Sugar Kisses Cakes by Design

2011 Cakes

2012-01-09T23:55:00.000-08:00

It is a bit of a miracle that I actually got pictures posted on my blog. I've gotten pretty bad at updating, and I apologize for that.

I have posted some of my favorite cakes of 2011. It was a great year and I'm so thankful for all my clients who gave me such wonderful cakes to work on. I can't wait to see what 2012 will bring to me in cake form!

Fondant Ribbons

2012-01-09T23:45:00.000-08:00

If you have been scouring the hottest trends of the later part of 2011 and I'm sure most of 2012, you will see this style of cake.

Thanks to Maggie Austin, a professional ballet dancer turned cake artists, brides and cake designers everywhere are wanting to try out this cool technique.

I loved making this cake! The ultra thin layers of fondant look like layers of a puff pastry. It's a beautiful look especially with the color gradient.

So brides... let me know when you want me to make one of these cakes for you!!

I can't wait to do it again!

Sparkle makes everything better

2012-01-09T23:31:00.000-08:00

Sparkle Detail... aka "Disco Dust"

1920's glam.

2012-01-09T23:30:00.000-08:00

This cake reminds me of something that would have been at a party where girls wore flapper dresses, smoked long cigarettes, and Charlie Chaplin was on the big screen.

flower detail

Super Dad

2012-01-09T23:29:00.000-08:00

This cute client wanted to do a special "Super Hero" party for her hubby's birthday. The best part about the party was that the birthday boy was the Super Hero! Every dad is a super hero, and I think this is a great cake to celebrate that.

Hawaiian Party

2012-01-09T23:26:00.000-08:00

Karate Party

2012-01-09T23:24:00.000-08:00

For any kid (or groom) who loves martial arts, this is the cake for them.

(so those of you who know Japanese, don't look close, the characters are not perfect, some are totally made up... others actually say the birthday boys name)

Cowgirl Princess

2012-01-09T23:21:00.000-08:00

When I met with this darling bride, she said, I'm a cowgirl princess.

She wanted her cake to show her dual personality.

So, we have bling, we have barbed wire, we have roses ruffles and wood grain fondant.

Pretty cowgirl princess to me.

What country girl doesn't want her initials engraved in a tree with the one she loves?

Spring Wedding Cake

2012-01-09T22:59:00.000-08:00

This is a funky angle for the cake, but I wanted to show off how cool the paper lanterns looked above the cake. This is an inexpensive, but really great design element for any party.

Fresh Flower detail. These flowers were amazing! I love the soft color pallette.

Grey and Yellow Wedding Cake

2012-01-09T22:56:00.000-08:00

Grey and Yellow...

Trendy color scheme of 2011. I hope it lasts a bit longer. I love this color combination.

bow detail

Modern Red and White

2012-01-09T22:43:00.001-08:00

Upclose detail on the piping and "bling"

Winter Wonderland

2012-01-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

Made with sugar crystals, this cake just screams winter!

I added a bit of sparkle powder to it for a little extra "glitter"

A Sweet Treat

2012-01-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

If you come to the Bridal Shows I'm at, you'll see this fun cake.

It was inspired by the candy buffet trend we're seeing at weddings the last couple years.

Wouldn't a cake like this be great in the center of your candy buffet?

Motor Cross Cake

2012-01-09T22:36:00.000-08:00

These two guys love to motorcross. Their family threw them a double graduation party and felt like showing off their "talent"would be a perfect way to honor them on their special day!

Vintage Chic

2012-01-09T22:34:00.000-08:00

I loved how this cake turned out. It had the "vintage" vibe, but with some modern elements with the sugar flowers. I loved the lace on the bottom tier. It turned out great with the blue fondant.

Flower Detail

Cake and Cupcake Bridal Shower

2012-01-09T22:32:00.001-08:00

Cake and Cupcakes to match.

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo

2012-01-09T22:32:00.000-08:00

My son was pretty upset when this one got delivered.

Usually they don't care so much about the cakes I make, but for a 3 year old boy obsessed with trains, this cake was a little bit harder to say goodbye to.

Cake Made for a Crowd

2012-01-09T22:29:00.000-08:00

This cake is made for a crowd! Serving nearly 200 people.

I love the color combination of green and purple.

When everything was said and done, this cake stood nearly 30" tall.

Feather Accents

2012-01-09T22:26:00.000-08:00

Ribbon Buttercream cakes were very popular in 2011.

Aren't the feathers a fun accent to the flowers?

Angry Birds

2012-01-09T22:23:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't want to get in on the "Angry Bird" craze?

This was an "interactive" cake. I gave this lucky birthday boy all the figurines, and he could place them on the cake the way he chose. His mom told me he kept placing them in different positions and "played" with his cake all day before his party started.

Now that's a fun cake!!

Figurines

2012-01-09T22:22:00.000-08:00

This little guy makes any baby shower or first birthday cake extra special.

I had a bride order a grooms cake for her hubby who LOVED the game Plants vs. Zombies

Another version of the Princess Cake

2012-01-09T22:16:00.000-08:00

Loved how this cake turned out.

(photo credit: Swensen Photography)

Colorful Cake

2012-01-09T22:13:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Fresh Flowers can make a cake "pop" with color.

Princess Cake

2012-01-09T22:12:00.000-08:00

2012-01-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

Another grooms cake.

This guy loves to go fishing with his dog! We built this cake to look like a mountain with the fishing lake at the top of the mountain.

Hey, it looks like he caught a big one!

Classic Elegance

2012-01-09T22:08:00.000-08:00

This cake is a perfect example of a classic romantic wedding cake with a modern twist.

Fondant is airbrushed with a pearl glaze to give it a shine and crystals accents give the flowers and the cake some extra "bling".

The "Bling" Factor is a popular trend I'm happy is sticking around for a while.

Buttercream Ribbons

2012-01-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

Layers upon layers of buttercream "ribbons" is what gives this cake it's beautiful texture.

Spray the whole cake with a little pearl dust and you have a gorgeous satin finish.

