My Blog

Fantastic Wedding Details

05/20/2012 17:00:00

Yesterday I delivered a summer garden wonky wedding cake for the wedding of Sarah and Martin Hughes. The room looked fantastic before we set up the main cake and the table centrepieces. It had a fuchsia colour scheme with the summer flowers twist.

Showing the room from behind the cake... fuchsia sashes on the chair covers and the three tier cake stands with our delicious cupcakes!

Each cake stand had a selection of cupcakes chosen by each guest prior to the day for their wedding breakfast dessert.

Each one followed the summer flower theme of the main cake with a range of designs to suit the shabby chic feel to the day.

The top table featured large letters made by Sarah, the bride, with a mini cake stand on either end.

Near the entrance to the room was this gorgeous wish tree.

There were matching butterflies and flowers in fuchsia within the branches of the tree. Next to it were gift tags for guests to write their thoughts on and tie to the branches. They even supplied plenty of pens!!

Behind is the table plan again in the fuchsia colour.

And then the main cake!!

This was designed last February inspired by a dummy design created for wedding shows.

The wonky tiers are 6", 8", 10" and 12" vanilla cake with 'no bits' raspberry jam and vanilla buttercream.

Adorned with handmade sugar roses, gerberas, blossom and hydrangea, finished with personalised sugar bride and groom.

In all this wedding was absolutely gorgeous and one that was very personal to the bride and groom. Both were lovely to work with and I feel very pleased to have produced something that was a a big part of their day.

Love to Sarah and Martin,

J x

Wedding Cake Decorating Class

04/26/2012 17:43:00

Fancy creating this stunning wedding cake?

At Cakes by Occasion you can experience and learn the skills needed to make a centrepeice that will make you the envy of your friends.

Each design is based on a colour palate that you choose with the knowledge gained through our instruction. Learn the process of sugar roses, giving life-like petals and romantic curls ready to arrange on your finished cake.

Using one of our delicious sponge cakes you will torte, fill, mask and cover it using the finest quality sugar paste, learning the techniques to create the smoothest finish as in all of our cakes. You will also have the chance to pipe a pearl necklace using royal icing before finishing with a matching ribbon and attaching your roses, hydrangeas and blossoms.

Find more information and the dates on our 'Classes' page!

Look forward to learning with you, J x

Christening Cake

04/11/2012 15:37:00

Christenings are always a great time to enjoy a cake...

This teddy bear cake was for twin boys, 'Harry' and 'Archie'. A two tier cake with vanilla cake with jam and cream, and a chocolate fudge cake to serve approximately 40 guests.

Each bear is made from sugar paste and completely edible... but who would eat such gorgeousness?!!

Hope you enjoy

J x

Cake School

03/26/2012 19:12:00

Now there are lots of different cake classes that are round and about, but what is there in the Yorkshire region?

So far I've travelled to Manchester and London for classes that teach advanced skills; chocolate and cake structures; also smaller cake shops teach intermediate skills, but you seriously have to search, or be recommended, to find out where they are!

I've toyed with the idea of opening a school for classes teaching all levels of skills for cake and cupcake decorating; getting in guest tutors and teaching the more obscure techniques. Unfortunately money and time seem to be a big barrier and seen as though you need both in order to be successful I can't see this happening any time soon!!!

There are a few classes I can fit in around the day to day life that I lead... check them out here... If you know of any classes wihtin the Yorkshire region, please let me know... I use them for a good excuse to play cake with out the stress of being for customers!!!

J x

Higgins the Butler

03/15/2012 21:32:00

It's been a hectic week with more wedding consultations booked for dates in 2012 and 2013!

Alongside that I have been fortunate enough to take a class with the fabulous Kaysie Lackey of The People's Cake, Seattle. She has travelled over to the UK to do a number of different courses from designs she has created, and is now becoming renown for.

Held at Exotic Fantastic Cakes in Chigwell, Kaysie taught a class of twelve students in the gravity defying cake that is her 'boyfriend' Higgins the butler. As is her style, Kaysie was full of fantastic hints and tips that she openly shared with everyone on how to construct a cake as fabulous as Higgins. Using a mix of sugarpaste, flower paste and modeling chocolate we were able to emulate her original design. Each student personalised the features of the face giving their Higgins his own personality and look. The results were fabulous.

