A cute little cake just before the official start of the Chinese Year of the Monkey! 

Another one where I had a stress attach over the humidity and heat throughout the week. I'd even remedied the ganache in preparation for this weather but it was still so soft! So it was 10 minutes in the fridge, 5 minutes, repeat until it was all piped. I had to give the fondant an extra 12 hours of rest to try and dry it out a bit more but it didn't seem to make a huge difference there either!

It's always exciting to remake a cake. From a purely 'numbers and time' point of view, it is very economical because you already know mentally what needs more time, where you can save time and how you can achieve everything in less time.

So I was very fortunate to be asked to make a cake that I did last year for another little boy's first birthday. It is just so colourful and simple and so innocent and everything a first birthday should be about: blue skies, a few giant cumulus clouds and little cars.

It also gave me more experience in portioning. Because a taller tier cake means you don't need the cake to be as large is diameter as the additional height makes up for it. This is still something relatively new to me (yet it is so logical). I guess coming from a hostess' point of view, I always want to ensure that there is slightly more than enough rather than "just enough". This translates to cake sizes. And I also want to be fair from a pricing perspective. So these days, when I have customers asking for a quote, I always ask how many serves required. If they ask for 30, then I try to cater for 35. If they are for 35, then I try to cater for 40. Of course, sometimes it is not so simple with the tiered and larger cakes.

It's always very interesting to do your own research on this. It depends on the person cutting the cake, the sharpness of the knife. The general consensus is that a coffee (finger) slice is 1" x 1" x 4" and a dessert (party) slice is 1" x 2" x 4". Great to keep in mind for your next occasion.

And if you're a bit like me and aspire to be something along the lines of Hostess with the Mostess (Yes, I think she actually exists), then Pintrest is a great place and guide to how many portions of different types of foods and drinks you should have. I've learnt over the years that... Less really is more. Unless you want to try making all these things because otherwise you won't have the chance to or time to or just want to show off your amazing kitchen skills. Then it's a good idea to ask your guests to bring tupperware ;)

Don't you just love those regular customers of yours? But at the same time, when making such a special cake, it kind of reminds you that another year has gone by.

Little Nelson is 6!!! I still remember the days when I was still studying and working casually and he was only a few months when he and Mon use to come into the store and visit... and even the time he spewed on my work shirt... time flies and I'm thankful to be a part of his life - even in cake form! :)

I had to get the special Wilton ball cake tins express shipped to me on Wednesday. Luckily, Australia Post was reliable this time! (Not so much in the past...).

And its pure chocolate inside. Chocolate Mud Cake with Whipped Ganache. Its sooooo good and chocolately!!!

Did you know that a real soccer ball has 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons? Think I was actually not too far from that figure and some excellent online blogger has already worked out the exact measurements for the shapes for me! (Thanks google and confessions of a cake addict!). The sides of each shape at 3.2 cm... and more "give or take" the lower on the ball you go...

I was actually most stressed about the cake ball not rolling around. It's not exactly flat... even with a little of the bottom shaved off. I'm hoping that all the fondant and ganache will keep everything in shape and intact before it is devoured! Enough for a few photos and for the kids to admire! ;)

100 red velvet cupcakes with sour cream ganache & chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache plus a top tier black on white cutting cake. Decorated with the bride and groom's hand folded paper cranes, it looked so good the groom wanted to start without the bride and their guests! 

Loved the feel on this wedding @ Callan Park, Rozelle. It was a beautiful day. Laid back, easy going, low key yet tasteful...

The books are actually a lovely backdrop for the cake set up!

Multilayer cake of peanut butter, chocolate and honey cake. Peanut butter frosting and smothered in rich chocolate ganache and then finished off with leafy green buttercream.

Can you tell that the birthday girl like's peanut butter? Oh and LOTR of course...

A little bit unorganised this week I have to say. So many changes happening around me that its a little hard to keep up. We managed to bake the cakes and have them cooled and soldiered on with the decorating. Piping grass is actually quite time consuming and straining.

Ideally would have liked to see more colours on the cake - in the form of mini flowers but it is what it is.

Not bad??

It's our next big order for the year!

What a way to return to baking after our one month hiatus travelling across the United States. Picked up some great techniques and ideas along the way.

This week was return to full time work week, get sick on the aeroplane and recover in a day and adjusting back to normalcy and life in general.

And a cake order of course!

