Just a little hint

My new website category is almost ready to launch. Here is just a little hint...............

St Patricks day cookies

A little St Patrick's day cheer, for all those in need of a pot of gold. With special thanks to The Whole Cake & Caboodle for this awesome cookie picture, using this cauldron cutter.

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Red Puppy Appeal

I received the details today for the Red Puppy Appeal, from one of our lovely Kiwicakes members. I couldn't wait to share this with you all.

‘Red Puppy Appeal 2’: Sanura Wheatley-Stewart (11) from Taupaki (left), Georgia Wheatley-Mahon (11) from Freemans Bay, Thomas Williams (4) from Farm Cove, Bronagh Key, and Ethan Garland (3) of Birkenhead.

Bake a Difference for the Red Puppy Appeal - Need greater than ever following Christchurch earthquake

This year’s Red Puppy Appeal is set to be sweeter than ever with the launch of Red Puppy Bikkie Day on Friday 1 April.

And the need has never been greater, with the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) providing urgent and ongoing support to over 1,200 blind, deafblind and partially sighted members affected by the Christchurch earthquake.

“We are currently focusing a significant amount of time, resources and money to help our members and guide dogs affected in the Canterbury region,” says Sandra Budd, RNZFB Chief Executive.

“We have over 1,200 members in the area, including 40 guide dogs owners, some of whose dogs will need retraining as their usual routes and routines have changed dramatically.”

The 2011 Red Puppy Appeal, which is supported by the Prime Minister’s wife Bronagh Key, will run from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 April 2011, with Red Puppy Bikkie Day launching on the Friday 1 April. People can download materials and information from www.redpuppy.org.nz.

“We’re launching Red Puppy Bikkie Day this year to encourage individuals, schools and businesses to ‘bake’ a difference for our appeal,” says Ms Budd. “We’re inviting people to bake puppy-shaped biscuits and sell them for a donation to friends, family and colleagues.”

The funds raised by the Red Puppy Appeal will help the RNZFB continue its essential support work in Canterbury, as well as throughout the country.

Ms Budd says staff are working tirelessly to support the RNZFB’s members in the region, with specialist assistance needed to help working guide dogs and their owners.

“Extra staff members have flown into Christchurch – where they are camping in our local office – and visiting members to attend to urgent issues and to help plan for their orientation and mobility needs.

“The RNZFB receives no Government funding for Guide Dog Services so every dollar collected during the appeal counts and we hope that Red Puppy Bikkie Day will encourage people to support us,” says Ms Budd.

With the help of a RNZFB guide dog, those with little or no sight have greater freedom, confidence and independence. To become a RNZFB guide dog, puppies train for two years, pass 55 different tests and walk many thousands of steps.

During the appeal look out for RNZFB volunteers in bright red vests in your local area holding RNZFB collection buckets.

Go to www.redpuppy.org.nz to volunteer for the street appeal, register to hold a Red Puppy Bikkie Day event, or to make a donation.

Hazel Wheatley-Mahon (8) from Freemans Bay with Bronagh Key

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Kiwi Cake Decorator - Kirstin Fogarty

Tonight I profile Kirstin Fogarty of Magical Cakes - Auckland . If you'd like to be profiled in the Kiwi Cake decorator profile, please email me at sandra@kiwicakes.co.nz 

Kirstin's online - Flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/magicalcakes

Q: How long have you been decorating?

A: 8 years

Q: What is your favorite thing to bake & decorate – why?

A: Children's Novelty cakes covered with fondant – especially Debbie's Browns! ( I have 9 of her books, all autographed!)

Q: What got you started in baking/decorating?

A: 8 years ago when my daughter was a baby I had the top tier of our wedding cake recovered and decorated for her Christening by a professional cake decorator. I was a little disappointed in the cake and its finish and thought I could do a better job if only I knew how? So I enrolled at my local college and did 12 weeks of night classes to learn the basic skills. I loved it and from there on there was no stopping me! Creating my children's birthday cakes and family and friends cakes has been so much fun and I have learned a lot along the way!

Q: What are your top 5 decorating tools?

A: My Kenwood Major, small silicon rolling pin, ball tool, smoother and Wiltons large cake leveler.

Q: What do you do when you not decorating?

