Find tools and supplies for cake decorating at my web site-
www.inspiredcreations-cakes.com

 I could drop names, like Kerry Vincent, Bronwyn Weber, Nicholas Lodge, Zane Beg, Earlene Moore, Norm Davis, Margaret Ford, Laura Ragano, Rebecca Sutterby, and Autumn Carpenter, but they would be just the start of a very long list of extremley talented sugar artists that attended.    

Every year we have 4 days filled with not only cake information, but everthing you could imagine in the world of “Sugar Art”. Some of the demostrations and classes available were, Air Brushing, Chocolate, Edible Gems, Draping and Stringwork, Edible Photo Printing, Pulled Sugar, Gelatin, Cookies, Fondant, Gumpaste and on and on….

If you wanted to see some breath taking sugar art the “Cake Gallery” was the place to be. I understand there were over 700 displays.

I did have a display which took hours
 to create and was so much fun.

“It’s a Sweet Life” was a world I created where candy apples and orange slices grew right on trees. A root beer falls empties into a barrel of ice cream, strawberrires grow already dipped in chocolate, and a chocolate rock wall is ready to climb.

Cupcake House

Licorice swing!

Chocolate Rock Wall

Candy Apple Tree

Full View Candy Apple Tree

Root Beer Falls

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Full View of Orange Slice Tree

Months ago they sent me a hand drawn picture of what they wanted for thier wedding.  It was 3 tiers covered in white fondant. Cornflower blue ribbon circled the bottom of each layer. Pale yellow Gerbera daisies started small and became larger as they ringed from top to bottom of the cake. 

 I added a few leaves and butterflies.

 To help make the daisies I used the
“SUNFLOWER/DAISY PLUNGER SET S/M/L“  item # 43-618sd from my web site-
www.inspiredcreations-cakes.com

                                                                            You can also buy the butterflies premade and ready to use on the site-
                                                                             www.inspiredcreations-cakes.com.

See what was written—-

Selecting Editor’s Choice was no easy feat. We wanted to choose them all. In fact, after seeing ALL the amazing entries, Stef, Tina and I even suggested getting rid of Editor’s Choice and only having Reader’s Choice. We knew we couldn’t actually get rid of the Editor’s Choice since it was part of the roundup, but we really all had a very hard time. In the end we selected Chocolate Raspberry Baby Cupcakes from Inspired Creations.

There was much to love about these cupcakes. First of all, the size was unique…it seemed to me they would be neater to eat than your average ice cream cupcake. (Though in all honesty, isn’t part of the fun of eating sweets is that it is ok to be messy?!) Also, the size allowed for one to eat more without feeling as guilty…I know, I know, it’s all relative. Best of all, you get all flavors in one bite without fail. What’s nice about this is that it is the perfect number of flavors combined, so the combo, while rich, is just right. I also imagine that the mini-ness of the cupcakes allows for the fresh berry not to get lost among the richness, creating a nice balance of flavor.

The flavor combo itself was just wonderful. Chocolate and raspberry is a match made in heaven. The combo is also reminiscent of a childhood favorite of both of us: black raspberry ice cream with chocolate sprinkles. This is kind of the “grown up” version.

Though the ice cream was not homemade, I didn’t have a problem with this, especially since it was local and looked wonderful piled high in those containers.I like the fairly simpleness of this recipe, so that we can make it at home. I also think the recipe would allow for nice variations…as I sit here getting sick by overdosing on fresh cherries, I picture a cherry-vary…On that note, the presentation was good, and I loved the step-by-step writing so we can all make them at home. A recipe is not as fun or enticing without pictures (even though I am horrible at remembering to take pictures along the way) so that was an added bonus, and to me especially, quite impressive!

I could go on and on, but honestly, I am pratically jumping off my chair to go make them as I write this.

Chocolate/ Raspberry Baby Cupcakes

Dark Chocolate Cake 
White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl OR Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream – 2 hard to decide which one
Dark Chocolate Ganache
Fresh Raspberry

These cupcakes are so full of yummy flavor I just had to make them minis. You peel the paper off and pop the whole thing into your mouth…so sweet!

I started out with an old pound cake recipe called  “7 UP Cake” and added chocolate. It makes a Bundt  size pan cake so I cut it in 1/2 for about 60 mini cupcakes, filled 1/4  full. When they are done baking they are 1/2 way up the cups. Here’s my recipe-

Make sure all ingredients are room temp.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter (don’t substitute…use real butter)
3 eggs

Beat with electric mixer until very smooth.

Melt 3 ounces of unsweetened bakers chocolate in the microwave. Be careful not to burn it!

Stir chocolate to take out the heat. When just warm, stir into butter mixture.  

Add-
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup 7 Up                                                                                       

Beat till smooth. Fill mini cups 1/4 full, bake in preheated 350 oven. Bake about 10 min. Use toothpick to test for doneness…it should come out clean.

In Iowa we have the best ice cream shoppe…Whitey’s Ice Cream. They have 2 awesome flavors with raspberry-
White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl and Black Raspberry Chip. Unbelievably rich and creamy and raspberryee!

Top each cool chocolate cake with a mini scoop. Add a small dollop of dark chocolate ganache and a juicy sweet raspberry.

It’s good the batch makes a lot of baby cupcakes cause everybody will want more than one!

God’s cake… This is about the best thing I’ve ever read as an explanation.

We all wonder many times over WHY? Sometimes we wonder, ‘What did I do to deserve this?’ or ‘Why did God have to do this to me?’
Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she’s failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.

 Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, ‘Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.’ ‘

Here, have some cooking oil,’ her Mother offers.
‘Yuck’ says her daughter.
‘How about a couple raw eggs?’
‘Gross, Mom!’
‘Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?’
 ’Mom, those are all yucky!

‘To which the mother replies: ‘Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good!
We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

 God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.Whenever you want to talk, He’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

“Paula Sands Live” is a local TV show that I was a guest on to promote a class I taught on “How to use Candy Clay”. Here are a few items made with candy clay.

Supplies can be purchased at www.inspiredcreations-cakes.com.
Candy Clay
Fairy Mold
Daisy Plunger
Pearl Dust

The cake is a simple Vanilla Bean flavor with a buttercream filling and frosting.

All the pink decorations are made of fondant and brushed with White Sparkle Dust. The cake was given a sprinkle of  Edible White Glitter and a pinch of Disco Dust to add that magical touch.

aple

Supplies can be purchased at Inspired Creations’ on lne store;

Assorted Gem Mold- #GP102
Sparkle Dust- #43-1301
Edible Glitter – #78-600w
Disco Dust – #43-1840

Sarah’s cake was requested with the comment “make it something Twilight.”

Fondant plaques were made to represent the 4 books of the series. The plaques were placed on the buttercream covered cake and were given a border of green leaves.