A big thank you also needs to go out to the fantastic Eme, owner and organiser for classes at Exotic Fantastic Cakes, who welcomed students into her church and made sure that everyone had everything they needed. She hosts a range of classes in cake making and sugarcraft suitable for the total beginner to more intermediate cake makers. There are plenty more classes coming up in the future, including classes with Rick Reichart of Cakelava. Can't wait for that one in August!!

Check out Kaysie Lackey at The People's Cake

Eme Ezeliora at Exotic Fantastic Cakes

Rick Reichart at Cakelava

Hope you like... J x

Website Update

03/04/2012 21:22:00

Check out the new website layout... let me know what you think!

Thanks guys x

Choccywoccydoodah!

02/14/2012 18:40:00

Well it's Valentine's Day... all have gone out and bought red roses, cards, teddy bears and many other very romantic things! For me it's my 8th wedding anniversary, and I will point out that although we love each other dearly, we don't do the usual romantic things... this year my hubby took me to Brighton! A lovely few days, but the biggest reason we chose there, besides the beautiful weather, not brrrr; was to visit the fabulous Choccywoccydoodah!

During our mad shopping day, and boy was it mad, we stopped off for cake and the famous hot chocolate!

Now this is the cake that arrived... chocolate cake with white chocolate truffle drizzled with dark and white chocolate and a cherry syrup, finished with a lovely vanilla ice cream. Although I make cakes, I had high hopes for this, but unfortunately it was dry and really not what I was hoping for :(

However, the hot chocolate was absolutely to die for!! Made with melted Belgian chocolate, steamed milk topped with large marshmallows and the squirty cream dusted with cocoa. This was well and truely the best hot choc I've tasted... mine was the milk chocolate option.

The service in the cafe was very slow, and bless the two that were working there, they tried so hard to get everything done and out to customers as quick as they could, but it took almost half an hour from ordering to being served; there were some customers who gave up and walked out!

From there we went through to their famous shop!

The window did not disappoint... any fan of the shows will have seen this fabulous creation being made and used in their chocolate party. It was magnificent, how on earth they manage to make such huge sculptures??!!??

Obviously you have to buy something whilst your there... so my treasure was a large lips chocolate lollypop, a huge bar of chocolate with cinder toffee and to show off, a 'Choccy' bag!!

Hope you all have a lovely Valentine's day,

J x

Cake Decorating & Sugar Flowers Classes

01/31/2012 19:43:00

Our new dates are now online for the beginning of 2012 for a range of exquisite courses!

Couture Celebration Cake is a class where you can learn how to cover a cake smoothly with sugarpaste, add stripes, a large bow and a small range of flowers.

Two Tier Wedding Cake class is a chance to learn how to fill and level a cake ready for covering and stacking to create a mini wedding cake. Also you will make large sugar roses and little blooms to arrange on your finished cake.

We are also holding classes to learn how to make wired sugar flower arrangements suitable for a range of cake designs, as well as fully edible sugar roses perfect for cupcakes, mini cakes or larger cakes.

And of course our popular Vuntage Cupcake class will show you how to make beautifully designed vintage style decoration to use with swirled buttercream and fondant topped cupcakes.

If you have any other requests, we will build a course for you either on a one-2-one basis or to be offered as a class for a group of people. Get in touch via email cakesbyoccasion@live.co.uk or call Jayne on 07814 425060.

We look forward to meeting you soon,

J x

Cake and Cupcake Decorating Courses

01/30/2012 20:49:00

This week I'm making arrangements for courses for 2012...

Watch this space for...

Couture Celebration Cake

Vintage Two Tier Wedding Cake

Vintage Cupcakes

Novelty Cupcakes

Oh, I love teaching cake decorating and will look forward to meeting some lovely new friends.

Jayne x

Wedding Consultations

01/22/2012 14:49:00

This weekend I have mostly been doing wedding cake consultations.

It's always great to design something that will be so very special to couples on their big day. Each consultation lasts approximately 45 minutes, and gives you a chance to try some our cakes, talk about your wedding and design something that is completely bespoke for you.

When coming along for a consultation it's extremely important to have information relating to your venue, flowers, colour scheme and even your wedding dress. All of these things can then be incorporated into your design making all the details 'marry' together. There are many cake designs that have lace details from your dress, flowers from your bouquet and ribbon to match your bridesmaid' dresses.

If you're getting married why not give me a call on 07814 425060 to book a consultation.

J x