A: I am a Mum at home with 2 beautiful children and a busy husband who flies around the world a lot for work! I juggle the everyday running of the home, but I also love gardening and landscape design!

Q: What are some of your favorite creations you’ve created and why?

A: I love this circus tent cake that I created for my gorgeous nephew Sebastian on his first birthday, because the idea of circus animals popping their heads out of a tent was so cute and I loved the bright colours!

I love this cake by Peggy Porschen for its simplicity.

I also love Debbie Browns funky Fairy cake which I did at one of Debbie's workshops last year alongside Sandra!! I look at this cake and have fond memories of a very special day!

I made this little fairy cake for our builders laborer who worked tirelessly digging in the rain for a week during a renovation to our property! He mentioned his little girl was turning 2 shortly so it was a perfect way of me showing thanks! He was speechless!

I also like this recent Debbie Brown creation ‘Midnight Fairies’ from her Gorgeous and Gruesome book.( At last years workshop - we were lucky enough to have a sneak preview of it on Debbie's laptop before it was printed!)

Q: What is your favorite cake, cookie or cupcake?

A: White Chocolate & Baileys Mud cake. I love the subtle exotic flavor that keeps people guessing on the ingredients! Plus it is easy to stack and decorate and stays moist and fresh for a long time!

Q: If you could have someone to make a cake....

A: A two tiered round double barrel cake with 2 large peonies.

Q: Kirstin we met for the first time at a Debbie Brown workshop last year, I recall you telling me, you liked a more minimalist approach to things – is this how you’d describe the way you decorate?

A: Yes, but not a minimalist approach more of a ‘less is more.’ I don’t like to clutter a cake for the sake of it.( I found it hard adding so many daisies to the Funky Fairy cake!)

Purple Cake Day fun

We're having fun here for Purple Cake Day. I forgot to take a photo BEFORE the cupcakes started disappearing. We've got purple jellybeans for the kids. As well as the purple Rainbow Dust specials which run through on the website until 10pm tonight.

Have you ever tried brush embroidery?

This video from Wilton has inspired me to give it a go. Have you ever tried it?

Kiwi Cake Decorator - Suzie Toms

It's that time again! to profile another Kiwi Cake decorator. If you'd like to be featured here. Send me an email sandra@kiwicakes.co.nz.

Today I ask the questions of Suzie Toms. Suzie recently relocated to Cambridge from Devonport and lives there with her three boys.

Please give use details of your online sites (website, facebook page, blog etc); Suzie's Cake Creations, http://www.suziescakecreations.co.nz/  http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/SuziesCakeCreations the Blog is coming soon!

How long have you been decorating? I have been making birthday cakes for friends and family for over 10 years and started Suzie's Cake Creations just under 2 years ago.

What is you favourite thing to bake & decorate – why? I love to make 3D Birthday cakes for children - especially for pre-school children who are always delighted to recognize their most favourite characters in cake!

What got you started in baking/decorating ? A desire to make great birthday cakes for my children.

What are your top 5 decorating tools you cannot live without? My ball tool, my rolling pin, my spatula, a good sharp knife and my sieve.

What do you do when you’re not decorating ? When I'm not decorating I'm spending time with my children, family and friends, keeping house, gardening, reading and watching movies.

What are some of your favourite creations you’ve created ? My Dragon cake - made for a 70th Birthday for a much loved grandmother who was always affectionately known as the dragon.

The Beatrix Potter Christening cake because of the huge satisfaction I felt with the creation of the characters.

And my first 3D Tigger cake because it was such a success!

What is you favourite Cake, cookie, or cupcake flavour? I love a good lemon madeira with white chocolate butter cream - delicious!

If you could have someone make a cake for you, what would it be like? It wouldn't matter what it was like because it was made for me and that doesn't happen very often!

You offer an edible image printing service, direct to the public - can you tell me a little about this and why you enjoy doing it? I've only just begun to offer edible images - http://suziesedibleimageservice.webs.com/ - I like to offer my clients and customers a full and professional service.

Stylish Blogger Award



Gosh I've received the "Stylish blogger award" and I've now to follow these instructions (Or goodness knows what will happen to me - sounds like fun though)

1) Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award

2) Share 7 things about yourself

3) Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers

4) Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

1) Thanks Bec from Stilleto Studio blog  Bec sends me great posts on what she's been up to, I've enjoyed reading her blog.

