2018 NC State Fair Entries

Hi there! So, after a couple years' absence from the State Fair, I finally decided to enter again - two cakes this time! My first cake was, honestly - a last minute entry that I wasn't sure I was going to have time for since my primary entry had taken up so much of my time! I just wanted to have fun and push myself with this entry - I primarily make fondant covered cakes and really wanted to try some new (to me) techniques with an all-buttercream cake! And ironically enough, this cake ended up placing higher (1st place!) than the one I spent three weeks on lol! (You just never know!)

As for my second cake - wowee. I loved working on this project day after day...but by the end of it, I really was just ready to be DONE ;) I love the Pixar/Disney movie, "Up" and was inspired to make a cake replica of the house and balloons - so much fun! I ended up placing 3rd in the category for that cake, but am still so tremendously proud of that cake!

Minnie Mouse Birthday

Fun little Minnie Mouse themed first birthday cake - vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream rosettes and a fondant bow!

Race Car 3rd Birthday Cake

Fun little race car birthday cake for a little one turning 3! Vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream filling and frosting with vanilla buttercream accents and toy cars :)

BIG Chocolate Birthday Cake

Was this a LOT of cake for a Birthday? You betcha. BUT, this was a very special Birthday - my Dad's 75th. Made even MORE special because earlier this year, after the scare of a pretty massive stroke...we weren't sure we'd get to celebrate this day with him. Blessings on top of blessings on Top of Blessings to be able to spend this momentous day with my sweet Daddy! I asked him what flavor he wanted for his cake and he smiled and replied "Chocolate!" so I wanted to deliver in a big way :) Chocolate cake, with chocolate swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate ganache drizzle, accented with some chocolate cake crumbles. I think he was happy and we felt like WE were the ones receiving the present - of more days with Him! <3 p="">

Simple Strawberry Cupcakes

These were just some simple strawberry cupcakes with strawberry whipped buttercream made with fresh strawberry puree - such a lovely shade of pink! :)

Basketball Birthday Cupcakes

Fun Golden State Warriors/Basketball themed cupcakes for a Birthday boy! Cupcakes were strawberry and chocolate, with vanilla buttercream and custom fondant toppers.

Twinkle Twinkle First Birthday

Fun little buttercream cake for a little one's first Birthday - the party was "Twinkle twinkle little star" themed, and the cake was vanilla with vanilla buttercream rosettes, gold fondant stars and a fondant plaque.

Spring Floral Cupcakes

I finally took the plunge and ordered Russian piping tips - I so enjoyed trying them out on these cupcakes!

Cupcakes Make Me Happy

I love making cupcakes - baking those perfectly domed little beauties with perfectly swirled buttercream on top - there's something so satisfying about achieving those uniform swirls :) These were some recent cupcakes of mine:

Chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes (chocolate cupcake with strawberry swiss meringue buttercream, topped with a chocolate dipped strawberry).

Cookies & Cream cupcakes (Chocolate cupcakes with Oreo buttercream, topped with half an Oreo cookie).

Trolls!

This was a fun little Trolls themed birthday cake - the cake flavors were vanilla and chocolate with vanilla buttercream and fondant details with the exception of the two trolls - they were toys :) I really enjoyed making the fun little rainbow and thought it was a great backdrop to the rest of the elements on the cake!

Catching Up!

Last weekend was a busy one! 

Lovely Fall Birthday cake frosted in chocolate buttercream with fondant leaves - 

Then there was a Fireman's Helmet Birthday cake - 

And finally a lovely golden dripped, pink peony Birthday cake - 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Fun and simple little buttercream pumpkin cupcakes for a Fall get-together! Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream piped pumpkins.

Owl Baby Shower Cake

Fun little owl themed baby shower cake! Vanilla cake, covered with vanilla buttercream with fondant details/accents.

Woodland 1st Birthday

This was a fun double-barrel 8" round woodland 1st Birthday cake! The cake was chocolate, covered in chocolate ganache with fondant animals.

Sea Turtle Cake

I truly love working on cakes for Icing Smiles more than any others - nothing beats the smile you help put on that child's face - at a time when they truly need it most! This cake was for sweet little Collier, celebrating his 1st Birthday. He loves watching the videos of the brightly colored tropical fish and sea turtles in his room, so that's the inspiration for his party decor and cake! Two tiers of fresh orange cake with whipped orange buttercream filling and one of chocolate cake with mocha filling - Collier got his own little smash cake made of vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream :)

Super Mario Brothers Cupcakes

Fun Super Mario Bros themed cupcakes for a little guy's birthday! Flavors were chocolate with whipped chocolate buttercream and strawberry with whipped vanilla buttercream. All fondant toppers.

Duke Basketball Cupcakes

Fun Duke University/Duke Basketball themed cupcakes for a dinner party! Flavors were vanilla bean with whipped vanilla buttercream, chocolate with strawberry swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate with whipped chocolate buttercream. Hand crafted fondant cupcake toppers.

Gold Wedding Cupcakes

So here I am, yet again - posting work I did long ago (back in December to be exact!) This was a lovely, lovely wedding I provided cupcakes and a cutting cake for, held at The King's Daughters Inn in Durham, NC. Everything was decorated so beautifully and they were truly a joy to work with. The cupcake flavors were red velvet with vanilla swiss meringue and vanilla bean with vanilla swiss meringue. We accented some of the cupcakes with glittering gold heart picks and others simply with gold sprinkles. I hand made a golden gum paste topper for the couples' small cutting cake at the top of the stand.

Batman & Superman Cupcakes

Fun cupcakes to celebrate two little guys' birthdays! One loves Batman, the other Superman, so we made a mixture of fondant toppers for them. These were chocolate cupcakes with toasted marshmallow filling and fluffy chocolate buttercream, with fondant toppers.

Lego Wolverine Cupcakes

Fun little Lego Wolverine cupcakes for a special little guy turning 5! A mixture of vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with hand made fondant toppers. Felt kind of bad making Wolfy so cute ;)