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A world of
Cake Decorating,
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Supplies!
Crystal Poinsettia Cake
by Alan Tetreault featuring
Crystal Poinsettias and
GSA Stencils #25967.
Shop www.globalsugarart.com
800-420-6088
cake central magazine 1
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2 cake central magazine
Letter from Jackie
Te season for heart-themed crafts and secret
admirer notes is among us! Valentines Day is in full
swing in this issue, and you can get excited for the
holiday with our section of Sweetheart Cakes, or
read about the history of the greatest treat of all
chocolate. If youre feeling less-than thrilled about
the hearts and owers, check out our tribute to anti-
Valentines Day in the Valentines Blackout section!
No matter your preference, I for one am grateful to
have a community that shares thoughtful words and
kind acknowledgements on a day-to-day basis...no
candy hearts necessary .
Sincerely,
from jackie
31 FEATURE
Its Not Just Cake:
The Renowned Marina
Sousa
38 COVER SPOTLIGHT
Exquisite Simplicity: The
Talent of Jene Rylan Nato
40 BONUS TUTORIAL
Truf es
43 LEFTOVERS
Champagne
49 CAKES ACROSS
AMERICA
Florida
66 BOOK REVIEW
Alan Dunns Celebration
Cakes
71 INTERNATIONAL
DESSERTS
Italy
78 INSPIRATION TO
CAKE
Janet Ben-Ami
in this issue
contents
71
73
31
43
49
40 78
contents
in every issue
cakecentral.com member
21
53
81 64
10 17
the cakes
21 VALENTINES BLACKOUT
53 SWEETHEART
81 PARTY
6 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
8 YOUR SLICE
Worst thing to hear...
10 TUTORIAL
Long Stem Red Rose
16 WEB BROWSING
Half-Baked
17 SCIENCE OF BAKING
Whats Your Type?
48 EVER WONDER?
History of Chocolate
64 BUSINESS OF CAKE
Eliciting Positive Reviews Online
68 SPOTLIGHT
Michael Guasta, Make it Work
73 CAKE CENTRAL RECIPE
Dessert Table for Two
93 CAKE MAKER LIST
95 SUPPLY SHOP LIST
96 BUYING GUIDE
CEO
Jackie Shafer
COO
Heath Shafer
MANAGING EDITOR
Robyn Broker
DESIGN
Kit Oliynyk
forine.tumblr.com
PHOTOGRAPHY
Katie Shuy
Connie Riggio
Misty Winesberry
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Leanne Winslow
ASSOCIATE EDITOR/
ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Katie Shuy
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Rose Thompson
Letters to the Editor
editor@cakecentral.com
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contributors
magazine
Cake Central Magazine is not responsible for errors in advertisements,
articles, photographs or illustrations. While an ef ort is made to en-
sure the quality of the content and credibility of sources listed in the
magazine, Cake Central Magazine provides no warranty - expressed or
implied - and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, complete-
ness, or usefulness of any information, product or process published
in the magazine. Cake Central Magazine is not responsible for readers
misinterpretation of images in the magazine in such way that might
cause injury or damage. Examples of such misinterpretation might in-
clude the use of items that appear edible but are not, such as natural
f owers that might be poisonous, modeled sugar f owers that con-
tain wires, etc. The views and opinions of the authors or originators
expressed in the magazine do not necessarily state or ref ect those
of Cake Central Magazine, its principals, executives, Board members,
advisors or af liates.
Summer Stone
Summer Stone has a Masters
in Biochemistry and Biophysics
from Oregon State University
and is a self-taught cake maker.
As a stay-at-home mom, she
continues to grow as a cake
decorator, combining her
love of science and cake art.
Ive found that no matter how excited, relieved, or even
underwhelmed we feel when the New Year begins,
there never fails to be an opportunity for change. You
might be waiting for such an opportunity, or you may
run from it in the opposite direction, but either way
there is a sense of novelty that comes with the New
Year. As most of you know, Cake Central is still a very
young publication, and we are constantly faced with
the scary and exhilarating opportunities that come
with change.
One of my favorite parts of this job is the continual
shaping and development of the magazine that occurs
each and every day. New contacts are constantly being
made, story ideas are spilling out our drawers, and
the drive to make each issue better and better keeps
the o ce lively and fresh. As the Editor, I am faced
with countless decisions on how to best present Cake
Central Magazine to you, because at the end of the day,
it is you we hope each issue will inspire. With that said,
I encourage your feedback, as it is not only appreciated
but invaluable as we put together each magazine.
As mentioned earlier, the New Year provides an
opportunity for all of us to take on something
dierent. Tis issue includes Valentines inspired
cakes and tutorials. As you can see on the cover, weve
taken a new approach to Valentines Day and given
a voice to all those who loathe, resent, and all out
hate everything having to do with the holiday. Much
thanks to Jene Rylan Nato, whose cover cake kicks
o a new wave of Black Valentine celebrations. And
dont worry all you lovers out thereweve included
plenty of hearts and owers as well.
And speaking of owers, a while back I had the
incredible opportunity to perfect the art of gumpaste
roses with the one and only Betty VanNorstrand (or
at least, I tried). Betty has taught industry masters
including Ron Ben Israel, and it was indeed a privilege
to go through the motions rsthand with a cake legend
such as Betty. I was so inspired by this experience that
weve decided to include a tutorial for a V-day classic, a
long stem rose, with this Valentines special.
For this issue, we also had the honor of speaking with
the exquisitely talented and delightful Marina Sousa,
who discusses the ups and downs of cake fame as well
as her unique artistic mindset.
So please consider this letter as a welcome to the
New Year and an invitation to continue sharing your
constructive thoughts. Enjoy these pages, and look
for all the best the world of cake has to oer through
the 2012 issues coming your way.
Cheers!
Letter from
the Editor
Letter from the Editor
As you are delivering desserts, the client says, Oh,
did we remember to tell you no sugar?
Helen Gottesman, Boynton Beach, FL
I have a regular customer who always loves my
cakes, and she asked me to make a Star Wars
cake for her sons birthday. When I opened the box
and said, "Here's your special cake Brett," he said,
"That's not what I wanted for my birthday cake!"
I was surprised with this reaction, and I replied,
"Well, honey this is what your mom ordered." Brett
came back at me with, My mom is stupid and
doesn't know what I want so take it back! I don't
want it!. The mom came to the rescue, assuring
me he would love it by the time his party came
around. As I was leaving, I said bye to Brett and
he came over and kicked me in the shins while
yelling, Take that cake back I don't want it! We
really cant please everyone...especially kids! I left
dumbfounded and bruised (in more ways than
one). Thank God this hasn't happened again.
Paula Surette, Bridgewater, MA
The worst is when a client says, "Can you give me
a break on the price?" AFTER we have agreed on
a price and they are about to pick up the cake.
I had this happen once. The client wanted a
Quinceera cake for 250 people; white cake, white
chocolate mousse flling, and Italian frosting in
which I matched the lace design and the color
of the girls dress. I told her calmly that I was al-
ready giving her a break. She told me that a com-
mercial bakery would charge less and I said, Of
course they would! They use artifcial fllings and
shortening for the frosting. Mine was made from
scratch specifcally for her. She begrudgingly paid
me in full, but at the party she got her revenge; she
threw away the business cards I had given her and
refused to give any party guests my information.
Laura Medina, Chicago, IL
Whats the worst

thing to hear from a client?
I have this terrible fear of forgetting the correct

date/time for a wedding cake. I will ask the bride a
dozen times or more after already confrming de-
tails, recording it in my cake records/sketch sheets/
etc. Crazy, I know, but I can't imagine messing up
someone's big day like that!
Sam Short, Wakefeld, RI
I have a short fuse when an unprepared customer
sufers from sticker shock and refers to cake as
"just four, water, sugar, and eggs." I have to reach
into my reserve of self-control to keep from tell-
ing them to, "Make it yourself then!" But there
is one thing I never, ever, want to hear from a
customer..."You'll be hearing from my lawyer!"
Laura Amodeo, Sterling Heights, MI
I had a customer call at midnight on a Thursday
requesting a cake for Saturday morning, as an-
other decorator had canceled at the last minute.
I never do cakes on such short notice, but she got
my name from a good customer so I said yes. She
wanted a WWE cake, and she didn't care what
favor. I did a plain vanilla cake and flled it with
Swiss meringue buttercreamthe same as the
outside. Although she purchased the fgurines,
the ropes around the ring took way longer than
expected. I had given her a deal initially (even
though it was last minute), and I ended up charg-
ing her $5 more than the estimate. She loved the
way it looked when she picked it up, and so of
she went. Several hours later, she called to say it
was the worst thing she had ever eaten, and no
one at her party would even eat it because it was
disgusting! And to top it of, she had a headache
because everyone kept telling her to call me and
let me know. Awful!
Lynne Mazzga, Hawley, PA
Your Slice Worst thing to hear...
Clients want beautiful fondant cakes. They tell
you what they want, and youre thinking, This
is going to be costly. When they fnish describ-
ing what they want, the next thing youll hear is,
PLEASE DONT CHARGE ME A LOT! Some people
dont have any idea how much hard work and
time goes into this!
Camen Torres, Guayama, Puerto Rico
Up Next...
When you were a child,
what was your dream
cake?
We Want to Hear from You!
Submit Your Slice answers to
yourslice@cakecentral.com, and
your answer could be featured
in an upcoming issue of Cake
Central Magazine!
Your Slice Worst thing to hear...
Going into this business, I thought dealing with
the brides would be the worst part. I laugh at that
now little did I know, it would be the MOTH-
ERS. Once at a tasting/consultation, a bride and
mother sat down and explained a little about
what she wanted. And by she, I dont mean the
bride. The mother wanted this many layers, these
favors, that shape, etc. The bride seemed to be
okay with the mothers choices. Then came the
tasting, in which I had the 3 favors they asked
for, topped with Italian meringue buttercream.
The mother took a bite and said, "This isn't butter-
cream." I replied, "Yes it is, its real buttercream, not
the buttercream that you might have had from
the grocery store." Then the mother said, "I don't
like it, I like the kind at the grocery store! Also, this
cake tastes frozenI don't want the wedding
cake to be frozen." She has no idea that all the gro-
cery store cakes she has ever had has been frozen.
Katie Geesey, Bettendorf, IA
I received a phone call around 6 am one morning.
This is the conversation that took place:
Me: Hello?
Lady: I need a wedding cake... how much will it
be?
Me: Um, it all depends on how many tiers, frost-
ing or fondant, favors, flling, decorations, etc.
Lady: Oh, well I want a 5-tier Snow White cake
with raspberry flling. Can you do those rose
things?
Me: Yes, out of buttercream, royal icing, fondant,
or gumpaste?
Lady: The ones that look real. I want them all over
the cake with two handmade peacocks sitting at
the top, all white. Can you do that?
Me: I sure can.
Lady: Well how much will it be?
Me: I would guess somewhere around
$800-$1000.
Lady: WHAT?!! But its JUST CAKE!
Me: Well, you are asking for a lot, but I'm sure we
can work something out.
Lady: There are only going to be 25 to 30 people
at the wedding. I was thinking it was going to be
$50 at the most! Besides, I don't think I can come
up with that much by this afternoon.
Me: Well I only ask for half down and the other
half two weeks before the wedding.
Lady: The wedding is at 4 pm today.
Me: Oh, well no matter how simple I cant get one
done by 4 pm, unless you just want a sheet cake.
Lady: But IT'S JUST CAKE!!!
Me: (click)
Kiele Briscoe, Colorado
Client calling my shop: Hi...The cake was great! I
loved the little pink roses that tasted so sweet. So
sweet, in fact, that my husband will need to go
to the dentist...oh, and by the way, he found your
ring! We will send you the bill.
This has never happened to me, but I sure would
hate for that to occur. YIKES!
Lisa Daugherty, Florida
I just bake as a hobby, but i remember one of
my frst cakes for a cousin. I made a homemade
recipe, and when I told him it was homemade he
said, "Really? Good job! It tastes just like the box
mixes!" He thought this was a compliment, I just
smiled.
Haley Wagner, Massachusetts
I had a client that was having her sons birthday at
a YMCA in New York City. I've done cakes for clients
at YMCAs before so I thought nothing of it. I ar-
rived in the YMCA recreation room, and imagine
my unease when I was escourted to the basketball
courts! They had a cake table about 20 feet away
from where some kids were playing. I secured the
cake, but I was still worried about the vibrations.
