Princess Aurora

I love trying new things and being tested with my baking skills, especially since I'm still very new at this and have so much to still learn when it comes to cake decorating.

Last week I got a call for a Princess birthday cake in which my customer wanted to order as a sheet cake. The birthday girl really wanted Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty but they were having trouble finding anyone who could do a Disney princess so they would settle for any princess. I of course did not want to disappoint a little birthday girl so I looked for ideas on-line and found a new technique to try out called Frozen Buttercream Transfer.

I found this great YouTube video found here that gave a really good tutorial. Basically all you need is a printed out image such as a coloring page at the size you need, wax paper, a cookie sheet, tape, and prepared buttercream in all the colors you need. First outline the image then start filling in practically like a paint by number. I froze mine for 24 hours before transferring onto my prepared sheet cake, peel off the wax paper and the pipe a boarder about the image since it's a bit thick.

And this is what I got!

Birthday girl Brynn was so surprised she actually got Princess Aurora on her cake!!

Hawkeye Graduates

Another school year has come to an end....congrats to all the new graduates of 2012!!

This weekend the University of Iowa is holding their commencements and we know two wonderful students who will be receiving their diplomas.

  These two special students requested chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

I adorned these yummy graduations cupcakes with tiny little graduation caps, cute little diplomas, the U of I Tigerhawk, and a “2012” pennant. I think they turned out adorable!!

Congrats Matt and Casey on your huge accomplishment!

DIY Cupcake Stand

Cupcake Stand Instructions (holds 48-120 cupcakes)

Source: http://www.sweetcreationsbystephanie.com/2010/03/cupcake-stand-tutorial.html

Supplies:  

3 foam core boards, ¼” thick Dimensions: 20” x 30” (available at Staples or Michael's)

Exacto knife

Ruler

Hot glue gun

Modge Podge adhesive

Paper (wrapping paper or ten pieces of 12 x 12 scrapbook paper)

Ribbon (5 yards)

Directions:

1. Make your cuts…

    a.) Foam board piece 1
         cut a square 20” x 20” = Tier 1
         cut a square 8” x 8” = Tier 4
    b.) Foam board piece 2
         cut a square 16” x 16” = Tier 2
         cut a square 12” x 12” = Tier 3

2. Cut your tier supports…using Foam board piece 3
    a.) for tier 1…cut 4 strips 2” high x 10” long
    b.) for tier 2…cut 4 strips 4” high x 8” long
    c.) for tier 3…cut 4 strips 4” high x 6” long
    d.) for tier 4…cut 4 strips 4” high x 4” long

3. If you plan on covering your stand with scrapbook paper now is the time. Cover all of your Tiers with paper using Modge Podge adhesive. If you are using 12 x 12 scrapbook paper, tiers 1 & 2 can be tricky. Cut 2 pieces of 12” x 12” scrapbook paper in half diagonal (see source link). Then use the  4 pieces and glue it on the board. Trim edges with an exacto knife.

4. While your tiers dry make your tier supports. Starting with the “foot” of the stand, glue the corners of the

2” x 10” together. Continue by gluing the rest of the tier supports together so they are all square.

5. Cover the tier supports with paper.

6. If you want you can hot glue ribbon to the edges of each tier. It’s easier to do this prior to gluing the tiers to the tier supports.

 7. The hardest part here is making sure the tiers & supports are centered.
    Hot glue the 2” x 10” tier support to the bottom side of the 20” x 20” tier.
    Hot glue the 4” x 8” tier support to the bottom side of the 16” x 16” tier.
    Hot glue the 4” x 6” tier support to the bottom side of the 12” x 12” tier.
    Hot glue the 4” x 4” tier support to the bottom side of the 8” x 8” tier.

8. Glue the 8” x 8” to the top of the 12” x 12”.  Glue the the 16” x 16” to the top of the 20” x 20”.
    Glue the two pieces together & you have your cupcake stand.

I wanted to keep my cupcake stand white so I would be able to easily reuse my stand for any occasion. In order for me to be able to change the ribbon colors out for each use I did not hot glue my ribbon, instead I used corsage pins round each layer to hold the ribbon in place. It also added a nice detail with the pearl pin top. Since I didn’t use scrapbook paper to cover any of the tiers, I wrapped additional ribbon on coordinating colors around each tier support to add a pop a color behind the cupcakes.  

This cupcake/cake stand was made for my first wedding! It is definitely light weight and easy to move/transport yet still sturdy enough to hold 100 cupcakes or a small cake topper.