Angry Birds Cake Project – cake and cupcakes featuring Angry Birds characters. Price available upon request.
anger management
I got a text message from M._ asking if I can do an Angry Birds cake and cupcakes for the joint birthday celebration of her daughter who’s turning one and her son who’s turning seven. Now what the hail are Angry Birds? My nephew P._ told me he had been playing the game incessantly on his mom’s iPhone. Okay. So I googled “angry birds” to see how they looked like. After a brief Angry Birds 101 from P._, I realized that these birds are on a kamikaze mission!
Again, I turned to marzipan, my go-to medium when I want to create 3D decorations. My laptop was in front of me while I was molding the birds. My nephews saw the “creatures” I made and they were eager to pop some into their mouths. I was quick to quash their intentions—sorry!— but promised to make some for them as soon as I was done with this project.
Because everything on the cake must be edible, I thought hard about what to use to decorate the cake. The blocks were easy—I used chocolate covered wafer biscuits. The slingshot was a problem. But while I was walking in a mall in Makati, I passed by Auntie Anne’s pretzels. I did a double take and thought “there’s my slingshot!” Inspiration really comes in odd places.
Of course, the font for the birthday greeting must be the Angry Birds font. Must.
When I delivered the cake and cupcakes to the venue, the kids crowded around them and I swear I saw their eyes light up with wonder. I asked the birthday boy which is his favorite character and he said the King pig. Whew, ’twas a good thing I made that and put it in the cake! Special thanks to M._ of course for trusting me that I can do the birds and for sending me additional photos from their special celebration.
As soon as I got home, I got a phone call from L._ inquiring about Angry Birds cupcakes. Great, more of these birds! I thought the caller was present at M._’s party and saw the cupcakes there but she told me she wasn’t. So L._’s cupcakes became my second Angry Birds project. I frosted some of the cupcakes—they were banana by the way—with creme ivoire (white chocolate glaze) so the Black Bird will be seen against the white palette as opposed to a dark one if I use dark chocolate ganache.
Since then, I made two more similar cake projects. I think my molding skills are becoming better and better! The photo below is of A._ who celebrated her fifth birthday in school. Her mom J._ told me the children loved the cupcakes. She also brought the cake to school so her daughter can blow her birthday candle but the cake of course was headed back to their house. *wink* *wink*. Thanks, J._ for your trust as well and for the photos!
A friend of J._ also asked me if I can make her son’s cake and cupcakes but I was swamped that week. I had time though to make just the decorations so it became a DIY project for A._. I just hope everything turned out well. I also made some for my friend T._ who went home from the US to get married. He told me his young nieces and nephews weren’t fans of marzipan but liked the Atis Delight cupcakes very much that he also got from me. Hmm, I know almond flavor is something that you either hate or love. About the Atis cupcakes, well that is another story!
The cake below was for my beautiful niece G._. Her special request was that the cake should me mango-flavored so I used my Mango Overload recipe. Her mother J._ who is my cousin reported to me that the birthday girl loved the cake and was hesitant to cut it. Sweet! I was glad to hear though that the family was able to snap out of that trance and sampled the cake with gusto. Thanks again J._! It was sad that we weren’t able to see each another. Miss you much!
I know these birds are not going anywhere so I expect more inquiries and hopefully orders from Angry Birds enthusiasts.
* * *
of irate birds and evil pigs…*
Have you ever wondered why those pigs are green instead of the usual pink hue? According to Rovio, the game was developed at the height of the swine flu pandemic so they made the pigs sickly green. The game started with just a screenshot of an angry bird character without feet and wings, trudging around the ground and everyone involved loved the idea. The birds needed an enemy, thus the pigs were born.
There are countless tips available on how to annihilate the pigs so you can move on to the next level. I am not a player myself so I cannot say which tips are new. But here’s one secret from the creators themselves: “Everybody knows that the yellow bird cuts through wood and the blue one breaks glass blocks easily. But did you know that the boomerang bird is equally effective against both?!”
Rovio also gets a lot of fan mails and one staff is assigned just to answer the mails. Yes, that’s all he does! Rovio encourages fan mails and finds it rewarding to interact with fans. They even incorporated a neat idea from a five-year old boy via a game update. How cool is that? So you might want to start sending those suggestions, that is, if you are not busy obliterating those pigs into kingdom come!