The lady assured me they would stop playing, so
I went on my way. An hour later, the mom called
me and timidly said that the cakewhich was
stacked basketballs, soccer balls, and footballs
had collapsed! I was mortifed, and I think a bit
more upset then she was. She didn't seem to mind,
but I wanted to crawl into a hole and die!
Angela Cuevo, Sunnyside, NY
Tutorial Long Stem Red Rose
The People's Cake
Kaysie Lackey
Seattle, WA
Photos By: connieriggiophotography.com
The secret has long been out (for hundreds of years, in fact). Red roses are the ultimate
symbol of love. Were excited to share detailed instructions for making these foral
favorites in sugar form, courtesy of Kaysie Lackey! Delicate and realistic long stem
roses evoke classic romance, and theyll instantly add an elegance factor to your cake.
And these roses turn out so beautifully, youll likely want to create a whole bouquet.
TOOLS:
ROSE CUTTER SET
ROSE LEAF CUTTERS
BRUSHES
PASTA ROLLER/PASTA
MACHINE
BALL TOOL
FOAM MAT
GREEN FLORAL TAPE
PLASTIC SOUP SPOONS
(AT LEAST 5)
EXACTO KNIFE
CELBOARD
CELPAD
WIRE CUTTERS
CALYX CUTTER
SILICONE LEAF VEINER
MATERIALS:
RED GUMPASTE
GREEN GUMPASTE
EGG WHITES
VEGETABLE SHORTENING
24-GAUGE WIRE FOR LEAVES
POINSETTIA, BRICK, ROSE,
AND HOLLY PETAL DUSTS
18-GAUGE WIRE
LARGE ROSE CONE
Long Stem
Red Rose
1. Stick a rose cone on a
4inch, 18-gauge wire
2. Roll the red gumpaste to a 7 on
a pasta machine or transparent.
3. Choose 3 rose petal cutters,
small, medium, and large.
The smallest cutter should
be larger than your cone.
4. Using the middle size rose
cutter, cut one petal.
5. Using the large end of a ball tool,
tool the top edge of the petal in
a clockwise direction. Flip it over.
6. Brush the rose cone with egg
whites from the top halfway down.
7. Attach the tip of the petal to
the cone pointing down.
8. Slowly wrap the petal clock-
wise to form a center.
9. Cut two petals with the small-
est rose cutter, and tool
the top 2/3, then fip.
10. Paint the left side and
bottom tip of the 2 small
petals with egg whites.
11. Working in a clockwise motion,
attach petals, nesting the
second petal inside the frst.
12. Wrap around clockwise
to close the petals. Feel
free to tug and pull.
13. To make the rose look life-
like, curl the top tips of the
petals back slightly.
14. Using the medium size
cutter, cut 3 petals.
15. Repeat steps 5 through 7.
16. Apply 1 petal at a time to
the rose. Nest each petal.
17. Apply a small amount of egg
white to tack the petals down.
7
1
8
3
9
4
10
5
12 13
11a 11b
18. Curl the top tips of the
petals back slightly.
19. Cut 4 large rose cutter petals.
20. Tool the top 2/3 of the
petals, then fip.
21. Using a plastic spoon, place
a petal in the spoon with the
edges barely hanging over.
22. Using another spoon, com-
press the petal within the other
spoon. Apply pressure with
your thumb, and bend back the
overlapping edge of the petal.
23. Repeat for each large petal. Allow
the petals to dry in the bottom
spoon until leather. Once dry,
they will remove easily. The
petals should be dry enough
to hold the spoons shape.
24. Paint halfway down the
left side and bottom of the
petals with egg white.
25. Starting with one petal, wrap clock-
wise completely around the rose.
26. For all the additional petals, nest
them as done before. Do not apply
the petals equidistant apart, so as to
create a more realistic appearance.
27. Tack the petals with egg whites
and adjust using your fngers.
Leave one petal open and un-
tacked to maintain the realism.
28. Using poinsettia colored petal
dust, dust the inside of the petals
starting in the center and working
circularly outward. Apply dust to
the tops of the petals to liven them.
29. Using the brick colored petal dust,
darken the center of the rose.
30. Mixing the rose and holly col-
ored petal dusts, lightly dust
the outermost petals to create
the dead edge efect. Tip the
inner petals with the rose and
holly mixture. This step is what
really brings the rose to life.
16 17
21 22
23 24
25 26
27 28
30 34
31. Lightly color the under-
side of the petals.
32. Roll the green gumpaste
level 6 on a pasta machine.
33. Cut out a calyx leaf.
34. Elongate the calyx
using a ball tool.
35. Using an exacto knife, score
the edges of the leaf.
36. Using the small side of the ball
tool to accentuate the scores.
37. Paint egg white in the
center of the calyx.
38. Stab the rose in the center
of the calyx, and thread
the calyx up the stem.
39. Flip the rose upside down, and
tack in the middle of each leaf
of the calyx so they arent com-
pletely fat on the rose. Make
sure the calyx covers the entire
white part of the rose bud.
40. Using a yard length of green
foral tape, attach the rose to an
18 gauge wire. Spin the tape up
to the neck of the rose. Repeat
adding a second and third wire.
41. Wrap tape down to the
end of the wires. Continue
adding taping until desired
thickness occurs. Cut of the
excess wire using wire cutters
(approximately 3 inches).
42. Using green gumpaste, form
a bump at the bottom of
the calyx. Smooth down the
stem using shortening.
43. Using the holly and rose
petal dusts, paint the stem
to match the calyx.
44. Paint over the edges of the
calyx with the rose petal dust.
35 36
38 39
40 41
42 43
44 45
46 48
LEAVES
45. Roll a 5 inch snake roll of green
gumpaste over the grooves
on a CelBoard that has been
prepped with shortening.
46. With a rolling pin, roll to a
transparent thinness.
47. Peel of gumpaste from CelBoard,
and fip over so grooves are visible.
48. Cut one leaf with a large leaf
cutter. Cut so the groove is going
through the center of the leaf.
49. Repeat with two small leaves.
50. Peel of the excess gumpaste,
leaving the 3 leaves remaining.
51. Cut three, 3 1/2 inch 24-gauge wires.
52. Dip a wire in egg white, and
thread about a quarter of the
way up the vein (the groove)
of the back of the leaf. Repeat
with the two smaller leaves.
53. Using a silicone leaf veiner,
vein your leaves.
54. Tool the entire undersides of the
leaves using a large ball tool.
55. Hang the leaves on a rack to dry.
56. Once dry, paint with a mix-
ture of holly and rose petal
dusts using a fat brush. Run
through steam to set.
57. Using the green foral tape, tape
the three leaves together.
58. Tape the stem of the leaves
to the stem of the rose.
59. Bend and arrange the leaves
in a lifelike manner.
60. Color the additional tape by
brushing it with the holly
and rose petal dusts.
53 50
54
52
57 58
After perusing the various posts and categories
throughout this blog, one thing becomes clear:
it should be renamed Fully-Baked! This site is
chock-full of gorgeous photos of cakes, party
displays, cookies, and other confections, and
creator Carrie Sellmans cake design gallery is
sure to inspire you. Its very easy to spend lots
of time (perhaps too much time!) exploring the
diferent themes and hot new trends displayed
throughout the pages. Along with frequent
posts, the site includes unique categories
such as Sweet Tidbits,Dessert Tables,and
Real Parties,which are all suited to help out
the viewer, no matter their present skill level.
Adding to the mix, Half-Baked features a selec-
tion of smaller bakeries and a top tier directory,
plus includes a shopping section! Theres a
little bit of everything on this helpful, too-
cute-for-words smorgasbord of a cake blog.
Half-Baked: The Cake Blog
Web Browsing Half-Baked
Whats Your
Type?
Science of Baking Whats Your Type?
I
wholeheartedly admit that
I am an American butter
cake girl, but there are
times when diferent styles
of cake ft the dessert bill
for the taste and texture I
desire. Angel food cakes
and pound cakes pair
beautifully with berries and
freshly whipped cream, and
a sponge cakes open and springy texture
makes it ideal for tiramisu and trife. Not
only do these types of cakes make fabu-
lous desserts, they can also fnd a lovely
home in your layer cakes. Cakes can vary
from dense, tender, and tightly crumbed
to light, feathery, and spongy. Having a
greater understanding of the characteristics
of a variety of cake types and the science
behind how they are achieved can increase
your knowledge and diversity as a baker.
Cakes typically fall into two basic categories,
butter cakes and sponge-type cakes. Butter
cakes generally contain more fat than most
sponge cakes, and they can be leavened
solely by eggs or included chemical leaven-
ers. Among butter cakes there are three
versions that frequently appear: pound
by Summer Stone
cake, American butter cake, and mud cake.
Sponge cakes are leavened predominantly
with egg foams and vary in the amount of
fat they contain from none to moderate
amounts. Some of the common sponge
cake varieties include angel food cake,
American-style sponge cake, gnoise, and
chifon. Here we will explore the compo-
nents, unique mixing methods, and char-
acteristics of each of these kinds of cake.
Butter Cakes
Pound cake, to me, typifes the pure sim-
plicity of a butter cake. In its classic form, it
consists of equal weights of butter, sugar,
four, and eggs (weighed in the shell) and
no chemical leaveners such as baking
powder or baking soda. Instead, pound
cake relies on mechanical aeration of the
butter to lighten the cake and the eggs to
provide leavening. Pound cakes are gener-
ally mixed with the creaming method in
which the butter and sugar are beaten until
light and fufy with subsequent additions
of eggs and four. These cakes are often
baked low and slow at temperatures below
350F in order to ensure proper elevation
and lightness of the cake and to allow for
the inside of the cake to be done before
the outer crust becomes too dark. Result-
ing pound cakes are characterized by a
tight, fne crumb and rich buttery favor.
These cakes are also ideal for layering and
carving because of the compact structure
and sturdy denseness. Pound cakes can
also be converted into recipes for delicious
American-style butter cakes by adding
liquids and leavening agents in order to
open and add moisture to the crumb.
American butter cakes are a variation
of pound cake but generally contain a bit
more liquid in the form of water, dairy, or
juice, and utilize baking powder, baking
soda, or both as leavening. In the United
States, this is the cake of choice for birth-
days, weddings, and most other forms of
celebration. Many American butter cakes
are based on the traditional 1-2-3-4 cake.
This cakes name is essentially a recipe in
which one uses one cup butter, two cups
sugar, three cups four and four eggs. There
are endless variations to this basic formula,
but it is a good foundational starting place
when developing a butter cake recipe. Part
of the appeal of American butter cakes is
their ease of mixing. These cakes are most
often mixed by either the creaming method,
described above, or by the four-batter
method in which butter is mixed with the
dry ingredients followed by the liquid and
eggs. This cake is usually baked at 350,
which yields a cake that is both light and
has a frm structure. The addition of liquid
and leavening as well as the reduction in
butter and eggs produces a cake that is
lighter and more open crumbed than a tra-
ditional pound cake. A higher ratio of sugar
in the American butter cake also results in
a sweeter, more tender fnal product. The
soft, moist texture of this style of cake and
relative strength and stability strikes a nice
balance between a cake that is appealing
to eat and easy to prepare and decorate.
The mud cake is to Australians what the
butter cake is to those of us in the States.
This style of cake is moist and dense with a
sturdy structure that holds up beautifully
to carving and decorating with fondant.
Mud cake generally contains the same
ingredients as an American butter cake, but
adds some form of chocolate into the mix
and varies the proportion of ingredients
used; there is typically more sugar, fat,
and liquid found in these cakes than their
American counterparts and proportionally
less four and eggs. Most mud cake recipes
are made with either all self-rising four or
a mix of self-rising and all-purpose four.
This is due to the fact that cake four is
not readily available in Australia, and self-
rising four is a softer wheat, lower gluten
alternative to all-purpose four. Self-rising
fours provide an advantage of ease in that
they are pre-mixed with salt and leaven-
ing agents, but if they contain more salt
and leavening than is desired, all-purpose
four must be added to dilute their relative
amounts present in the fnal product.
Another unique characteristic of the mud
cake is the method by which it is mixed.
These cakes begin by melting together
fat, chocolate (either dark or white), and
liquid. After this melted mixture is cooled
slightly, the eggs and dry ingredients are
whisked in, forming a thin batter. Mud cakes
are typically baked at temperatures below
350 for slow, even protein coagulation
and starch gelation. However, this low-
temperature baking can allow for gas cells
that develop during baking to converge
and form air tunnels throughout the cake.
