Sunday, November 25, 2012

Christmas Sugar Cookies

While working on my last order, the Tiger Cat logo cookies I was smart and made a double batch of both the dough and icing to make some samples for the hopeful Christmas orders I'll bring in.  So just for fun, here they are!


Ticat Cookies

I know I said I liked a challenge, but I think I bit off more than I can chew on this one.  

Betty, a big Ticat fan, wanted to be the awesome big sister she is and stick it to her brother that her team did better than his this year, the BC Lions.  She wanted a cookie decorated with this logo...

www.ticatfans.com

Doesn't seem that complicated; 4 colours, basic lines, but you know what... it kind of is.  It's just the logistics of it.  
And if you know me... I like to plan.  A great deal.  It makes me happy :)  (Not to mention the overthinking...  Oh yeah.  I'm all about the overthinking)
How many layers?  
Black outlines first, then flood white and do the rest on top? 
Or all black first and fill in the holes.

I did a test cookie to see how things would go.  Not the best, but it's there.  

 Not quite angry enough... yet.

 I desperately wanted to eat this cookie.  You have no idea.  They are delicious - Full on childhood memories here.  But sadly, I only made 8 extra cookies to mess up, so this one had to make it through the night just in case.

All in all, that cookie only took 20 minutes, and I only have to make 12, so that's not too shabby, and I anticipate the each one being faster since I always find a shortcut along the way.  A few notes for the next one... Whiskers at the very end, flatter ears, more pronounced teeth, but onward.

Next cookie, better.  Still not the best, but better.  By the time I hit cookie #5, I wasn't even looking at the picture any more.  I think I averaged 2.5 minutes of outlining for each cookie, which just blew me away.  I really was expecting 10-15 minutes for that part alone.


Halfway there.  All that is left now is the white bits, but I really want to make sure that black is set before I add the white.  A few more hours just to be safe. 


So happy with the turnout!

Oskee Wee Wee!



Thursday, November 22, 2012

Glamour Cupcakes

A client was heading to a fancy jewellery party, and didn't want to go empty handed, so hello pretties!


These cute cupcakes started off with frilly jewel toned discs; each topped with a fondant piece of jewellery.  They were incredibly small, and much more difficult than I anticipated, but fun at the same time.  I love a challenge!


My perfect cupcake recipe  - a secret for now - always cools off with flat top, making it the perfect canvas for a dollop of buttercream.



Then a cute ring perched right on top...

Or maybe a charm bracelet.


Or was that a pair of pearl earrings?


Nope... Emerald drop necklace. 


Saturday, November 10, 2012

Dora's Friends

A very special 4 year old was looking for a Dora themed cake for her birthday.  I decided to go a bit different, and feature Dora's friends Backpack and Map instead of the little adventurer herself.

This went together very quickly and easily.  I gave myself 2 hours for the decorating, and finished my photo shoot just shy of that time!

I definitely have some ideas for the next time I do a cake like this that will make it go faster and a little smoother.




Dora the Explorer Cake

Dora the Explorer Cake