Breakfast at Tiffany's Birthday

This was my 2nd call to action from Icing Smiles, Inc. - I was so very excited to be asked to create a cake for Miss KeeCee who was turning 17! The hospital let me know they were throwing a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" themed party (which is just one of my absolute favorite themes!). The cakes were vanilla buttermilk with vanilla buttercream filling, covered in fondant with fondant details. I was so very blessed to be able to meet KeeCee's parents and her staff of caregivers when I delivered the cake - isn't it funny how you're trying to be a blessing to someone else and you end up being the one that's truly blessed?!

If you're a baker - please check out Icing Smiles - I guarantee you there will never be anything close to the experience of putting a smile on a child's face when they're going through such a tough time!

Icing Smiles, Inc. - Website

Blue Chevron Ombre

This is one of my first buttercream cakes I've been truly happy with! I still struggle so much with getting my buttercream to look the way I want it too - something I'm continuing to work on! :) Vanilla buttermilk cake, vanilla buttercream filling and frosting. I used my "Marvelous Molds" brand chevron mold/cutter to make the fondant chevron strips and piped the buttercream ruffles on the top tier. The fondant/gum paste topper was cut using one of my fabulous cutters from "Not Just Cakes by Annie" - was so happy to finally get to use that!

Elegant White Wedding Cake

Well, here's the monster of a wedding cake I survived! ;) Wedding cake for my Cousin's outdoor reception (that had me hyperventilating alone) - alternating tiers of chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling and lemon blueberry cake with cream cheese filling, covered in fondant with fondant details and gum paste hydrangeas. The lace and hydrangeas were to coordinate with their wedding colors and they loved cakes that had fondant draping and the "C" for their newly shared last name. I really was so pleased with how everything came together and the fact that I (and the cake) survived the delivery!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cupcakes

After seeing a picture on Pinterest of a cupcake with this styling, I was inspired to create my own using recipes already on hand - I was quite pleased with the results and this turned out to be such a yummy (albeit rich!) flavor combination! Rich, chocolate cupcakes dipped in chocolate ganache, fluffy peanut butter buttercream, another drizzle of chocolate ganache, topped off with a mini pretzel and a sprinkling of sea salt!

S'mores Cupcakes

Mmm...a new love of mine - s'mores cupcakes! I make these by using my favorite moist chocolate cupcake, topped with a marshmallow frosting, rimmed with crushed graham crackers which is then put under the oven broiler for just a minute or two. Then I take a bite (especially good when just out from under the broiler) of the melty, chocolatey, marshmallowy goodness :)

Gardenia Anniversary Cake

Simple little cake for a couple's 15th Wedding Anniversary! They requested purple and gardenias be incorporated and this is what I came up with. I was pretty happy with my first attempt at a gum paste gardenia! :)

Pirate Ship Birthday

This was a birthday cake for one of the sweetest little guys I know - our good friends' little one turning 3! He loves Veggie Tales and ADORES the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, so Mom requested a pirate ship cake! The cake was strawberry with vanilla swiss meringue filling, covered in fondant with fondant/hand painted details. The sails were just printed card stock. :)

Leopard Print Baby Bottom Cake

This being my first attempt at a "baby bottom" cake, I was quite pleased the little feet came out looking like...well, feet! :) Strawberry cake, vanilla buttercream frosting and fondant details. I hand painted the leopard print design.

Zebra Print Cakes!

Zebra print cakes have been quite popular as of late! Worked on both a brightly colored zebra print Sweet 16 and a zebra print 21st! :) Hand painted zebra print on both cakes was fun to do!

Instagram

So, if any of you are on Instagram, feel free to give me a "follow" :) My photos are mostly cakes or cupcakes   (go figure!) with the occasional kiddo or nature photo thrown in - so if that sounds like it might be up your alley, come on by! http://instagram.com/beckyann79

Puppy & Kitty Cupcakes

Fun little cupcakes for a special girl's birthday - she LOVES puppies & kitties (obviously)! Chocolate cupcakes, chocolate buttercream and custom fondant toppers.