Be sure to frmly rap flled cake pans on the
counter before baking to remove large air
bubbles and reduce some of the tunneling
efect. When cooled and wrapped, mud
cakes have a long shelf life and actually
improve in favor and texture over the frst
few days following baking. Therefore, this
type of cake works well when excessive
time is needed to decorate a cake or if a
cake needs to sit at room temperature for
several days. The moist sweetness of this
cake gives it great appeal, but it may seem
a bit dense or chewy compared to the light
tenderness of an American butter cake.
Sponge Cakes
The second category of cakes is the sponge-
type cake that is stabilized and leavened
with egg foam. Egg foam is a network of
tiny bubbles that are formed when air is
beaten into liquid eggs. The beating pro-
cess creates stable foam by mechanically
causing stress on certain egg proteins,
promoting unfolding. In addition, beating
incorporates air which changes the proteins
environment and further alters their shape.
These unfolded proteins then gather at the
air-water junctions and form bonds with
each other, creating scafolding that holds
the structure of the foam. Think of a foam
cross section as a honeycomb where open
cells are supported by a strong surround-
ing structure. Baking further stabilizes the
foam or sponge structure by unfolding
additional egg proteins that frmly reinforce
the structure and by evaporating water
from the foam which weakens the structure.
The most stable egg foams are composed of
solely egg whites. The presence of fat from
the egg yolk interferes with the protein-
protein interactions that make up the foam
structure and compete for space at the
air-water junction. Egg foams can be made
using egg yolks, and they often are, but
they are more dif cult to establish and
less stable than all-white foams.
A perfect example of an all-
white sponge cake is angel
food. In this type of cake,
several egg whites are
beaten to a foam consis-
tency, sometimes with
cream of tartar. Once
the foam is established,
sugar is added and
fnally the cake four is
folded in. The cream of
tartar is added to provide
an acid component to
the foam. This prevents
excessive egg protein
bonding and the formation
of dry, blocky egg foam. The
sugar is added after the foam
is created because it can interfere with
protein unfolding and bonding and thus
formation of stable foam. Once the foam
is established, the sugar improves stability
by slowing liquid drainage from the bubble
walls. The addition of cake four helps
reinforce the structure of the baked cake
with wheat starch, but it also keeps the cake
from becoming weighed down by higher-
protein fours. There is no fat in this cake,
but the low volume of four and the high
percentage of sugar keep this cake moist
and tender. If baked as a layer cake, using a
springform pan without greasing or lining
with parchment allows you to invert the
cake as it cools without it falling out of the
pan, and aids in the release when the sides
are removed. Angel food cakes baked at
325 are even and have a light golden crust.
Angel food cakes are characterized by their
light, spongy texture and sweet, subtle
favor. Their airy, tender crumb may not
hold up to heavy fondant decorations, but
they make a wonderfully delicate layer
cake when covered with whipped cream or
buttercream. Angel food cakes are not dif-
fcult to assemble because of their relatively
short list of ingredients, but the necessity of
properly whipped egg whites, a gentle hand
in mixing, and proper cooling procedure
increase the relative dif culty of these cakes.
A sponge cake is quite similar to an angel
food cake but includes the addition of egg
airy and quite open and spongy in texture.
The cake is improved by removing the top
and bottom crusts and soaking in a gener-
ous amount of simple syrup, but it remains
springy and airy. Gnoise is known to be a
fnicky cake which requires careful handling
and attention to procedure. This is in part
a result of its foundation being built upon
whole egg foam, which is relatively unstable
and the addition of fat which can further
weaken the foam. A Gnoise-style cake is
commonly found among layer cakes and is
best when split thin and flled with a minimal
spread of jam or rich buttercream. Gnoise
also makes a lovely tiramisu cake or trife.
The chifon cake is the last of the sponge
cakes and, in my opinion, the most fabulous
of all the foam cakes. When properly carried
out, chifon cakes are light, moist, tender,
fne crumbed, and favorful. A chifon cake is
a sort of hybrid between a sponge cake and
a butter cake. In this cake, egg yolks, water,
oil, and favorings are whisked together with
four, sugar, salt, and leavening chemicals.
The egg whites are then beat to stif, dry
peaks and folded into the yolk batter. The
inclusion of a good amount of oil results in
a moist cake with an unobtrusive favor that
allows other favors to shine. This style of
cake is usually baked in an ungreased tube
pan at 325. The low temperature allows for
yolks to provide favor and richness to the
cake. The sponge cake foam is formed by
beating egg whites and then folding them
into a batter made up of yolk or whole
egg foam, sugar, four, salt, favorings and
sometimes milk, butter, and chemical
leavening products. Beating the whites
separately gives the foam a higher volume
and provides for a more stable batter. The
addition of milk adds moisture and can pro-
duce a fner crumb in the cake while small
amounts of butter tenderize and add favor.
This cake is typically baked in a 350 oven.
A baked sponge cake is very light and fex-
ible with a stretchy, springy, open crumb. In
its basic form, this cake has a neutral, mild
egg favor that serves as a nice backdrop to
more favorful components. Sponge cake
traditionally is the base of Boston cream
pie, blackberry jam cake, and tiramisu, to
name a few. In its classic form, fexibility and
sponginess may make it dif cult to stand
up to fondant, but it would layer nicely
covered in buttercream. The downside of
the sponge cake is the complex mixing pro-
cess. Separately beating whites and yolks
or whole eggs with divided amounts of
sugar and the careful folding in of fats and
four complicate the mixing procedures and
make this a more challenging cake to create.
Gnoise is much like a classic sponge cake
but varies in mixing method, includes butter
for favor, and is usually soaked in favored
simple syrup. This cake is the darling of the
French, and it often forms the basis for their
layer cakes. To create a gnoise, whole
eggs, yolks, or whites are
heated with sugar over sim-
mering water until just warm.
This process prevents coagula-
tion or curdling of the eggs.
The egg-sugar mixture is then
beat until a foam is established
that is three times the volume
of the original liquid. A small
portion of the egg foam is
removed and whisked together
with melted, clarifed butter
and favorings. Sifted four is
then folded into the remaining
foam in two or more incre-
ments forming a foam batter.
The enlightened butter is then
folded into the batter and it is
quickly moved to the pan and
gently placed in a 350 oven.
The resulting cake is tall and
a high, even rise, and the lack of fat inside
the pan ensures that the cake will not fall
out when it is inverted to cool. Inverted
cooling is necessary to stretch and set the
cakes structural network before it can col-
lapse. (Believe me, this is necessary. I have
created some very interesting chifon cakes
that have resembled dense foam rubber.)
This may not be the ideal cake for a begin-
ning baker to attempt, but overall, this is
not a dif cult cake to make and is not as
fragile or particular as other sponge-type
cakes. Cooled chifon cakes have a wonder-
ful texture that will hold up to buttercream
or fondant decorations, but are also deli-
cious served plain or with a simple glaze.
Although most cakes fall into two simple
categories, there is a wide degree of varia-
tion in what specifc cakes look, taste, and
feel like. Butter cakes, with their high per-
centages of fat and dense velvety texture
make wonderful layer cakes, but their foamy
cousins should not be forgotten. The sweet,
light, spongy texture of foam cakes gives
them an entirely diferent, but no less desir-
able, appeal. For this reason, it is good to
have an understanding of an array of cake
variations, not only for simple diversity,
but so that you are able incorporate the
science and knowledge of these individual
cakes into your own perfect creation.
Valentines Blackout
Whats the big deal about Valentines Day? Sure, there are certain romantics out there who seem to revel in roses and
stale chocolates, but there are others who frmly resist commercialized love. If you think this holiday is nothing more
than an elaborate scheme concocted by greeting card companies or a simply poor excuse for a holiday, youre not
alone. This section highlights some cake makers that have gone anti-Valentines, and were excited to show of their
work! We welcome you to ditch the tacky cards and let of steam with these deliciously angsty black Valentines cakes.
Valentines Blackout
Art and Appetite
Jene Rylan Nato
Las Vegas. NV
artandappetite.com
rylan
Valentines Blackout
Frosted Fantasy Cakes
Amelia Carbine
Logan, UT
frostedfantasycakes.com
fcakes
Valentines Blackout
Susan Trianos Custom Cakes
Susan Trianos
Toronto, Canada
susantrianoscakes.com
Photo By: www.buchmanphoto.com
Valentines Blackout
Susan Trianos
Toronto, Canada
Valentines Blackout
Tessa Uitvlugt
Veendam, Netherlands
Tessje
Valentines Blackout
Tessa Uitvlugt
Tessje
Valentines Blackout
Leanne Winslow
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Photo By: Sean Hoyt
LeanneW
Valentines Blackout
Art and Appetite
Jene Rylan Nato
Las Vegas. NV
artandappetite.com
rylan
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Feature Marina Sousa
With all of the media hype surrounding cake decoration these days, some advanced
cake decorators are fnding themselves thrust into the public eye whether they like it
or not. But how is the sweet taste of fame really afecting these artists? Is the spotlight
a blessing or a curse for their cake businessesnot to mention their sanity? When it
comes to fame and fortune, theres one decorator who has no trouble keeping both
feet planted frmly on the ground. Cake decorator and pastry chef extraordinaire
Marina Sousa demonstrates on a daily basis how her passion for cakes has nothing to
do with the media hype surrounding her life. In fact, Marinas story reveals some major
misconceptions that we may have about these famous decorators.
The Renowned Marina Sousa
Its Not Just Cake:
Fondant for Sale
Owner of the highly acclaimed pastry shop,
Just Cake, Marina can hardly believe that her
childhood hobby is now a full-time career.
Sweet desserts have been a part of Marinas
life for as long as she can remember. Because
of her love for holidays, Marinas mother
used any celebration as an excuse to make a
dessert. My mother was a great baker. She
always made our birthday cakes. I think she
made us birthday cakes every month until we
turned two!Marina continues, She decorated
the house for EVERY holiday. We literally had
boxes labeled in the holiday closet for every-
thing from Christmas to Saint Patricks Day!
Im confdent my mother is who I got much
of my inspiration from over the years.Marina
was exposed to the creative side of confec-
tions at an early age. She was even coming
up with her own creative business ventures
as a child. Her mother used to make a type of
candy at Christmas with fondant in it. Paying
homage to this fondant candy, rather than
selling traditional lemonade Marina actually
set up a fondant standwith a little help from
her mom. We made fondant rainbows, suns,
stars and fowers, and I sold them in our front
yard at my fondant stand! Unbeknownst
to me at the time, my interest in fondant
began.Talk about a sign of things to come!
Playing School
When we asked Marina what her child-
hood self wanted to be when she grew up,
Marina couldnt recall anything specifc.
Wishing her mother, Marge Chiesa, was
around to help her answer this question,
Marina couldnt help but break down a bit.
A passionate, fun-loving woman, Marge
was truly Marinas biggest cheerleader,
as a special section on Marinas website
dedicated to her indicates. In 2008, Marge
passed away unexpectedly. Remember-
ing her childhood, as well as the endless
support her mother always gave her, was
extremely dif cult for Marina. Without her
mothers unsurpassed ability to recollect
elements of Marinas childhood, Marina
instead turned to her family to help jog
her memory. Marinas sister recalled how
Marinas childhood disposition was a true
sign of her future leadership capabilities.
My sister thought I just wanted to be the
bossbecause I sure liked being bossy!
Gotta love sisters! It sounds like her sister,
among other things, is part of the reason
Marina is so levelheaded despite her inter-
national acclaim. Marinas ability to be the
boss was clearly proven at an early age.
From designing, costuming, and choreo-
graphing neighborhood productions in
the front yard, to often insisting on being
the teacher when playing school, Marina
was practically hardwired for leadership.
Although shes been featured in major
magazines, designed cakes for numerous
celebrities, and is known for her string
of wins on Food Networks Challenge,
Marina still cant believe the recognition
she receives. I love it when I get mes-
sages or people just come up and say
Hi to me at events. Its still astonishing
to me that anyone even knows who I
am! Although shes modest, it is clear
that Marina has worked hard for her ac-
complishments. She attributes her lifes
achievements to both her extensive
schooling as well as her supportive family,
who she says trusted her despite the fact
that her education took her in directions
they often didnt understand. Marina
adds, I think the one prevailing theme
of my life is that I was always fortunate
enough to be able to follow my passion.
I think the one
prevailing theme of
my life is that I was
always fortunate
enough to be able to
follow my passion.