 

2) Well anyone who regularly reads this blog will know a lot about me already, so I'll give you the sort of info that I might almost call secret

1. I adore PASTA - I could eat it every night for dinner and never get sick of it, I particularly like it with pesto.

2. I was once upon a time a manufacturing jeweller.

3. I have an addiction for "Body Combat" a Les Mills exercise class.

4. Once of my favorite sweets is marzipan and anything to do with marzipan

5. I prefer to make sweet dishes, but when I cook I love to make fiddly things - like  hors d'oeuvre's or appetisers

6. My favourite flower is the Arum Lily

7. My favourite colour is green, I even had a green wedding dress, back as a spring chicken when I got married in 2000 at 24.

 

3. Wow awarding 15 recent blogger's (some might not end up being so recent.)

1. Monica from Delissimon - Many of you may remember Monica from "NZ's hottest home baker". Monica was actually one of my first commenter's way back when I started this blog, in the first few weeks, I think it was just me and Mon! We have regular cyber chats, I am glad she is in my life.

 

2. Flo from Flo's a Scrapin  Flo and I got to know each other, when Cricut Cake was released. Flo's knowledge of all things paper related in Cricut, opened my mind to what was possible in icing and then some. I 've learnt so much from Flo. 

 

3. Evelyn from Fun Decorating I'm loving the chance to showcase some of my customers blogs! - I enjoy checking out the latest creations here.

 

4. Nici from Nic Nac Noodle Nici is based in Taupo and  this could have been one of the seven things I could have told you about me.................. Nici and I flatted together in our youth for a few years, I still see Nici's mum and sister daily, as they work at the local Post office. Nici's party planning news and ideas are awesome. Her site is the one I go to, when my children consistently pick a theme I don't stock. Lately I've been loving her party food ideas.

 

5 Cakes by Anne another of my customers blogs. Anne runs cake decorating classes. We met at a recent conference, she's one fun lady, we often chat on the phone.

 

6. Sondra at Sweet Bites Cakes I love her novelty cake work, another lovely lady, I've had the pleasure of working with.

 

7. Vanessa at Bella Cupcakes Her blog has recently had a makeover. Many of you will be familiar with her work. Her work is unparalleled in my mind. If I was getting married (already did that - I would order my cake from Vanessa)

 

8. Glory from Glorious Treats does amazing things with cookies & cakes. She plans stunning parties and her floristry is awesome. I have in the past commented on Glory's facebook, flickr & blog. But she's such a popular lady, I'm but one of her many fans. Glory is very generous with her time, ideas and free printables she creates & shares.

 

9. Haniela from Haniela's food & photography she has in the past very kindly permitted me to share some of her tutorials with you all here on my blog. Her amazing photos always accompany her generous tutorials, you could learn alot from Haniela.

 

10.  Delish Cupcakes Colleen and Kathryn are two awesomely awesome girls who work together over on the North Shore (Auckland). Get yourself over there for one of their wonderful creations that change daily.

11. Bullrush Chocolates - these girls make everything sound like fun (even when they are not having fun)

12. Baking for Hospice Because I admire the amazing work they do and there never ending enthusiam for helping others (due to the nature of this blog - I won't be able to get them to particpate in this project -as the blog is showcasing the baking only)

13. Mrs A. in the Cove an amazing blog I admire for her dessert tables. Every time I view them, I want an excuse to make one.

14. Sequin Corner Cakes Kasey, yet another Kiwicakes member, I just sneaked a look and she has a great tutorial just listed recently. Kasey recently was drawn to have her photo showcased int he Kiwicakes newsletter.

15.Tales from a Cafe chick I enjoy reading this blog immensely, always humourous, sometimes thought provoking. Even better for those in Wellington, as great eats tips are often given away.

Kiwicakes 5th birthday

It's that time again! - Kiwicakes is turning 5. And we're running our annual birthday cake competition. Click here to see details of the 3rd birthday cake winner and here for the 4th birthday winner. I strongly encourage all past entrants to enter again, as when I think back on all the entries, it is with fond memories. I would have been proud to have any of the entries, as the winning cake.

