Priscilla

This is a tad bit late for me to post buuuut this past Friday I had an order from a girl at school named Priscilla. She'd seen my cupcakes and cakes over Facebook and wanted to order cupcakes in honor of her parents' anniversary.

Don't forget: I'll be making cupcakes for Northwood High School's "Dance Dance Evolution" Dance Show this Thursday and Friday! Dances in the show will feature time periods such as the 80s, scientific development, neanderthals, and so much more! I really shouldn't... buuuuut here's a preview of some of the fondant decorations you can find if you come to the show ;)

In case you needed more convincing, a very cool promo video was also made! Check it out here.

Amy, Stephanie, and Sami

This week I had three orders:
1. Mini Tiffany & Co. colored cakes for Amy's 17th birthday
2. Cupcakes with cat decorations for Stephanie's 17th birthday
3. Cupcakes with car decorations for Sami's 17th birthday

Side note: I also made a Facebook to display my cakes and cupcakes! If you wish to, "like" my page ! ;)

Amy's mini cakes.

Stephanie's cupcakes.

Sami's fondant car decoration for his cupcakes.

Another thing that happened this week was my final in ROP! Our task was to create a plated dessert with our assigned groups to showcase to our friends and family in a restaurant-like environment.

Coming soon: Cupcakes for Northwood High School's "Dance Dance Evolution" Dance Show, so stay tuned and come to support the dance program!! :)

Mother's Day Weekend

Wow! Word travels fast and in this case, I'm loving it! It's been such a busy weekend! Since last week, I've been passing out flyers at my school about my cupcakes/cakes and with this weekend being mother's day, people decided to order cupcakes from me...22 to be exact! :D I'm still so shocked! I went from basically never getting any orders in one week to 22 orders?! WHAT?! Well I guess I never really advertised that I sell baked goods, but still! I'm beyond amazed! Technically though, four of the orders were for different reasons ;). One was to help someone ask a girl to prom, one was for one of my teacher's daughters who were sick and two were from people who just wanted cupcakes for themselves. However, the rest were for mother's day and all I can ask is that everyone's mother's liked what they got! :)



Most of the things I made this week...

Vanilla and red velvet cupcakes with a Belle and Barney fondant topper for my teacher, Mr. Gates daughters.

Carrot and red velvet mother's day cupcakes for the Orosco family.

Chocolate with vanilla buttercream birthday cake for Garret.  

Vanilla, peanut butter chocolate chip, and a red velvet cupcake for  Mother's Day for the Seaton family.

Mother's day banana cupcakes with cream cheese buttercream for the Shim family.

Banana cupcakes with banana toppers for Arnold to help ask a girl to prom.

Mother's Day red velvet cupcakes for the Chandrans.

Mother's Day vanilla cupcakes for the Jang family.

Mother's Day red velvet cupcakes for the Bui family.

Mother's Day fruit tart for the Li family.

Mother's Day vanilla cupcake for the Nguyen family.

Mrs. Glowacki's Baby Shower/Annalisa

This Thursday has probably been one of the busiest baking days I have had in awhile...BUT I LOVE IT! 

Side note: if there's something that I learned this week (that I continuously forget), it's that I need to take more pictures...So I apologize for the lack of pictures! 

Baking project #1: Mrs. Glowacki's Baby Shower

So about a month ago, I was asked by Mrs. Crowley (my TA teacher) if I would be willing to bake cupcakes for a baby shower for a teacher at my school named Mrs. Glowacki. How could I say no? I will admit though, I was a bit terrified! When I asked her about decorations, she told me that I would have creative freedom to figure it out. She did, however tell me that the baby would be a girl named Ella, and that her room would be periwinkle and have sheeps. I had never been to a baby shower, so I was basically clueless. But after searching Google and Yahoo, I came to the conclusion to make a baby, pacifiers, rattles, crowns, sheeps, ABC blocks, buttons, onesies, and strollers/carriages.

Most of the decorations

My first attempt at making a baby in fondant...I didn't like how it turned out squared and chubby so I didn't end up using this. 

My second attempt at making a baby! It still turned out a bit chubby but the square-ness was definitely gone! :)
*Thank you to Chef Heather (ROP teacher) for suggesting the idea to plastic wrap and cup and to let the tummy and head rest/dry on them! 

The cupcakes! The flavors made were peanut butter chocolate chip, red velvet, chocolate, and carrot.

Baking Project #2: Annalisa's Birthday

Remember how I said earlier in this post that I really need to take more pictures...? This is where it really becomes problematic... So due to the lack of pictures I will just say that I made my friend, Annalisa chai flavored cupcakes! If there's one thing to know, it's that this girl LOVES her chai tea latte ( with no water, of course ;) )! And like most of the cupcakes I make, they were topped with fondant toppers! There weren't too many and I only have three pictures of some of the toppers I used. Again, I apologize! I did however try to take pictures of when my friends and I took her out to eat! I'm slowly making progress! 

Some of the toppers I used. I actually only used the Ariel and horse topper. My attempt at free handing a Colorado Ram (the school she will be attending next year) just didn't cut it for me..
 

Wooo birthday girl!!

She's finally 18!

PAUSE

So back in February, I was told that my school's ASB nominated me to join a campaign called, "PAUSE." It's not everyday that something like this happens to me, so I gladly accepted the offer. Also, I do actually stand by what the campaign is promoting. I mean, being a senior in high school right now, I see classmates feeling the need to party and what not, but unlike them I just don't feel the need to. But by any means I am not saying that I am against those that do choose to make those actions.