(photo courtesy of Swensen Photography)

What every girl wants for their birthday... Louis & Tiffany!

2012-01-09T22:02:00.000-08:00

This cake was for a lucky birthday girl who had a Tiffany inspired birthday bash.

What girl doesn't love fancy shoes and jewelry?

(especially if you can eat them?)

Coconut Texture

2012-01-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite looks. Perfect for any season, but especially cool for winter weddings.

This cake is covered in large flakes of unsweetened coconut.

The coconut doesn't affect the taste of the cake (being unsweetened), but gives the cake a wonderful and unique texture.

Chocolate Roses

2012-01-09T21:57:00.000-08:00

White, dark and milk chocolate roses.

Delicious and Beautiful addition to this wedding cake.

Basic Wedding Cake

2012-01-09T21:54:00.000-08:00

Here is a perfect example of a basic cake priced at our base price of $400.

Fondant tiers, basic detail and ribbon.

This cake serves about 120

Diagonal Buttercream

2012-01-09T21:52:00.000-08:00

Textured buttercreams are a great alternative to you fondant haters out there.

The texture gives buttercream cakes a modern feel.

If you want a perfectly smooth cake, I still recommend fondant. They will always look better.

But if you like the textured look, this is a great option.

Basketball Fan

2012-01-09T21:48:00.000-08:00

I love doing Grooms Cakes!!

They are so much fun and you can really show your new hubby how much you care for him by giving him a cake that expressed his personality.

Fondant Overlay

2012-01-09T21:47:00.000-08:00

Fun technique to use. Two layers of fondant, then you cut out patterns in the top layer to expose the color of the second layer of fondant.

Black & Gold Elegance

2012-01-09T21:44:00.000-08:00

Ruffles

2012-01-09T21:39:00.000-08:00

Bridal Extravaganza at LaCaille

2011-07-17T22:32:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the Bridal Extravaganza at LaCaille this past Saturday. I loved talking to all the fun, beautiful brides that were there.
I will be offering FREE Cake Consultations with taste testing for the next month two or three times a week. Please email me to set up a time. I would love to meet with you!

I would like to let you know, I will be away from my phone and email until Tuesday July 26th, so please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I get back in town.

Love to hear from you!
turia@sugarkissescakes.com is the best way to get ahold of me.

2011-03-18T22:02:00.000-07:00

Gotta love black and white cakes.

When you put just a splash of color on a cake like this it gives the cake a great pop! I love putting things on cakes that add drama. This bright green ribbon does the trick.

Messy Buttercream

2011-03-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

January and February are busy consultation months. This cake had been the #1 most popular design thus far for 2011.

I call this style, "Messy Butercream". It's simple. Elegant. Soft and beautiful. If you want a buttercream cake, I would suggest doing something like this instead of the smooth finish that looks like fondant. If you are not going to use fondant for your cake.. you might as well make it look completely different. Plus, it adds a beautiful texture as well as gives a modern twist to a traditional style of cake.

Cake Competition at the Spring Home and Garden Festival

2011-03-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

COMPETITION DAY at the South Towne Home and Garden Festival Spring Show

I'm so happy today is over! I had a great time competing tonight. I didn't win, but it was a lot of fun. There were 3 of us competing against each other. We had 2 HOURS to decorate an entire cake, with nothing done before hand. It went by sooooooo fast! I could have done a better job with a little more time. I didn't get everything done I had planned, but I was overall happy with the final piece. I named the cake "Relaxing after a day working in the yard". Every side of the cake was a different room in a house with the top tier being a big bathroom with a girl relaxing in a bubble bath.

It was fun, but I don't think I'll be doing any of those Extreme Cake Challenges on Food Network any time soon! :)

This is the "Mud Room" Side of my house

This is the stairway.. The pictures on the wall are the 3 judges

This isn't a great picture, but this was my favorite "room" The family room with the striped walls. The TV in the back is the show that the emcee is on. (Fresh from the kitchen on Channel 2)

The very large ugly flower is a "secret item" they gave us at the beginning of the competition and we had to incorporate it in the cake.

I had spider mums! Really?? Have you seen the size of spider mums? About the height of my tub!

So I broke it down as small as I could and threw it in a vase. It's still too big.

Mud room again, but you can see some of the other sides at the same time.

This is the back of the cake or the backyard.

This is the side I ran out of time on. It was supposed to have a cobblestone path.. more grass and flowers, and it would have been nice if I put the path aligned with the door.

Oh well.

Not the best picture, but here's the lady in her bubble bath.

A better homes and garden magazine and the Salt Lake Tribune (sponsor of the show) on the floor

Vintage Chic

2011-03-09T21:50:00.000-08:00

This is probably one of my favorite cakes I've made this year. I get inspiration from many things when I'm designing cakes. Don't you think these flowers look like the cute hair bows that are out there? That's what they reminded me of.

2011-03-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

This was a super cool, super modern design I couldn't wait to try out.

and yes..... it took hours to complete!

I'm loving the yellow, white and grey color combination right now.

Dalia

2011-03-03T21:39:00.000-08:00

Dalia was the beautiful bride that I made this cake for. I love the blue and black together. This is a great example of mixing designs on each tier.

2011-03-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

EXCITING NEWS!!!!
April 16th. Bridal Show!!!!

This is no ordinary bridal show for us at Sugar Kisses Cakes nor is it for YOU the bride!!!!

I have GREAT news for you!!

One lucky couple will have a chance to WIN A FREE WEDDING CAKE!

For all the details, go to blog.thebrideandgroom.com

or to my facebook page.

Mallary

2011-02-27T15:22:00.000-08:00

This cake was done for the beautiful, spunky, darling Mallary. When she first met with me she said she wanted something plain and simple........ well...... when you are in wedding planning mode and have months to plan your perfect day.... things change.

We ended up getting a custom made template of her invitations to place on her cake. The font for the monogram is also the same font used in the menu's and invites. I'm so glad she decided to change to something more custom because it is the small details like this that make your wedding cake more memorable and special.

