Much Needed Update

I've been writing less and less as the year's calendar gets filled up more and more with activities and travels. But the baking has not stopped, and it's the one thing I always love coming back to when I find myself with some "me" time. So dear readers, my apologies if I haven't answered all your email enquiries and sorry for not being able to take on as many orders as I would have love to.

As we enter the last quarter of 2015, I can't help but start evaluating the year...and it's been so far so good. Velvetin Cake was launched in February and though it has lost some traction, in part due to my periodic travels, I'm glad it's something I got off the ground early in the year. I still have a loyal group of red velvet fans (you know who you are), who are always supportive and encouraging so the luscious red cake is still coming out of my oven faithfully.

There's still some time left in 2015, though I'll be on the road again in November, I am hoping to showcase Velvetin Cake at the Public Garden Market. I'm looking out for the October dates and will keep you posted. I'm also planning to offer the red velvet cakes for Christmas, so look out for that something special come December.

I know it may be a bit early to do a roundup at this point, but I have to mention that this year has also turned out to be the year of the Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I've avoided this frosting ever since I started baking for obvious reasons - our unforgiving hot weather and my reluctance to use shortening. However, I have become a bit of a convert since I chanced upon an interesting blog post about a fail-proof Swiss Meringue Buttercream. The baker/author used a science-base approach on the ingredients involved that would save you a lot of pain and panic when it comes to whipping SMBC. Those of you who have tried and failed in a soupy buttery mess, this may be the answer. The thinking is simple, why whip up a whole bowl of beautiful meringue only to deflate it with cubes of butter in the hope of it all coming together? Instead, egg white with dissolved sugar is added to butter that's been creamed at the ideal temperature - the result is a smooth, satiny, yummy and surprisingly stable SMBC that I've been using happily this year.

Here are some of my creations with Swiss Meringue Buttercream...

Princess Sophia Rosette Cake

Pink rosette cupcakes

Elmo and friends

White Roses

So yes, please note that a non-fondant cake is an option. Do request for a Swiss Meringue Buttercream cake, I promise you'll fall in love with the dreamy creamy frosting.

Having said that, of course there will be cakes that really can't escape fondant, especially when you don't want it to look like cake. For example, a Lego cake.

Lego Movie cake

Or the Hungry Caterpillar storybook cake...

The Hungry Caterpillar