A very special 2nd birthday to Justin - the most adorable and naughty munchkin in the next generation so far and like any other child, LOVES Thomas (so do I!)

Bottom layer of chocolate cake and top layer of vanilla covered in fudge and vanilla buttercream respectively. It's good icing. Really tasty and velvety.

Then came the fun part - fondant icing. All hand made and cut of course. Edward, Percy and Thomas on top! (Thomas is a toy as he speaks).

Hand cut hills and clouds and individually shaped rocks, piped faces and finished off with Happy Birthday Justin.

It should look fantastic lit up with candles and sparklers... bring on the party!

Finally Friday! Albeit a wet one. Not that that deters one from baking...

So whilst Cat is in the US - possibly picking up the pieces from Superstorm Sandy (?!) and enjoying herself immensely (Hawaii, the Big Apple, checking out the US in general so she can tell me what to do and what not in Feb!), I took up the awesome job of making 40 cupcakes for her cousin's 20th Birthday. I would crash the party too but I think I'm too old :-(

In true St Georgian style, she was super prepared and had already made silver stars and blue letters for the cupcake toppers. One less job for me! And they look pretty awesome.

Took my time tonight and still got it all done in a couple of hours. How one loves efficiency and her kitchenaid. And so rare that I take pictures of my WIP (not the photographer in the fams). Have to say though, looking pretty orderly!!!

Happy with the piping. Thought about chocolate overkill on the top (monkey tried to encourage it) but decided to be reasonable. Moderation is an important word. Even the cookie monster preaches cookies are a "sometimes" food.

Then decided to take them to another level anyway...

Then boxed them all up in these awesome 12-cupcake boxes that were conveniently delivered JIT today. And that's me for the week!

A late-ish order came through midweek from a friend who happens to work around the corner from me. He needed a cake for a friend's birthday and of course, I was more than happy to oblige.

Rather than going for a smooth finish, I thought I'd go with the slightly rustic look with the white chocolate shards around the cake and finished off with a ribbon. I think the two roses add a nice touch of colour to an otherwise simple cake.

White Chocolate Mud cake topped with airy light whipped white chocolate ganache with a layer of strawberries through the centre. nom nom!

I was a little concerned with the fondant roses in the fridge as fondant loves to suck in condensation and moisture. However, not as bad as the stories I had seen and read! Excellent outcome :)

all for a good cause... my cousin is raising money through his church for children in poverty and a whole heap of other things!

Makes 12

Ingredients:
1 C flour
1 C peanut butter
1 1/2 t baking powder
100 g butter
1 egg
1 C brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt


Ganache:
150 g dark chocolate
100 mL cream


Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 C peanut butter
1/3 C milk
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 C icing sugar


Method:
1. Beat peanut butter, butter and sugar until well combined. Gradually beat in egg.
2. Sift in dry ingredients and incorporate until well combined.
3. Divide into 12 cases and bake for 13-18 minutes. Allow to cool.
4. In the meantime, combine all frosting ingredients together until a smooth consistency is achieved.
5. Heat chocolate and cream over a double boiler until melted and set aside to cool and thicken.
5. Pipe peanut butter frosting onto cooled cupcakes and finish with ganache.

Yield 1 x 10-inch round

Ingredients:
1/2 C cocoa
1/2 C hot water
1 1/2 C brown sugar
220 g butter, chopped
200 g dark chocolate
150 g hazelnut meal
6 eggs, beaten lightly

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Grease and line baking tin with baking paper.
2. Blend cocoa and hot water over a saucepan on medium heat until smooth. Add sugar, butter and chocolate. Remove from heat. Cool for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in meal and eggs until just combined.
4. Pour into tin and bake for 90 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
5. When cake is cooled, cover with ganache and decorate as desired.

Ganache is very versatile and can be using as icing with leftover turned into truffles and other gourmet treats. The better the quality chocolate, the better the texture and taste of your ganache will be. Increase the quantity of cream for a more runny consistency (for frosting cakes) or increase the quantity of chocolate for a thicker consistency (truffles, fillings, etc).

Ingredients:
300 mL thickened cream
250 g dark chocolate

Method:
1. Heat cream in a saucepan until just boiling.
2. Break chocolate into a heatproof bowl.
3. Pour hot cream over chocolate.
4. Stand for 10 minutes.
5. Stir until smooth. Ganache will thicken more as it cools.