Cakes Made by ME

Recent cake inventions have added a whole new layer to creativity. Cakes these days are sculptures and artists often try to out do one another with the latest cake creation. What's most fun about cakes is that you can really have anything your heart desires. Often it has to do with a character, one from our childhood even, that is close to our heart. Let's be inspired by the characters that kept us company as kids and let's turn 4 again. Check out these fun cakes designs, some that I have made and some that I found floating around the internet and love. Want to take a walk down memory lane for your next birthday, call us up and let us create!

As 2013 comes to an end, it's hard not to take a moment to think about everything we have accomplished. The passing year brought much excitement, beside finally getting my very own commercial kitchen, we had the opportunity to partake in some really amazing weddings; some that even led to our being featured in some great blogs. What a difference a year makes when you take a moment to look back on progress made over the year. As I pulled some highlights to feature in our year end blog post, I couldn't help but feel both nostalgic and a sense of accomplishment. To celebrate one year of hard work I've pulled the very best in Cakes Made by ME 2013 wedding cakes for you to admire.

As the new year gets underway I feel rested and rejuvenated and ready to see what this 2014 year will bring in cake trends. We'll be experiencing it together as we bring you the scoop. If you are planning this year to get married, to have a big birthday bash or considering a milestone celebration, let us help you add a delicious touch with the perfect cake or cupcakes. I invite you to help us shape our new year in cakes.
 

We're are living during a time when signature style and unique branding are at the forefront of how we identify with our customers and what we do. Modern times are about pushing new limits of creativity. Cakes are now taking on new characters, motiffs, even taking the shape of fashion accessories. Cake artists are creating new techniques everyday and shows like Cake Boss and Cupcake Wars are giving fame to cake-teers pushing the limits. My point is that so much goes into making a cake beautiful and unique that why wouldn't you want to document it properly? The following are three tips for making your cake memorable.

1. Stage a mini photo shoot. You paid for the cake and it's part of the memory of your wedding. Make sure you ask the photographer to spend a little time, even 5 minutes properly documenting it. 


2. Capture the romance. When it comes to the wedding, the cake holds a lot of    romance around it also known as the cake cutting and feeding portion of the program, but a great photo of the two of you and the cake is lovely.

3. The classic cake cutting photo. It's always a fun snap shot but your wedding would not be complete without this all important photo. Have fun indulging!  

Modern times call for modern trends and the way we celebrate parties changes over the years. Designers get more savvy, stylists get a little more creative and cake makers get just a little more daring. We are also seeing that a lot of people think less is more and have noticed a shift toward single serving confections at parties. They are gaining popularity and for good reason it's cost effective, lighter on the waistline and looks so so pretty. It's why we are loving the cake pop trend, a little bite of sweet heaven for guests of your party to enjoy, talk about and even pose for a picture. 

The one thing to consider if you decide to serve cake pops at your party or event is that people can never just have one so depending on the amount of guests you are planning to have think of serving on average 2-3 cake pops per person. They are fun to make and to decorate so definitely keep them in mind for your next event. With all the great ways to style cake pops, they can bring that fun factor to your next gathering. 

We don't have to be the one to tell you that cupcakes are the big trend right now, you can see that for yourself. Cupcakes are showing up at all the latest parties, company picnics and especially at those serious milestone celebrations. You can order them in any cake flavor, they come with carefully whipped up frosting flavors, packaged perfect for a single serving. 

But if everyone is doing it, how can you set yours apart? The answer is with presentation. Any good stylist knows presentation is everything and when it comes to cupcakes there are many things you can do to put yours on display. Find a great way to incorporate props, use colorful cupcake bottoms or arrange them in a way that makes you want to stop and admire them. When you get creative there is no limit to what you can do. 

The modern cake maker is an artist. Cake makers bake and mold ingredients into intricate works of art that are both delicious and fuel the memory of taste that bring us back to our favorite weddings, birthdays, and soirees. Right now, we love the way ruffles have been on the scene dressing up cakes and giving them layers of romantic waves. Whether you decide to layer long ruffles like in our wedding cake above, or short flirty pinata-like layers. Play with color and techniques like ombre to present layers that are interesting and romantic. Ruffles reminds us of ocean waves and fluffy clouds, they are fun and achieve the right effect when it comes to creating something sentimental.  

When it comes to a bride choosing a wedding dress we know it's very important. After  all isn't it a bride's sole purpose to look her best on the day of her wedding, marry the man of her dreams, and present a wedding design that is beautiful and pleasing for her guests. What recently caught our attention in the world of wedding dresses and wedding cakes is that there is a fun new trend that involves matching the wedding cake to the wedding dress. You might be thinking that it's an absurd idea, but when you look at some of the dresses we've paired today with our own personal Cakes Made by ME, you will see there is something fresh, unique and fun about this technique. This post showcases the cakes  we made during the month of February. Message anytime if you'd like us to create a speacialty cake for you.

This amazing cake was on disply for a wedding at the East Ocean Chinese Restaurant in Emeryville. It features the Grecian effect of draping fabric, of course we created ours with fondant. To pair a dress with this cake we chose one that drapes fabric in a similar way. We think it's darling!

This three tiered cake is one we made for a grand wedding at the Hotel Vitale in San Francisco. It features one solid color with flower detailing which brings it alive. In similar fashion we paired a dress that uses the same type of flowering technique which makes the dress pop with a 3D like a effect. We love it!

The cake we made for the love photo shoot featured a brilliant ombre effect in romantic shades of pink. Of course only an ombre pink dress would do this beauty of a cake justice and that's exactly how we would pair the dress to this cake. Dreamy...wouldn't you say. Also, if you haven't already checked it out, visit A Monique Affair's Love blog post to see the amazing shoot at Holman Ranch.
 

Our last cake was one we made for a fun wedding at the Sequoia Country Club which features a white chocolate wrap that is skirted around to create delicious texture. Match the dress to the cake with a dress like this one, slightly off white and with a million layers to match the wonderful flow.

We are so excited for the month of February especially because we are initiating Pop-Up Bakery Days! Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter (@cakesmadebyme) to get exclusive information about when we’ll be pop-up baking at a location near you.

Stop by our Pop-Up Bakery Thursday, February 14, 2013, to treat yourself and your sweetie to delicious Valentine’s Day confections. We'll be running cupcake specials, including four gourmet cupcakes for the low price of $12.50.

It’s not all about love and Valentine’s Day though, we'll also be offering some of Cakes Made By ME’s staple baked good. Remember to stop by Uptown Kitchen in Oakland between 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tell your friends and family and keep up with us to find out about our next exclusive Pop-Up Bakery locations, see you there.

Not only are cakes at a party about providing a confection for your guests to enjoy, but there is the whole element of presentation. A cake, these days, is not just an ordinary cake. It has character, takes on different themes and can even be a canvas for a beautiful work of art. They come in all colors, are made of different materials, and you can find one that matches almost any era you may be trying to achieve. 

There are a million ways to present your cake, and in this case creativity is the limit. I have been swooning over the cute little cake stands I have seen pop up all over the place. Some of them are elaborate, while others are very simple taking nothing away from the cake. Check out some of the amazing cakes stands we found and take a look at some that we’ve used here at Cakes Made By ME.