I'm asking anyone interested to design a birthday cake for Kiwicakes 5th birthday party. Your cake should echo what you feel epitomises Kiwicakes. Your design ideas can be sent to me in any form, for example, a sketch or even a photo of a previous cake you've made, feel free to add written notes describing how you might alter the cake from your photo, or what elements in your sketch represent. The winner will be required to bake & decorate the winning design.

Be sure to include what flavour(s) the cake will be and the approximate size of finished cake.

Where to send it

You can email your ideas to me at sandra@kiwicakes.co.nz or post to me snail mail at Kiwicakes, Po Box 4441, Kamo, Whangarei. Entries close March 31st 2011. Please include your telephone number with your entry.

The details

There are no design limitations for your cake, you can make it as big or as small as you like. However there is a limit of $50 for cake ingredients. I felt by limiting the cost of ingredients, this would allow design talent to shine through, rather than lots of expensive ingredients. The winner will be reimbursed for ingredients, to the value of $50

The winner will be required to make bake & decorate the winning design, during the month of April, at a time to suit them. I will then arrange for the cake to be collected from their home town for delivery to Kiwicakes.

I'll be loading the entries to the Kiwicakes blog (without the entrants names - so you can all remain anonymous) so that anyone interested can check them out.

Terms & Conditions - Kiwicakes 5th birthday competition

Prize is $500 worth of cake decorating supplies, chosen by Kiwicakes - delivered to the winner, at a destination within NZ. Prize is not exchangeable for cash.

Winner is required to bake and decorate the winning design during the month of April 2011 to receive their prize.

Cost of ingredients up to the value of $50 will be reimbursed by Kiwicakes.

Competition is open to all residents of New Zealand (pick up address for cake must be within New Zealand).

The winner agrees to their name & photo of cake being used for publicity purposes.

Entrants designs will be loaded to the KiwicakesNZ blog.

Winner will be posted to Kiwicakes blog and will feature in a future edition of the Kiwicakes newsletter.

Entries close March 31st 2011

Ingredients substitutions

An awesomely handy chart to have - from the people at the Chelsea Sugar Company

Self-raising flour 1 cup self-raising flour = 1 cup plain flour + 1½ teaspoons baking powder.

Butter 250g butter = the same quantity of margarine or 7/8 cup of oil (if recipe required melted butter).

Egg 1 whole egg = 2 egg yolks + 1 tablespoon water.

Caster sugar place white sugar in a food processor and pulse for approximately 1 minute until the grains are finer.

Dark Brown Sugar 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar = 1 cup Caster Sugar + ¼ cup Treacle or Golden Syrup.

Soft Brown Sugar 1 cup Soft Brown Sugar = 1 cup Caster Sugar + 2 Tbsp Golden Syrup.

Milk 1 cup blue or light blue milk = ½ cup water + ½ cup evaporated milk or cream. Alternatively use soy milk.

Buttermilk 1 cup buttermilk = ½ cup plain non-fat yoghurt + ½ cup milk.

Sour cream 1 cup sour cream = 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar stirred through and allowed to stand for 5 minutes to sour.

Baking powder 1 teaspoon baking powder = ¼ teaspoon baking soda + ½ cup buttermilk or sour milk and reduce the liquid in the recipe by half.

Cornstarch 1 tablespoon cornstarch = 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

Lemon juice small amounts of lemon juice e.g. 1 teaspoon can be substituted with vinegar. 1 tsp lemon juice = ½ teaspoon vinegar.

Honey 1 cup honey = 1 cup & 2 Tbsp of sugar + ¼ cup of the same liquid used in the recipe.

Unsalted butter – many US and UK recipes call for unsalted butter. You can buy unsalted butter in NZ, however regular butter (salted) is fine to use in your recipes.

Shortening 1 cup shortening = 1 cup butter or margarine.

Cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon = ½ teaspoon ground all spice.

All Spice 1 teaspoon all spice = ½ teaspoon ground cloves + ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Photo updates for Purple Cake Day

I thought you might enjoy seeing some photos from this weekend past of the purple cupcakes, that were created for Purple Cake Day. Each weekend Purple cupcakes are being created and sold in Nelson, culminating in Purple Cake Day March 1st. For more details go to the Purple Cake Day website. I'm proud to be the one responsible for all the lovely volunteers being covered in Rainbow Dust glitter.