Utah Bride and Groom Magazine

2011-02-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

This incredible magazine has been out now for about a month. Any bride or people who love all things wedding will love this magazine. It highlights our beautiful state and the talent within it! All local weddings, local vendors and amazing venues all right here in our back yard.

I was lucky enough to be asked to do a cake for a special photo shoot that landed the cover on this magazine this year.

photos courtesy of Ashley Raubach Photography

Sock Monkey

2011-01-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

I know we are in the heart of brides wanting to plan their wedding cake, but I had to post this fun cake I did this week. Although this cake was for a darling little 1 year old, it could also be a great grooms cake. Not that your hubby to be is a die-hard sock monkey fan, but it's a perfect example of what a grooms cake could be.
Grooms cakes are so much fun either at your wedding reception or even at the rehearsal dinner. If you haven't heard of a grooms cake, it's a cake that is usually based on something your fiance loves. Traditionally it was a chocolate layered cake since wedding cakes were usually just the plain ol vanilla.. but as you all know, weddings are no longer that "traditional". Weddings cakes today have much more spunk than the normal chocolate grooms cake and vanilla wedding cake. Grooms cakes now are sculpted and designed with the grooms interests in mind. From baseballs to transformers, fishing to wakeboarding, a grooms cake will be a crowd pleaser as well as a thoughtful gift (and great surprise) for the love of your life.

Can you Have Modern and Vintage in the Same Cake?

2011-01-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's my inner goth speaking here, but I LOVE black wedding cakes. They are dramatic and make a bold statement. At first site you know it's a different kind of cake so your guests rush over to look at it.

As you can see with this cake, black can be very elegant. A feminine touch with lace, swirls and delicate flowers gives this cake the perfect balance of modern and elegant.

My favorite thing about this cake (besides working with this darling bride) was her desire to have something important to her on her cake. The lace was from her mothers wedding dress. This is a perfect example of how you can incorporate family heirlooms or a bit your own "vintage" pieces into your wedding. Having your own "vintage" incorporated into your wedding whether on your cake or other area's of your wedding day adds meaning as well as style to your special day. It will be those special touches that you will remember for years to come.

Bridal Extravaganza- The Grand America

2011-01-16T21:04:00.000-08:00

We just had an amazing fun time at the Bridal Extravaganza this past Saturday. It was wonderful to meet with so many great brides. I can't wait to start up cake consultations and begin designing away at all the great cakes for 2011!

I usually have limited availability for free cake consultations, but because of the huge interest from the show, I will be doing consultations for the next 2 months on a weekly basis. You can email me at turia@sugarkissescakes.com to set up a time to meet. I do book most of my cakes for the whole year in January, so if you are interested in having me do your cake, now would be the time to reserve your wedding day.

Funky Christmas

2010-12-20T20:22:00.000-08:00

Image Credit: Rebekah Westover Photography

We are nearing Christmas and I wanted to share with you a funky cake I did last year around Christmas time. This cake was so much fun to make. It takes a creative and super fun bride and groom to pull off having a wedding cake like this one. These guys rocked! They had the vision and I was one of the lucky vendors to be apart of making that vision come to life.
There is not much to say about this cake.. the multi colored "spikes" coming out of the cake add even more dimension to this topsy turvy style cake. The black and green are bold colors that help make the patterns on each tier stand out and just shout "fun"when you look at it.

Buttercream Beauty

2010-12-15T20:00:00.000-08:00

Image Credit: Swensen Photography

For those of you who are fondant haters, I have good news for you! Buttercream is making a comeback!
As a cake decorator, I have to admit I prefer fondant over buttercream just because of the versatility and amount of creativity you can have with fondant, but that being said, buttercream cakes can be very elegant and modern.
Buttercream can have a modern look to it by using texture in the frosting. With this cake, we frosted it with a mango creme cheese icing nice and thick (that's the trick to have great looking textured cakes), then we angled a knife and swooped the frosting down on a diagonal. At the reception, the florist went to work with all the flowers on and around the cake. This cake was the main centerpiece of the reception. It was in the middle of the room on a huge table full of flowers. It turned out beautiful. Thank you Jamie for letting me be apart of your wedding. I had so much fun working with you.

Symbolic Wedding Cakes

2010-12-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite cakes of the year. This bride and groom were so amazing to work with. They had booked me over a year in advance so we had plenty of time to make their cake just how they wanted it. I love the clean lines and the black and white. It gives this cake a ultra modern, cool look. What I loved most about this cake is the design. The couple loves tattoo's and they have a dear friend who is a tattoo artist. Their friend created this design with the couple in mind, we then made a custom stencil and hand painted it onto the cake.
Whenever you can put personal touches to the different elements of your wedding, it makes more memorable and special.

Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Cupcakes

2010-12-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

Brides are still wanting cupcakes incorporated into their wedding reception. I recently did this fun cupcake wedding for an adorable couple.
The lime green and black color palette was a great combination and looked so cute with the sugar gerb daisies on the cake and cupcakes.

Let It Snow

2010-12-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

Image Credit: Dustin Izatt Photography

In lieu of all the snow we've been getting the last couple weeks, I thought I'd share with you this cake today. If you want a winter wonderland themed wedding, this is a great type of cake for your reception. The use of flaked coconut gives the cake a fun texture that resembles snow. It's also a great alternative for those of you who might not like the look or taste of fondant. Spray the cake with a little edible glitter and you have a beautiful winter themed cake.

Simple Elegance

2010-11-21T14:36:00.000-08:00

This cute bride called herself "marzipan girl" in all of our email communications. "Marzipan Girl"/Christian was a wonderful bride to work with. She had a few last minute "kinks" in where her reception would be held that were beyond her control and she handled everything with grace and maturity. I'm sure many others would have become bridezilla if they had to change venues on such short notice.

