Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Kiwi Cake decorator - Rachel Jenkinson

Our latest profile in the Kiwi Cake Decorator's profile is Rachel Jenkinson. If you would like to be profiled here, please contact sandra@kiwicakes.co.nz

Your name & business name (if applicable). Any website, facebook page, blog etc: Rachel Jenkinson, hobbyist baker & decorator http://www.facebook.com/rachs-cakes#!/pages/Rachs-Cakes-Balclutha/142863472432177

How long have you been decorating? I have been interested in cake decorating ever since I was an “ankle biter”. My aunty is a cake decorator and I used to love looking through her Women’s Weekly cake books and picking the cakes I wanted for my birthday, so I have always been interested. Then about a year ago I thought I would seriously try and learn the art. I am self-taught so over that time I have been learning as I go, trying new things and practicing different techniques and slowly building up my “cake kit” as I go.

What is you favourite thing to bake & decorate – why? I love working with fondant because I love the polished, smooth look it gives, whereas trying to get buttercream smooth tends to stress me out! I really enjoy making cupcakes as I find them less stressful.

What got you started in baking/decorating? My passion for cake decorating started when I made a Dora the Explorer birthday cake for my little girl’s third birthday. She absolutely loved it!

What are your top 5 decorating tools you cannot live without? My rolling pin, tylose powder, my turntable that my lovely sister-in-law bought for me, my little shaping tools and my pizza cutter wheel – I don’t know what I would do without it!

What do you do when you’re not decorating? Eek, well with two littlies under four, working my “real job” for 34 hours a week, my duties as the treasurer and fundraising for our local toy library, I don’t get a lot of time for relaxing. But when I do I love to put my feet up, watch a DVD and have a glass of sauvignon blanc – ah, bliss!

What are some of your favourite creations you’ve created and why? My favourite cake to date would be this Dorothy the Dinosaur cake I made for a friend’s wee girl’s second birthday party. She wanted a girly, Dorothy themed cake and I was pleased she wasn’t after an exact copy of anything so I had some creative license. I was thrilled with the end result and how the Dorothy figure turned out – I was terrified the kids would be like “that’s not Dorothy”!


What is you favourite Cake, cookie, or cupcake flavour? I love Mississippi Mud Cake – its always so yummy and moist, it keeps really well and actually seems to get better with age, yum!

If you could have someone make a cake for you, what would it be like? That is a tough question, I have never really thought about it. I get to make my own 30th cake in June so it will give me something to think about LOL! I would love anything that somebody made for me because everything always tastes better when you don’t have to make it yourself LOL!

Rachel did you know, you have more posts than any other member in the Kiwicakes forum (including me). Tell me a little bit about your experiences of the forum.
Oh gosh, no I didn’t, where on earth do I find the time! Don’t tell my husband because he will expect me to start doing more housework! I was really excited when the forum started because it’s so great to have somewhere that is relevant to us kiwis. You can learn a lot from overseas forums but it’s great to have somewhere where we can talk about things that relate to us, such as New Zealand dollars, New Zealand ingredients etc. I probably have so many posts cos I joined up the first day you started it (LOL!) and also because I love to share everything, whether it’s my latest cakes or whether I am trying to help others out or just give them support. I think it’s awesome to be able to help each other out and share knowledge.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Satin Ice fondant is here in New Zealand!



SATIN ICE is a ready to roll fondant icing. It is available in White, Ivory, and Pre-coloured. All varieties have a lovely vanilla taste. There is also a dark chocolate flavour/colour. In New Zealand we also know this icing to be called under different brands or names
- Plastic Icing
- RTR Icing
- Pettinice
SATIN ICE also makes a Gum Paste (known as modelling paste or sugar flower paste in NZ) which sets hard.
The finest cake shops, bakeries and patisseries use Satin Ice products to complete their works of edible art...from birthday, wedding and special event and novelty cakes to cupcakes and cookies or as stand-alone sugar figurine displays.
Some of the world's renowned cake designers and sugar artists call Satin Ice their brand of choice for rolled fondant and gum paste. Satin products can be seen on a multitude of cable and satellite TV food shows such as "Ace of Cakes" (Food Network), "Cake Boss" (TLC), "Food Network Challenge", "Ultimate Cake Challenge" (TLC) and more. The finest cake shops, bakeries and patisseries use Satin Ice products to complete their works of edible art . . . from birthday, wedding and special event and novelty cakes to cupcakes and cookies or as stand-alone sugar figurine displays.

Zero grams trans fats, Zero grams Cholesterol

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free

Contains no animal-derived ingredients.

Certified Kosher Pareve

Made in the USA and are highly profitable to the baker.

Signature Features

The signature flavour is unmatched: Mellow, Smooth & Creamy NEVER chewy.

The chocolate fondant, with its "Tootsie aroma" and flavour, is a favourite.

Excellent elasticity when rolled out, easy to handle and seemingly unbreakable.

The satin-fine texture allows it to be rolled very thin.

Made in the USA, ensuring a fresh, consistent product.

Satin Ice is Certified kosher pareve, providing access to a broader market.

Dependable Performance

When modeling decorations, your pieces will dry just as you intended. Satin Ice will not overdry and crack.

Seals the cake, keeping it moist and fresh and increasing the shelf life of the cake.

Your finished cake may be refrigerated or frozen once covered.

Satin Ice exclusive Gum Paste formula adds even more decorative possibilities. Use alone or as an add-in to your Satin Ice fondant to create stronger pieces where you need them.
 
Click here for video Testimonials from Buddy Valastro (Cake Boss), Ron Ben-Israel, Anne Heap (Pink Cake Box) & more.
Click here for heaps of instructional "how to" videos from Satin Ice

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Kiwicakes 5th birthday cake


Today the Kiwicakes 5th birthday cake arrived. And I love it! Stephanie had sent me some photos before she sent the cake.


Here's is all the hard work that went in to it.


Here is the lovely Stephanie.


It was delivered by our friendly fastway courier this morning, and it arrived in fantastic condition, thanks to the wonderful boxing & wrapping by Stephanie. (non slip mat in the box, on the base of the boxes bottom and clear wrapped in cellophane, so the couriers could see the wonderful masterpiece they were transporting.



Now I won't say it was a shame to cut it, I hear that far too much for my liking, cakes are made to be cut. Stephanie has spoiled us rotten with 5 flavours, at time of writing, I've only cut the giant cupcake portion of the cake (which Stephanie has very cleverly airbrushed the base with black, to give the illusion of being a cupcake paper.). What a feast for the eyes. Check out the Chocolate and vanilla striping.


Every which way you turned the cake, was a delight, with little hidden treasures at every angle.


I think the cake looks just like Stephanies sketch, she did a great job.


To view all of the entries in the Kiwicakes 5th birthday competition click here.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Kiwicakes 5th birthday cake competition winner


The winner of the 5th birthday cake competition is the above sketch by Stephanie Curnow. I love the 5 interlocking cakes, 1 for each year. I adore the side view sketh, that shows just how each cake is a work of art on it's own. I've been in touch with Stephanie and she will be baking this cake very soon!

Here's a sneak peak at the other entries. All entrants will receive their Kiwicakes voucher within the next week. We had one or two entries that were written without pics, these are not included here.


















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