Cakes Made by ME

As we head into spring all I can think about are all the latest cakes trends. We just kissed February, the month of romance good-bye but I wanted to pay a special tribute to what I would consider the official flower of the month, the rose. A popular choice for cakes, and wedding cakes especially, roses are elegant, roses are classic and they are also romantic which is why they are always a major hit among brides. Be it fresh roses, or those made out of sugar, I think we'll be seeing a lot more of them and rose petals on cakes this season. We've gathered some of our favorite cake designs which incorporate roses. Which is your favorite one? Tell us in the comments below. 

Keeping you in the know of all of the latest 2016 cake trends is our duty. It's why we thought it worthwhile to talk to you about how cake makers are pushing boundaries when it comes to buttercream cakes. We expect to see a lot more of them in 2016. Buttercream is considered a more classic cake frosting over the more modern and sculpt-able fondant.

Yet, who can blame this yummy frosting for making a comeback especially because it's tasty and the best thing about it is that you can work it to create all kinds of different textures. Ways we think you'll see it being used this year is to create thick clouds of sugary yumminess, but you'll also see lots of buttercream flowers, various heavenly pastel colors, and a fresher more bold appearance using lines, indentations and shapes. It's really exciting to think of the new innovation we will see that push the boundaries of the traditional buttercream cakes we're used to. Take a look at some of the ways we've used buttercream in the past that mimic ways we think it will be used in the future.

Which one is your favorite buttercream design and what are your thoughts about the buttercream comeback. Leave us a comment below to let us know and we'll be sure to get back to you.

We've been blessed with a good year, but the best part was probably all the projects we got to collaborate on with some of our favorite wedding professionals. It seems only right to put together a blog post that showcases the cakes we made that got a nod over the year, which makes them our notable wedding cakes of 2015. The cakes featured here represent the cakes we made that earned us some sort of recognition, or got picked up by a blog for a feature.  Which design is your favorite? Tell us about it in the comments below.
 

Anchor's Away Seaside Wedding Ideas
What do you get when you pair soft pastels, sophisticated touches of glamour, and an elegant seaside venue? Only a super romantic nautical styled wedding shoot for which we made a cake that makes our list of notable wedding cakes 2015. For this custom design we wanted to embody the different shades of blue you find at sea, as well as, the foam that comes from the ocean's unrest. That gives this cake a touch of elegance and of course the cake stand only adds to the modern vintage feel. If you want to look at the entire spread, gaze at the details here: http://bit.ly/1VqtZN1. Scroll to the bottom for the list of credits.  

Romance's True Colors
Drawing on Gay Pride Parade inspiration, I was so excited to work with my close dear friend Chanda, of A Monique Affair on this festive inspiration vignette. Instead of going rainbow crazy she focused on the rainbow effect of purple ombre. This vignette got picked up by My Big Fat Indian Weddings, making it another notable cake  of 2015. What we presented was a gorgeous spread filled with bold, romantic color. Take a look for yourself here: http://bit.ly/1Vfhjqx.

Same Sex Vineyard Wedding
The allure of the same sex wedding is big in the San Francisco Bay Area which is why, we wanted to show just how elegant and grand you can make it. I had the honor of working with my usual suspect group of creative partners. I think it's safe to say we nailed this photo shoot. The details were rich and flawless and the cake, well that says it all. Take a look for yourself at the wine country dream that came from creating this super fun shoot set in the country of Calistoga. Check out the entire look here: http://bit.ly/1OvyswB.   

A Panoramic Fairytale
One of the cakes from our real weddings made it to our list of notable wedding cakes 2015 and for a good reason. This wedding production was whimsical and charming, set up high in the Berkeley hills, with gorgeous floral details, this was on fairy tale wedding our couple's guests won't forget anytime soon. Of course the wedding was so pretty it caught the eye of wedding blog Snippet & Ink who chose to feature it on their blog and you've got to take a look. See it in all it's pretty details here: http://bit.ly/1l7H9lG. 

Long ago and back in the day, couples froze the top layer of their cake for the christening celebration of their first born. In those times, it was believed that the first born child would arrive within one year of marriage. This is where our "cake freezing" tales begin.
 
Of course, in modern times this practice doesn't really exist anymore. Meaning today, couples freeze the top layer of their wedding cake to thaw out on their first year anniversary. Cutting the thawed layer together, and sharing a piece. Of course there is also superstition tied to this tradition as people often say not enjoying the top tier after the first year means it's back luck.
 
Well we don't know about the luck part, but we do know that whether you decide to order a duplicate copy of the top tier from your cake designer, or decide to go with the freezer option, your cake should taste good. We gathered a few tips for our readers to provide guidance for  properly freezing a wedding cake, the top layer of your cake.

1. To start it's a good idea to wrap your top tier with wax paper or even that fancy freezer paper that exists these days. It provides not just a layer of protection but will also prevent frosting sticking to it.  
 
2. To start preserving your cake for the year, be sure to wrap the wax paper in several layers of plastic wrap. This works wonders for keeping the freezer burn out.
 
3. It's also not a bad idea to place your wrapped top layer into a small box, you can get one at a party supply store or even consider using Tupperware. Never hurts to have a little extra protection and the box can help prevent crushing in a crowded freezer.
 