As for the cake, she had very specific orders on how she wanted the cake to taste like... bet you can't guess she wanted marzipan instead of fondant :)

Marzipan is much like fondant but made from almond paste. It's not quite as sweet and has a beautiful ivory color. I loved this cake. The ivory with just a touch of the purple in the flowers gave this a simplistic modern beauty. With any type of art.. sometimes the more simple, the better.

This cake followed that rule perfectly.

Thanks Christian for letting me be apart of your wedding.

Larissa and Josh

2010-11-14T18:47:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Swensen Photography

Larissa and Josh were one of my all time favorite couples to work with. We had so much fun together planning and designing their wedding cake. I LOVE it when the grooms get super excited about getting involved in the design process, and I have to admit.. I think Josh has the #1 spot on my list right now.
This cake was designed with both couples different styles and idea's in mind. We worked hard to find the perfect balance of what they both wanted and came up with this design. Modern with a feminine touch.

Back on the Blogging Bandwagon

2010-11-09T21:08:00.000-08:00

   Photo Credit: Swensen Photography

As you can see... it's been almost a year since I have posted anything on my blog. 2010 has been a great year for me both personally and professionally. I have been busy.. I am still in business... I just haven't blogged about it, mostly because the craziness of life and cake decorating got a little too nutty for a while and something had to give... so my blog suffered a bit :)
  So here I am... ready to show the world some of my favorite cakes I made in 2010. I've had some amazing clients and some really fun cakes this year and can't wait to share them with all of you.
Let the Cake Blogging begin!!!! I've got alot to post.. so tune in often!

Brideology---Only 2 Days Away

2010-02-16T18:26:00.000-08:00

Shout Out to all you brides out there!
Just wanted to remind you all that one of the coolest wedding events of the year is coming up in 2 short days!! There are a very limited amount of seats available, so go to the brideology website and reserve your spot now!!! It's going to be super educational, totally fun, and I am going to be sampling cake! I also will be debuting a great new product I am offering.
If you want to be the first to sample the newest of trend hitting the cake world.... join me Thursday night.

www.utahbrideology.com

Classic Elegance- Black, White & Red

2010-02-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

Photo provided by Swensen Photography

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE black and white together. Probably a little too much. I wear black way too often. My husband actually encouraged me to go shopping one time, IF I bought something with color in it! So ladies.. whenever you want a new wardrobe... start looking like you are going to a funeral everyday.. and you might just get your wish :)
Now on for the real reason for this post.... THE CAKE!!
Chelsie was the beautiful bride who belonged with this cake. She was such a sweet girl and I loved working with her and her mom. The reception was at the ever so romantic LaCaille, and the place was decorated with true classic beauty. Black, white and pops of red made this night classy and elegant. The damaske design on her cake was stenciled on and give the cake a great look with a slight texture. The bright roses ontop gave the cake the "pop" it needed to complete the overall look.
If you are thinking about doing an intricate design on your cake.. stenciling is one option you have. It's beautiful when done correctly, you can have custom stencils done with any design you want, and it's elegant without being gobby.

An Opportunity Like No Other---- Bride-ology... Coming Soon

2010-02-02T06:06:00.000-08:00

I have the opportunity to be apart of an awesome party coming up in a couple weeks where brides get to talk to local vendors in a casual party-like setting and ask questions, get informed, and have a great time all in one night. This night is focusing on brides who WANT the best wedding of their dreams, and have a desire to be educated on how they can make that dream come true. If this sounds like you, keep on reading to see how you can be apart of the incredible event.

Brideology by definition: the science of bridal planning in all its forms and phenomena with reference to wedding, beauty, romance, entertainment, and education.

A must attend bridal education party will be held on the evening of February 18th 2010 at an exquisite location between Salt Lake and Utah counties. {want location? Visit site} Eight of Utahs leading wedding vendors will be gathering in this place, at this time {seven to nine pm} to share with you {the planning bride} a priceless no pressure educational experience.

You will learn the short & long term value of a professional photographer . what to wear to maximize your engagement pictures . the difference between film makeup and everyday makeup . bridal hair trends . current bridal gown and accesory fashion trends . the value of event design and great rental pieces such as linens . cake tasting . floral trends & the difference between your aunt betty's flowers, a shops flowers, and a designers flowers . costco catering or profesional catering and so much more!

These vendors are providing an priceless education to the planning bride, something that has not been done before. No strings attached just a night of fun! If you want to attend you must visit the brideology site and register, seating is limited.
www.utahbrideology.com

A "Grand" Wedding

2010-01-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

If you want a cake fit for a princess, this is the cake for you! 6 tiers of cake all airbrushed with a pearl glaze then 400 + sugar flowers all white with crystal accents.

Becki was the beautiful bride who ordered this cake for her wedding at "The Grand America" last weekend. The venue was gorgeous with it's crystal chandeliers, ice sculptures, amazing flowers from my friend Audrey at Studio Stems.... and of course... the cake... a show stopper... just with it's size alone. So many cakes I do these days are bright and full of color. I loved going back to the basics with this one with the all white design. It's modern flare with the crystal accents and gumpaste flowers made this cake elegant and timeless.

Thank you Becki for letting me be apart of your wedding day.
sorry for the pix... still waiting on the professional ones from the photographer. You'll just have to bear with my amateur photos for now.:)

Bridal Extravaganza

2010-01-10T20:22:00.000-08:00

It's Bridal Show Time!!!!

January is by far the BEST time to plan your wedding... or at least start planning. There are bridal shows practically every weekend.... but only ONE that is the best! THE BRIDAL EXTRAVAGANZA!
I will be at LaCaille this Saturday January 16th with a whole lotta eye candy in cake form. I will as always have cake samples. Four different flavors to try out. I will be scheduling free consultations and cake testings there at the show. If you would like to set up a time, or just see my work, come on over! I'd love to meet you. We will be upstairs ready and waiting!
These shows are just as important to me as they are you. If you are having a spring wedding, this is the time to get started on booking your vendors. By the end of January, I am usually all booked up for the spring weddings.... so book as soon as possible. I will be offering special discounts at the show, so you don't want to miss it. I hope to see you there!