I'm busy planning my own Purple Cake Day celebrations. At the moment I'm thinking purpe Rain cupcakes (like the cocktail)

Purple Cake Day



Kiwicakes is proud to be the cake supplies sponsor for Purple Cake Day. I've spent some time corresponding with Emily, the incredible woman behind the initiative and after hearing her story I wanted to be involved immediately. Kiwicakes has fitted out Purple Cake Day, with EVERYTHING purple I could possibly think of and then some. I can't wait to see some of the purple creations made throughout February and on Purple Cake Day - March 1st 2011.

Emily & her daughter Alyahna

Purple Cake Day is an idea conceived by Nelsonian, Emily Sanson-Rejouis to celebrate the spirit of her daughters, Kofie-Jade (5) and Zenzie (3), who were lost with their father, Emily’s husband Emmanuel, in the Haiti earthquake in January 2010.

It is inspired by Kofie’s compassion for children less fortunate and by Zenzie who wanted not one, but two purple cakes for her 4th birthday.

Immediately following the earthquake, Emily established the Kenbe La Foundation (‘Kenbe La’ means “Never Give Up” in Haitian Creole), a registered charitable trust, to provide educational opportunities for children in need. The Foundation has since established Purple Cake Day as a specific day to celebrate and connect children from around the world.

Funds raised by the Foundation in 2010 and 2011, including those raised by Purple Cake Day, are going towards the Foundation’s current project of building a school in Leogane Province, Haiti, one of the regions most severely affected by the earthquake. The Kenbe La Foundation has already provided and coordinated direct support to the Source of Hope School in Tom Gato Community, Leogane. The school supporting 120 primary level students with 5 teachers was completely destroyed in the quake. The Kenbe La Foundation has arranged educational resources, clothes, ShelterBox tents for temporary classrooms and teachers salaries. To read more about Emily’s story and the Foundation go to http://www.kenbelafoundation.org/

Purple Cake Day Blog can be found by clicking  here and  from here you can download an educational pack for incorporating Purple Cake Day in to schools.

Emily's story features in the February issue of next magazine. Julie Le Clerc has created a purple cupcake recipe, which features in next magazine you can get it here

Ideas for how you can get involved are here

Photos in the post and on Purple Cake day's website are credited to Daniel Allen Photography.

Kiwi Cake Decorator - Tracy Unsworth

Today I am profiling Kiwi Cake Decrator - Tracy Unsworth. Tracy is the owner/operator of A'riginal Cakes - 12 Arawata St. Ph: 078716909. Tracy has previously won the Kiwicakes birthday cake competition see her winning design here

If you would like to be profiled here email me at sandra@kiwicakes.co.nz and I'll send you the ten questions.

Hi Tracy, please give us you website, facebook page, blog: website http://www.ariginalcakes.co.nz/ and

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/ARiginal-Cakes/195683362008

How long have you been decorating? 16 years

You've recently opened a shop in Te Awamutu - tell us about this journey.  I had been making cakes from home to sell for a few years and as I was becoming more and more known I was of course getting busier and busier so with that my darling hubby encouraged me to look at opening my own cake shop/kitchen. Because as I got busier the home was being overtaken leaving no dinner table at tea time running out of places to put things as I was making them so it was another reason to find somewhere where I didnt have to worry about it all but could also just leave it. After looking into it and knowing that there had been a cake shop in Te Awamutu a few years ago now and with even more encouragement from our farm bosses I was able to track down and find this great shop with a registered kitchen on the back so it was perfect... all I had to do was buy an oven, repaint, get a tub put in and get a few things for in the shop and I was away. Since I opened on the 10th May I havent really stopped with orders coming in all the time, sales in the shop of stock etc it has been the best thing ever and I am already getting regulars both for supplies and cakes. The word has gotten round town quite quickly and I was also recently in the local paper which has also boosted my business. It is also great as now I am a registered cake decorator and legal I can now have displays at the bridal shows etc without any worries and concerns of getting into trouble.

What is you favourite thing to bake & decorate? I love baking cakes and decorating them especially 3D cakes. I mainly use and prefer fondant on the cakes.

