Who needs the gym?

When you can shift 120kgs of Cricut machines in a day. We've wrestled 120kg (or so the freight man told us) worth of Cricut today. And for all you girls that have ordered one, here is proof they're on the way. Right I think I need chocolate now WHEW!

Never listen to your mother!

I have been on edge all day, listening for the truck in the driveway bringing the Cricut Cake machines. Grandma Kiwicakes said to me "Go and get your lunch - they won't deliver them at lunch time" WRONG!. Poor Grandma Kiwicakes was left to take delivery of all these machines, mats & cartridges, as they arrived 5 minutes after I left. Lunch is eaten, so I am no working like mad over the next few hours, to ensure all of these wonderful machines are dispatched today to all those that have ordered. ENJOY!

Everyone please be sure to send me photos of your Cricut creations.

Kiwicakes has the best customers in NZ!

Thanks to everyone that came to the big day out yesterday. And for all your well wishes, hugs and congratulations - oh and presents! (yes I got some of those too!). It's great to hear you think I am doing a good job. We kicked off at 9am and it was 4pm before we knew it. I snatched a couple of bites to eat during the day - but was run off my feet all day. My apologies to those I didn't get long enough to talk to. Special thanks to go the Waitakere cake club for putting on such a special day.

Some of you I was meeting person for the first time - Ree was kind enough to send me a copy of the photo of us taken together.

Here we are with our Cricut cake hats on

Doesn't matter how many times I watch this machine cut cut CUT!, I am still in awe of it!. I just know those of you that ordered Cricut Cake yesterday will be in awe of it too, when you receive yours in close on a weeks time.

My time at Debbie Brown workshops

I had a fabulous time at the Debbie Brown workshops over the weekend. Debbie is without a doubt my favourite demonstrator. It was also lovely to spend time with fellow cake decorators from around the country, many of whom I have dealt with through Kiwicakes, many old friends and now some new ones too!.

I arrived just after 9am, after a perfect run down from Whangarei. Only to discover I had 2x 10 inch dummies, instead of 2x 10cm dummies argh!. I felt so helpless. However with great thanks to Jane & Hails, who each had 1 spare 10cm cake, I was back on track for the Funky Fairy Princess cake. We had such fun making this cake. Not one cake in the room was the same. Even Debbie's cake for the day, was different from her photo. We ran a little over time with this cake, there wasn't time to finish all the embellishments on her dress. Special thanks go to my host Catherine, who put me up for the night. Catherine joined me for the Saturday workshop and was able to make the fairy cake for her granddaughters 5th birthday on Sunday - perfect timing!.

Now we just need Debbie to come back in August, in three years time, so Catherine can make her grandson's 5th birthday cake too.

I learnt quite a few things from Debbie over the weekend, and she imparted a lot of special hints & tips. All weekend Debbie consistently praised Pettinice icing (Bakels brand). She kept metioning how it was far superior to what she works with in the UK. We were even shown things and told "I couldn't do this with my brand of fondant - it would rip or tear". Debbie wished it was available in the UK.

Debbie works with amazing speed, and she never ceases to amaze how she does everything only once. Although she promises us, things do sometimes go wrong.

Here is the photo we were shown before the workshop

Here is Debbie's cake from Saturday

Here is my cake from Saturday

Each petal strip of the dress was created very quickly, we first rolled a long thing sausage, then we rolled indentations along the length of the sausage, so it almost looked like a string of seaweed. We then rolled it flat.

The Mermaid cake was by far my favourite. Perhaps because it was not pink, but I think more likely because it was blue & had all the corals and sea life around the bottom which I love. This photo was taken very hastily, and I see as I upload it, I have taken the photo from the wrong angle - my mermaid, is not as badly placed as my photo appears. I took it very quickly before the 2 1/2 hour drive home, in case it broke (which it didn't). I will endeavour to upload another photo soon.

Even more so than the previous day, these cakes were wildly different from each others, as we all went to town creating sea life on our cake boards. Debbie again mentioned how much easier it was to create the spiral and the wrap for this cake using pettinice fondant, instead of what she uses at home in the UK. We even got the inside scoop, that the reason the little orange fishes are where they are, is because her fondant tore and cracked and she wanted to cover it up.

These two cakes will feature in her new book "gorgeous & Gruesome" which is due out very soon.