Happy 2010

2010-01-10T20:06:00.000-08:00

2010 has already brought a lot of great cake opportunities for Sugar Kisses. As always, January is the time for new resolutions and new expectations. This being said, I'm going to make sure that I am much better at posting on this blog :) I can't believe I haven't posted since Thanksgiving. So new resolution.... new cake... new info.. and a whole lotta fun! Hope you all tune in often to see whats happening in the cake world as seen by Sugar Kisses!
So my first blog post for January is quite exciting. The much anticipated Utah Bride and Groom Magazine is out on stands and we were lucky enough to be published in it. This magazine is a great outlet to see some local vendors work as well as some BEAUTIFUL local weddings. It's filled with all sorts of great pictures and idea's. Go get a copy today.. you will love to see all that's inside. Here's a sneak peak. My cakes featured were #5 & 7.

A Time of Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T16:24:00.000-08:00

It is always such a treat to work with a bride (and groom) while designing their wedding cake. Many times after the consultation is over, I feel like I have a new friend. This emotional connection in working together to make their wedding day the best it can be makes my job so much fun. In this season of Thanksgiving.. that is what I'm thankful for... the joy I have in working and getting to know my clients. Because of that relationship, the bride is no longer a name from my "contact me" page, but a new friend, and I want to make their cake even better than they imagined it could be. It's all in the "extra" details that are thought about with the bride in mind that make a spectacular cake and a happy bride.
Occasionally, you get a bride that goes out of her way to thank her vendors. As a vendor, these "thank you's" are worth all the hours you spend away from your family and personal life to make their day special. Just a little note or even a quick email can make your day and encourage you to keep doing your job. If I had to choose my top 3 favorite gifts/thank you's I've received, it would be these:
  #1: Blog Comments
            My most appreciated thank you's come when a bride posts comments on my blog about their cakes. This not only makes me feel happy that they loved their cake, but I love that they shared it with everyone who is looking at my website and blog. When you have customer satisfaction and others get to read that, people are more willing to contact you.

  #2: Thank You Notes
            Many brides have gone out of their way to actually mail me a note showing their appreciation. In our "cyber world" we live in these days, snail mail is not the most popular form of communication, BUT it is very meaningful when you know someone has taken time to get a piece of paper, write down a quick note, get a stamp, and get it to the post office. I appreciate the efforts.
Along this same idea, I had a bride make postcards from a picture they had taken on their wedding day and mailed them out with their thank you note on the other side.

  #3: Small Gift
            I'm not saying I expect brides to give me gifts by any means!   But I did a wedding a few months back where they were giving away chocolates and toffee's in cute little boxes to each of their guests at the reception. Before I left, the mother of the bride handed me a box of chocolates with my name on it and a nice little note thanking me for the service I had rendered. I was touched by their appreciation that they gave to to me.

When everything is said and done.. with or without a gift, an email, or a note, I am most thankful for my clients. I love what I do because of them. It is such an honor to be able to be part of one of the happiest days in a couple's life together.

Thank You for all you do for me!

(excerpts of this post are posted on the incredible UBB (Utah Bride Blog). Check it out!

2009 Utah Chocolate Show- Wedding Cake Competition

2009-11-22T21:18:00.000-08:00

The Utah Chocolate Show was this past weekend and I decided to enter into the Wedding Cake Competition. The theme this year was "Italian Romance" and this is what I came up with. I was honored and very surprised when they announced my name for two different awards! In the end.. it was worth all the stress and sleepless nights working on this cake.

Here it is..... It's called, "Mi Amore"

(The cake says... My Love, You are Beautiful, I will always be with you)

Awards:
2009 Best Chocolate Flowers
2009- Special Recognition by Judges-- "Most Signified Italy"

Maren Re-Visited

2009-11-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

I just had to post this AMAZING video from the incredible Dave Perry. If you are planning a wedding.. you already know how lucky you are if you get Dave to shoot your wedding.
Maren was one of many brides I've been able to work with that I completely adored. She was the most well organized, paid complete attention to every detail... literally. (the cake was designed to match her shoes... take note in the film).

Nate + Maren = 8mm Film + Digital Film from David Perry on Vimeo.

I just had to show this video... not just for the cake... but because this video depicts the #1 reasons I do what I do.... I LOVE being a part of the happiest day in people's lives. What better way to celebrate that than with cake?
Thank you Dave for the great video. Thank you Maren for letting me be a part of your wedding. If you want to see all of Dave's comments on the video.. click here to view his blog.

Special Event Series #7-- Witches, Witches, Witches

2009-11-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

This is the last cake in our Special Event Series. This cake is a super fun idea if you want to do something very unique and individualized for everyone at your party. Whether it's 50 people or 10... an personalized or individual cake is a real treat and lets your guests know how special they are.
These individual witch cakes were made for an annual witches tea to celebrate halloween a couple weeks ago. The host of this party has been throwing witches tea's now for 11 years and she has got the magic touch. All her friends look forward to this party all year long. When I went to deliver the witch display.. her house was filled with halloween decor, fancy halloween dishes set for a 5 course meal for 50 of her closest "witch" friends (no paper at this house... ALL glass ware.. can you imagine the clean up?) She dedicated one room just for the witch cake display and let everyone take a witch home with them after the party.
Creativity is the key for individual cakes. Whether it's little people like in this picture, or small mini cakes in various shapes and designs... your guests will oohhh and awwww when they get their own cake.
These little witches not only looked great... they tasted great too!
Color coded with their dresses, the guests could choose from raspberry lemonade cake with a lemon cream cheese filling, pumpkin chocolate chip cake with a spiced cream cheese buttercream or a chocolate mint truffle cake with mint ganache.

Special Event Series #6-- More Kid Birthdays

2009-11-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

What little boy hasn't dreamed of becoming an astronaut? This little guy wanted a "space" birthday party for his #8. I had a blast having a mini "consultation" with him to go over the idea's he wanted for his cake. It's always really fun when I get to meet with kids to talk cake. They feel so important and they get really excited to see that they are going to have an extra special cake.. just for them. Kids are only kids for a short time.. I LOVE being able to help make their birthdays unforgettable.