Owl Birthday

Fun birthday goodies designed to match party plates :) Vanilla cake and cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, covered in fondant with fondant details. Fondant cupcake toppers as well.

Beachy Birthday

Fun, beach themed goodies for a special lady's birthday! Vanilla buttermilk cake and cupcakes with vanilla swiss meringue buttercream and fondant details. Shells and starfish were molded chocolate.

Jungle Baby Shower

Cake designed to match "King of the Jungle" party ware for a baby shower! Vanilla buttermilk and chocolate cake, vanilla buttercream filling, covered in fondant with fondant details.

Mickey Mouse Times Two!

This was the second year I've had the pleasure of making birthday cakes for these two little cuties! They had a Seuss themed first birthday last year and this year they went with Mickey Mouse! Vanilla buttermilk and chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream filling, covered in fondant with fondant details. I also made them cupcakes to match, with a special cupcake for each of the birthday boys! :)

Yo Gabba Gabba Birthday

Fun Yo Gabba Gabba themed birthday! Vanilla buttermilk and chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream filling, covered in fondant with fondant details. I really had fun making the coordinating cupcakes as well!

Train 1st Birthday

Fun little train themed 1st Birthday cake! Chocolate and vanilla buttermilk cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and fondant details.

Robot Cake

Fun little cake for a guy having a robot themed party - complete with a fun scrap exchange robot building activity! Chocolate cake, chocolate buttercream filling, covered in fondant with fondant details.

Simple UNC Cake

Simple Carolina cake for a huge Tarheel fan :) Chocolate cake, vanilla buttercream filling, covered in fondant with fondant/food color marker details.

Tiffany's Themed Smash Cake

I don't normally post pictures of "just" a smash cake...but I just loved this one SO much, I had to share! :) This was a vanilla buttermilk cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and fondant details for a Tiffany's themed 1st Birthday photo shoot! Oh, I cannot wait to see those pictures!! :)

Basketball Birthday Cake

I have been rather slow in posting this, but I had the immense pleasure of making Will's 18th Birthday cake through Icing Smiles back in February :) I was so excited when I received my "call to action" - and even more so when put in touch with Will's Mom, who explained how much he loved both basketball and the Tarheels! I wanted the cake most to reflect Will's love of basketball and playing for his school's team - which he's hoping to do again very soon now that he's on the road to recovery! Please, if any of my friends and followers are bakers - I urge you to volunteer for this wonderful organization! Isn't the very best thing in the world having your creations bring smiles to others, especially those who really need that smile?
Icing Smiles Inc.

Happy Pi Day (cupcakes!)

Made these little beauties for a friend's Pi Day Birthday celebration :) French vanilla cupcakes with cherry pie filling (baked right on top) and a vanilla buttercream lattice "pie crust". Happy Pi Day, everybody!

Teal Damask Birthday Cake

The request from this birthday girl (that her cake specifically have a damask pattern) finally gave me the kick in the pants I needed to try out the damask stencils I've been putting aside for a year (yes, a whole year!) for fear of using them! :) Turns out, they were wonderfully easy to use! Vanilla buttermilk cake with vanilla buttercream filling, covered in fondant with fondant details and painted damask stenciling.

Simple Valentine's Day Cupcake Toppers

So this Valentine's Day, I really wanted to play around with making some cute, simple and inexpensive cupcake toppers :) Especially when I spotted this over sized Valentine's confetti at my local Michaels craft store - bingo! Just knew it would lend itself to a cute topper. Michaels is also where I scored the red & white striped paper straws and the heart printed ribbon and the best part - I only paid $1.99 a piece for each! Even less if you use a coupon! (The pink and white striped paper straws I had in reserve from another project). So how easy was it to make these? Oh, so easy. For the toppers using the confetti, I simply cut my paper straws in half (whole length was just way too tall to be sticking out of a cupcake, obviously) and used a cool melt glue gun to place a dot of glue at one end of the straw (but any craft glue should do the trick). Then I simply placed one piece of the confetti on top of the dot of glue - voila!

 As for the ribbons, they did require a bit of trimming - roll out a bit of the ribbon, fold around your straw (again, cut in half) and determine how long you want your flag to be, making your cut. Place a thin strip of glue down the entire length of ribbon and fold around the straw, pressing together. Trim the end of your ribbon and there you have it!