4. If you're working with a delicate soft frosting, like buttercream for example. It helps to stick the cake in the freezer for a few hours before proceeding to wrapping it for the year. This helps keep the frosting intact.
 
5. In one year, take the cake out of the freezer one day in advance. Allow the cake to start defrost in your refrigerator and a few hours before consuming, unwrap, arrange, cut and enjoy!
 
Do you have any tricks of the trade for freezing a wedding cake to consume a year later? Tell us how you did it, of any old traditions you have, or of any other fact related to freezing a wedding cake, in the comments section below.  

It happens every year. The fall equinox pops up unexpectedly and starts shutting the warm summer months down. The sunlight gets a bit warmer, more orange even and brings on the whole excitement of the fall inspired wedding cake trends. It's not uncommon to start seeing colors lose a little of their brightness to become beautiful muted colors that reflect the autumn months and then I love watching cake makers and wedding cakes embrace those colors and trends.

In this post we take a look at some of the popular colors for Fall 2015. Just what are we seeing this season? Deep rich colors like burgundy, ruby reds and deep plums. The fall reminds us of the harvest, so expect to your favorite shades in warmer tones. You'll see cakes adorned with fall foliage, fresh flowers in deep jewel tones and even weddings choosing to forfeit a cake all together for the comfort and deliciousness of pie. When it comes to fall, the harvest goes! Which of the fall looks is your favorite or what color are you feeling the most? Leave us a comment in the section below and tell us what look you love most!  

What do arrows, dream catchers and chevron print all have in common!?  They are the elements that comprise the tribal party theme. Making an appearance at first birthdays and even weddings alike, it can be bold with a western flare or go soft and whimsy with a pastel color palette. Mostly, I love how cake makers have embraced the tribal party theme, embellishing cakes with their own versions of dream catchers, arrows and chevron print. What do you think of this trend? Check out a few of our favorite cakes that showcase the tribal look, a fun and dreamy party theme. Which one do you like best, tell us in the comments section below. 

It has been one busy summer. Between weddings, birthdays and anniversaries there has been no type of custom cake we haven't made this season. However, the creations have been show stopping! Like the pretty buttercream frosting, rose petal cake we used in our header image. The rose petals were fresh and I did all the pipping by hand. This particular wedding was also on a boat, which means Cakes Made by ME has gotten to be at some pretty nice places. There is no shortage of adventures that making cakes takes us on. With such a busy summer and such as array of creative cakes I thought this months cake order were worthy of a little blog commemorating them this month. Sit back and check out all the creations we've partaken in and read a little description of each cake. Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below and we'll tally the score. 

We're always on the lookout for the onset of summer cake trends and for this post we're taking a closer look at two cake elements that are really popular at the moment. The summer months are a great season to celebrate and since we are at the center of caking making heaven we get to see what people are doing when it comes to styling their celebration cakes.

This summer we're seeing heavy use of the color yellow. Whether it's a smooth fondant design or the sugary waves of buttercream frosting, people are gravitating toward ordering yellow cakes of every variety. We've seen a few different combinations come through our doors. One of our favorites is definitely the yellow to green ombre polka-dot cake, or the bright fondant waves of the sweethearts single layer cake and cupcake combination. 

Pair that yellow hue with some dramatic sugar flowers and you're onto the second hottest summer cake trend. Cake flowers have evolved over the years just around the same time that fondant became more widely used; and of course why not when you have something that's as mold-able you make dreams come true. Check out our collection of Cakes Made by M.E. representing the best in this year's summer cake trends.    

Which one of our summer cakes is your favorite. Let us know in the comments below. Or if we forgot to mention a trend you've noticed, tell us about it!

Have you heard that your favorite flavor of things can often unlock hidden, or not so hidden, personality traits? I thought it might be fun to do a little article about our top five most requested cake flavors and also include a small tidbit about what those flavors say about you. You might be surprised by the number one flavor and of course the flavors change over time but it was a lot of fun to look back at our records to find out what you all are loving right now in terms of cake flavors. What’s your favorite from out list and does the description match some aspect of your personality? Let us know your favorite cake flavor in the comments below.   

We like to call it coffee-chocolate but this can also be known as mocha. Our fifth most popular cake flavor. This one tends to appeal to the go-getter, or power couple types. Maybe it’s because there is that hint of caffeine that lends to the idea of getting things done! 

Berries are tart and sweet, bright and delicious. Those who choose berries and cream as their primary cake flavor tend to be a little spunky. According to the experts, people attracted to berry flavors are colorful in character and embrace life in every way they can. 

A unique flavor in and of itself, our third most requested cake flavor is passion fruit. Experts say those that choose to go with this flavor are bold and take risks. If you are one who would choose to go with this flavor you are often known to be the life of the party. 

Our second most ordered cake flavor is no surprise as there are a ton of red velvet lovers out there. If this is your favorite cake flavor you tend to be a romantic. The red color of the cake screams love. The experts say that those who choose this color are ready to share life with that special someone. 

Currently our most requested cake flavor, chocolate-salted caramel often appeals to those who love the perfect combination of salty and sweet. The experts say those who love chocolate salted caramel tend to be a little impulsive, sometimes caught between two sides they tend to jump in and take risks.