So, It's been years since my last post. Really a lot of years. Since then, I have changed careers, gotten my degree, moved, broken up, changed careers (again), met someone new, became an auntie again, moved (again), started another company, became a bonus mom, got married, AND stopped baking altogther. In the midst of that, I survived a pamdemic and managed to lose myself, my health and my will do pretty much everything. I became depressed about my body, my career, my future.

Sounds very sad. Because it has been. I am at a crossroads at 43. The prospect to live my life on my terms is before me. Can I do it? Do I want to do it? Am I willing to do it? Can my body handle it? I really don't know. I have been at my desk all day and my ankles are swollen from sitting. Something has to give or it will be me. I need to get back to who I was. Who I really am and stop being scared that I won't be able to do it. Because now I am not alone. He has my back and wants me to take the time to make it happen. Find my path. Do I dare?

You know what is hard? To put trust in someone else. To place your well-being in their hands when you have never been able to trust anyone. You have always done it on your own. But I am going to trust. Trust my husband and myself. 

Who wants cake? Robin...Auntie's got you!

Trying to find reputable and willing businesses is difficult, expecially if you don't want to pay just to get quotes from professionals in your area. Maybe you are searching for something less than conventional that requires more than a quick glance at a website or proof of a business lisence. Maybe what you need is proof of ability, creativity, or workmanship. 

For a business owner, Thumbtack has been a godsend. I am a small company and I need to do as much as I can with a limited budget. I don't want to get caught in the trap of spending too much time on potential leads to have them fizzle into nothing. I also don't need to waste time with customers who have unrealistic expectations. At the end of the day I want enough information to offer a quote and if they accept we can delve further. This is what I love about Thumbtack. People who maybe unaware of what they will have to pay can get several quotes and choose who best fit their needs. Simple and easy. 

If you are looking for a place to advertise your business or somewhere to search for a business, try Thumbtack. You won't be sorry!

Check out my page on Thumtack! 

It is with much happiness that I announce that Love the Cake is expanding its availability! I have been doing this as a side gig for a long time and finally I realized that I am just not happy when I am not baking. I need to get in gear and make this "baking thing" happen. This is something I cannot do without your help. I need you to spread the word and help me generate business. The baking world is a tough nut to crack but I can see the light coming through. Little by little I am making headway. 

Please check out my Facebook page and Etsy page to purchase custom edible dessert toppers. We are also making Easter/Spring baskets throughout the month of April starting at $15 a piece. All custom with lots of goodies available!

Are you interested in creating your own cupcakes and decorating? I am available to teach small classes in cup cake decorating in your home. A cup cake decorating class is a great way to break the ice at a party.

Are you having a tea party or princess party?I am available to bring teacakes, petit fours, chocolate truffles, mincakes, and sugar cookies for you party.

Please e-mail, call, or fill out the inquiry form for more information.

As always, thanks for you generous support!

Rae 

https://www.facebook.com/LovetheCakeLasVegas

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LovetheCake

Every year, we start January 1 with the idea that it is going to be a fresh new start and that everything is going to change and be Coming Up Roses, to quote Ethel Merman (sidenote: If you don't know who Ethel Merman is, watch a movie made prior to 2005, Justin Beiber did not create everything). For me, this year is just another day. I use to made resolutions to do something different and amazing but I always fell flat. But why? Why can't we keep our resolutions? Make a fresh start? Be someone different? I don''t know, but I know that it's too much pressure to change all at once for me. Trying to be some different from one week to the next is too hard and sets me up for failure from the get go. This year, I am going to try to be a happier me. How will I do this? Haven't figured that one out yet, but I am working on it! All I can do for now is wish everyone else well and hope that you follow through on your resolutions. 

I was recently asked to create a hasty wedding cake for a client and friend. Was this another Vegas drive-thru wedding or a mad dash to the altar before the maternity ward? No. This was a young man's dying wish. Before you say that he wanted to marry the love of his life--go younger.

Let's step back from the last wish to the person behind the wish. He isn't some angelic creature, he is a boy. A boy suffering from cancer. A boy suffering from colon cancer. Colon cancer that is said to affect the aged and elderly-striking down a 13-year-old boy. The prognosis for colon cancer in children is not so good. According to a study by the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, childhood colorectal cancer tumors are more aggressive and the disease is often diagnosed in later stages than adults are. Why no early detection? Because of the very small number of cases. Some attribute it to 2-3 cases per every 15-20 million children. That is indeed a low number. So low, that it does not merit the examination of millions of unaffected children. So, in a nutshell, children with colorectal cancer often lose their battle with the disease.