Special Event Series #5-- First Birthday Cakes

2009-11-08T17:02:00.000-08:00

Once your a first time mom, you realize that there is not many more important events than your childs first birthday... for some of us... it's ALMOST as important as our wedding day... (OK.. not really.. but we act like it). I am guilty of this myself. My first little baby had a killer Baby Einstein birthday party with more friends invited than I think was could fit in my house. But... it's their first birthday... and it's gotta be big!
There are so many adorable ways to do a first birthday cake. You can re-create their favorite toy or their favorite character, or you can make it whimsical, kid like and full of fun!
Full of fun is how I depict this cake made for an adorable little baby girl. Her mom is super stylin with everything she does, wears and buys.. I knew the cake had to be over the top! Mom put the cute tuille "skirts" around the bottom and top of the cake and made it even extra "girly". The cupcake on top easily came off for an individual cake for the birthday girl to sink her hands into!

Special Event Series #4-- Graduation Cakes

2009-11-07T17:45:00.000-08:00

Graduations are not only an exciting time, but also a wonderful accomplishment that needs to be recognized in a big way!
Graduation cakes can become the hit of the party if they are custom designed with graduate in mind. This cake is a perfect example of that. A previous client called me up and said she was throwing a graduation party for her daughters best friend and needed a "cosmotology" cake. She gave me an idea and this is what I came up with. Hair Dryer & hair brush made from rice cereal treats, covered in fondant. The basket is my signature flavor... Orange Velvet. And the Paul Mitchell Bottles... edible paper wrapped in fondant.
It is super fun to make cakes that are this individualized. It's all worth it when you see the smiles on the clients faces when you drop it off.
Wheather it's a cake full of hair supllies or an edible diploma... any type of cake for graduations are a real
"treat".

Special Event Series #3-- Anniversary Cakes

2009-11-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

Celebrate an Anniversary..

This cake was for an adorable couple celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. The cake was to them as a suprise from their sweet children. The words... "I loved You Then as I Loved You Now" was a perfect quote to capture the many years these two people have shared together.

If you are planning an anniversary party.. a classic cake like this is always an elegant choice. You can also try and look through old wedding photos of the couple and bring the cake picture into us and we can re-create their real wedding cake. It's a fun touch that's sure to bring joyful tears!

Special Event Series #2- Kids Birthdays

2009-11-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

Today I'm featuring a little boys dream cake. Look at this loot! A pirates treasure fit for a kid. Full of coins, jewels.. and of course... CANDY!!!
A little "leather" technique and some edible dust powder makes this treasure chest come to life. Not only does it look great with all the treats on top... the Chocolate Oreo Cake inside is just as yummy. Chocolate Oreo is always a crowd pleaser. Especially when little kids are around. Tastes just like an oreo shake... what could be better than that?

Special Event Series-- Keepsake Cakes

2009-11-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

Special Events other than weddings are also a great time to have cake. When was the last time you went to a birthday party where they didn't serve cake? (uhhhhh???? probably never)
For the next few days, I'm going to spotlight cakes that are not geared for the bride to be... but for us regular ol folk who need a fabulous cake for a special event.

Cake #1 in our series is an adorable puppy cake for a little girl who is obsessed with dalmations. Her whole birthday was a dog theme. 12 little 5 year olds acting like puppies for an hour an half! I bet mom was ready for that party to get over :) The puppies are made out of gumpaste... a sugar dough that dries hard so it becomes a great keepsake for the birthday girl.

Linzi and Jared.... The Luckiest Engaged Couple in Utah

2009-11-01T19:41:00.000-08:00

Linzi was the winner of the $100,000 wedding giveaway from the Bridal Extravaganza at LaCaille this past August. Linzi and Jared. They were able to have their whole wedding paid for... as well as use some of the best of the best here in Utah to be apart of their wedding. It was a fairy tale wedding (as you can see from the fabulous photo from the one and only Swensen Photography)and I was so lucky to be apart of it. Linzi and Jared were so fun to work with. I really enjoyed the few times I got to meet with them and share in their excitement. I wish them the best of luck with their marriage.

Must apologize for the bad photos. I'll get some edited ones soon! Linzi wanted butterflies cascading down her cake. We finished the cake off with words that they picked out together for the fondant ribbon on the bottom of each tier. And of course.... Jared got his trout!

Gerbs with a Modern Design

2009-10-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

I got the privilege to do Jenny's cake. She was such a sweet bride and drop dead gorgeous! We played around with a few designs and finally came up with this one. I loved the straight, modern lines on this cake, the colors were fabulous together, and the gerb daisies added a lot of texture and color to the design.

Couture Cakes

2009-10-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Bethanie was such a doll! I was so lucky to be able to do her cake this summer. She loved the look of fabric on her cake, so this is what we came up with!

Dress inspired cakes are always fun to make. They bring such a creative touch to your reception.. especially if you design your cake after your own wedding dress. It brings out a very feminine and "fairy tale" type of style. Any time you get to mix fashion with cake... it's always a real treat.

"Fall"ing Leaves

2009-10-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

I love the changing of the seasons... especially fall! There is something amazing about crisp air, the smell of rain and vibrant colors on the trees. It makes me smile.
I made this cake for the Bridal Show last July at LaCaille. White Chocolate autumn leaves airbrushed and hand painted are a great addition to any fall wedding cake. Not only do they look realistic, they taste incredible too! Who can say no to any type of chocolate?

2009-09-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

Fall or Summer, Orange is a fabulous color to use in your wedding. Fruit has been a popular trend this year and I love the how Alesha wanted oranges displayed in her cake stand. For those of you who may be "anti-fondant".. here's a buttercream cake for you to take a look at. Buttercream has a softer texture than fondant, and you can still make it nice and smooth. Some people think it tastes better than fondant.. but it's all personal opinion.
I don't do a lot of buttercream cakes these days.. it's fun to get back to them every once in a while.