Chasing a Dream
Marinas educational interests can certainly
be described as diverse, but they always
seemed to refect what she was truly pas-
sionate about at the time. After high school,
Marina got a degree in Visual Merchandis-
ing and Space Design from The Fashion
Institute of Design & Merchandising. Her
degree led her to create window displays for
major companies such as Macys and FAO
Schwartz. Later on, Marina moved to LA and
fell in love with the theater. This newfound
passion led her to receive yet another
creative degree, this time in Theatrical
Production Management at the California
Institute of the Arts. After graduating, she
was able to get a job producing special
events at Universal Studios, which would
eventually lead her to the post production
and marketing side of the entertainment
industry. All of this in one way or another
led me to the doorstep of a cake studio in
Beverly Hills and as they say, the rest is his-
tory. Although she jumped around quite a
bit, the universe works in mysterious ways,
and all of her varied experiences eventually
led her to exactly where she needed to be. I
cant image getting here in any other way.
Opening a cake shop eventually became
Marinas dream; a dream that propelled
her to leave LA and attend the Culinary
Institute of America. Just Cake was launched
in 2003, and it is now recognized as one of
the most innovative and technically pro-
fcient pastry shops in the world. Without
a doubt, Marinas diverse background has
not only helped her shop fourish, but also
become known for its exceptional original-
ity and design. I think the combination
of education and experience from past
careers allows me to view cake through
an uncommon lens. For me, cake is the
perfect balance of artistry and passion.
Pushing the
Boundaries
Inevitably, Marinas unique view of the
world is refected in her extraordinary
cake designs. But Marina admits that her
own unique style is dif cult to put into
words. Ive often been asked to describe
my style and I never really know what to
say. I think Im pretty versatile. Theres not
really one specifc cake Im known for other
than the sugar beads, perhaps. But I think
my work is stylized, if thats a style. The
word stylized only seems to scratch the
surface of her multidimensional design
talents, but perhaps words will always fall
short when we attempt to describe true
artistic expression. Rather than dwelling
on defning her own unique style, Marina
simply reminds us how important push-
ing the boundaries are when it comes to
cakes, or any form of art. Its important to
me to create things that Ive never seen
before, especially when doing something
for a publication and especially when
I design for Challenge. I really look at
those as opportunities to push myself.
"I think the
combination of
education and
experience from past
careers allows me to
view cake through an
uncommon lens. For
me, cake is the perfect
balance of artistry and
passion."
The Price of Fame
With all of the success that she has experi-
enced both personally and with Just Cake,
it is natural to imagine that her business
phone lines are constantly ringing of the
hook. But when we naively asked Marina
how she dealt with the mass infux of orders
to her shop, she gave us insight into a
huge misconception about celebrity cake
designers. I guess people just automatically
assume that because youve been on TV that
you are constantly busy, and thats simply
not always the case! I fnd that sometimes
the national attention has the reverse afect.
I found this to be true especially after I was
on Oprah. People tend to assume because
youve been on TV that you are extremely
expensive, and because of that perception,
locally especially, they wont even bother
calling to fnd out. This misconception not
only leads to losses in total revenue, but also
afects how Marina must price her cakes.
While I am not the least expensive place
in town, I dont feel Im the highest either.
I am priced for my market. Sometimes
thats frustrating as a business owner.
And dont assume that Just Cake has man-
aged to steer clear of the recession. With
wedding cake orders making up about 95
percent of her business, Marina has def-
nitely seen less of the brides with boundless
budgets. Despite the setback, Marina has
at least found one beneft in the recession.
My clients now are people who really care
about their cake in both design and favor,
which is my ideal client actually. At times
I just wish there were more of them.
I Get By with a
Little Help
There is a reason Just Cake is still producing
astounding cakes in spite of the economic
downturn. It seems that fnding the right
balance of personalities in her shop has
made a huge diference to both her business
and her sanity. When describing her friend
and fellow cake designer Dawn Nemec,
Marina remarks, I always say she does all the
stuf that makes me want to poke my eyes
out, while I enjoy conceptualizing the big
picture. We make a good team because she
gives me these extraordinary elements to
work into an overall design concept, which
results in the best of both worlds. The mix
of an incredibly talented, though relatively
small, team of cake makers and an endless
enthusiasm for pastries has made Just Cake
just unstoppable, and Marina constantly
expresses her gratitude. I have been blessed
with an amazing team! We are small, but it
all works out in one way or another. Marinas
tight knit team is rounded out by Danielle
Clark, the excellent baker and member
of the decorating team, as well as Marie
Marheineke, who tirelessly handles phone
calls and email inquiries at Just Cake. Marina
absolutely shudders to think of what she
would do without the support of her staf.
The Cake TV
Generation
The past few years have proved that
Marina really knows how to hold her own
in the competitive cake world. When we
asked her why she thought cake making
has become the phenomenon that it is
today, Marina responded, I think cake
is one of those things that everyone can
relate to. Nearly everyone has baked
a cake or had one made for them, we
celebrate birthdays and happy occa-
sions with them. Elevating the concept
to an art form is fascinating for people.
Although the cake industry has certainly
benefited from the popularization of
cakes in the media, it is still difficult to
know the direction the cake world will go
in the future. Marina remains optimistic.
One of the things Im looking forward
to is seeing what the next generation of
designers will bring to the table; those
who have grown up watching Challenge,
knowing and seeing what is possible.
Marina is no stranger to Challenge.
Shes participated in so many Challenge
episodes, its almost hard to keep track.
When we asked her to name her favorite,
she reluctantly responded, My very frst
one, which was the second Challenge
ever flmed. The theme was Kid Birthday
Cakes. Looking back, the cake was so
small and simple! At that point the focus
was really about the cakes which I really
The Sweetest
Thing
For Marina, quality and skill are
clearly critical to her artistic cre-
ations. But as in any culinary
art, taste is always crucial.
Texture is really important
to me. The combination of
creamy/crunchy and sweet/
salty is something I strive for. As
far as balance goes, clearly you
need to have your chocolate options
and lighter fruit options. Unlike a
non-pastry chef, who might depend
on an exotic ingredient to make a dish
an expensive delicacy, Marina is able
to make a visually stunning gourmet
cake using ingredients and favorings
weve all heard of. She tends to keep
her menu fairly basic, but is always willing
to experiment. As with most things, the
more choices you give people the more
confusing it is! I try and stick to tried and
true crowd pleasers, and if someone wants
a specifc favor beyond that Im always
willing to explore it! That part is fun to me.
If theres one thing Marinas story indicates,
its that Marina just loves cake. She has fun
doing it. After all, shouldnt the career you
choose give you this same joie de vivre?
kind of miss. Despite the changes she
has witnessed by both competing and
judging, she appreciates her time on the
show and has enjoyed getting to see
its evolution throughout the years.
Still, Marina sees a clear distinction
between cake makers that have grown
up with cake TV shows and cake makers
that began before the cake media hype.
Thanks to popular TV shows like Chal-
lenge, cake making is becoming more
and more recognized as an achievable
full-time career, not just a pleasurable
hobby. I never ever thought about this
as a career, most designers I know didnt
either, says Marina, adding, I think most
people can imagine themselves making
a cake and as a result are inspired by
what they see on TV. This generational
gap between cake makers who grew
up watching Cake TV and those who
didnt seems bound to affect the industry.
Marina just hopes that the fundamen-
tals of cake making wont be lost in the
process. Honestly, I really hope there is
a return to the basics. I think there are
so many tools available now that allow
anyone to make a pretty good looking
cake with very little skill or practice.
Thats not a bad thing; I just think the
fundamentals of cake decorating, such as
piping technique, are almost a lost art.
Marina has
constantly
chased her pas-
sions, and this
has clearly paid
off. I feel incred-
ibly blessed
for what I do
and the places
it has taken me.
There are so many
talented people in this industry that I am
continually inspired by, and Im thrilled
to be a part of the cake world in such
an exciting time. What an exciting time
it is! Its the ceaseless passion of pastry
chefs like Marina that have paved the
way for the next generation of cake
enthusiasts. The only thing we have
to say to Marina is, just, thank you.
What is the most important advice
you would give to someone hoping
to try their hand at cake art?
Practice, practice, practice.
Dont become a cake decorator to get
on TV. The downside of cake TV is that
they make it look pretty easy and glamor-
ous. It is neither of those things. It is hard,
physical work. The only reason to do it,
to do any job in my opinion, is because
you LOVE it. Anything short of that wont
cut it when the going gets tough.
Expect to pay your dues. It used to drive
me crazy when my grandfather would say
that to me, but its so true! If you expect
anything more when you start out you
will be disappointed. When I got my frst
job, he told me to get there early and
stay late. And I always have. Those words
have served me well over the years.
The exquisite cake on the cover was created by Jene Rylan Nato of Art and Appetite in Las Vegas, NV. Using black-on-black
as his anti-Valentines tribute was indeed a challenge, and it required a certain level of creativity with materials and tools.
Jene was up for the task, and his artistic mind and decorative skills produced a masterpiece that is dark, sophisticated, and
hauntingly glamorous.
By: Jene Rylan Nato
Sneakers to Cakes
After graduating from high school in 2007, I
landed work as a caregiver in a group home.
Working 12-hour graveyard shifts, I never really
had the time to do anything but work. However,
I did fnd time for one hobby, which was collect-
ing limited edition sneakers. In fact, I was living
paycheck to paycheck just trying to support my
sneaker addiction. You are probably thinking
I'm insane and wondering what sneakers have
to do with cakes, but as odd as one might think
cake conventions are, there is a parallel world
where Sneakerheads(sneaker collectors) unite.
A little less than three years ago, I was on YouTube
searching for the latest sneaker trend. For some
reason I stumbled upon a short video of a lady
named Mayen making a fondant cake for her
son. Soon after checking out the rest of her cake
videos, I was totally hooked. I wanted to decorate
cakes too! That was the day my journey began.
I had never heard of fondant until that very day.
Don't get me wrong, I did know what four was, as
I had learned the basic knowledge of baking from
my mom (thanks, Mama!). We actually owned a
cofee shop back then, and my mom would bake
the best treats, so good that customers would
come back for them. But I was never really inter-
ested in baking. I would help her bake here and
there, and I kind of liked baking but never loved it.
Mayen, along with the community of people
on YouTube who shared their cake videos, were
very helpful in answering all of my questions.
After learning the basics of cake decorating, I
fnally decided to get my suppliesdefnitely
one of the biggest investments of my life.
The Talent of Jene Rylan Nato
Exquisite Simplicity:
Spotlight Jene Rylan Nato
Spotlight Jene Rylan Nato
own recipes and try out new ones. I have to say, I actually
enjoy baking now, and I'm a lot more passionate about it than
I was before. The kitchen is defnitely hotter than ever.
Moving Up
I continue to grow as a cake decorator and I see learning as an end-
less process. Because I have never taken any classes, I am looking
forward to taking some in the future. As for now, I don't think I have
plans of selling cakes anytime soon, as I can barely handle the stress
of creating a cake. Most of the time, I stress over the smallest imper-
fections. Even the ribbon on the edge of the board can irritate me.
In terms of my family, my mom and dad have been very
supportive and I am so thankful to have them. My dad is
an awesome woodworker and he helps me by cutting my
boards and building stands for my cakes. Hey, this could pos-
sibly become a business in the future, you never know.
I still cannot believe I am actually doing this. I began
with a simple dream of decorating a homemade
cake, and never thought that watching a two minute
video on YouTube would change my entire life.
My goodness, shopping for cake supplies was interesting! I saw things
I'd never seen before. A cutter for a cymbidium orchid? Heck, the only
cutters I'd seen before were hearts and circles. C'mon, stencils for cake? I
thought stencils were for walls! I was so amazed with the variety of tools
I found, and at last my shoe obsession turned into a cake addiction.
New Talent
I'm the type who loves a challenge; I never want to take the easy
way out. For my frst cake I decided to make a four-tier wedding
cake with brush embroidery details and gumpaste roses. It was a
nightmare! Not only did my fondant keep tearing, but the whole
cake was more crooked than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I also un-
derestimated the time it would take to make the roses and had to
sacrifce the brush embroidery details. In the end the cake didn't
turn out exactly as I envisioned, but it was defnitely worth the try.
Thanks to my competitive spirit, I didn't give up. My second
cake was for my brothers frst birthday and was four feet tall.
Again, the cake didn't turn out exactly as I pictured, but it was
a lot better than my frst attempt. That alone was a success.
After caking for a little under a year, I fnally had the guts to join
my frst competition in March 2010. I traveled from Las Vegas to
San Diego with my dog and a long-time friend. When I fnally got
there, I felt like going back home and crying under my pillow. There
were so many beautiful, elaborate cakes and mine seemed too
simple. But to my surprise, after the competition was over I found
out that I had actually won Best of Show! It was so unexpected,
and that was the day I felt all my hard work had fnally paid of.