The young man in this story is only 13 years old and after years of suffering from one form of cancer after another, was diagnosed with colon cancer. Now, he gets to make his final wish. And what is his final wish? It is not for himself, but for his parents. To give them a REAL wedding and for him to play the trumpet. What a guy!

Most parents would be happy to raise an adult child that can put someone else above themselves. Frankly, most of us are no good at being selfless. It takes effort, prodding and constant affirmation of our "good nature". But a truly selfless act looks for no recognition, seeks nothing in return, and only looks for the interest of others. This young man's parents have managed to do in 13 years what only some can do in a lifetime--they raised a MAN. A man who can see how important things like love and family are. A man who finds his delight, not in his own selfish interest, but in that of the other person. A man who adheres to all the wonderful qualities that make humans truly unique.

What makes these children so brave, so special, and so precious? Is it because they can see the beauty in life for the brief moment they are here? Do they show us the preciousness of every day? Are they a reminder of how fragile our health is and how fleeting life can be? To every question, I answer yes. Children like these are the small tap on the head to let go and not take it all so serious. Be happy everyday that you wake up in reasonable health with the ability to live the life you choose. Hold on to your convictions and have the courage to do what you can to leave this world a little better than you entered it.

For these reasons, I was overjoyed to make a cake for this couple, and their trumpet-playing dear one. To reaffirm a family's love and devotion to one another. Whether it last a few years or a lifetime-Love is perfect bond of union that never fails.

UPDATE: I was recently informed that the boy lost his battle with cancer this week. After the wedding, he wanted to return home from Hospice, but sadly he never made it. My condolences and prayers go out to the family and friends of this young boy.

Well, the Eiffel Tower (pictures of the Photos page), became more of a Leaning Tower of Cake than the monumental masterpiece of food I hoped it would be. Oh well, it happens sometimes. Fortunately, the client was my mom so I didn't beat myself up too much. I could omit this from my page, but this is what happens to the best of cake decorators. Things sometimes don't pan out and you eyes or pen are too big for your abilities.

The first phase of the cake went well. The cake was sturdy and stood up on its own. The fatal error was in the structure and the miscalculation of the weight the sugar levels could hold.

STURDY CAKE = HEAVY CAKE. HEAVY CAKE + SUGAR LEVEL = FALLING CAKE.

This in a nutshell is what happened to my beautiful Tower. It was gorgeous. In my haste to admire it, i neglected to take pictures, something I regret. But, taking my knowledge from this one will result in the next one being better. Not just better-straight and erect, like the real thing is Paris.

It's been a while since I blogged the steps involved in making a custom cake, from the initial consultation until the last slice is eaten. A client recently requested a cake in the shape of the Eiffel Tower-standing up with full detail. As the risky gal I am, of course I said I could do it. I can do anything-in my head. Whether or not I can make it happen in the real world is another story.

WHAT HAVE I DONE

To say I am afraid of this cake would be an understatement. I am scared that my math will be off and all my work will turn into a frustrating pile of sugar and tears. But this is part of the process. It starts with a lot of measurements. In school, I hated math. Not becuase I was bad at it (I am actually pretty good), but I hated the preciseness and lack of leeway. As the creative type, I enjoy the leniency of life. I thought cooking would allow me the leniency and creativity I longed for, until I saw the scale. Cooking is all about weights and measures. In the home kitchen, you can get away with feel, but when you are cooking for profit, every extra ounce costs money.

Now as I begin Le Tour Eiffel, I have a ruler and not a spatula in hand.

This weekend-Eiffel Trial #1....Stay tuned!

Get 1 dozen gourmet cupcakes delivered straight to your door.

Details to follow soon...

Why is cake so important? Why do people eat cake? The Ancient Roman marriage ritual of confarreatio originated in the sharing of a cake. Cakes have traditionally been a part of celebrations throughout history. So why do we still eat cake? Because it's good! The sweet tooth is a powerful persuader and can melt the resillience of the most determined dieter. Throw in some of the fancy fillings and frostings of the modern day, and you can imagine why people fall prey to dessert.

While delicious, cake is a want and not a need. What does this mean for the cake decorator? We have to be on our game. We cannot just punch out cookie cutter cakes, put a flower on top and call it a custom cake. Today's cakes are edible art. They are tall, they are shaped, they are designer. And no two will ever be the same. That is the beauty of the dessert world, we get to create something that will never be repeated. Like anyother work of art, it deserves our respect and care while we are crafting it.?