Here is the original photo we were shown

Here is Debbies' cake from Sunday

Here is my cake from Sunday

I was happy with my mermaids face (I don't have much experience with figures)

What's terribly exciting for all of us, is,  Debbies actual cakes are being raffled at the Big Day out in Auckland this weekend. (9am-4pm at the Remuera Bridge club ALL welcome), including the wedding couple in beetle car, she did the workshop for on Friday. Wouldn't it be great to win one of Debbies' cakes. Come along to the big day out. There are 6 demo's in total, as well as sales tables from various traders including Kiwicakes. I will also be there demonstrating Cricut Cake at my sales table. Entry is $25.00

Gumpaste tip I picked up.

Gumpaste as you know is notoriously hard and "gummy" to knead. I have found that "crisco" brand shortening (which has the consistency of margarine used straight from the container) is like nourishing hand cream for gumpaste. A quick smear over over the surface of the gumpaste before kneading and it is instantly more workable. This has proved remarkably useful for working with Cricut Cake.

RAINBOW DUST DOUBLE-SIDED FOOD PEN MAINTENANCE

Our new food pens have received an overwhelming reception by all who use them. As well as regular work, they have made fine detail work a pleasure due to their 0.5mm nib.

However, whilst using this fine nib, we must stress that a minimum amount of maintenance is required in order to keep your pen in premium condition. Most people will be using this nib to add details to sugar models. When it is used, tiny particles of sugar dust from the model are absorbed into the nib. Over time, these can clog the nib and would seem that the pen has run out of ink. All that is required is to dip the nib into warm water to melt and release the sugar particles, wipe dry and begin to use again. Your pen will be restored to its original working order.

A chocolate mud cake recipe from the professionals

Today I wanted to share this recipe with you. WHY? because it is so good. So good in fact I believe a large portion of the Whangarei cake decorators guild (that sell their cakes) all use this recipe. Every few years, as new memebers join our guild, this recipe gets talked about again - and the recipe is again printed off for all members. Full credit for the original goes to Heather Clarke, a long term member of our club. The winning attributes of this recipe, is the cakes keeping qualities (allowing for several days decorating time during the week, ahead of a weekend wedding). It also tastes great, is lovely and dark & moist. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, there is a tried & tested banana alternative. It freezes well. Many of the members say, even though they have tried other recipes from time to time, they always go back to this one.

Chocolate or Banana Mud Cake (Heather Clarke)

400g butter

3 cups sugar

2 cups milk

4 tbsp Golden Syrup

Warm together until sugar is dissolved. Cool. Add 5 cups of flour.

For Chocolate cake add

4 heaped tbsp cocoa

2 cups milk

4 tsp baking soda dissolved in milk

Optional* add 100g melted chocolate if desired

For Banana cake add

2 cups mashed banan

1/4 cup milk

4tsp baking soda (dissolved in milk)

Bake 160 degrees celcius for 2 hours (recipe will fill a deep 10-11'' tin). Tie wet newspaper (three or 4 thicknesses - do not overlap at join) around outside of tin. Don't use fan bake.

Live Laugh Love!

This cake was a little bit of fun. Just perfect for an engagement cake or similar. The lettering was from the elegant cakes catridge and the heart border was from cake basics cartridge (which comes with Cricut Cake)

Today I received my SPCA Cupcake Day registration pack

Have you got yours? Click here to go to the SPCA Cupcake Day website to register and help this wonderful cause.

This machine is so addictive

Today was mouse free luckily (see yesterdays post). However I did find regular work got in the way of play time, and I wasn't able to get the Cricut Cake turned on until 11.30am. However the parcels must go out! Today was gumpaste day (yesterday was edible image sheets/frosting sheets). I am still slightly overwhelmed by the number of shapes I can cut, and as I'm still in test mode, I decided to cut out some shapes, that I had already cut in frosting sheets - so I could easily compare their properties. The posts of gumpaste will be updated here as time permits, as unfortunately for this blog, I still have a few hours work to put in tonight. However I do have time to share with you some of my day. This afternoon I had a visit from my lovely long time flickr friend Lisa who was visiting Auckland & Whangarei, on a short business trip. Lisa and her lovely husband Donald are the wonderful couple behind Denheath desserts in Timaru. If you have never tried their custard squares, cheescakes or E-squares, you simply must - do you remember the box Lisa sent me? (oh dear, I feel my credit card twitching, I feel a mail order coming on). I urge you to check out their website, their overnight service for awesome edibles is second to none and a great way to send a gift to a loved one, in another city.

I was able to show Lisa & Donald just what this wonderful machine can do. I am sure Lisa won't mind me sharing , that she was impressed with the fine filigree it can cut out.

Despite the fact I was late in getting to Cricut cake today, we still had time to break for afternoon tea, whilst this only consisted of store bought lamingtons, I thought I would surprise Grandma Kiwicakes and give afternoon tea, the Cricut experience. A daisy for each - and who could resist an edible lace doily for underneath.