The "IT" Color!

2009-09-05T21:44:00.000-07:00

Candy Apple Green is THE Color! It's been a popular one this year. I was lucky enough to do Bethanie's cake for her. She is the cutest girl! They wanted something fun and simple. They were using green apples (from their own apple trees.... cool!) as part of their decor, so wanted to implement the color into the cake. I think the green and purple were a great color combination. As for the flowers... they were done by the best RETIRED florist around... my own mom! It was fun to work on a wedding with her again.

A Black Wedding Cake???

2009-09-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

So if you are brave enough to want a black wedding cake... you just might see that you can pull off an elegant, amazingly different cake that will be a show stopper. I was impressed with Heidi and Tobin when they came to our consultation saying they wanted and all black wedding cake (and even more impressed that mom was on page with their idea's!) Not too many people are brave enough to go with such a bold color. This cake turned out awesome! The black looked beautiful and then we put the bright pink flowers on it and the cake came alive. It's always a HUGE compliment to me when guests start snapping pictures of my cakes. This was one of those cakes. As soon as I moved out of the way, there were about 5 people snapping pictures at the finished product. I don't know if they'd ever seen a black wedding cake before.
Thanks Heidi and Tobin for stepping out of the box and going bold! I LOVED working on your cake and I hope you loved it to!

Pop Art

2009-09-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

This cake reminded me of something I would see in an art gallery. With the bright white canvas (fondant in my case) and the bright red flower covering all three tiers, this cake "popped" in artistic design. This reception was at the totally cool Scholorship Room at the University of Utah. I love this venue because the whole room is full of windows so you've got an amazing view of good ol SLC and our beautiful mountains as it's back drop.

Wedding Cakes on a Budget

2009-08-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

I love this color combination! Yellow and brown look amazing together.. especially when you add huge sunflowers! This wedding cake was for an awesome couple who wanted a small wedding for mostly family. The only request......CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE!!!! I was honored to find out that they sampled about 4 different companies chocolate cakes, and chose me and my popular Chocolate Truffle Cake. For those who haven't tried the Chocolate Truffle, it's 6 layers of rich chocolate cake filled with a whipped ganache filling and then frosted with more whipped ganache. It is heaven on earth for chocolate lovers.. but make sure you have a tall glass of milk close by!
If you are doing a small wedding and are budget conscious, two or three small layered cakes sitting next to each other are a great option for you. With a few fresh flowers a cute patterned ribbon around the bottom, you have a great looking cake display that could be under $200! This is also a fun idea for bridal showers, engagement parties, bachelor parties, etc. etc. Anytime you have a special event.. you can always make a simple cake look fabulous while having it fit your budget.

Traditional with a Twist!

2009-08-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

If you are ever lucky enough to chill out at LaCaille for even 10 seconds... you will understand why this is the COOLEST venue for a wedding. It is beautiful, romantic, and the closest thing to a castle you'll get without heading to europe! Alli's wedding was absolutely gorgeous with cream and brown as the main colors with reds, yellows and oranges as accent colors. This cake was unique in that it wasn't stacked in the center as a traditional wedding cake, but it was stacked so all the back corners matched up. It was a great, elegant look with a twist. I think it turned out great.

Art turns to Cake

2009-08-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

Rob and Sara were the coolest couple to work with. I had so much fun designing and creating this Salvador Dali inspired cake for them. I have to admit, this is one of my favorite cakes I've ever made.
When I met them several months ago and The Bridal Extravaganza they showed me a picture on their phone of Salvador Dali's painting of "The Persistance of Memory". I love modern art, and I was immediatly, drawn to this couples creativity and imagination for not only the idea's for their wedding cake, but for their whole wedding. We got together and sketched out several different designs.. and this is what we came up with. The groom made the copper trees for the gumpaste clocks to hang on which I think were fabulous. Once again.. Rob and Sara.. you guys are amazing. Thank you for being so fun to work with. I wish you the best of luck in your marriage!

Amber & Justin

2009-06-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

Amber and Justin were such a pleasure to work with. They were not only an adorable couple, but so nice and appreciative. Amber was very organized and ontop of everything with her wedding. I really enjoyed getting to know them a little bit and hope their wedding was just how they imagined it being.
Amber's cake was a blast to make. It was elegant and modern with a lot of detail.
My favorite part of this cake was working on the sugar orchids. Sugar flowers are a lot of work, but are so worth the effort. It was fun to hear one of the guest say, "they are putting fresh flowers on the cake right now". It's always a plus when you can't tell they are made out of sugar!

Amber and Justin, thank you for letting me be a part of your wedding planning. I loved doing both of your cakes. Your wedding looked beautiful and I hope you both had a wonderful day!

Justin's Grooms Cake

2009-06-27T23:23:00.000-07:00

Justin got his own special cake for the wedding day. Grooms cakes Rock! It's so great when the grooms get something special that is just for them.
As you can probably guess, Justin loves fishing! So a rainbow trout in a tackle box was the perfect cake for him. It was great to watch the guests come up and ask if it was a cake. That's when you know you did it right. Justin, I hope you loved your grooms cake. I had so much fun making it for you!
Happy Fishing! :)

Nicole

2009-06-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

Nicole was such a cute girl. I enjoyed meeting and working with her. She had a classic wedding with red, black and white. You never can go wrong with that color scheme. She wanted her square cake off centered.. a popular trend this year. The quilting is a great design that adds a nice touch to any cake. I liked how she wanted to put the ribbon in the middle of the cake instead of the bottom to change the look up a bit.
Sorry the lighting is a little funky in this picture, but you get the idea.

I hope you guys had a wonderful wedding day!

Chocolate Lovers Dream

2009-06-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

Andrea LOVES Chocolate. Can you tell??
She came to me with this idea and we went with it. Chocolate fondant, chocolate roses, chocolate cake.... how could it get any better?