Starry Night Cupcake Project – cupcakes frosted with dark chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate stars brushed with edible gold dust and a sprinkling of silver dragees; includes a 6.5 inch round cake with a similar design. Price available upon request.
gold stars for a retired general
After three cupcake projects in a row, I was itching for a much-needed break. Then came M._’s email inquiring about a cake and cupcake package for her dad’s 65th birthday. To hell with that break; on with the new project!
M._ was a joy to work with because in her initial email, she gave me the specifics I needed: age and gender of the celebrator, type and date of event, quantity of cupcakes and the budget. She just told me to provide the theme. Since it was for an elderly male, I suggested the Starry Night design with devil’s food chocolate (frosted with dark chocolate ganache), mocha (frosted with mocha ganache) and earl grey tea (frosted with earl grey tea truffle) as cupcake flavors. Fortunately, I have a cake that has a similar design so I suggested that as well. M._ agreed with my suggestions and so the project was on.
Actually this is an upgrade of the Starry Night design. I love the freehand chocolate star topper I make but in this tropical weather we have, it melts easily because it is quite thin. I found a star chocolate mold and thought the molded chocolate topper will work better.
The cake, however, still has the freehand chocolate stars. M._ requested if I can write a birthday greeting on the cake, so there. The cake base is mocha with bits of chocolate coffee candies and is filled with dark chocolate ganache and covered in chocolate glaze.
When M._ came to get the cake and cupcakes, she told me that the design I suggested was perfect for her father who turned out to be a retired general. Coincidence, huh. I suggested the design because as the one celebrating a birthday, you are the star of the occasion and gold symbolises perfection, achievement, and power while silver symbolises strength. Anyway, thanks M._ for your trust and I hope your dad liked his birthday cake and cupcakes!
Tumbler Cake Project – cake and cupcakes featuring Tumbler, a character from the Bob the Builder cartoon series. Price available upon request.
“… can we build it?”
So goes a line from the Bob the Builder theme song. This was also the challenge for this cake project.
When a former classmate asked me to create the cake and cupcakes for her son’s fourth birthday, I was thrilled. Not only because I will see A._ again after ten years or so, but also because well, I love making cakes and cupcakes.
Question: What does your boy love so I can incorporate it into the design? Answer: Tumbler from the Bob the Builder cartoon series.
Actually, little N._ loves cement mixer toys and the Tumbler character is a cement mixer. I had planned on making a chocolate image of Tumbler so I needed a cartoon drawing but surprisingly, I could not find any after scouring the internet and bookstores (for coloring books). Sure there were plenty of images but they were photos of the real toy so I thought why not just get the real thing instead and make it as the cake topper that can also double as my present to the birthday boy . A trip to several toy stores yielded nothing. Oh elusive Tumbler, where art thou? So I just improvised as what bakers at the end of their ropes do.
As with the Alice in Wonderland chocolate cake placard, I placed the Tumbler topper the same way.
A._ later told me that her guests loved the cupcakes — not too sweet, soft and moist. Her husband G._ said the cake was one of the best he tasted. Aww, thanks! As for the birthday boy, he sure has an affinity to orange and chocolate – a budding gourmand, for sure!
Thanks A._ for making me a part of your family’s special celebration! It was nice seeing you and I look forward to our get-together soon!
Heart of Gold Wedding Project – wedding cake and cupcakes in yellow and gold colors featuring chocolate hearts brushed with edible gold luster dust on the cupcakes and large chocolate hearts and marzipan daisies on the cake. Price available upon request.
love is the only gold – Alfred Lord Tennyson
This is the latest wedding cake and cupcakes I made for a friend. She was excited because she was finally settling down with the man of her dreams. She sounded so in love—aww!
We ran through all her requirements for the cake and cupcakes. For the cake: large yellow hearts with their names on them, check; yellow daisies made of marzipan, check; a sprinkling of gold dragees, check; gold ribbons, check. For the cupcakes: swirled whipped cream frosting, check; chocolate heart brushed with edible gold dust as topper, check; sprinkling of gold dragees, check. Gold box with acetate cover and sticker label, check. Devil’s food chocolate as flavor for the cake and cupcakes frosted with whipped cream tinted yellow, check. Delivery date, April 2, check. Wait, make that April 8. Oops, documents, clearances, permits needed for the wedding are not yet complete so make the date April 18. Whoa!
I already calendared the original date and when it was moved, my schedule was still fine. But when the date was set on April 18, I was faced with projects bunched up together. As in due dates on two consecutive dates. I asked my friend if she can move her date a week after but it was a no-go as it was the only time where their immediate family members were available. Oh dear, where are Santa’s elves when you need them?
