10th July 2011 - Motorbike Birthday Cake

Motorbikes are a little tricky to do as I found out with this cake.  I made all the different parts of the bike and let them set overnight.  The next day I stuck all the parts together and painted the details on.  Again I let the motorbike set for another night.  The morning after I discovered the weight of the bike had squashed the tyres a little more than I had anticipated.

With the tyres in mind I designed the cake around a theme that would allow me to disguise them enough without destroying the look of the cake.  I made the bike sink into think mud.... Genius =].  I had Adam (the birthday boy) lose a shoe in the mud too for more of an effect.  I built the cake up to have a hill for Adam to sit on with just a couple of flowers and tall grass to finish it off. 

I imprinted the number 18 in a kind of tire print, like was asked, as well as painting his name and age on his T-shirt and his age on his motorbike.  Oh and I made a tiny little frog and placed it in the mud too just by the front wheel.

Triple layered sponge... So popular

So distraught about his bike

I didn't see that warning sign!!!!

5th July 2011 - Hallmark Cards Manager Retirement Cake

Another personal retirement cake... This cake was for my wife's (Lel), Boss.  He worked for Hallmark Cards, supports Newcastle United, Loves Newcastle Brown Ale and wants to go and live in France.  I tried to incorporate all these things into the final design of the cake. 

As usual a sponge was wanted, so I did the triple layered buttercream and strawberry jam.  Always go down well!!!  I covered the cake in a layer of white sugarpaste and let set firm for the night.  In the morning I covered the white suarpaste with a thin strips of sugar paste in black and white.  This was to symbolise the Newcastle United part of the theme.

Next i made the chair and its covers followed by the fireplace.  On the fireplace I placed a Carriage Clock to represent retirement, a card with an almost Hallmark Crown on it (almost because Hallmark Heads where gonig to be at the party and I didn't want to get in trouble with Copy right).  Next for the fire place I made a small Eiffel Tower with French flag attached.  Finally the sugarpaste logs, flames and burnt card were added.

I wanted to make the man for the cake look a little like the real person. My wife gave me a description of him and the clothes he wears for work. once he was done I wanted to place his feet on a pile of cards.  I got my wife to paint the stack of cards his feet are on (no those were not painted by a four year old =] ).  I painted the other scattered cards and also made some Newcastle brown Ale bottles.... kind of.  Placed some flowers on the cake board in the Hallmark colours and thats it.... Job done =).

Lots of Personal Themes

Comfy chairs are a must for anybody

My Wife made the pile of cards.. Cool aint they  =]