Wests Tigers Cake

For my third logo cake I was asked to make a Wests Tigers cake. Since it is such a detailed logo, I would be lying if I didn't consider suggesting that I just print out an edible image and stick it to the top of an orange cake but I decided to accept the challenge. I'm glad I did too, because I think it turned out really well! I started with a black fondant background for the logo, then I cut the shape of the tiger and added the details with food colouring, and replicated the logos text. Lastly I finished the cake of with a black and white border around the bottom to really tie it all together. To see more examples of logo cakes, click on the links for a St George Dragons Cake or a Chelsea FC Cake.

Birthday Present Cake 2

Another birthday present cake! These are always so much fun to decorate. This one was a caramel mud cake with turquoise 'wrapping' and a white fondant bow, and is a larger version of the original Birthday Present Cake, measuring 16cm each direction (as opposed to 12cm).

How To: Nutella Cookies

These are the easiest cookies that you will ever make. They were a Pinterest find and the thing that made me decide to try them out was just how easy it would be to involve kids and introduce them to baking! Another great thing is that you only really need three ingredients and barely any dishes as it can be mixed by hand. This batch got devoured so quickly, but next time I think I'll chop them up and add it to some homemade ice cream. I really do encourage you to make them - they're so chewy and yum!

Nutella Cookies

1 cup Nutella

1 cup plain flour

1 large egg

1/2 cup sugar (from original recipe, but definitely optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 180ºC and line tray with baking paper.

2.  Place all ingredients in medium bowl and mix until you can form a large ball.

3.  Roll 1" balls - should yield about 12, and press down slightly.

4.  Space evenly on tray and bake for 7-8 minutes. Do not over bake, they should still be soft to the touch while hot.

5.  Cool on trays for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

Optional: These cookies would also be great with choc chips, rolled oats, chopped hazelnuts, or sandwiched together with chocolate ganache.

Adapted from tastykitchen.com.

Golf Ball Cake

This weekend I made my first golf themed cake for a 30th birthday. There are so many directions you can choose to go in when designing a golf cake, and we decided upon making the focus a big golf ball. I started with an 18cm cake which I covered in fondant to represent the putting green, then added the 12cm golf ball on top. Lastly I personalised the cake with a little flag and the birthday message. It was a different way of making a two-tiered cake and lots of fun to make!

A Week Of Cupcakes!

It has been over a week since my last blog post, but I have a good excuse - I've been way too occupied making lots of cupcakes and fondant cakes (posts to follow). First up are some Double Choc Vanilla Cupcakes, decorated with green bows (above) for a friend's birthday barbecue.

These were vanilla cupcakes with my all time favourite chocolate icing and filled with creamy white chocolate ganche. They're making me hungry just thinking about them! You wouldn't be able to tell from the photos but they were indeed the same batch of cupcakes as the ones with bows - just goes to show why I should remember to photograph in daylight.

To accompany these I also made some Red Velvet & Coconut Cupcakes; classic red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing and garnished with shredded coconut.

Lastly are Peaches & Cream Cupcakes, which are peach cupcakes with a peach compote filling and iced with some amazing two-toned mascarpone icing. Look out for some tiramisu cupcakes in the near future because they're next on my to-bake list just for an excuse to make that icing again!

Personalised Car Cake

When I was first asked to make a car cake I was a little nervous in saying yes, as I had never made one before and know next to nothing about cars. It was certainly out of my comfort zone, but I figured it would be a fun challenge! 

In order to replicate the car's design using the reference photos I was provided, I first started by assembling a large, three-layered rectangular chocolate cake. Taking it one step at a time, I carved out the shape of the car, then covered it in icing and red fondant. To create the illusion of the car being elevated off the ground, without compromising the structural integrity of the cake, I decided the cover the cake board in dark grey fondant as if it were a road, and then carry on that colour up the first centimetre or so of the base of the car. After that I was free to decorate the car as usual, adding wheels, windows, headlights and stripes, and finishing it all off with gum paste mirrors and licence plates. There were so many little details, but it all contributed to making it look as lifelike as possible.

If you would like a personalised car cake such as this one, prices are $100 for a 26cm long cake, or $150 for a cake 36cm long. Please also include reference photos displaying the front, back, and side of the car so that I can make it as accurate as I can.