Fortunately, there’s the freezer. As I mentioned before, unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen successfully so that’s just what I did. Once thawed, they’re like freshy-baked, retaining their flavor and moistness. Just wrap each cupcake with cling film and put in air tight containers before storing them in the freezer. I haven’t tried freezing frosted cupcakes yet but most bakers attest that they can be done. I am not going into that territory just yet.
On wedding day, the couple graciously asked me to stay and celebrate with them but unfortunately I had to go and finish my other project. Dang it! I was looking forward to that juicy and tasty Max’s fried chicken at the reception but oh well.
As all weddings are, it was a happy occasion. I got the chance to exchange stories with G._’s sister L._ who was also my classmate in elementary and high school. The cake and cupcakes were actually L._’s gift to her sister, with brother D._ pitching in as well. How generous of you, L._, and D._ !
G._ later reported to me that their guests enjoyed their wedding favors—the cupcakes. As for the cake, the couple loved it but sadly, it got smooshed because one waiter carelessly put it in a—gasp!— plastic bag as the festivities came to an end! It was in its box allright but it was unceremoniously dumped in the plastic bag along with other wedding gifts … ¡que horror!
Despite that unfortunate event, the newlyweds and their families found humor in it—they spooned the smooshed cake from the box and said it tasted as delicious as ever. This sure is one hell of a story for the grandkids.
Thanks G._ and M._ for making me a part of this wonderful and truly unforgettable moment in your lives.
Alice in Wonderland Cake Project – cake and cupcakes featuring Alice in Wonderland characters. Price available upon request.
into the rabbit hole
Persistence is a quality that my good friend M._ knows too well. And it was that trait of hers that pushed me to try new things while working on this project.
Her adorable daughter A._ was turning seven and the theme she chose for her party was Alice in Wonderland. M._ emailed me some photos of sample cakes. They were pretty. They were tiered. They were made with fondant. I can do pretty, I can do tiered but I cannot do fondant. It’s not that I don’t know how to work with it; I just am not a fan of that medium.
When it seemed that M._ was leaning towards those types of cake, I told her that she might have to look for another baker as I’m really not fond of fondant. For a moment there, I thought I had been a fool for saying that. M._ certainly thought so. Miss Persistent wants my cakes and she will have them. Sir, yes sir! Into the rabbit hole I go!
I suggested to M._ my go-to celebration cake: devil’s food chocolate cake filled with bittersweet chocolate ganache and covered in chocolate glaze. I had planned on making chocolate images from the Disney movie. She also sent me photos of cupcakes with characters from the movie as toppers such as the Mad Hatter’s hat, the White Rabbit’s pocket watch, teapots, flowers and crown. And then it hit me—I can use marzipan to mold these toppers!
Marzipan is a mixture of almond meal and sugar. It is delicious to eat on its own and is also classified as a confection item. It is pliable, can be colored, rolled, cut and molded into different shapes and can be used to cover cakes just like fondant. You can make your own or buy it ready to use. I get mine at Santi’s Deli. When I took a short cake decorating course under Leni Reynoso, we were taught how to make marzipan using ground pili nuts. It was delicious—I love pili nuts!—but the nuts were not finely ground. So if you are planning to make your own, make sure that the nuts are ground to a very fine consistency. Learn how to make homemde marzipan here.
I decided to make the hat, pocket watch, mushroom, teapot and teacup and roses. Taking a cue from the cardmen’s song (“we’re painting the roses red”), I made half of one rose red and the other half, white. With toppers such as these, I don’t think I’ll hear any “off with her head!” screams.
After several studies (whew!), I picked the red queen, white rabbit, mad hatter, chesire cat and of course Alice as the chocolate cake decorations.
Usually, I just lay on chocolate images on top of a cake but I thought of making them stand this time. I had been slaving away with this project anyway so why not try something new. I attached a stick each on the backs of Alice and the name plaque with white chocolate. Fortunately, they stayed upright throughout the celebration.
I left the party early because I had another project due the following day. But according to my friends who were there, the cupcakes were a hit. Thanks M._ for your faith in me and for letting me be a part of your special celebration.
Made only with the finest ingredients, baked to perfection and artfully decorated to give you a dessert experience nonpareil. All cupcakes are tested and developed in my kitchen in Paranaque, Philippines.
. A trip to several toy stores yielded nothing. Oh elusive Tumbler, where art thou? So I just improvised as what bakers at the end of their ropes do.
