Icing Smiles: Hailee's Cake!

I was contacted recently, for the 3rd time, by Icing Smiles to donate a cake for Hailee.  Hailee just celebrated her 8th birthday.  I was asked to create a "Dream Cake" for Hailee, whose family has suffered the loss of Hailee's little sister, to cancer.  I was happy to accept my call to action!

After browsing by website and blog with her mom Hailee fell in love with a cake I had done at the beginning of the summer for my own daughter (so the pictures will look a little familiar!).

 We personalized the design a little for Hailee.  Because Hailee is a dog lover, with a beloved pet Yorkie, I sculpted the "Yorkie" dog topper to hold her "Happy Birthday" plaque.

 

Butterflies have a special meaning for the family, so we added a gumpaste (with royal icing detail) butterfly.

The pattern on the middle tier is created with one of the "Straight Frill Cutters" by FMM, it's from Set 1.

I loved the design when I made it the first time, but I love this version even more.  It's so much more special to me because I was able to create it for Hailee and her family.  I hope my cake helped make Hailee's birthday celebration a little more special :)

Icing Smiles is a nonprofit organization that works with volunteer bakers to provide cakes for families effected by the critical illness of a child.  My experience with the charity has been incredibly rewarding and I encourage you to check them out and volunteer if you want to help "bake a difference."

You can check out my first Icing Smiles cake here and my second one here!

Happy Caking :)

Icing Smiles Once Again! Xbox Cake

Last month I was approached by Icing Smiles to, again, donate a cake to a deserving child!  It was a double pleasure for me because it was for the same family I donated a cake to in February!  In February, I made a Blue's Clues cake for Alex.  This time I was asked to make a "Dream Cake" for CJ, Alex's brother, who has been battling Mitochondrial Disease.

CJ wanted an "Xbox Cake"... so an Xbox cake he got!

 Sixteen!  What an exciting birthday!  And what an honor it was for me to make his birthday cake!  The numbers are gumpaste with toothpicks in the bottom to attach to the cake.  I painted them with paint made from pearl dust, Electric Green Americolor and vodka.

The controller was sculpted with rice cereal treats!  After struggling to find a way to cover rice cereal treats with fondant and make it smooth, I think I've figured it out!  I cover it first with modeling chocolate and smooth that (you can also sculpt some detail) and then fondant over the modeling chocolate!  Genius!

 The console it's self was just a 13x9 cake (chocolate cake with peanut butter SMBC filling!), that I trimmed a little from the end to get the proportions right.  Then I contoured the front and back a little to give it the slight curve that the Xbox has... (We do not own a video game systems... so I spent HOURS staring at photo's of Xboxes to try and figure out if it did indeed have a curve!)

Working with Icing Smiles has been incredibly rewarding, both times now.  It feels good to know that I can offer a cake to a child who really deserves a reason to smile!  If you are interested in volunteering with Icing Smiles, visit their website or find them on Facebook!  You don't have to be a cake artist to volunteer, they often need home bakers, delivery drivers, fundraising or even just monetary donations.  

Happy Caking :)