Stavrides-Galvez; Forever 21

It wasn't my first time to create a wedding cake, but it was my first time to create one for a dear friend. This entry is dedicated to my good friend, Rianna as her new journey began, which I'm very delighted to be part of. It's my sweet, great, pleasure to do her wedding cake.

We started drafting designs and concepts towards the end of 2014. The Filipino-Christian culture of We Will Marry Just ONCE is in my mind all the time, I really want this to be extra special, all the details will be of the bride's dream wedding cake, I will support it, I will be the Wedding Cake Fairy Godmother of sort, I will cast magic spells, draw my hands to the air and blow the details with pixie dusts, it will be her dream Wedding cake.

I don't remember how many designs I drafted, I was focused on conceptualizing something the bride and the groom will both adore, will they like piping works? string works? gumpaste flowers? oh wait, the couple is on a modern-glamour peg, and me, being glitzy, decided this time I will ditch the butterflies and roses! I'm so happy that this couple unlike my other past clients are not demanding, and easy to work with (Seriously brides, if you want  a nice cake, be nice to your cake maker and just like the other busy hands of your wedding prep, cooperate well and tell your designer want you want)

 The couple wanted a simple, tall (because A is a tall man), Ivory white color, yet unique and new to the eye. Ia requested something accented with Gold. I wanted to scream 'you guys called the right cake bitch here', I planned a Chocolate truffle wrapped in gold foil tower or a golden French macaron design (this is joicydoodle anyways!) -The couple loved the concept. Yay!

The edible layer cake is a tall 8 inches  by 12 inches diameter Chocolate Almond & Coconut sponge soaked in Coconut Rhum and masked in Bucayo Frosting (Sweetened desiccated coconut strips), then covered in Ivory colored marshmallow Fondant. 

A 4 tier Ivory Fondant cake with  uniform top to bottom layer pattern of  crisscross,  embossed on French emblem cut-outs;  Something light to the eyes from a far but not naive in a closer look. 

The big challenge of this project is being the sole person to run all the errands, from purchasing materials, scouting rare ingredients, lifting the tiles and ingredients box from the supplier to my place,  the actual baking and cake making.

Then the next challenge is the Philippine temperamental  climate with high humidity. Haist! Rolled fondant tends to moist and condense or dry and crack. Sometimes I wonder if it's just me, cursed or it's  science!

My first project that involved my whole family, while I handled all the baking and decorating, it was my brothers who dealt with the logistics to transport this baby.

Despite the bipolar weather that day of extremely sunny in the morning and heavy pouring after lunch, I'm glad that the wedding cake stood (though slightly reclining). And overall, my joy with the couple's validation after :) 

Such a beautiful wedding! It was lovely day in South, in a garden where friends and family cheered, it was a lovely afternoon to catch up with my dear lovies, too!

Chef Anne, Chrissy, Moi

My dear lovies!

The white chiffon tents!

Love.

Nikki, Choi, Me, Anya, Joanna, Karen and Kim <3

This is why I love and will always love my job; that though the labors of work is long and tiring, the ingredients are heavy and working with sugar is effortful, it becomes worth it whenever my baking and edible art brings happiness to the people who trusted me to be part of their special occasion.

To Ia and A, my best wishes! may God bless and continue to bless you with love, adorable kids, happiness and fruitful career. May your marriage stand the test of time, challenges and everything in between, 

Love always, 

P.S. May Forever!

Trunks, Buds and Fleur De Lys

It's been a while :) Been busy at work :D.. that I only had the time to update today. On my Pastry Chef perspective I would just like to say that It's not everyday that we are able to make really perfect, nice products. Maybe because a science like Baking & Pastry is much more of an art. It got to be therapeutic and stress relieving, most of the cakes or pastries not done by such finesse usually flops, ends rough or bumpy. While pieces done with passion, fascination and happy thoughts, believe it or not, ends really pretty.

from this white four layer  fondant cake...

It was a lazy Friday afternoon yesterday, lazy because it was a rainy weekend coming, plus I finished early with my production, instead of going home earlier I decided to help in Chef Mhai's special fondant project. The concept is to make a four layer fondant cake for Engr. Cecille's wedding, with branches, greens and "blossoming' details.

to hand painted branches..

busy like buzzing bees..

I find this photo funny :) it's like someone is insisting to take photos while the girls are busy (Kuya Moi)

to carefully piped leaves and buds..

spot Mang Joery! <3

:DDDDDDD

 pretending that we are busy in this photo! haha! kidding aside :)

busy-busihan kezzz. tsar!

to this! <3

tadahhhhhh! tadahhh! tadaahhh! taddahh!  taddaaaahh! We were like crazy girls after we finished this cake. We were just really happy and proud of each other. Really happy :) Really fulfilling :)

closer look to the details.. looks like grand mother's porcelain vases with hand detail imprints. The colors are so lovely and fresh.. feels like spring had just began

top-most layer

I would like to dedicate this entry to Chef Mhai, Thank you for letting me assist you in this project. It's not everyday that we are able to make as beautiful edible art as this, Thank you because I know you will not forget this cake, and I promise you to re-make this cake when it's your turn to walk down the aisle :)