So what exactly is the PAUSE campaign? Well, the PAUSE campaign aims to prevent/reduce underage drinking by promoting the truth about these behaviors. For example, many people overestimate the amount of substance use among teens. These perceived norms, though wrong, may influence a teenager's decision to engage in that behavior. Essentially, the PAUSE campaign tries to change people's way of viewing these behaviors by educating them on what is the truth when it comes to those behaviors. It is not a goal of this campaign to scare people away from using drugs or alcohol. 

It's all about celebrating all that is "positive" in our lives, whether it deals with our relationships, school, sports, arts, extra-curricular activities, hobbies, or any passions you may have. Basically, what is to be encouraged is to focus on whatever makes individuals happy, and influences you to live a healthy lifestyle, that of course being one free of drugs and alcohol.

When I accepted to be apart of the campaign, I was told that someone would come over to my house to take a picture to promote the campaign. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my "PAUSEitive" choice would be to bake! ;) So basically I had no clue what to expect when taking the picture. I wasn't sure if it was expected for me to bake something because...well... I was promoting that my positive choice was baking. Nevertheless, I did anyways! Hahaha. Unfortunately, the things I made never made an appearance in the picture..oh well! 

Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla/chocolate italian meringue buttercream

Fruit tarts

My PAUSEitive poster

Also, I forgot to make a post that about 3 weeks ago, I had a "wedding cake day" in ROP. Basically, it was just a day to make a two tiered cake. I foolishly opted to make a very, what I would call elegant cake, however things just didn't go as I had hoped for... 

The cake of the left: my inspiration (ps I do not remember where I found this picture, so to whomever made this cake, YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR!)
The cake on the left: my attempt at trying to the cake on the left...

ROP

I mentioned last month that I was taking a course called, "baking and pastry fundamentals" and so far we've baked and what not but the day that I've been waiting for has come!! WE'RE BEGINNING TO DECORATE! :D

Yesterday (March 27th) we practiced with fondant and I couldn't think of anything on the top of my head but I knew I wanted to incorporate flowers somehow. Here is the cake! I don't think it's tooooo shabby considering I was winging all of the ideas... ;)

Tiffany

Happy birthday to my friend, Tiffany Lee (& yes today is her actual birthday haha)! As I said in the previous post, she was the one that that probably led me to love cake decorating and what not. 

Fun fact: I didn't always want to go into culinary. Before all of this, I actually wanted to pursue a career in fashion. I didn't want to be a fashion designer, but something more in the lines of being either a merchandiser, buyer, or stylist. The idea of going into fashion hasn't completely gone away, so who knows! I think for myself,  I just really enjoy doing crafts and artsy things which is why I think I'm so infatuated with decorating cakes/cupcakes! 

...now back to Tiffany! Soo basically I've known her since I want to say middle school...? The only thing is that we didn't really even start hanging out until our sophomore year in high school! We haven't known each other for too long, but nevertheless, she's one of those friends that I can say I can go to and count on. I never really explained in the post before about how exactly she influenced me to love decorating so here it goes... So technically I had always loved baking and decorating cupcakes and what not for my friend's birthdays however my "baking and decorating" was pretty much just slabbing on some frosting and maybe even adding sprinkles. Might I add that I all of these were baked from a box.. I didn't even make my own frosting either... Even with knowing all of this, my friends all thought that I was a really great baker, so one day Tiffany and I were browsing around the bakery section at a nearby Pavillions and in the glass window where they display their cakes, was a cake that was shaped as a sun. After seeing the cake, she pretty much challenged me to make a cake that looked like that for her. I jokingly told her that I would, not thinking that I actually would attempt to make it... but I did ;) ! When I gave her the cake at school on her birthday, everyone, (including Tiffany) were amazed. I want to say that people probably doubted that I could make it...? I know for sure I doubted myself! There were even some times while making the cake that I was just about to give up completely! But when all was done I was somewhat content with it, but the feedback I got from everyone at school was amazing and I think that's also why I am heading towards going into the world of pastry! Something about the reactions I get from giving people a work of art in the form of food just makes me so happy!

Anyways, the cake I made for her this year for her 18th birthday, was a cake that was to resemble a camera. If there's another thing you should know about Tiffany, it's that she's an amazing photographer! I wish I had that talent! I'm constantly asking her how I can take better pictures of my desserts! Hahahaha.

Tried to replicate the "mode dial" as much as I could.

The back of the "camera." I actually wasn't going to even do anything on the back but felt like it looked a little plain if I didn't do anything to it. In the end, adding the details on the back paid off! 

The front/side.

The top.

The front.

Tiffany with her cake!

Probably one of the best compliments I've gotten. This made my day! :')

Note: How am I posting all of these pictures when it has just hit midnight, you might ask? Well, my friends and I decided that since Tiffany's birthday was going to be on a Sunday, that we would give her treats/balloons on the past Friday at school (it's just a special feeling when you receive treats/goodies at school for your birthday). 

Also, before I forget...! Here are the much delated St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes I made... not very special but I'd thought I should post them anyways. These cupcakes were made for a FST St. Patrick's Day party. 

Candy melted clovers

The flavor was red green velvet with cream cheese frosting.