Artistic Eye
I believe simplicity is my strength. I always want something
clean, fresh, and unexpected. I make sure that the bands are
always straight, the board is perfectly round, and the fondant
is silky smooth. I will admit that my cakes are never perfect,
though. Sometimes I let my imperfections go (and it feels like
ants are eating my brain), but many times I see the faws a few
weeks later after looking at the photos. Of course it bothers me
that my cakes arent perfect every time, but I know there is noth-
ing I can do about it. It is just a part of being a cake maker.
My journey as a cake decorator has taught me so many things.
Learning how to decorate cakes has made me appreciate my
mom's recipes a lot more, especially the recipes I use for my own
cakes. I also have found that cake decoration has made me more
creative in the kitchen with other desserts. I guess it all started with
the cake scraps and excess flling I had to throw away. Eventually
I learned to make use of the scraps and flling by mixing them to-
gether and making cake balls. I'm telling you people love them.
After turning scraps into cake balls, I began making cupcakes
with leftover batter. Then the extra ganache eventually turned
into chocolate truf es and bonbons, and the list went on and
on. Using leftovers and scraps has taught me to develop my
Bonus Tutorial Truf es
Is there a better Valentines Day gift than chocolate? I love chocolate truffles,
with their creamy, melt-in-your-mouth ganache center and organic round
shape. The secret to making delicious truffles is in the chocolate itselfI
prefer high-quality chocolate, also known as Couverture in Europe, which
contains at least 31 percent cocoa butter. Tempering is also essential to
forming the shiny shell of the truffle. Tempering is the process of prepar-
ing chocolate by systematically heating and cooling it. This produces a
chocolate exterior that sets up quickly, does not streak, and has a distinct
delicate bite to it. Other key components of working with chocolate include
the following: never let water touch the chocolate, always use clean and dry
equipment, and dont let the chocolate burn when melting. Truffles can also
be decorated in a variety of ways, such as rolling in cocoa, shredded coco-
nut, or chopped toasted nuts. In this tutorial, you will see one of my favorite
ways to finish a trufflewith an abstract texture.
TOOLS:
FOOD PROCESSOR
SAUCE PAN
9 X 13 INCH BAKING PAN
PLASTIC CLING WRAP
RUBBER SPATULA
PIPING BAG
LARGE ROUND PIPING TIP
PARCHMENT PAPER
DIGITAL THERMOMETER
LATEX OR VINYL DISPOSABLE GLOVES
DIPPING FORK
INGREDIENTS:
32 OUNCES LINDT MILK CHOCOLATE
2/3 CUP WHIPPING CREAM
1/4 CUP LIQUID GLUCOSE
Quantity: 50 truf es
Estimated time: 2 to 3 hours
by Rose Sen
1 2
3
1. Prepare chocolate: Chop
or break the chocolate into
pieces. Put the chocolate into
food processor with blade
attachment, and process
until finely powdered.
2. Remove 2 cups of the
powdered chocolate for
coating the centers later.
3. Make the ganache: In a
saucepan, heat the cream
and glucose until it reaches
the boiling point. Remove
the pan from stove, and pour
the cream onto the chocolate
in the food processor. Allow
to sit for 1 minute, then
process until smooth. This
will only take a few seconds.
Do not over-process or the
result will be grainy ganache.
4. Pour warm ganache into a
shallow baking pan, cover
surface directly with plastic
cling wrap, and allow to
set, undisturbed, for ap-
proximately 30 minutes-1
hour, until it reaches the
consistency of peanut butter.
5. Make the centers: To help the
centers set up quickly, fold
the ganache gently with a
spatula, wait 2 minutes, then
fold again. Prepare a piping
bag with a large round tip.
Fill piping bag with ganache,
and immediately pipe out
mounds 1 inch in diameter.
It will take 15-20 minutes
for the mounds to set up.
6. Using your fngers, shape into
rough balls. At this point, you
may leave them to harden
even longer overnight, or
move onto the next step.
7. Temper chocolate: Gently
melt 3/4 of the reserved
powdered milk chocolate
to between 104 -113F
(113-122F for dark
chocolate) in a bowl fitted
over a saucepan of sim-
mering water, stirring
occasionally. Remove
from heat. Gradually add
remaining powdered
chocolate a spoonful at a
time while gently stirring
continuously, allowing
each addition of chocolate
to dissolve completely
before adding the next.
Stop adding powdered
chocolate just before the
mixture reaches 89F. The
chocolate is ready to use
between the temperatures
of 82-89F. If your choco-
late begins to set around
the edges, place the bowl
over the simmering water
for 5 seconds to maintain
your working temperature
of 89. If you happen to
go above 89, the temper-
ing process will need to
be restarted by bringing
the chocolate up to 113
then back down again.
5
6
4
7
9 10
8. Pre-coat centers: Pre-coating
the centers with a thin layer
of chocolate makes them
easier to handle and reduces
the migration of ganache
particles into your tempered
chocolate. To pre-coat, roll the
center with a small amount
of tempered chocolate in a
gloved hand, place on parch-
ment, and allow to set.
9. Dip truf es: Toss pre-
coated center into tempered
chocolate. Coat all side with
chocolate and scoop up with
dipping fork. Tap and slide
fork on the edge of bowl to
remove excess chocolate.
Place on parchment.
10. Decorate: To create an ab-
stract texture, lightly tap all
the sides of the truffle with
your fork before the choco-
late sets up completely,
creating small curved peaks.
Other options to finish your
truffle is to roll it in sifted
cocoa powder, shredded
coconut, or chopped nuts
before the chocolate sets.
8
You popped one too many
corks during your New Years
festivities, and now you have
half-full bottles of bubbly sitting
in your kitchen. Fortunately,
champagne is good for more
than just a glass-clinking
celebration; its an excellent
ingredient to incorporate into
cooking and baking. Check out
the sweet and savory variations
you can make with your extra
champagne.
Leftovers Champagne
Grapefruit Sorbet
2 CUPS CHAMPAGNE
1 1/4 CUP WHITE SUGAR
2 CUPS PINK GRAPEFRUIT JUICE
1 TO 2 TABLESPOONS FRESHLY GRATED
GRAPEFRUIT PEEL
1/4 CUP LEMON JUICE
In a heavy saucepan, combine half the
champagne with the sugar and grape-
fruit peel, and heat over medium heat,
stirring frequently.
Once the mixture comes to a boil and
the sugar has dissolved, reduce heat to
simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove the champagne mixture from
heat, let sit for about 10 minutes or
until cool. Strain mixture into a bowl.
Stir in the grapefruit juice, lemon juice,
and the remainder of the champagne,
and do not strain the pulp from the
fruit juices. Mix well.
Pour into a freezer-safe bowl, cover,
and freeze mixture. When the sorbet is
halfway frozen, break it up with a spoon
or fork and continue to freeze until
completely frozen.
Sorbet can be prepared 3 days ahead of
serving. When ready to serve, remove
the sorbet from freezer, process in a
blender or food processor until smooth,
and continue to freeze until serving.
Leftovers Champagne
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over
medium heat, and add scallops or mus-
sels. Make sure there is no water on the
seafood, towel drying before cooking
may be necessary.
Cook seafood for approximately 3
minutes on each side, remove from heat,
and keep warm.
Add shallots and sliced shiitake mush-
rooms to the pan, and saut until mush-
rooms brown.
Add champagne, mustard, salt, and tar-
ragon. Heat, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat once heated through,
stir in sour cream, and serve over
seafood.
2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
1 CUP SLICED SHIITAKE MUSHROOM CAPS
1 TO 2 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED SHALLOTS
3/4 CUP CHAMPAGNE
1 TEASPOON DIJON MUSTARD
1/4 TEASPOON SALT
1/4 CUP SOUR CREAM
1/4 TEASPOON TARRAGON
1 1/2 POUNDS OF SCALLOPS OR MUSSELS
Seafood Marinade
Leftovers Champagne
First Love Cocktail
2/3 OUNCE CHAMPAGNE
1/3 OUNCE GIN
1 TEASPOON SUGAR
2 DASHES HERRING CHERRY
LIQUEUR
Combine all ingredients in a shaker
lled partially with ice. Shake well, and
strain into a cocktail glass.
Champagne Vinaigrette
1/4 CUP CHAMPAGNE VINEGAR*
1 TABLESPOON DIJON MUSTARD
1/4 CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
2 TEASPOONS HONEY
1/2 TEASPOON SALT
1/4 TEASPOON PEPPER
Whisk together champagne vinegar and
mustard.
Slowly pour in olive oil, while stirring at
the same time.
Stir in honey, salt, and pepper.
Cover and chill for at least a half an
hour before serving. Refrigerate for up
to one week.
*CHAMPAGNE VINEGAR
Pour leftover champagne into an open
container, and keep at room tempera-
ture. After a few weeks, the champagne
will turn into vinegar.
Leftovers Champagne
Decorations you can eat!
800-426-9778 / 253-383-4815 www.lucks.com www.facebook.com/lucks

Edible Food Decorations and Decorating Ideas
The completely edible cake shown here was created
using Lucks
Edible Image
Embellishment decorations
applied to fondant plaques. Edible Shimmer Ribbons

decorations wrap around the cake. Lucks Liqua-Gel
Colors were mixed to achieve the vibrant teal icing shade.
Edible Image
, Dec-Ons
, and Print-Ons
are registered trademarks of The Lucks Company. The Lucks Company 2010.
All of Lucks manufactured products are made in the USA in FDA inspected and registered facilities and are Orthodox Union Kosher certified.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH
A LITTLE LUCKS?

Lucks sells directly to businesses. We also sell to
home decorators through distributors. For more
ideas or information, visit www.lucks.com.
LUCKS FOOD DECORATING COMPANY
y recollecting
the pleasures
I have had
formerly, I
renew them, I
enjoy them a
second time,
while I laugh
at the remem-
brance of
troubles now past, and which I no longer
feel, Giacomo Casanova remarked on
life's pleasures. We wonder how much of
this jovial attitude had to do with choco-
late! The infamous womanizer Casanova
believed chocolate was an aphrodisiac.
True to form, this Italian libertine is said
to have consumed a generous dose of
chocolate before each romantic encounter.
Chocolate has long been associated with
romanticism in the Americas, as well. Like
Casanova, Montezuma also believed in the
power of chocolate for seduction. When
Hernn Corts arrived to conquer the Aztec
empire, Montezuma shared the secret
of imbibing liquid chocolate to promote
lustful feelings. Chocolate, of course, was
frst enjoyed in liquid form by the Aztecs,
extracted from their valuable cacao beans,
which they believed were magical.
By the 17th century, Europeans too
enjoyed the indulgence of chocolate.
And it was a cacao crusade from then
on. In 1828, a Dutch chemist figured out
how to make cocoa powder by remov-
ing some cacao butter from chocolate
liquor and pulverizing the remains.
Joseph Fry is accredited with creating
the first modern chocolate bar in 1847.
Cadbury and Nestle were a couple of
the very first commercial chocolate
producers. And melt-in-your-mouth
chocolates took the world by storm.
Presenting boxed chocolate to loved
ones quickly became a gift of choice.
Chocolate, in its now countless forms,
seems to truly be love's edible coun-
terpart. Take for example the gourmet
Chocolove Belgian chocolate bars. Each
bar resembles a love letter and comes
with a romantic poem inside the wrapper.
Could there be a clearer connection
between good old fashioned love and
chocolate? What's more, the booming
chocolate industry appears to be resilient
to economic woes. In 2008, chocolate
products displayed their recession-proof
marketability with retail sales increas-
ing 3 percent and reaching a record
$17 billion in 2009, according to market
research publisher Packaged Facts.
For other matters of the heart, the high
polyphenol levels found in chocolate may
help protect against heart disease. Plus,
in short-term clinical trials, chocolate
has reduced blood pressure and reduced
blood flow. While these theories are only
speculative, the word's longest-living
person, Jeanne Calment, ate about two
pounds of chocolate each week until
the age of 119 (she went on to live until
the ripe old age of 122). If anything,
chocoholics understand chocolates
feel-good factortheres nothing like
an excellent truffle, bar, or handful of
chocolate chips to put chocolate lovers
in a good (even romantic!) mood.
The Romantic History of Chocolate
Ever Wonder? History of Chocolate
Florida
Cakes Across America
Cakes Across America Florida
There are countless perks to living in the Sunshine State.