What got you started in baking/decorating? After my first daughter was born my first cake was her 1st birthday. in those days I didnt bake my own cakes I would buy a slab of sponge cake from Pak n Save and cut out to shape and would use buttercream and as I didnt know how to pipe I used liquorice straps cut into thins to make all my lines etc.. see a few of my kids cakes done this way. Then in 2001 when living in Masterton a new cake guild was being set up so I joined and there is where I learnt how to pipe, make roses, figures, carnations and orchids and of course started baking for myself swearing I would never bake for anyone else - hmmm never say never hehe.

What are your top 5 decorating tools you cannot live without? My spatula’s, silicon rolling pin (bought from Kiwicakes) dont know how I went without for sooooo long, my muffin tray converted into my flower forming stand, my pasta machine to which I roll out the thin icing for lettering and flowers, and all my wonderful books.

What do you do when you're not decorating? Now I have the shop I enjoy down time away from it all just chilling with the family, going camping, taking digital photos, writing poetry.

What are some of your favourite creations you've made? My all time favourite cake would be my 3 tier kina wedding cake, the couple were told by several cake places that it couldnt be done and me being me is always up for a challenge.

A 3D car I made for my dad’s 60th birthday it would be the best car to date I think.

 My 3D sorting hat cake.

My more recent cake of the avatar face as I had never carved a face before and was great to see her come alive as I put on the details.

Another recent cake of a figure sitting under a blossom tree she is just gorgeous.

And of course the 3D Mickey Mouse but honestly I do have a few that I like but nothing is better than one that is an original design by yourself ie the cakes I have listed above. which is also why I call my business A’Riginal Cakes as 90% of the cakes I do are an original design and who says original anyways we all say ariginal hehe.

What is you favourite Cake, cookie, or cupcake flavour? Wow favourite flavour.. I have a couple my chocolate boysenberry cake, chocolate boysenberry tim tam cake and my banana lemon cake. Why? because they are all different, lovely and moist and original flavours that I have played round to make although there are probably recipes out there but I dont tend to look for recipes I play round.

If you could have someone make a cake for you, what would it be like? This is a tough one as I would soooo love for someone to make a cake for me and it would have to be something 3D probably or with figurines etc on it. I would give them an idea of what I am into and from that they would have to then come up with a design which is how I work my cakes.

Paua wedding cake

I was sent this photo by Rebekah Davis, of a wedding cake that her partner made, using paua edible icing image sheets from Kiwicakes
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Sharon Egen - Kiwi Cake Decorator

Todays Kiwi Cake Decorator spotlight is on Sharon Egen from Auckland. (Kiwi Cake Decorators is a bi-monthly 10 question interview with a Kiwi Cake Decorator, if you'd like to feature here, please email me sandra@kiwicakes.co.nz)

What is your business called? Sweet Tooth Cake Design, my Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Tooth-Cake-Design/186315211004

How long have you been decorating? For as long as I can remember, I used to help Mum decorate Birthday/Christmas cakes and from around 12 years old used to make birthday cakes for my friends little sister. I’ve been decorating for family/friends for around 15 years and for other clients for around 7 years.

What is your favourite thing to bake & decorate – why? I love working with fondant and sculpting 3D kid’s cakes, the looks on their faces when they see their favourite character as a lifelike cake is a huge reward. I also love creating wedding cakes.

What got you started in baking/decorating? My sweet tooth predominantly and an interest inherited from my Mum.

What are your top 5 decorating tools you cannot live without? My Kitchenaid mixer, wooden cake smoothers, wooden rolling pin, knitting needle (perfect for testing cakes and handy for other little icing jobs) and my icing tips.

What do you do when you’re not decorating? Act as a taxi service for my children and spend time with family, I am a bit addicted to Zumba and online shopping too.

What are some of your favourite creations? Storm Trooper Helmet – This cake was made for my sons 6th birthday who was Star Wars mad at the time. His face was priceless when he saw it.

Cowboy cake – Made for a special wee man turning 1, the cake was a perfect fit for his cowboy themed birthday complete with hay bales, cowboy hats and horse rides. Woody and bullseye were made out of fondant and I loved how they turned out.

Mickey Mouse cake – I love this one as it was a bit of a challenge to capture the look of Mickey Mouse.

Baby cupcakes – I had always wanted to give these baby cupcakes a go, luckily I was given ‘free reign’ for a baby shower so created these.

