The Sweet Life!

WE HAVE A NEW BLOG ADDRESS!

2009-06-17T06:40:00.000-07:00

Please follow this link and save our new address for fresh and exciting postings:

http://caralinn-thesweetlife.blogspot.com

Thank you for visiting!

CAKES ON SALE!!!

2009-06-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Check out our Seasonal Cake Designs ON SALE NOW!!!!

Tis the Season for FATHER'S DAY, 4th of JULY, BIRTHDAYS and WEDDINGS!

(Click here to see your flavor options: http://www.caralinncakes.com./Flavors.htm)

This is huge people...take advantage while you can.

SUMMER CAKE COLLECTION

Father's Day Cake - Feeds 10 - $39 plus tax

Fourth of July Fun! - Feeds 16 - $79 plus tax

Lavendar Lush - Feeds 10 - $39 plus tax

Birthday Girl - Feeds 10 - $39, Feeds 24 - $99 plus tax

Baseball Birthday - Feeds 10 - $39, Feeds 24 - $99 plus tax

Or Have your own design in mind? Book your order with us BEFORE June 25 and receive a 40% discount!!!!! (Event doesn't have to be before June 25 to take advantage of this offer.)

WEDDING CAKES

40% off

if you book before June 25!

(Must feed a minimum of 30 people)

SCULPTED CAKES

starting at $6 per slice if ordered before June 25!

(These normally start at $10 per slice)

ORDER YOUR CAKE TODAY!!!!!

Click here to see your flavor options: http://www.caralinncakes.com./Flavors.htm

Delivery only available to New York City and surrounding areas

Cara Linn, Inc.

Brooklyn, NY

347-365-4617
cara@caralinncakes.com

And the Winner Is....

2009-06-03T15:19:00.000-07:00

MWANA MCKENZIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and her two kids, Isaiah & Taylor

Mwana McKenzie is the winner of this season's contest of Extreme CakeOver. We had lots of applicants, it was hard to choose! Thank you everyone for your interest and stay posted with the Cake Squad as we continue to help people find their SWEET SPOT!

Age: 33
Located: New York, NY
About her: She is a single parent raising 6 year old boy/girl twins in NYC.
"At times," she says, "it can be difficult and rewarding. When I say difficult, I am referring to the financial part of it. But they are the loves of my life. I would love to have one of your cakes celebrate that they are graduating from kindergarten. I am so proud of them.”

Congratulations Mwana! The Cake Squad is ready to "Cake" You Over with an Extreme CakeOver.

To purchase an Extreme CakeOver at any time, feel free to contact Cara Linn, Inc. at:
faith@caralinncakes.com OR 347.365.4617.
This makes a great gift for anyone. Who doesn’t want to find their Sweet Spot?!?

1 Extreme Cakeover - $212
This includes: An optional consultation with the Cake Squad, a detailed Cake Sketch, Your very own Cakeover packet, and of course YOUR CAKE!
(Cake feeds 15 people. For a larger cake, price increases $9 per slice. Delivery not included)

Elisabeth's Extreme CakeOver

2009-06-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

The CAKE SQUAD has been busy helping people find their SWEET SPOTS! Check out the special birthday surprise Elisabeth received from Extreme CakeOver:

(If you don't know about Extreme CakeOver, each Cake Squad member prays for the person getting "Caked Over" and hears what God has to say about that individual. Cara Linn then takes all of those prophetic words and designs a cake. The result? That person finds the Sweet Spot only their Creator can fill.)

"Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy...he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men." 1 Corinthians 14:1, 3

What God said about Elisabeth through each Cake Squad member:

Faith Fairy
“My sweet, smelling flower, My Elisabeth. Oh how I have such a vast variety, all different colors, growing everywhere. You’re my flower, my child and year after year, I will be providing you with food, which is My Word; wisdom and revelation. As your bulb grows larger, you will send up larger stacks with more buds. You will also have new stems emerging as your bulb produces larger roots under the ground.
And the buds, which are young women, that you will mentor will be the buds that are growing off of the years of wisdom you have.
And then I hear peace lily. “Everywhere you go Elisabeth; you are my flower, my child that will bring peace to every situation you encounter.”

James:
I see a ballerina in a pink tutu with silver lining; Pink because of your childlike heart before the Father, silver because you have a heart of wisdom before others. You're not afraid in His Presence! You know that you can come to Him with an open heart to whatever He has to say. You are in love with Him. Your openness in His Presence has created an environment around your heart of compassion. Because you trust Him, your heart can remain soft.