But apart from its many famous theme parks, warm beach-
es, and world class orange juice, Florida has yet another
thing to brag about: its vibrant cake scene. Maybe its all
that extra vitamin D, but we found three talented Floridian
bakeries that rank among the top shops in the nation.
Divine Delicacies
Every year, masses of tourists travel to Miami
to get a taste of the magnifcent beaches and
active nightlife. Recently, cake has become an
attraction of its own, thanks to the renowned
cake shop, Divine Delicacies Custom Cakes.
While Divine Delicacies has experienced admi-
rable success in the Miami area and beyond,
the story behind this shop really began with
a husband and wife decorating team living
in Havana, Cuba in the mid 80s. Once Jorge
Rodriguez, a fondant expert, and Iliana Lom-
bardero, a buttercream artist, decided to start
making cakes for their friends and family in
Cuba, the popularity of their creations grew.
With barely any resources to start a business,
they made the life-changing decision to move
to Florida in 1996 and test their skills with the
North American public. Although they couldnt
forsee it at the time, Florida would come to
give Jorge and Iliana a very warm welcome.
Shortly after making the move from Havana
to Miami, Jorge and Iliana came up with
their signature cake favor, vanilla rum. The
favor represents the couples dedication to
their Cuban roots as well as their close-knit
family. Derived from an old family recipe that
has been handed down for generations, the
favor has been tweaked and experimented
with over the years. But, as Iliana explains,
It remains a time-honored tradition in our
family, and it is made with only the fnest
ingredients and specialty Caribbean rums.
This attention to detail and passion for cake
has truly kept Divine Delicacies alive and thriv-
ing. Now, after 15 years of success in business,
Divine Delicacies has witnessed and been a
part of many changes in the Miami cake scene.
It's amazing how far this industry has come
in only 14 years,says Iliana. Not long ago the
most custom cake you could get was at a local
bakery where they would stick a Barbie on a
typical meringue cake and change the colors
for you. Now you can make almost anything
come to life in cake or even make the cakes
themselves come to life. You can make them
talk, move, shoot freworks, you name it.
Without a doubt, the gorgeous creations of
Divine Delicacies characterize some of the
top designs in the area. The pastry shop is
particularly recognized for its use of Swarovski
crystals and artist-inspired cakes, which has
not only made the shop popular with cake
lovers across the country but has also become
a go-to bakery for A-list celebrities. Amazingly,
Divine Delicacies frst celebrity cake request
came from the chart-topping rapper, LilWayne,
who personally requested a birthday cake from
Divine Delicacies with diamond bands (which
he provided). Now, Divine Delicacies is fooded
with high profle jobs, which include making
specialty cakes for Rihanna and Lebron James
to, more recently, a large project for the popular
Trinidadian-American rapper, Nicki Minaj.
Throughout the course of their time in Miami,
Divine Delicacies has experienced countless
highs, but one major setback occurred in 2004,
when Jorge Rodriguez passed away. Jorge was
a dearly beloved father and husband, as well as
an irreplaceable member of the Divine Delica-
cies team. His infuence can be witnessed in
the artistry and technicality of the cakes. Jorge
was a true artist. He had such a passion and
drive in everything that he did, and not just at
work but with his family. His positive attitude
was contagious. We still continue to carry on
that same vision in all that we do today,says
Iliana. Jorges positivity and passion for cake
certainly lives on in Divine Delicacies, and this
prevailing passion may be part of the reason
that it has become as huge as it is today.
The Divine Delicacies team is entirely family-
run. Iliana and Jorge have two daughters, Laura
and Leysi, who handle sales and fnances,
respectively. Laura is also a talented decorator,
taking after her father. Both Laura and Leysi
have really been a backbone for this business
and have taken Divine Delicacies to a whole
new level,says Iliana. Keeping things fresh
and up-to-date is so important in this ever-
changing industry, and we have all the right
people that let us keep growing and evolving.
Keeping the business in the family works well
for Divine Delicacies, and despite the fact that
they sometimes have trouble setting aside
time away from work, they have cultivated
their own way of doing things over the years.
When we are at work we are co-workers, we
don't let family business interfere with cake
business. We are all so in-sync, and we each
know each others strengths. This really helps
us to fow and function smoothly.Its clear
that this family is united by the passion they
have for their cakes. Now,Iliana says, this is
not just a business but a family heirloom.
Over the years, the Divine Delicacies team has
created hundreds of awe-inspiring cakes. Some
of Ilianas favorites include her own nine-foot-
tall wedding cake decorated with 1,000 sugar
fowers, or Miami heat player Dwayne Wades
birthday cake, which involved an unbelievable
10,000 Swarovski crystals. The Divine Delicacies
family has also discovered a way to give back,
choosing to become a community partner with
the Jason Taylor Foundation in 2009. Our aim
is to add that extra little bit of sweetness that
everyone deserves in their life, and we get to do
that with our cakes through the foundation.
Adding that bit of sweetnessto the lives of
others seems to be a large part of the dream
that brought Iliana and Jorge to the United
States so many years ago. Now the Divine
Delicacies family can look back on their suc-
cess with the gratitude that only comes with
the realization of a dream. Divine Delica-
cies started as a dream, but it was one that
came true and now we help to make the
dreams of all our clients come true as well.
"...Now you can make
almost anything come
to life in cake or
even make the cakes
themselves come to life.
You can make them talk,
move, shoot reworks,
you name it.
The Cake Zone
You are traveling through fondant and fours
to another dimension of sugar art. You are
about to enter The Cake Zone. With a tal-
ented staf headed by Alla Levin, this Tampa
Bay Area pastry shop certainly has what it
takes to succeed in the universe of cake. Allas
competitive spirit and passion for her busi-
ness are evident in the work she does and the
ambitious goals she has set for her company.
Our goal is to be the most well known, and
of course busiest, cake design studio in south-
west Florida.With a successful business and
numerous awards under her belt, Alla under-
stands the price of hard work and passion for
sugar art. Thanks to the guidance of her father,
an amateur pastry chef and talented baker,
Alla was exposed to the world of fondant
and sugar fowers as a young girl. Hed often
let me lick the spoon or help him sculpt a
decorative topper for a holiday cake. As a kid,
I knew more about sugar fowers, fondant,
marzipan, chocolates, and cake batter than
most bakery owners. Looking back now, I real-
ize how precious those times were,says Alla.
While becoming a pastry chef wasnt always
a part of Allas life plan, she always possessed
a love for design. Still, while working as an
accessory designer in New York, Alla felt that
something was missing in her life. It was at this
time that her father gave her some wise advice
that changed the course of her career forever.
He said to her, Bake a cake, Alla. You will feel
better. Put all of your heart into it. Then sit
back and relax. Taste what you have created.
And this is exactly what she did. So on that
fateful day in 2001, The Cake Zone was born.
Like any business, the physical location of The
Cake Zone has a huge efect on both the f-
nancial and creative direction of the company.
Luckily, Western Florida is host to thousands
of destination weddings every year, many of
which are within a 50 mile radius of the shop
itself. Not surprisingly, The Cake Zone bakes
plenty of ocean-themed cakes, but they also
create just as many traditional cakes for wed-
dings held in historical properties located
in the area. Consequently, The Cake Zones
portfolio includes a diverse array of cake de-
signs including anything from realistic lobster
and crab grooms cakesto more elegant,
glamorous cakes that have lace, jewels, and
embossing, with gold and silver details.
The diversity of The Cake Zones designs is
refected by their motto, If you can dream it,
we can make it.With this mentality, Alla and
the rest of the team are practically begging for
a good challenge. We have lots of sleepless
nights fguring out how we are actually going
to accomplish it. But every special occasion or
celebration deserves an extra special cake, and
we have never had a request we couldnt ful-
fll.Alla recalls some of her favorite cakes: The
upside down, gravity defying wedding cake
with the Dali inspired decorations; the slot
machine cake with working, fashing lights
and edible coins; Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs, with hand sculpted, edible dwarfs;
the wine barrel with grapes and wine bottle
cake (marzipan grapes and chocolate sculpted
wine bottle), and the all-lace wedding cake.
The distinct creations of The Cake Zone are,
in part, due to the wide array of talents and
personalities that make up the staf. Each
person on our team brings a unique talent
to the group. One is strong on creating new
recipes and baking, another is extremely
talented in creating support systems, lighting
efects, and display pieces, another brings
meticulous detail to creating fowers and
small sculpted fgurines,says Alla. And the
best part is that we are all friends and love
working together to create amazing cakes
and edible decorations that not only look
spectacular, but taste spectacular as well!
If there is one thing that keeps the shop going
strong, its The Cake Zones seemingly limit-
less aspirations. Someday the team hopes to
win $10,000 on a cake television show and
gain more recognition on the national level.
But Alla makes it clear that the happiness of
her staf and clients is the ultimate goalfor
the shop. When you look at it that way, we
meet our goals just about every day.Alla
and The Cake Zone certainly know how to
run a business as well as live happy, fulflling
lives. That being said, its no surprise that as
a fnal word, Alla made sure to remind us
how important it is to live in the moment.
Of course, she gave it her own sugary twist,
stating, Life is short eat dessert frst!
We have lots of
sleepless nights
guring out how we
are actually going to
accomplish it. But
every special occasion
or celebration deserves
an extra special cake,
and we have never had
a request we couldnt
fulll.
Dream Day Cakes
Wedding cakes? We do. states Dream
Day Cakes, and Florida brides will be
happy they found this couture cake shop.
Dream Day Cakes does wedding cake and
beyond, designing incredibly unique cakes
for each occasion that comes their way.
After all, their cakery-appropriate motto
is that every celebration deserves cake.
Yeni Monroy, owner of Dream Day Cakes,
frst studied and worked as a research scien-
tist. But then, this Bogota, Colombia native
decided to follow her dreams! Since her
husband, Fred, has lived in Gainesville, FL
for over 20 years, the pair decided it was the
perfect community for Dream Day Cakes.
Since Yeni approaches baking as a scientist,
shes found that perfect sweet spot that
combines excellent taste and beautiful art.
Yeni says that her own wedding cake
also reinforced her passion for baking
and decorating cakes: Ive always loved
being artistic and baking, Yeni says.
This business allows me to combine
two of my greatest passions. Dream Day
Cakes began two years ago, and since
then theyve expanded to better serve
customer needs, ofering classes, decorat-
ing supplies, and daily treats. We keep
things small, Yeni says, and this small
team wears many hats and are able to
help out with any task. This means we
all get to wash dishes, too, adds Yeni.
Popular favors at Dream Day Cakes
include classics like red velvet and fun
twists like strawberry morning brunch.
Yeni explains that they try hard to not
just focus on one main specialty. Rather,
Dream Day Cakes caters to the needs of
each individual client. We want to be able
to bake the perfect cake for our custom-
ers; knowing its equally important to
look and taste incredible, Yeni says.
After living in Michigan, Yeni says the best
part of Florida is not having to deal with
snow. Of course, summers here are very
hot and very humid, both of which make
it a little dif cult to work with cakes, Yeni
admits, but were up for the challenge!
In this tough cake climate with heat and
humidity throughout the year, Yeni has
developed her own fondant recipe to help
withstand the weather. She also remarks
that occasionally adjustments need to be
made to recipes for those very hot days.
Due to their Gainesville local, Dream Day
Cakes ends up creating a lot of Florida
Gator-themed designs. Another one of my
favorite recent cakes was a Florida spiny
lobster, but there are so many more, Yeni
adds. At Dream Day Cakes, theyre always
fexible when it comes to design. Were
ready and willing to make whatever unique
design our customers want, and its a job
to see their faces when were done.
Yeni is inspired by smiles and stories. The
story behind why I am making a certain
cake can really inspire me to take it to the
next level, explains Yeni. Knowing how im-
portant the back story is to a customer lets
me know how important it is to the cake.
On a fnal note, Yeni leaves us with
a few words that will ring true with
many cake decorators who have hap-
pily found their true calling. It's true
what they say...when you love what you
do, you'll never work a day in your life!
You are always new,
the last of your kisses
was ever the sweetest.
John Keats
Sweetheart Cakes
CAKES
Spice a dish with
love and it pleases
every palate.
Plautus
I love thee like
puddings; if thou wert
pie, Id eat thee.
John Ray
If music be the food
of love, play on.
William
Shakespeare
Love is a great
beautifer.
Louisa May
Alcott
Who, being
loved, is poor?
