Jeannette's Custom Cakes

Very slowly, I’m starting to notice my transition from graphic designer to a cake artist. Don’t get me wrong, the basis behind them is very similar, and I really believe that I wouldn’t be learning so fast if it wasn’t for my background in design. I think this week was my turning point.

I had a client ask for a 50th birthday cake for her mother. According to the daughter, the mother loves bling, leopard print, louis vuitton, martinis and purple. The cake artist in me immediately started sketching. Now when I was in college I hated initial sketches, and I mean hated. I didn’t get the point. It took 8 years for me to FINALLY get it. On the computer its a simple command + z and you can continue. This is not the case for me anymore. Although I do think it very often. Which I believe will always stay with me, as many other designers do. “Oh I wish I could command +z that”. For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, it means undo. This doesn’t work with cake. The second you put black icing on a white cake, its there, no matter how hard you try to get rid of it, it stays. Same thing with carving cake. You can’t just “put it back” it’s done.

I found myself saying to my husband yesterday, “I feel like my job is one giant puzzle”. The more I think about it, the more it’s true. I see this final vision in my head pretty much after my initial consultation with my client, then it’s my job to have the final product look as much like it as I can…out of cake! It’s not an easy task, but I love it! It’s a challenge. This cake was nothing short of that.

I stood and stared at this 14″ square cake board for a good hour, just trying to decide where I wanted to put everything. Where as if I was still at my old job, or working on design at my laptop, I would have made 5 different versions of it and picked the one that I liked the best. Not here, what I decided was staying. Peeling fondant, icing and cake off a board is messy!

So I decided to make all the little pieces first (and the shoe took a week) while I was thinking. The bow, the tag, the purse accessories etc. Once that was done, I still hadn’t decided. This was by far my most ambitious cake to date. There was no turning back, I just had to start. Time was wasting.

So here is the end result. I really wish everyone could have seen it, it was awesome! I loved it, and felt proud.

The Louis Vuitton pattern on the bag is all hand painted, and it’s all edible.

A close up of some of the detail.

I’m in love with the gift tags lately. They add such a nice touch.

That bag is my pride and joy, and probably the closest I’ll ever get to a real one!

So now, I am a cake artist, not just a designer. I can’t see me being one without the other. These are all new experiences for me, I’m learning as I go and I’m so happy that everyone is following along with me!

Be sure to check out the gallery for the rest of the cakes from the weekend, including an 80′s cake, an anniversary cake, and a whole bunch of girls birthday cakes.

Have a great week everyone. Thanks again for all the support! Spread the word!!

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 1:30 pm and is filed under Cakes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.