These may be the prettiest cupcakes I've made in a long time. Rose cupakes in ivory, pink and purple and they are just so pretty and beautiful and delicate looking that I wouldn't blame anyone if they didn't want to eat it!

Bomboniere cupcakes for a few close friends of the Bride and Groom at their wedding dinner just before Christmas.

OMG I have some amazingly talented friends. This was my first but I can guarantee you that it will not be my last collaboration with the amazing Chau Ly. Isn't this cake just beautiful? 

I'd love to lie to myself and to you all and say that the reason why I asked her for her help was because I am time poor and was already juggling too many things for this wedding. Yes, there is some truth there but in all honestly, it is because I cannot create the beautiful, life-like flowers the way she can (and I didn't want the stress of making a dud cake for my cousins's wedding if that were the case!).

So I baked and ganached the three tiers: 2 of caramel and 1 of earl grey and pretty much dropped it off the Chau and said it's your problem now - I'll pick it up on Saturday! And yes, it was a stressful (and slow, bumpy drive - thanks Sydney councils, you sure know how to take care of your roads) to the reception place [anyone who wants to have their wedding at the Deckhouse in Woolwoch/ Hunter's Hill - Don't bother wasting your money. But that's another story).

Thankfully, there were a few young lads ready to help carry the cake to the cake table (and thanks again useless waiters who hovered and made everything 10 times more difficult, you were of absolutely no help to direct us). Only broke off one of the tiny flowers in the back on the way so no dramas!

And look how gorgeous it looked (and tasted!!!). Even if the cake was cut the way a butcher cuts up bones (yes, I really did have issues with the reception place that night, can you tell?!). 

Another rainy day (did you know Sydney got hit by a freak hail storm late yesterday afternoon?!). Thank goodness it was a beautiful day up to that point for all the ANZAC day celebrations (of course, I made some ANZAC biccies too) and march. And so, the temperature dropped about 10 degrees today and it was definitely a day to stay indoors for the most part. It was fantastic baking weather! We did take the my two dogs out later on in the evening to the local wharf for a bit of fishing - no luck, no fish were biting today...

I had another challenge recently. What to make for a lady who LOVES shoes?? Why, a cake with a pair of stunning shoes on top and rightfully named "The Gina M"... just like Christian Louboutins. You can't see if but I promise that the soles are red too! And then I sort of just had a lot of space to play with. And I haven't nearly experimented enough to gumpaste flowers so this was a great time to try. And I've always wanted to play with mini flowers and having some falling off the sides of the cake so again, got to try that too! I think it has come well together!

Happy Birthday Gina!

Cake designed by the beautiful bride-to-be. A mix of Australian colours and French done with flowers and ribbon. I'm yet to try gigantic gumpaste flowers but I think I want to try this soon!