Oscar
Wilde
Sweetheart Cakes
Pink Cake Box
Anne Heap
Denville, NJ
pinkcakebox.com
Sweetheart Cakes
Susan Trianos
Toronto, Canada
Sweetheart Cakes
Mili's Sweets
Milissa Takashima
San Diego, CA
milissweets.com
Photo By: Corina Nielson
Photography
milisweet
Sweetheart Cakes
Marlous Gloudemans
Gefen, The Netherlands
Photo Credit: Edwin van
Zandvoort
xMarlous
Sweetheart Cakes
Anh Gross
Columbia, SC
cakesbyanh
Sweetheart Cakes
Anh Gross
Columbia, SC
cakesbyanh
Sweetheart Cakes
JaimeCakes
Mechanicsburg, PA
jaimecakes.com
Photo By: Ben Slabaugh
ladybug76
Sweetheart Cakes
House of the Rising Cake
Sally Bratt
Toronto, ON, Canada
houseoftherisingcake.ca
Sweetheart Cakes
Wild Orchid Baking
Company
Erin Gardner
North Hampton, NH
wildorchidbaking.com
wildorchid
Business of Cake Positive Reviews
online
Eliciting
Positive
Reviews
Business of Cake Positive Reviews
Garnering good reviews online is be-
coming more and more of a marketing
necessity for all businesses, cake shops
included. Gone are the days of cus-
tomers visiting your brick-and-mortar
bakery to see what you have to offer;
this is the age of Google first, shop
later. However, even though reviews
are web-based, they still revolve around
the basic concept of word of mouth.
Potential customers want to hear what
other real people say about your busi-
ness. Were here to offer helpful tips for
enlisting your customers to help you
create a positive online presence...and
theyre anything but antisocial!
Follow the Conversation
Before we jump into explaining how
to build and manage your feedback,
well start with the basics. Its key to be
familiar with your business online pres-
ence. Have you Googled your business
lately? Do you check Yelp, Twitter, and
Facebook to see what people have said
about you? If so, skip ahead! If not, its
simple to start observing your online
presence by putting yourself in your
customers shoes. Think about what youd
do if you wanted to check out a new cake
shop online. Set up a Google alert so
that every time the name of your busi-
ness is mentioned, you receive an email.
Monitor your website comments and any
social media pages you use regularly.
Request Reviews
People enjoy talking about their favorite
companiessometimes they just need
a bit of motivation or a polite reminder
to do so. This might sound obvious, but
to get reviews you often have to ask for
them. You can incorporate eliciting reviews
into your daily business by asking your
customers to fll out comment cards after
a transaction and directly asking for online
reviews or a testimonial for your website.
Positive customer interaction is the foun-
dation of online reviews, after all. The best
reviews are genuine and transparent, so
if you have a great conversation with a
pleased client dont be afraid to ask for a
little marketing assistance! Chances are, if
your customer is head-over-heels for their
cake design, he or she will be happy to
do you the favor of posting a Yelp review
singing your praises. Just be sure to make
it easy for your clients: consider creating
a follow-up email, card, or newsletter,
with suggestions and links to where they
can post reviews and testimonials.
Respond to Feedback
Its basic common courtesy to respond
when people give your business feed-
back, even if you didnt request it. When
someone gives you a positive testimo-
nial, thank them! Equally important, you
should also try to respond to any negative
feedback you may receive. Simply ignor-
ing a bad review is not the best way to
deal with it. If the criticism is construc-
tive or you notice a trend in negative
reviews, consider using this feedback to
make improvements in your business. On
the other hand, if you think a negative
comment is unwarranted, send a short,
thoughtful note to let the commenter
know his or her input is valued. And just
leave it at thatavoid responding defen-
sively. You cant control what people will
say about your business online. However,
if youre doing your best to make your
customers happy, positive reviews should
consistently outbalance the stingers.
Get Social
If you have an established Facebook
page and Twitter presence, engage
your customers via social networking.
And make the most out of their stellar
reviews! Consider including a fattering
Facebook post or positive tweet on your
website or newsletterjust remember
to okay it with the customer frst. You can
even consider throwing a party for your
champion customers. Its a great chance
to network and bring them together in
person. During the event, create fun activi-
ties and incentives for customers to share
their commentary, like holding a raf e
drawing from their flled-out comment
cards or setting up a video camera for
multimedia testimonials! Finally, remember
this: At the heart of good reviews are the
real people who had a positive experi-
ence doing business with you. So take
the time to pat yourself on the back for
each complimentary review you receive!
A
lan Dunns anticipated
ninth book, Celebration
Cakes, is an incred-
ibly practical and
comprehensive guide
to the enticing world
of sugarcraft. The books straightforward
layout is paired with step-by-step fower
tutorials that are oh so easy to follow. To
compliment Dunns accessible foral cre-
ations, the book is flled with high quality
photos that are as instructional as they are
elegant. Dunns book stands apart because
of the way he has consolidated a wide
variety of diverse fower tutorials. We tried
out the Purple chili peppers tutorial on
page 58, and found the material and equip-
ment lists (as well as Dunns instructions)
to be clear and manageable. It seems that
Dunn has truly thought of everything. For
example, if you arent sure where to buy a
specifc product listed in the book, he has
thoughtfully provided a list of suppliers
in the back for easy reference. Yet another
bonus is the inclusion of a photo gallery
of fower bouquets. In these photos, Dunn
has cleverly taken individual pieces from
the fower tutorials in the book and placed
them into larger arrangements for inspira-
tion. We think Celebration Cakes is defnitely
worth celebrating, and if you love Dunns
other books you will not be disappointed.
Book Review Celebration Cakes by Alan Dunn
Spotlight Michael Guasta
Spotlight Michael Guasta
A
bout six years ago, I was in the process of
looking for a new career. If you would have
told me then that I would be a pastry chef
today, I would have looked at you like you had
three heads. I had always chosen of ce jobs
because they paid the bills. But whether I was
working in customer service or being the account executive for a
handful of clients, I wasnt happy. I wanted a job that I would look
forward to waking up in the morning to go to. I knew that whatever
my next job was going to be, it was going to be a step towards
something that I would be happy to do for the rest of my life.
One night, I came across a cake Challenge on The Food Network,
and it blew my mind. I couldnt believe that a woman on the show
had made a sock monkey out of cake. Like anyone else watching
for the frst time, my curiosity grew. How did she do that? What did
she cover the cake with? As I watched, little did I know that my
curiosity would soon turn into an obsession. After watching a few
more cake Challenges, I started to play around on my own with
shaping cakes and decorating them just for fun, because thats
what it was for me...fun. I also saw that there were other episodes
of Challenge that worked with chocolate and sugar. I had never
seen anything like them before, and I was extremely intrigued. It
was at this point that I knew I wanted to become a pastry chef.
I looked into a program at the Culinary Academy of Long
Island. Their Pastry and Baking program was exactly what
I was looking for. I quit my job and went back to school
full-time to become a pastry chef. That was it. There was
no turning back. I knew that I had to make it work.
Making the switch from working in an of ce to working in a
kitchen took some getting used to. Instead of sitting at a desk
proof reading my bosss presentations for eight hours a day, I was
loading 50 pound bags of four and sugar of the delivery truck
into the storage closet for 10 hours a day. Moreover, I was doing
it for less than half the amount of money I was making before. I
used muscles I never even knew I had. I knew that it was going
to be worth it in the long run, though. Every day was something
new, and as long as I was learning anything, I was happy.
Make it Work
Michael Guasta:
The two major skills I took from my past corporate life were my cus-
tomer service skills and the ability to think fast on my feet. Whether
youre dealing with a bride for a wedding cake, a mom for her
daughters sweet 16 cake, or the executive chef for a restaurant youre
working in, you must be able to meet everyones specifc needs.
One of the terms that my old bosses would throw at me a lot
was, Make it work. You have to be able to think quickly to
solve problems when they arise. And believe me, they always
do. When I began, not only was I able to come up with plans to
fx problems when they arose, but I was also able to carry out
these plans despite the limited resources I had at the time.
Im a frm believer in having a back-up plan (also a back-up plan
for your back-up planjust in case). When all else fails, youve got
to just make it work. My old chef, Michael Fallon, believed in this
motto too. When a problem would come up, we would bounce
ideas of of each other to come up with a fast solution. After
some time working with another person, you really get to know
the other persons style. After Michael and I had been working
together for a while, when a problem would arise, we wouldnt
even need to talk about it. We both knew what the other was
thinking and did whatever it took with whatever was around to
get the job done. There were times I felt like MacGyver and all I
had was a piece of string and paperclip to ice a wedding cake.
I have always had a competitive side. I love the training and prac-
tice it takes to reach a goal. In high school, I would do competi-
tions in the marching band. In college, I joined the rowing team.
Now, of course, I make desserts. These all required very diferent
training methods, but whenever I achieved the goal of each, I
always felt the same feeling of victory. One of my greatest attri-
butes is the ability to never give up. Even if I dont succeed in my
task, I will give it everything Ive got or go down trying. Im okay
with that because I know Ill never learn if I dont make mistakes.
My future goal is to someday be a member of the U.S.
Pastry Team. These people are the best of the best. I know
that when I fnally make it to that place in my career, it will
be one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.
International Desserts Italy
Raspberry
Tiramis
Layering fresh raspberries in one
of Italys most traditional desserts,
tiramis, gives this classic a pretty
twist. The English translation is
pick me up, and fittingly, this
tiramis provides a lovely light
finish to a romantic dinner.
Many versions of this originally
Tuscan treat include chocolate
and espresso, but this particular
recipe focuses on succulent
berry flavors. Tiramis contains
a refreshing concoction of
ingredients. Mascarpone cheese
gives the tiramis an unbeatable
creamy texture, while soft
ladyfingers provide a delectable
base. A bit of Grand Marnier
liqueur and raspberry jam add the
perfect touch. If youd like, up the
from-scratch ante and make your
own lady fingers or pound cake.
RASPBERRY TIRAMIS
28 SOFT LADY FINGERS
3 CUPS FRESH RASPBERRIES
1 CUP SEEDLESS RASPBERRY JAM
6 TABLESPOONS GRAND MARNIER OR
OTHER ORANGE LIQUEUR
1 POUND MASCARPONE CHEESE
1 CUP WHIPPING CREAM
1 1/4 CUPS SUGAR
1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT
POWDERED SUGAR
ZEST OF ONE ORANGE
1/3 CUP HOT WATER
1/2 CUP COLD WATER
Whip cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and
vanilla in another large bowl with
electric mixer until soft peaks form;
fold in mascarpone and orange zest.
Whisk liqueur and jam in small
bowl.
Dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1/3 cup hot
water; stir in Grand Marnier and
cold water, then set aside.
Brush lady ngers with Grand
Marnier syrup.
Line 13 by 9 inch glass baking dish
with 12 lady ngers.
Spread with half of jam mixture.
Spread half of mascarpone mixture
on top of jam mixture.
Cover layers with half of fresh
raspberries.
Repeat layering, nishing with
evenly scattered fresh raspberries.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours or
overnight.
Serve in individual glass cups and
garnish with a sprig of fresh mint, if
desired.
International Desserts Italy
Dessert
Table
for Two
Valentine's Day dessert table set for two makes
for a sweet, romantic evening. Its classic, with a
few special touches. And its chocolately, with
one exception. These recipes are not overly
complicated, yet suf ciently elegant. Serve with
full futes of champagne, and revel in dessert
bliss. Flavors of almond, chocolate, strawberry,
and espresso blend delectably in this lovely last
course pastiche. Cheers to Saint Valentine!
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/2 CUP BUTTER (1 STICK)
8 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE
2 TO 3 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR
Blend butter and cream cheese, mixing well.
Add vanilla extract and mix.
Add in powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time, testing for
desired sweetness and consistency.
Pipe onto cooled mini cupcakes.
ESPRESSO INFUSED
TRUFFLES
20 OUNCES SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED
2 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED
1 CUP HEAVY CREAM
3 TABLESPOONS FINELY GROUND ESPRESSO
For the lling, slowly bring cream to sim-
mer in small saucepan over low heat.
Pour 1/2 cup cream into a bowl with 8
ounces of chocolate and butter, whisk
until smooth.
Gradually add remaining cream, whisking
until shiny and smooth.
Whisk in coee.
Pour the ganache mixture into baking pan
and spread evenly.
Place in freezer for at least 30 minutes or
until set.
Using a small spoon or melon baller, form
rounds and place them on a baking sheet
lined with parchment paper. Place in
freezer for about 15 minutes.
Remove from freezer and roll tru es into
marble-sized balls, working quickly to
prevent melting.
Place tru es back in freezer to make
chocolate glaze.
