Volcanos to Peonies

It all started in high school, when I decided to make one of my brother's friends a cake for his birthday. It was supposed to be somewhat of a joke and I ended up with the ugliest volcano cake you've ever seen. Of course, I was very proud of it at the time. However, ugly cake or not, a baker was born. I started making cakes for everyone, for every birthday, any time a cake was needed. I learned a lot along the way and experimented with different recipes and techniques.  

It wasn't long before I got an offer to sell my first cake and I charged way too little. I actually would've just barely broken even if the nice couple who ordered the cake had not realized that I was crazy and paid me double. Thank you! 

Now I am the go-to girl for all my friend's and family's cake needs. I usually only end up making a few a year, but it's a lot of fun and I get excited when I get to try new things. Lately, I've been enjoying the more natural, not perfectly smooth buttercream kind of cakes. They have an imperfect beauty about them that I love. It's interesting to see them come together. At first they look messy and unfinished, but as you add all the finishing touches, it all ends up coming together.  

Above is a cake that I made for my friend's wedding in July. I was also a bridesmaid so it was a very busy day and, unfortunately, I was not able to document the process. Hopefully I will be able to make another cake sometime soon and I will be able to send some cake making tips your way. Please feel free to send me questions and topic suggestions!