I couldn't decide initially round or square doily?

In the end, I think square won!

One of the things that impresses me most about Cricut cake, is you can cut a daisy such as this from very tiny, going up in 1/4'' increments, right up to 12''. That's around 50 different sizes for just one shape!

So if you saw this cake photo, you could not immediately guess the size of the cake - it could be 4'', it could be 12''.

Ok so it's 6'' - this gives huge scope for custom favours, to match a cake, for any wedding party or special occasion

I said to my dear hubby Vaughan when I got home today - this machine is more addicitve than wine!

In the last few days, I have learnt an increible amount, about all things cricut, this is thanks in part, to the wonderful Audrey & Flo. Who have been very kind in sharing their vast knowledge bank with me. I'll be sharing more from Audrey & Flo, as we go along. Thank you ladies!

New Cupcake wrappers just arrived

These 2 new styles of cupcake wrappers have just landed today. I think the Olivia sea blue-green wrappers would be perfect for Paua or beach themed weddings as the wonderful photo below shows.

Or perhaps Sophia in Cheetah design, to let you show your wild side.

Fondant Quilting

I often get asked how to do quilting on fondant - I just saw this snazzy wee post on Wilton for how to Click to go to Wilton's how to It uses the fondant cutter embosser tool and this great tip is one of hundred in the book Celebrate with Fondant.

Somewhere over the Rainbow

I just love to announce price drops - I think this one could even be classed as a price plummet. Just in 10 colours of floral tape. Now only $4 per roll (previously $6-$8.50 per roll)

Decorating Tools Demystified – Lily Nail Set

Wilton has a fantastic recent blog post on how to use a lily nail set. Well worth a look from both the experienced & beginner. Click here to read the full post

Today I had the honour

....... of being the first person in New Zealand to try the Cricut cake machine. Many of you may have read about this wonderful machine on overseas cake forums or blogs. Here in NZ we were waiting on the arrival of the first Cricut cake machine with an Australasian plug, which was manufactured after the American plug machines. I can't remember when I had more challenging cake fun in one single afternoon.

I first learnt about this awesome machine some months back and have been like a kid in December waiting for it to arrive. Last week the awesomely wonderful (and humourous) Chris (pictured throughout) and Tony (who hid from the camera) invited me to bring a selection of icings and to come and play with the machine.

When I arrived Chris announced "you are the first person in New Zealand to play with this machine". I had to believe him, it still had all it's protective packaging in place. We popped in the cake basics cartridge & away we went. We had several trial runs, at first things did not go smoothly, but as we tried different pressures & speeds we began to cut some amazing things. Chris even cut out S - a - n - d - r - a for me in paua shell icing. We tried edible image sheets & gumpaste.

Chris suggested if he wore the official Cricut chef's hat things would work properly. Chris is also the qualified "fix it" man. Should you ever have a problem with your Cricut machine, he is the man to fix it under guarantee - this is true only of machines purchased within NZ (Machines purchased from any other countries need to be returned to their country of origin for repair)

Then Chris suggested that I needed to wear the hat to ensure our icing was perfect.

I spent nearly 4 hours playing with this wonderful new machine - boy time flys when you're having fun. I don't pose for photos easily, but I was so happy I couldn't help but smile!

The good news is, very soon Chris & Tony will be shipping this sleek shiny red beast up to me to play with for ONE WHOLE WEEK - I cannot believe my luck, I will really get to put it through its paces (I want to try modelling chocolate & fondant), 4 hours simply wasn't enough, as in that time I had to learn how to use it. I am a firm believer if you stick your tongue out it works better.


Even better news, is Kiwicakes will be offering this wonderful machine and all it can do for you for sale. We just need to wait for the stocks to arrive (as currently only the demo model has landed). Rest assured, the moment pricing & stocks are available, we'll be the first to offer the machine & assorted accessories to you.

For those of you intrigued about what this machine can do, we suggest watching this video direct from cricut - if you're still interested, there is this video and from this page, their are even more videos to watch. For those of you that already own the Cricut paper crafting machine - the cartridges you use with that machine, can be placed directly in to the Cricut cake. Allowing for matching paper crafts & cakes. Such as invites to match your cake or placecards.

AND YET MORE EXCITING NEWS - I have booked the demo machine to bring to the "Big Day Out" hosted by Waitakere Guild June 19th, at the Remuera Bridge Club in Auckland, so if you're coming, you can see this wonderful machine in action. By which time I will have learnt to work it properly. No doubt this will mean I no longer need my hat.