Heat remaining 12 ounces of chocolate
over double boiler, and stir until smooth.
Remove from heat and let cool, stirring
occassionally, until chocolate starts to set
at edges.
Drop tru es into melted chocolate
and retrieve with a fork, allowing excess
chocolate to drip o.
If desired, garnish by sifting powdered
sugar on top of tru es.
Place tru es on lined baking sheet,
and allow to set in fridge for at least 5
minutes.
BERRY TARTLETES
4 BAKED, 3 INCH TARTLETE SHELLS
1/2 CUP VANILLA PASTRY CREAM OR CUSTARD
BERRIES OF YOUR CHOICE
Pipe pastry cream into previously baked and cooled tartletE
shells to the top of the shell.
Place berries of your choice on top and serve immediately, or
store in the refrigerator.
ALMOND CHOCOLATE
TARTLETES
4 UNBAKED, 3 INCH TARTLETE SHELLS
3 OUNCES ALMOND PASTE
1 SLIGHTLY BEATEN EGG
1/4 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
SLIVERED ALMONDS
2 OUNCES MELTED CHOCOLATE
Preheat oven to 325F, and place un-
baked tart shells on a baking sheet.
In a food processor, combine almond
paste, egg, and granulated sugar.
Spoon mixture into tart shells, and top
with slivered almonds.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until
golden. Allow to cool and drizzle with
melted chocolate.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COVERED
STRAWBERRIES
6 OUNCES SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE, CHOPPPED
3 OUNCES WHITE CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED
1 POUND STRAWBERRIES WITH STEMS, WASHED AND DRIED
Put semisweet and white chocolate into 2 heatproof medium bowls,
and heat over double boiler, stirring until smooth.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Dip fruit into dark chocolate rst, setting strawberries on paper.
Dip a fork in white chooclate and drizzle over dipped strawberries,
creating a striped pattern.
Allow chocolate to set for at least 30 minutes.
RED VELVET MINI
CUPCAKES
1/2 CUP BUTTER
1 1/2 CUPS SUGAR
2 EGGS
1 CUP BUTTERMILK
1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
1 TABLESPOON DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR
2 1/3 CUPS CAKE FLOUR
1/4 CUP UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER
1/2 TEASPOON SALT
1 1/2 DROPS RED FOOD COLORING
Preheat oven to 350F.
Beat butter and sugar with electric
mixer until light and uy.
Mix in eggs, buttermilk, red food color-
ing, and vanilla.
Sift all dry ingredients; mix into batter
until just blended.
Scoop into mini paper cupcake liners,
dividing evenly.
Bake for 18-22 minutes.
Odds of a child becoming a top fashion designer: 1 in 7,000
To learn more of the signs of autism, visit autismspeaks.org
No words by
16 months.
No babbling by
12 months.
Some signs to look for:
No big smiles or other joyful
expressions by 6 months.
Odds of a child being diagnosed with autism: 1 in 110
Inspiration to Cake Janet Ben-Ami
The inspiration for the
cake came from a photo
of a Russian opaline vase I
came across in an architec-
tural magazine. When I saw
it I thought it would make a
dramatic cake topper. I was
particularly drawn to the
gold accents against the blue
coloring, as well as the beauti-
fully scalloped top edge of the
vase. I used the scallop motif
throughout the design, both
upright and upside down.
Since this was supposed to be
a competition cake, I wanted
to use as many techniques
as possible. The ivy in the
vase is gumpaste. The "moss"
in the vase is dried, dyed rice
noodles. There is string work,
Lambeth, lattice cushion
piping, drapes, pleats, and
painted royal icing stencil
work, as well as dry dusted
stencil work.
Inspiration to Cake:
Janet Ben-Ami
Inspiration to Cake Janet Ben-Ami
hey!cookie at Dortoni
Bakery
Janet Ben-Ami
Levittown, NY
hey-cookie.com
JB55
Party Cakes
cakes
P
a
r
t
y
Brenda's Dream Cakes
Brenda Dellagicoma
Bloomingdale, NJ
brendasdreamcakes.com
Photo By: Megan O'Keefe
Photography
bdrider
Party Cakes
Brenda Dellagicoma
Bloomingdale, NJ
Photo By: Megan O'Keefe Photography
bdrider
Party Cakes
Cake Madam
Mary Katherine Dunston
Memphis, TN
cakemadam.com
CakeMadam
Party Cakes
Ms. Debbie's Sugar Art
Melanie Judge and Debbie Busser
Gainesville, FL
melcakewalk.blogspot.com and
msdebbie.homestead.com
Photo By: Melanie Judge
mkm25 and
msdebbie
Party Cakes
Tammi Luckey
Fort Worth, TX
luckeycakes.com
cakelady77
Party Cakes
Lovely Cakes
Renata Papadopoulos
Norwalk, CT
lovelycakes.net
Party Cakes
Wild Orchid Baking
Company
Erin Gardner
North Hampton, NH
wildorchid
Party Cakes
Jacques Pastry
Jacques Pastry Team
Suncook, New Hampshire
jacquespastries.com
Photo By: Jacques Depres
Party Cakes
Too Nice To Slice
Kitchener, ON, Canada
toonicetoslice.ca
Party Cakes
Terrie Guess
Las Vegas, NV
terrietown.com
Tguess3494
Party Cakes
Too Nice To Slice
toonicetoslice.ca
Party Cakes
Jacques Pastry
Jacques Pastry Team
jacquespastries.com
Photo By: Jacques Depres
cake makers
CALIFORNIA
Just Cake
Marina Sousa
Capitola, CA
justcake.com
pg. 31-36
Mili's Sweets
Milissa Takashima
San Diego, CA
milissweets.com
pg. 56
CONNETICUT
Lovely Cakes
Renata Papadopoulos
Norwalk, CT
lovelycakes.net
pg. 86
FLORIDA
The Cake Zone
Alla Levin
Tampa Bay, FL
thecakezone.com
pg. 51
Divine Delicacies
Miami, FL
ddcakes.com
pg. 50
Dream Day Cakes
Yeni Monroy
Gainesville, FL
dreamdaycakes.com
pg. 52
Ms. Debbie's Sugar Art
Melanie Judge and Debbie Busser
Gainesville, FL
melcakewalk.blogspot.com
and
msdebbie.homestead.com
pg. 84
NEVADA
Art and Appetite
Jene Rylan Nato
Las Vegas. NV
artandappetite.com
pg. 22, 29, 38, 39
Terrie Guess
Las Vegas, NV
terrietown.com
pg. 90
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Jacques Pastry
Jacques Pastry Team
jacquespastries.com
pg. 88, 92
NEW JERSEY
Brenda Dellagicoma
Bloomingdale, NJ
pg. 81, 82
Pink Cake Box
Anne Heap
Denville, NJ
pinkcakebox.com
pg. 54
Wild Orchid Baking Company
Erin Gardner
North Hampton, NH
pg. 62, 87
cake makers
NEW YORK
hey!cookie at Dortoni Bakery
Janet Ben-Ami
Levittown, NY
hey-cookie.com
pg. 78, 79
Michael Guasta
West Babylon, NY
pg. 68, 69
SOUTH CAROLINA
Anh Gross
Columbia, SC
pg. 58, 59
PENNSYLVANIA
JaimeCakes
Mechanicsburg, PA
jaimecakes.com
pg. 60
TENNESSEE
Cake Madam
Mary Katherine Dunston
Memphis, TN
cakemadam.com
pg. 83
TEXAS
Tammi Luckey
Fort Worth, TX
luckeycakes.com
pg. 85
UTAH
Frosted Fantasy Cakes
Amelia Carbine
Logan, UT
frostedfantasycakes.com
pg. 23
WASHINGTON
The People's Cake
Kaysie Lackey
Seattle, WA
pg. 10-15
INTERNATIONAL
House of the Rising Cake
Sally Bratt
Toronto, ON, Canada
houseoftherisingcake.ca
pg. 61
Leanne Winslow
Vancouver, BC, Canada
pg. 28
Marlous Gloudemans
Gefen, The Netherlands
pg. 57
Susan Trianos
Toronto, Canada
pg. 24, 25, 55
Tessa Uitvlugt
pg. 26, 27
Too Nice To Slice
toonicetoslice.ca
pg. 89, 91
Are you charging
enough for your cakes?
Essential software for
your cake business.
CakeBoss
www.cakeboss.com
calculate costs | save recipes
shopping lists | record expenses
invoicing | and so much more!
supply shops
CALIFORNIA
Calico Cake Shop
7321 Orangethorpe Avenue
Buena Park, CA
calicocakeshop.com
Creative Cakes and More
4930 E Ashlan Avenue, Suite 107
Fresno, CA
fresnocreativecakes.com
NY Cake West
10665 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
nycake.com
Ro Zs Sweet Art Studio
277 South Rancho Santa Fe
Road
San Marcos, CA
rozsweetartstudio.com
Spun Sugar
1611 University Avenue
Berkeley, CA
spunsugar.com
GEORGIA
International Sugar
Art Collection
6060 McDonough Drive, Suite F
Norcross, GA
nicholaslodge.com
INDIANA
Country Kitchen Sweet Art
4621 Speedway Drive
Fort Wayne, IN
countrykitchensa.com
MASSACHUSETTS
Pisky Pixie Cakecrafts
25 Blackpoint Road
Webster, MA
piskypixie.com
VIRGINIA
Icing Images, LLC
161Properity Drive, Suite 106
Winchester, VA
icingimages.com
NEW YORK
Global Sugar Art
28 Plattsburgh Plaza
Plattsburg, NY
globalsugarart.com
Kerekes Bakery and
Restaurant Equipment
6103 15th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
bakedeco.com
NY Cake & Baking
Distributor
56 West 22nd Street
New York, NY
nycake.com
TEXAS
Cake Carousel
1002 North Central Expressway
Richardson, TX
cakecarousel.com
Cake Craft Shoppe
3530 Highway 6
Sugar Land, TX
cakecraftshoppe.com
Elizabeths Cake Supplies
112 South Ector Drive
Euless, TX
elizabethscakesupplies.com
NEW JERSEY
Sweet N Fancy Emporium
1 South Avenue East
Cranford, NJ
sweetnfancy.com
CANADA
Flour Confections
1750 Plummer St., Unit 19
Pickering, ON Canada
fourconfections.ca
Geraldines Creative
Cutters
561 Edward Avenue, Unit 2
Richmond Hill, ON Canada
creativecutters.com
ONLINE RETAIL
Beryls Cake Decorating
and Pastry Supplies
beryls.com
CakeBoss
cakeboss.com
Cake Carousel
cakecarousel.com
Cake Craft Shoppe
cakecraftshoppe.com
Country Kitchen Sweet Art
countrykitchensa.com
Designer Stencils
designerstencils.com
Geraldines Creative Cutters
creativecutters.com
Global Sugar Art
globalsugarart.com
Icing Images
icingimages.com
International Sugar
Art Collection
nicholaslodge.com
Kerekes Bakery and
Restaurant Equipment
bakedeco.com
NY Cake & Baking Distributor
nycake.com
Spun Sugar
spunsugar.com
Sweet N Fancy Emporium
sweetnfancy.com
buying
guide
Tutorial, Long
Stem Red Rose
Tools and Materials
globalsugarart.com
Bonus Tutorial, Truf es
Tools
globalsugarart.com
;OLSHYNLZ[YL[HPSZ\WWS`
Z[VYLPU5VY[O;L_HZ
2UV^UMVYV\YWYVMLZZPVUHS
HWWYVHJOPU[LHJOPUN*HRL
+LJVYH[PUNJSHZZLZ
- Nevy udded 3 segment lML
lroessonu Dpomu Cusses to
eurn u Musters Certcute
- Yeur round cusses rom usc to
Advunced und beyond
- Specuty cusses vth guest
teuchers throughout the yeur
Mukng Le Sveeter Snce l976
6ULZ[VWZOVWWPUNMVYHSS`V\Y
JHRLHUKJVVRPLKLJVYH[PUNHUK
JHUK`THRPUNZ\WWSPLZ
Cu 877-814-6670 or
972-690-4628 or come by
l002 N. Centru Lxpy. Sute 50l
Rchurdson, 1X 75080
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www.cakecarousel.com

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A world of
Cake Decorating,
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Cookie Making
Supplies!
Crystal Poinsettia Cake
by Alan Tetreault featuring
Crystal Poinsettias and
GSA Stencils #25967.
Shop www.globalsugarart.com
800-420-6088

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Whats the worst

I have this terrible fear of forgetting the correct

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