Cupcake Wars 2014

Cupcake Wars is a food based reality-based competition show hosted by Justin Willman based on creating unique and professional-style cupcakes that began airing in June 2010. The show starts with four contestants who are eliminated one-by-one in three rounds. The show invites cupcake bakers from all over the United States to compete. Each episode is centered around a theme or event.

“When you frost a cupcake, you spread the love.”

“It’s all about the cupcakes.”

It all begins with an idea & sketches

Hand cut fondant & gumpaste decorations

The props/decorations consist of: 

The Cowardly Lion, OZ, A Field of Poppies, Over the Rainbow,  ToTo, The Ruby Slippers, The Crown & Wand for Glinda the Good Witch of the South, The Oil Can for the Tin Man, The Yellow Brick Road, The Scarecrow, The House that fell on the Wicked Witch of the East & Dorothy's Dress. 

 There was a Cupcake War at my workplace 
(for operation feed - to raise money)

The Contestants
(in order of how they were set up on the table)

#1- Wizard of OZ

#2 - High Heel Shoes This was the winner, bringing in $130.00)

#3 - Ice Cream Sundae's (or Pudding Cups)

#4 (Unknown decoration) & #5 X's & O'S  (Tic Tac Toe w/candy)

#6 - Despicable Me Minion's (Made using a Twinke)

#7 - Sliders (Mini-Hamburgers)

#8  Shoe & Glitz decorations & # 9 Despicable Me Minion's (Made using a Butterfinger Cookie)

#10 - Hydrangea's

#11 - Pansies

ODE TO A CUPCAKE

“I miss my cupcake
Where has it gone
I wish it were here
at the wave of my wand…”

Remember Bakers: 

"Keep Calm.................... & Bake On

ROCK-N-ROLL Baby Shower Cake

Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails, That's what little boys are made of. 

"A Heart Full of Love"

A wee bit of heaven
drifted from above.
A handful of happiness,
a heart full of Love.

Author: Unknown

Welcome Baby - Will he be a Rock Star?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come Let me Rock you Gently

 (Ode to a rocking Chair)

Come let me rock you gently 

and as we softly sway 

I'll share with you a story 

and rock your cares away. 

 

In the years that I have known 

there has been much that I've seen.

The big "to do's", the nothing days 

and all those in between. 

To all I've offered comfort 

and a quiet place to rest 

I've rocked my share of little ones 

(oh, how I love them best!).

 

 A very tender memory 

of all of those I hold

 is one of love and caring 

that now is growing old.

 A Grandma with a little boy

placed firmly on her knee 

would for hours sit and play 

and we would rock so free! 

 The laughter in their voices 

(to which I'd add a creak!) 

would fill my day with pleasure 

and with pure joy I'd squeak!

 Oh how I loved the songs

 they sang and the games they played 

and all the stories told 

when they were all so young.

 

 Now as our time is winding down

 (it's nearly at an end!) 

I bid you please come back 

and sit when you have time to spend.

 Together we will gently sway 

and stories will unfold 

and I will rock your cares away 

as each new one is told.

(Inspired by Deborah Guzzis' The Chairs Tale contest)

CIRCUS - Happy Birthday Ian

The circus is coming to town 

Here they come

They're back in town

It's the greatest show around

There are clowns- jugglers too

There's so much to see and do

The lions roar- elephants dance

Nothing could ever be so grand!

Don't be left behind

They're startin' right on time

Cause the circus is coming to town

I started this cake with a theme & drawings

The making of the Circus Tent - "The Big Top"

The Gumpaste Circus Tent comes to life

A  gumpaste Lion, Seal, and a Magic Hat were created.
The lion and the seal are on a pedestal.
The magic hat has a white rabbit in it holding balloons.
Each piece was cut out & pieced together using edible glue.
Each piece is about 2 1/2 inches tall.

An edible marker was used to make the claws on the lion

The seal balancing a beach ball

Edible markers were used to put details on the balloons

Multicolored pendants were made into a banner. The pendants were made out of gumpaste and a rope to hold the pendants was made using icing. The banner says "Happy Birthday" and the birthday boy's name is on the flag of the tent. The cake is a multicolored marble cake with buttercream icing. Fondant clouds were added to the blue sky to give it that look of a great day to go to the circus.

The finished cake with all of the trimmings. . . . Enjoy!!!

"Take me out to the Circus"

Take me out to the circus
Take me out for the show
Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks
I don't care if I ever get back
Cause it's clap, clap, clap for the jugglers
and laugh, laugh, laugh for the clowns
For it's one, two, three rings of fun at the Old Big Top.

SPRING SHOWERS

This cake was made to celebrate the beginning of Spring.
This Winter has been a long and hard one for many people.
Rain, sleet, ice, hail and lots and lots of snow.
It's finally Spring. Everyone do a happy dance!!!

Flowers growing, streams are flowing

There are many things to do in Spring

There's lots and lots of sights to see

Spring has begun, lets have some fun

First homemade fondant and gumpaste were colored and flavored.  I used a cutter for the bunny rabbits and butterfly, a punch for the flowers and hand cut the umbrella shape.

 This is a 10" square spiced apple cake. It has a layer of caramel and a layer of buttercream icing for the filling. It is iced with homemade buttercream.

 This is a close-up view to show the flowers on the sides.

Springs in the air 

A Spring is in my steps 

I do so want to make it last.

April showers bring May flowers 

will they last, one can only guess.

A reason, a season and a rhyme 

Spring is here lets have a grand time!!!