What is you favourite Cake, cookie, or cupcake flavour? I’m a simple girl at heart and I love vanilla cupcakes, with lashings of whipped lemon buttercream.

If you could have someone make a cake for you, what would it be like? I’d love to have a topsy turvy cake made using one of those complex cake construction systems so that I could deconstruct it to get ideas and keep the tools!

I’ve come to realise that as a cake decorator I usually miss out on birthday cakes as people think I need perfection, however for my last birthday my children (helped by Nana) made me a butterfly cake iced in buttercream – I LOVED IT!!!

You currently have a beautiful cake as your facebook profile picture, tell us a little bit about this cake? This cake was created for my best friends wedding. It was very much a work of love. There were four flavours in the three tiers - Chocolate mudcake, Fruit, Banana and Lemon/Coconut and Gin. The cake was iced in white chocolate ganache and covered in fondant and then stacked. The sugar pearls were individually applied and took just over 8 hours for that job alone. The flower was a silk one that I hand coloured to the correct colour.

A birthday cake for Joy-Joy

This cake was made for a dear family friend who turned 70 this week and had her party last night. We couldn't be with her, so the cake was couriered to her. I had wanted to make the cake taller and include a "button tin" lid, propped up against the side, but I feared couriering that. The resulting design is an adaption that I felt would arrive at the other end in one piece and it did.

Joy (aka Joy-Joy) is a button collector, hence the tin of buttons, she also adores patchwork & owls. The lettering is done with the Cricut Cake machine, as are the owls. The cake board I really wanted to show, so that it looked like someone has placed a doily on top of a cake board, and placed a tin of buttons on top. The doily is also made with the Cricut. The buttons I made using these vintage and antique button moulds, I used pettinice in those - they are finished in different colours of lustre. Then I used this plastic chocolate mould and white chocolate melts, coloured with powder colour, to make a variety of buttons that looked like vintage plastic.

The cake is chocolate fudge cake, with chocolate ganache, covered in chocolate pettinice.

-->  The owls go round the circumference of the tin, interspersed with little butterflies.

Chocolate almond cake (gluten free)

I wanted to share with you all the recipe I used for Grandma Kiwicakes birthday cake last weekend. It was flour free (gluten free), Grandma Kiwicakes is not gluten intolerant, but we both love almond cakes and wanted to give this recipe a try.

I baked 2 separate cakes, so used double the amount shown here, as the cakes don't bake very thick layers. Each layer was aprx 2'' thick.

Ingredients

5 eggs

200g butter

200g sugar

200g plain almonds

200g dark chocolat

Method

1. Melt the chocolate & butter together, then mix in the ground almond. Set aside to cool.

2. Separate 4 of the eggs. Mix 1 whole egg and 4 yolks with the sugar. Blend this with the chocolate/almond mixture.

3. Beat the 4 remaining egg whites until they are stiff. Using a metal spoon, carefully fold the egg whites in to the chocolate/almond mixture.

4. Pour in to non-stick spring-form baking tin and bake at 175-180 degrees for 45-55mins.

I put my 2 layers together with a layer of ganache and then covered the cake in a very thin layer of ganache, to adhere Bakels Chocolate Pettinice before decorating using cut-outs from my Cricut Cake

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Kiwicakes Logo competition

Kiwicakes has a new logo and he/she needs a name.

Email me your idea for our little kiwi's name to sandra@kiwicakes.co.nz with "Kiwi Competition" in the subject line and be in to win a Kiwicakes $250 prize pack delivered to your door.

Enter as many times as you like. Competition closes Feb 28th 2011. The winning name for our kiwi will be chosen by Kiwicakes staff. Please don't send obscene names and judges reserve the right to not select any of the names submitted.

You will see the Kiwicakes website get a makeover in the next few days, with new banners. We started with the blog today. Please leave me a comment here on the blog, to let me know what you think of it.

Grandma Kiwicakes birthday cake

Here's a pic of a cake I made this weekend - for Grandma Kiwicakes birthday. I used my Cricut Cake machine to make the paisley. Grandma Kiwicakes was pretty chuffed with it. I made a flourless chocolate almond cake, for no other reason, than I wanted to attempt something different and boy was it tasty.

Please tell me what you think of it.