Lucky Grooms Cake Winner

2009-06-25T23:07:00.000-07:00

Whitney was the lucky winner of the bridal show's grooms cake this past January. Her new hubby LOVES transformers, so she thought it would be fitting to do a transformer cake. This silver food paint is such a fun color to use. I love when I get a chance to use it. As you know, I get so excited to do grooms cakes. This was one was no different. I thought it was quite the coincidence that Whitney's wedding happened to be the same week Transformers II came out in theatre's.

Amber

2009-06-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

Amber is such a doll. I was so happy I got to work with her on her wedding cake. She and her mom were amazing clients. Amber wanted a simple, yet elegant cake. We pulled that off by doing a ivory colored fondant cake with stenciling work on the sides that were painted with pearl dust to add a little shimmer to the cake.

Sisters, Sisters

2009-06-13T22:50:00.000-07:00

The cake was made especially for two brides in mind. Two sisters... married just days apart came together for a double wedding reception. I think it was fabulous that they could share this special time in their lives together. I hope they were able to pull it off without any drama! I'm sure they did. The reception was beautiful and I loved how they thought out every detail even matching the fabrics with the design chosen for the cake. As you can see on the cake, there was a lot of roses. The florist said they had ordered 400 red roses for the reception! The cake alone took 5 dozen. The venue was perfectly put together. I hope it was a wonderful night for our two sister brides!

Fit for a Princess

2009-06-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

This wedding cake as you can see had quite a lot of detail. The couple gave me their wedding announcement and wanted it recreated onto their cake. Besides the sheer size of this cake, the hot salmon pink under the white piping with the crystal beads gave this cake a bold statement.
Each tier had a different flavor that was as bold as the cake itself. With Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheese with a truffle frosting, Chocolate Orange with Whipped Fudge, Citrus Coconut with a Lime Mousse, and Raspberry Lemonade with a raspberry buttercream.

May, May, May--- Welcome Wedding Season!!!

2009-06-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hello All. I have not forgotten you! I have been swamped with weddings in May and haven't had a second to post about all the great weddings I got to do. It was a great month for Sugar Kisses. I have the coolest clients in the world all with wonderful imaginations and idea's for their special day.
Here's a look at all the fun cakes I was able to do the last few weeks.

Danielle

2009-05-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

Danielle was one of the first consultations I had at the beginning of the year and it was exciting to have her wedding finally get here. She was so darling and full of energy. I loved getting to know her. She also wanted a grooms cake for her future hubby that represented all the things he liked to do. I had so much fun working on her two cakes. She sent me the sweetest email about how much she loved her cake. That is always such a fun treat when you get to hear how much the bride and groom appreciated their cake. As a cake designer, those are the greatest compliments when people take the time to let you know how happy they were with their cake. It makes my job the best job in the world.

Danielle's Grooms Cake

2009-05-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

As I said earlier, Danielle wanted her grooms cake to reflect all the things her hubby to be enjoyed doing. He is a EMT and is also training to be a fire fighter. He LOVES the show Ace of Cakes (as do I) so this cake had to be "Duff worthy" (for those of you who don't know... Duff.... you gotta watch Ace of Cakes on the Food Network). Even though this ambulance didnt have the real lights and smoke coming out of it as Duff would do... I think it turned out pretty fun. We had the bride looking beautiful in her gown and the groom (goatee and all) with his fireman hat, his EMT bag and his ambulance in the back.
I was thrilled to hear that he LOVED his cake and was so excited when Danielle brought it out to him as his own special gift at the reception.
Thank you both for letting me be apart of your special day. I was so happy to be able to make a couple cakes for you that fit your personalities. Enjoy married life!

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

2009-05-20T14:58:00.000-07:00

Stelios was the lucky winner of a Free Grooms Cake from The Bridal Extravaganza Show I did a few months ago. He's greek so he thought it would be fun to do the Parthenon. This cake was so much fun to make and it was all worth it when I got to see the bride and grooms faces when they saw it. It's always such a treat when you can see the excitement in their eyes.
I thought they had a great idea that I thought I would share with you all. Since they were having a rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding, they decided to use the grooms cake at the dinner as their dessert. With rehearsal dinners usually a little more casual, the grooms cake is a great cake to use for that event. I hope they had a wonderful wedding and rehearsal dinner.

Lindsay

2009-05-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun with Lindsay's cake. She wanted fun and funky and that's what she got! I love it when brides are bold with their color choices. Brown, Orange and Hot Pink were her colors. We incorporated all the colors into her cake with Chocolate lillies as a cake topper. The wedding was held at Noah's in Sandy. It is a beautiful venue with a lot of different options for any type of party.

Lindsay's Groom Cake

2009-05-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Lindsay also wanted a grooms cake for her husband to be. I can honestly say that making these cowboy boots have been one of the coolest cakes I've ever gotten to make. Grooms cakes are a blast to make and can be such a special surprise for your fiance. The wedding can easily become just for the bride.. but grooms cakes can be a way for you to show your groom just how special he is as well.
These cowboy boots are replica's of their own boots which made them even more customized for their event.

Jamie

2009-05-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here's another cupcake wedding. This is for a bigger party. Jamie wanted to serve cupcakes to all her guests as party favors as well as the dessert for the sit down reception. Each favor was boxed and labeled with the cupcake flavor and displayed on the buffet table. The cupcake tower held nearly 200 cupcakes so guests could just come and take what they pleased.
Jamie had a crazy week with graduating from college, getting married and moving across the country all within days of eachother. I hope all went well and good luck with all your new adventures.

Clarissa

2009-05-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

I had such a great time meeting with Clarissa and her mom at our first consultation. They were fun to talk with and I enjoyed getting to know them a little bit. With her colors being black, white and yellow, we sketched out a fun cake that would incorporate all her colors but still have a real springy feel to it. She loved gerb daisies and wanted them incorporated into her cake. I think it turned out great. Clarissa presented her cake in the middle of the room under a gazebo so it was a focal point of the reception. It was a fun way to display the cake so all your guests could enjoy it wherever they were in the room.