Momma D:
Bona Fide! And the Lord says; Elisabeth, I have created you, made you and now presented you as one having GOOD Faith. You are one who, through the testing, has come out of the fire, smelling like a beautiful rose. And like a rose, you are the authentic one. There are many roses, but no two are alike. There is none like you, Elisabeth. You are the truthful one; the honest one. When I look at you I see your sincere heart; your genuine heart. When others see you, they too see that your character is one of Good Strong Faith!
Your flavor:
Chocolate Pecan Caramel – Because who doesn’t LOVE that!

Dal-Rod: You have a sweet spirit, child like faith, and a joyful heart

Cara Linn: the Cake Design

Notice the cake included all of the details of each prophecy. Her heart and each adjective used to describe it, the flowers, the pink tutu with silver lining, etc...

Elisabeth LOVES this brand of cookies called "Nana's". They are sweetened with fruit juice and are delicious!
She also LOVES fondant and snacks on it every time she comes to SweetLand!
HER TESTIMONY:

"THANK YOU CAKE SQUAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This cake absolutely rocked my world!!! It was right on! I was so blown away last night that I was speechless.

I heard the Lord say to me, 'Just as this cake was fashioned for you with so much love and time, it is a glimpse into what thought and love went into creating you!!!!'"

It honestly was truly a reflection of God creating and fashioning me. Psalm 139 has come more alive.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!

This Cake Squad thing has now taken on a personal meaning for me!

God's richest blessings to the Cake Squad and Cara Linn, Inc.!"

To apply for a free CakeOver, email us TODAY. Our current contest deadline is June 1st!!! You can also purchase a CakeOver at any time for yourself or someone else. Call or email for more info. faith@caralinncakes.com/347.365.4617

Cakes of the Week...and their inspiration

2009-05-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

Tonya ordered her birthday cake from us last week. She didn't have a particular design in mind, only a few pictures that inspired her. She left the rest up to us (I love when clients do this!).

Here are the pics she sent...

And here is what we came up with...

I think she was happy :-)

This was a cake for a little boy named Kadeem who was turning one!

Cakes for the SALVATION ARMY
Our friend Shawn works for the Salvation Army and ordered these cakes for a big celebration last weekend for kids and parents. He gave us a few designs he came up with and we added our own touch to each ;-)

He was very happy too :-)
Aaaahhh...another week of satisfied customers and happy workers at Cara Linn.

Sweet Elisabeth

2009-05-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

This week we are featuring our friend Elisabeth who comes to help us once a week. We're featuring her one, because her birthday is next week, two, she's leaving NYC this week for 3 months and we're gonna miss her like crazy, and three because she wrote this great journal entry you're about to read.

We love her, she is just amazing. Enjoy the blog and be sure and check back next week to see her birthday cake!!!

A Day at Sweet Land

by Elisabeth

Spending time at Sweet Land is always a treat for me. It is full of inspiration, joy, and sweetness to my spirit and taste buds!

Each time is an adventure when I show up and take part in helping Cara achieve her dreams and goals of running such an exciting and fun business.

Today I started out by reading over her study guide for her book, Faith, Cake, & Jesus. Her book and study guide have inspired me to start finding my own destiny and taking action of those dreams.

Cara then welcomed any of my own creative decorating ideas for the cake she was currently making. I helped her make coffee beans out of fondant, which was one of me and Dallas’ suggestions for decorating the cake. I enjoyed watching Cara through her cake decorating process. SOOOO much love and attention went into it. She spent half the day loving on this ONE cake. No wonder they are so anointed!

Cara Linn, Inc. is great at finding creative ways to be resourceful. For example, I cut holes in egg crate cartons for special ice cream cone desserts to protect them while being transported. Who came up with that creative idea?!

Next, Cara and Faith taught me how to dye fondant different colors. We used the fondant for making cake decorations. I rolled some into little balls and cut others into squares. I LOVE fondant! It makes cakes look so beautiful and I love the way it tastes.

Then, “Ready, Camera, Action!” as we all became a production team for Cara’s cake decorating DVD that she will be mailing around the country as part of her cake making tool kit. Cara is a natural on camera. God knew what He was doing when He created her to fulfill His Kingdom purposes. Look out world!

My nearly eight hours at Sweet Land today flew by so quickly and it never felt like work! Every moment was fun and inspirational with the company of incredible individuals who are also great friends of mine.

There is plenty to do at Sweet Land to fulfill Cara’s amazing vision that will one day capture the hearts of people around the world. It is a privilege to lend a hand and see it at its beginnings. I look forward to the day I will be reminiscing about the early days.

