Another Year, Another Penguin

One year ago, Motherkao got in touch with me for a penguin cake for her little one. So quickly, it's been a year. And when she called me again to bake a cake for Rebekah, I was delighted. It's amazing for me to meet doting mothers through this baking venture of mine, and it's especially heartening when they come back to you after a year... it's almost like being a part of their journey.

So this year, it's another penguin cake for Rebekah. And like last year, I had the help of Dawn - even she laughed that it's penguin time again ; ) We created an adorable penguin figurine, complete with a chain of pearls, three pretty rosettes and a green bow (green being Rebekah's favourite colour). I perched the penguin atop of rainbow cake that is covered in pale icy blue then added small details like turquoise flowers and a bauble border.

Here's the cake...

Happy Birthday Rebekah

In the same week, I also had another returning customer. Mother D first got in touch for full month cakes for her little girl. I made luscious chocolate peanut butter cupcakes for the occasion complete with paper toppers. Now little Isabel is a year old and I got the request for a red velvet cake with a giraffe design! I love making giraffes, they are too cute. 

Here's the cake...

Happy Birthday Isabel

Notice the design is very minimal - a style I've grown to really like and it requires just as much time to get the details very neat and clean. In the end, you get a very elegant-looking cake that could make for a timeless classic.

Madison's Giraffe

Remember how in older housing estates you always had a neighbourhood bakery you can count on for cakes for all occasions, or a sweet treat whenever... well, I've become that - the friendly neighbourhood baker.

My neighbour in the opposite block has the easy convenience of ordering and picking cakes up from me. She can literally gesture from her window, across the swimming pool, to me for another red velvet cake please. So when her daughter's 3rd birthday came round, she had yet another excuse for a cake from her neighbourhood baker.

Mummy D is hooked on my red velvet. She's also been meaning to try my rainbow cake but the red velvet always get in the way. So for her daughter's birthday, it's finally the rainbow cake! Her only design requirement - must have M's favourite animal, the giraffe!

While I love colourful children's cake with all sorts of fun trimmings and embellishment, I think there is nothing classier than a minimal design cake that focuses on one or two elements. So here's what I came up with...

Less is More

A rainbow that is neatly covered in soft pink fondant and simple trimming that ends with a fondant bow. I made a little fondant giraffe with blushing cheeks and topped the cake of with a name tag for the birthday girl. You really don't need anything more than a candle to this. Besides, you can let the colours inside do all the wow-ing!

Happy Birthday Maddie