SPCA Cupcake day 2010

Registrations for Cupcake Day 2010 with the SPCA are open now. Click here to go to the SPCA website to register.
On Cupcake Day 2009, Cupcake Cooks across New Zealand raised a grand total of $133,755.31 for SPCA branches around the country.

The SPCA has this cool map which shows just where that money went, in Northland Whangarei raised $2917.10 (this doesn't include the rest of Northland). I was thrilled to be a part of Cupcake Day 2009 with these little cupcakes

Gosh I'll need to get my thinking cap on, to come up with something for this year!. Are any of you baking for Cupcake Day this year?

A cake from my children

This week my husband turned 38 (my children 7 & 3) love to decorate cakes and of course think it should be them that decorates Daddy's cake, not me. For the past few years, this has involved them squeezing lots of tubed gel icing on to the cake and covering it in sprinkles, which quite simply doesn't taste very good, in the quantities they use. My dear husband Vaughan was always careful to praise their talents, despite scraping most of the icing off, before eating his cake. This year I came up with something a little different. A blank edible icing sheet (I just ordered some in to have a bit of a play with, to see if they were easy to use for this style of project, before offering them to you all). I Gave my daughter 7 the round icing sheet and cut up strips for little Mr 3 to decorate (his work is the scribbles below). The crushed rope border and large finger hole, is also courtesy of my 3 year old, he was a little over enthusiastic when presenting it to Daddy on his birthday. The pictures were drawn using Rainbow dust marker pens available in 23 colours. Now that I have seen what the children can do with image sheets, I am interetsed to have a go myself, it was definitely eay to do and beats drawing straight on to a cake. I think it would be a great way to make personalised edible ribbons for around the base of a cake.

Recipes for the Kiwicakes 4th birthday cake

Gosh I've had a lot of emails saying how wonderful Fiona's prize winning cake looked and asking for her recipes. She has shared with us 2 of the 3 recipes. THANKS FIONA!. Here is a copy of what she sent me last night.

The recipes:

The bottom tier - Woolworths Brand 'Freefrom' Lemon GF cake mix! I added a couple of tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the mix. The buttercream is normal with fresh lemon juice, and a couple of tablespoons of lemon rind.

The middle tier - Tamara Jane's recipe for chocolate banana cupcakes (from her Divine Cupcakes book), just baked in an 8" square. Buttercream is normal with some of the icing sugar replaced with cocoa.

The top tier.... sorry, it's a secret ;) The buttercream is just normal but with some orange rind, and fresh orange juice.

Thanks very much for that Fiona, everyone needs a secret or two, especially a recipe that is special to them. Now many of you have bought Tamara Jane's book from Kiwicakes, a lovely book from an awesome Kiwi author (Tamara Jane also runs cupcake decorating classes in Wellington). If you don't own a copy, I can reccomend it for some awesome flavour combinations.

Taste update

Today I have taste tested (several times I might add) the lower two tiers from the Kiwicakes 4th birthday competition cake. Tier no#2 chocolate banana COUNT THOSE LAYERS OF FILLING! boy oh boy was that a yummy surprise.

My favourite from today had to be the gluten free lemon - I can see the rind there in the cake and it had a light lemony after taste. This was a new recipe for Fiona, she wasn't raving about it after she had baked it. However what Fiona couldn't have known was this cake tasted just like a light pound cake I had in a little deli in New York on my honeymoon, gosh more than 10 years ago now. And the after taste - with me as I type now, because I just scoffed some more, is deliciously light & lemony.

Well I guess that is it for another year. April 2011 will see the 5th birthday competition - can't wait to see what that brings.

Kiwicakes 4th birthday cake competition winner

Today the cake arrived!. For those of you following the Kiwicakes 4th birthday cake competition, you will know the winning entry was a design by Fiona Hume. Today Fiona's cake arrived. Fastway couriers did a great job of delivering it in one peice (only a tiny piece of bow fell off, and it was easily popped back on)

This cake had action on all sides, it was impossible to photograph from just one angle. I don't even think this cake has a front

A view from the top down

A closeup of the flower

I love the marbled board & the lifelike pages of the book

Fragile - often need that label!

The parcel is from KIWICAKES of course!

The Art of Baking - a great title!

41 muffin lane - I'd like to live there!

This afternoon I cut the top tier, it tasted just as good as it looked. The texture was perfect, the taste DIVINE! with not ONE but TWO layer of orange buttercream, in a lovely orange cake.

Tommorrow I will update you with layers two & three (chocolate Banana and Lemon). When I ran the competition I secretly hope for great flavours, beyond chocolate & vanilla - I wasn't disappointed. I can't wait until tommorrow, when I'll be taste testing those other two.