Handbag Cakes with Cara Linn

2009-05-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

This week we had a small class, but we like small classes because it means we get to hold them in our studio! The atmosphere here is so bright, creative, and inspiring; the perfect setting for cake decorating.

Our studio is also known to many as "SweetLand". We constantly have people, friends, clients, kids, and neighbors coming here. Sometimes they come for a purpose, sometimes for no reason at all. They just like being here and because they leave with a "Sweet" taste in their mouth.

Is it the cake? The pink walls? The rainbows, tutus, or happy music playing?

Well that's all part of it...

but the true sweetness comes from the Presence of God that dwells here.

Our constant prayer here at Cara Linn, Inc. is that people would taste and see that HE IS GOOD!!! And that He would use this place, our product, and US to change people and cause them never to be the same. He's changed US through His sweetness, now we just want to turn around and share it with everybody else.

If this is something you want to experience, stop by SweetLand, you may never be the same!

(Or apply for our Extreme CakeOver...deadline is June 1st!!!)

I had fun getting to know our 3 students, Tonya, Nathalie, and Anjone and was excited about the way their cakes turned out! They have all done their share of cake decorating, but I think each of them left here learning a few new tricks and knowing that, makes it all worthwhile ;)

Nathalies "Celadon" Purse

Tonya's Sequenced Clutch

Anjone's "Louie"

Cara's Zebra print Purse

JOIN CARA FOR ONE OF HER UPCOMING CLASSES!!!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009 – Brooklyn, NY
Level 3 – FOCUS ON DESIGN - $109
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Location: Cara Linn, Inc. Studio

Sunday, June 14, 2009 – Brooklyn, NY
Level 1 – CAKE DECORATING 101 - $89
1:00pm – 3:30pm
Location: Cara Linn, Inc. Studio

Saturday, July 11, 2009 – Brooklyn, NY
Level 4 – CAKE CONSTRUCTION - $149
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Location: Cara Linn, Inc. Studio

Saturday, July 25, 2009 - Manhattan

Special Class - Learn How to Sculpt a Motorcycle Cake

To Register: http://www.meetup.com/new-york-city-cake-decorators/

1:30pm - 4:00pm

Location: TBD

Sweet and Chic in Chicago

2009-05-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

Well anytime you see two girls carrying a pink box in an airport, chances are it is us! We just got home from our quick weekend getaway to the Windy City and of course, we HAD to bring along one of our cakes to Faith's Cara Linn cake deprived family.

Faith's brother Blake graduated from UIC, which was our reason for the Getaway.
He is on his way to achieving some big things in life, which is why we thought the money bag cake was appropriate. Watch out for this guy!

Way to go Blake!!!
Faith's and My first adventure when arriving to Chicago was visiting lots of Cake and Cupcake Shops. First stop...Cake Girls, as seen on Food Network and WE's
Amazing Wedding Cakes show

Faith's brothers Christian and Blake were our amazing (and handsome) tour guides. I think they had fun taste testing as well ;)

Our next stop was Bleeding Heart Organic Bakery, the owners of this place have also been featured on one of FN's Extreme Cake Challenges.

They had interesting menu choices like Hibiscus flavored cupcakes and Chocolate Covered Bacon. I have never seen that before

We tried their Pink Velvet and Red Velvet Cupcakes. They were both pretty dry in my opinion, I was a bit disappointed. Maybe I should have gone with something more risky like the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bacon!

I will say I did like their bright colors and Cupcake shaped tables. That was fun, and their cupcakes were only $3.25 each, which isn't bad for an all organic bakery.

Next we visited a place called Molly's Cupcakes.
Molly's was founded by a guy named Johnny, whose third grade teacher was named Molly. Molly used to bake her students cupcakes anytime they had a birthday and was nice enough to pass down her recipe to Johnny.
Supposedly they are the "best cupcakes ever" and much of their profits are donated to schools in the community.

Were they the best cupcakes ever?
They weren't bad, definitely some of my favorites of the day.
We tried the Blueberry Cupcake with Rasberry filling and their Rich Chocolate Cupcake with Peanut Butter filling and Butterscotch chips .

The blueberry cake was excellent, I wasn't crazy about their buttercream--it tasted a little like grocery store buttercream--and the cupcakes cost $4!!! That is more expensive than NYC.
But the cupcakes and filling was really good.

