deceptive and not as grumpy as he looks.

This is IZUMI. He loves speed and won't get off his motorbike.

Melinda's & Tristan's Wedding Cake

About a year ago, my brother Tristan and his fiancee Melinda were very kind to accept my offer to make them their wedding cake.  Truthfully, I panicked inside when they accepted it, for I've never made a wedding cake before. However, in my mind I knew it could be done.  When they provided me early this year with their very own original design and sketch, I faced my biggest cake challenge ever! Alright, nine months to deliver this cake to perfection, and the challenge was on!

Six months down the track, I asked for my mom's help to make the sugar flowers to save me from transporting the fragile flowers on my flight to Perth.  I was so delighted that she agreed, knowing that she was very busy with millions of things. There was no doubt she couldn't make them since she had studied sugar flowers before and have agile surgeon's hands.   So, for weeks we chatted long-distance all about flowers!

The cake project started nearly as soon as we landed in Perth.  Got the equipment and supplies out of the suitcase, and the pans were lined.  I also had to rush to the supermarkets before they closed on the weekend to get all the fresh ingredients, like eggs and butter.  Here they are ready on the kitchen bench:

Hours and hours of baking chocolate cakes permeated chocolate aroma in every room of the house, and it made me imagine I was living in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.  The three tiers were all beginning to take shape once they were covered in white icing.

The moment my husband Mark and I placed the last tier on top, I felt a big relief on completing the cake project.  It was exciting to see and touch the completed cake that all started with a sketch.

One thing I loved about my cake assignment was that I made it for my family, and it was completed too by my family.  Thanks to all who have helped me accomplish this: to my mom for the beautiful roses and oriental lilies; to my mom-in-law for lending me her cake pans; and to Mark for extra helping hand on finishing touches. Finally, my biggest thanks to Melinda and Tristan for believing in me.

Congratulations to Melinda and Tristan, and may you have a blessed and wonderful journey together forever! Love, Jen

Noah's Ark Cake

This special cake was for my son's 2nd birthday. As you can see, two's the theme and everything's in pairs. This Ark is made of scuplted dark chocolate cake. I had so much fun carving and putting together the cake pieces. The most time-consuming bit in making this cake were cutting and 'nailing' the timber, and after more than 10 hours decorating this cake it was truly a labour of love for my wonderful son! Happy Birthday, Jamie!

Birthday gift

This is the best chocolate cake for my brother's and future sister's-in-law wedding cake, and it's all wrapped up here. Happy birthday to you, Mom! Love you so much!

Father's Day 2009

When I was making the father's cake request my own two little boys kept asking me who the cake was for, and I felt guilty to say it wasn't us.  Despite how tired I was I wasn't going to let this occasion pass without one made by my little boys for their own dad. 

So on father's day itself, my eldest helped me do the finishing touches of this sponge cake.  He helped me frost it and place the peach pieces in between the cake layers.  I decorated with whatever fruit I had available.  It's spring and strawberries are in season right now, so we have several punnets of these at home.  I love nuts, but next time I won't add the chopped hazelnuts because my little boys don't appreciate them as much as we do.  Thank you for being a good father to our young boys! They love you and will always look up to you! Happy father's day to you!

Happy Father's Day too to all the wonderful Dads who nurtured us right from the start and until now, who watched us in every way and loved us unconditionally. I love you, Dad!

Sponge Cake recipe:

5 eggs (59 gm)

150 g caster sugar

120 g cake flour*

60 g melted butter

Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar for about 8 minutes until light and creamy.  Gently fold the sifted flour.  Lastly, fold the melted butter.  Pour in  9" round greased and lined tins.  Bake in 180C oven for 25 minutes. Cake is done when skewer comes out clean. Remove immediately from tin and let it cool.  Split the cake in two and fill with favourite frosting.

*Cake flour I used is available in asian/oriental shops.  It is the same flour they use for making steamed buns. Just check the ingredients that it hasn't got any added leavening agent.

Tennis - Father's Day

A friend asked me to make a father's day cake this month.  It has to be a chocolate cake, because their dad (and the girls) like chocolate.

Ribbon gymnastics cake

For her birthday, she wanted a gymnastics themed party and of course the cake too.  Over morning coffee, we had fun brain-storming on what kind of gymnastics exercise we should have on the cake. Alexa's mom suggested that perhaps the rythmic gymnastics with the ribbons would be ideal and nice. I used a lot of blue on this cake, for that is the birthday girl's favourite colour.

Baptism: blue & white

I love the simplicity of pastel colours against white, and those are very appropriate colours for the special little boy's baptismal cake.

The night I was making the flowers for this cake, I had the sweetest pleasure of having my 2.5-year old preschooler play with spare blue fondant by my side. He had a very late afternoon nap, so he was quite alert that evening and kept me company all night while I aimed to finish all the decorations. With his miniature rolling pin, he said that he too was making flowers and cars - the latter wasn't suprising to hear.

Pocoyo Cake

Ely! Sleepy bird! Pocoyo! Pato! Loula! Master J loves all these characters, and in fact he’s as funny, cheeky, curious and gentle as Pocoyo! Short of time and just hours before the next-day party, I used a store-bought Sara-Lee pound cake. I quickly covered the cake in icing and assembled my handmade Pocoyo characters on top. I had the most fun making tiny sleepy bird. Happy 1st Birthday, my dearest!

Cars cupcakes

These are chocolate cupcakes for a sweet boy who loves cars….Vrooom!

Mars Mission

Here's my boy on a lunar module on the moon, for he loved anything to do with outer-space: meteors, planets, asteriods and rocketships!

Spiderman Cupcakes

These are dark chocolate mud cupcakes that were made specially for awesome twins. The cobwebs are piped melted chocolate.

Flowers and ladybug

This was prepared for a special lady who celebrated her 20th anniversary working in her preschool.

My cousin, who stayed with us during her holiday, had to deal with each night making 60+ party curry puffs and helping me make those sugar roses on another. Thanks, Tess! Too sleepy to continue, I kept telling myself not to forget the special feature of this cake, which is the cute little ladybug! Luckily I didn’t forget!

Sweet expectations for pregnant mom

Here’s a baby shower and thank you cake for a wonderful teacher who makes a special big difference to children. A pregnant mom was a perfect cake topper for the occasion.

This is my very first attempt on making a tiered cake. There were lots of work involved - from baking the cake from scratch, covering with soft and fondant icing and to making all the little flowers and figurine. It was very challenging indeed, and I was glad that it made it safely during transportation. Pity that my camera shook and lighting was so poor when I took the photo just before having breakfast.

Fairy Cake

Here’s a cake for two-year old Paige. The mushroom is made of vanilla butter cake, and I placed it on top of a store-bought vanilla sponge cake. Coming home from attending a relative's wedding dinner, Mom and I stayed up late making those sugarpaste fairies. I'm glad that she insisted on adding the royal icing golden hair, and thanks to her the fairies looked great! I couldn't not have done them without her help!