Ten years of Cake Decorating - The Photo Album

I'm trying to remember when I first gained an interest in cake decorating. Once I was married in 1999, I then had a husband and his two daughters to make cakes for, then we had our daughter and I made cakes for her too. Along the way, I have made cakes for family, friends and colleagues at work.

Recently, I decided I should go through the cake photo archives and create a permanent blog-shrine to my cake endeavors. All of the cakes that I have made are not shown here, there are a handful I remember making, but as of yet, I have not located the photo. When I do, I will update the page with a photo.

At the moment I am still looking for a photo of :

Cat cake (made for Cupcake)
Bailey's first birthday (made for my neighbour's baby boy)
ABTA cake (made for a colleague)
Flower cake (made for Liz's mom - a girl I used to run with..)
Georgia state flag cake (made for a friend who moved to Atlanta)
Barbie cake - one of Cupcake's birthdays...

In  2004-2005, after completing my MBA in 2003 I decided I wanted to complete a cake decorating course. I signed up for a local night class, and I had the most amazing fun time on this twelve month course. I would definitely recommend such a course to someone who wants to know more about cake decorating. I'm no expert cake decorator, but at least now the terms are familiar. I can work my way round a cake shop, and I can understand the techniques, and I have tried most of the techniques, even if their execution is somewhat weak.

Anyway, let's get on with the photos !

2001 - My first Fairy Castle cake. The recipient was very pleased with it as I recall, as was I..

That same month, I made this Westlife cake, a group that were 'all the rage' back in 2001, for a very happy tweenager.

Still in 2001, I made this lovely take on Thomas the Tank Engine for my nephew's 3rd birthday.

A few months after that our daughter was born, so it looks like I took a year off from the baking and came up with this for her first birthday. I love Blue's Clues - I think it's so cute..

2002 - Blue's Clues - Cupcake's 1st birthday

In 2002, I also made a 9 and a 13

              

2003 - Ducks - Cupcake's 2nd birthday

I think this is one of my favourites, I just love the Easter colours.

Cupcake's 3rd birthday - 2004 - a Pirates and Princesses themed party

Princesses



,, and Pirates

December 2004

On the cake decorating course, that I had started in September 2004, one of the first project was Christmas cakes and the various decoration techniques. I chose to use a patchwork cutter to create the following cake, which I think looks really very good, for a beginner ... even if I do say so myself !

2005

I didn't make or ice the following cake, but I did make the flower decoration that appears on it. This was for a co-worker's retirement. This is one of the wonderful sugar flower arrangments that I made on the cake decorating course. It doesn't look much, but I was totally proud of this.

2009

I think this was made in 2009 when Cupcake was 8, it really was the most phallic take on a Fairy castle cake and any adult that saw it laughed. Oh, the shame. Fortunately, it was only seen by a bunch of eight year olds, who thought it was great ! I do love how flat the cake looks on top though ...

to be continued....

May 2011

I think progress has been made. This is a two-tier heart-shaped wedding cake and a 300 profiterole croquembouche which was served for desert for 100 wedding guests. Definitely my greatest culinary achievement so far..