2nd Annual Cupcake Crown!

So I decided to enter the 2nd Annual Celebrations.com Cupcake Crown - had a really tough time deciding which of my cupcakes to enter as I've had such fun with so many flavors/designs! I finally decided on my "Gone Fishin" cupcakes though - they were hard to beat as a fav of last year! Voting just opened today, and you can vote once per day through February 13th - so any and all votes would be much appreciated! Thanks so much and LONG LIVE CUPCAKES! ;)

VOTE HERE!! CLICK TO VOTE FOR MY CUPCAKES! :)

Princess Crown and Pillow Cake

My first attempt at a pillow cake :) A little princess requested a pillow cake for her crown to sit on, so of course that's what I made! Pumpkin spice cake with cinnamon cream cheese filling, hand carved into a pillow shape, covered in fondant with fondant details, hand painting and a hand made gum paste crown.

UNC Rameses Birthday Cake

This cake was for a little guy's Birthday who specifically asked that Rameses make an appearance on the cake :) Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream filling and frosting and fondant details. Rameses was hand cut from fondant then hand drawn using a food color marker. I could seriously do Tarheel cakes ALL DAY. :)

Pink Buttercream 1st Birthday

Fun and girly little 1st Birthday cake! Fluffy vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream filling and frosting and fondant details.

Polka Dotty Cupcakes

Fun little birthday cupcakes in a bright, colorful polka-dot theme! Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting and fondant toppers.

Gold Rose Petal 50th Anniversary

This was a request for a special couple's 50th wedding anniversary - vanilla buttermilk cake with vanilla buttercream filling and frosting and golden fondant rose petals :)

Purple Leopard Print Birthday Cake

Fun little cake for a special girl's 15th Birthday :) Vanilla buttermilk cake with vanilla buttercream filling, covered in fondant with hand painted leopard print and fondant details.

Pink Princess Birthday

Fun Princess themed decorated cupcakes and mini cake (just for the Birthday girl) for a special girl's 2nd Birthday! Vanilla buttermilk cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting and fondant toppers.

Peppermint Oreo Truffle Pops

So yes, I do realize I'm posting this after Christmas - in January, in fact so please forgive me! If you're like me, however you do not worry about such petty things as time constraints or calendars - tisk, tisk. (And you're savvy enough to pin a tasty recipe for next year's treats - boo-yah!!) After hearing about (and sampling) regular Oreo truffles many times during the past year's celebrations, I finally joined the band wagon and tried a peppermint version - oh, so heavenly!! And really could it be more simple? I even took the added step of putting mine on cute striped paper straws to make truffle pops - love! And hey, who's to say you can't enjoy chocolate and peppermint in January?! :)

Peppermint Oreo Truffle Pops

• 36 Oreos (NOT Doublestuff)

• 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

• 1 tsp peppermint extract

• 16 oz. white chocolate almond bark

• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies, for decorating
• 
  

• Set a long sheet of wax paper over a cookie sheet, set aside. Place 36 Oreos in a food processor and pulse until finely crushed (alternately if you don't own a food processor you can place Oreos in a large Ziploc bag, seal bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely crushed). Pour crushed Oreos into a mixing bowl. In separate mixing bow blend together cream cheese and peppermint extract. Add cream cheese mixture to crushed Oreos and using a spatula, stir mixture while pressing it along the bottom of the bowl, until well combined and evenly moistened. Scoop mixture out and form into 1 inch balls (I used my smallest sized melon-baller to scoop them) then align on prepared cookie sheet. Place truffles in freezer for 10 minutes.

Melt almond bark according to directions on package. *If you'd like to add the paper straws or lollipop sticks, this is where you can - take the truffles out of your freezer, dip the end of your straw or stick in the melted chocolate and insert in your truffle. Return the tray to freezer for a minute or two.

• Remove truffles from freezer and dip in melted chocolate and evenly coat then allow excess chocolate to run off. Return to baking sheet, immediately sprinkle tops with crushed candy canes then allow chocolate to set. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.