Fourth Stop was Swirlz Cupcakes.
This place was probably my favorite - it is a lot like Sprinkles in CA. For only $3.50 you get a really beautiful and delicious cupcake in lots of creative flavors. They even have Vegan options.
At Swirlz, we tried the Vanilla Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream (Sweet, Buttery, and Moist...SO GOOD),
The Banana Cupcake, which was laced with real Nutella, topped with Nutella Buttercream and a dried banana chip (this was probably MY FAVORITE!)
and last we tried one of their Gluten free Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate covered Strawberry Buttercream on top.Last stop was a place called Sensational Bites on North Southport Ave. They have tons of desserts, cupcakes, tarts, and truffles. www.sensationalbites.com
At this point, we were all sugared out, we didn't even try anything. But the cafe is super eclectic and really nice. If you're ever in the area, definitely check it out!

So after our Chicago Cake Adventure, we focused on some less sweet, touristy things--being this was my first time in Chi-Town.

Me in front of the Trump tower

This picture was taken for my dad and brother Neil, who have always been big Cubs fans. Neil was a bit bummed I made it to Wrigley Field before him, but I didn't get to go inside, so I guess I'm not that cool, Neil!

Faith's mom, Christian and me

And of course...DEEP DISH PIZZA.
You can't go to Chicago without eating this. Faith's dad took us to a place called Gino's East.

We had a fabulous weekend! Thanks to Faith's amazing family for treating me and showing me Chicago :)

Crazy Week at Cara Linn, Inc.

2009-05-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

We had a bit of a busy time here last week with cakes, sweet treats, and classes all crunched into about 5 short days. But we somehow managed to finish it all! I should mention, nothing would ever get done without my two amazing assistants Faith and Dallas (aka Dal-Rod), our newest team member. You both are amazing!

CAKE BABIES

SWEET SCOOPS

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

CHEESECAKE LOLLIPOPS

These fish cupcakes were a little experiment we did for my step-dad Tommy's Birthday. He lives in Texas so we tried rushed them by mail in little cups, covered them tightly with lids, and wrapping them in a long rectangular cream cheese box.

We found out they arrived in two days, and only one cupcake was upside down....oops! Well it was worth a try. Hopefully they still tasted delicious. Happy Birthday Tommy! We love you.

This cake was a team effort. I got this "Bible Cake" order and asked my creative friend Aaron if she had any ideas - she knows the woman it was going to be for. She said she envisioned a bible with jewels coming out of it and that made me think of the Proverbs scripture about how a Virtuous woman is worth more than rubies! From what we heard, "Momma Sorger" LOVED it!

A few more Cakes....

These were for a little boy Henry turning One!
His mother wanted Baby Einstein and Elmo cupcakes.

And to end the crazy week, we had our first LEVEL 3 Cake Class. In this class we teach Royal piping, Animal Print, Flower blossoms, Roses, Bows, Brush Embroidery, and painting. Each student receives their own 8" cake to decorate and take home.

We even had one of our students Karen give a demo on making Gumpaste Roses!
(She is better at it than me! :)

Pink Polka-Dot Puppy

2009-04-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

This story is too amazing not to share...
Upon occasion, we will go out on what we call "TREASURE HUNTS".
It isn't your typical treasure hunt, but much more exciting! The whole idea behind these Treasure Hunts is that we are actually "Hunting" God's Treasures.
What are His treasure??? PEOPLE! You are! I am!

So we have a treasure map with categories like, Names, locations, description of clothing, specific ailments, and random words. We say a quick prayer asking God to give us clues, then we start filling out our treasure map, writing down the first thing that comes to our minds.

It looks something like this: (Sue, coffee shop, purple sweater, back pain, etc.)

Next, we hit the streets and start looking for any of the clues on our map. Once, for example, I had "cane" on my map along with "baggy denim jeans" and "back pain". I spotted 2 men walking and one of them had a cane along with baggy denim jeans. So I along with my two teammates went after them, explained what we were doing and asked the man with a cane if he had back pain by any chance.
He said, "Yes, actually, I have a spinal cord problem. I need surgery."
We asked him if we could pray for his back, he was so desperate the guy dropped his cane, leaned against the nearest building pressing his hands against the brick.

We laid our hands on his back and prayed for his healing. The guy was totally touched and changed! The man who was with him, we were also able to tell him God loved him, and he just opened up telling us he was having marriage problems. So right there we prayed for him as well. It was amazing!!! Right in the East Village!

Well the same night, we took Sydney treasure hunting with us. Faith was helping her at first to fill out the treasure map. Faith prayed with her, then asked Sydney what she saw. Sydney immediately said, "A dog with Pink Polka-Dots!!!" Faith laughed and hesitated to write that, but did anyway.
They filled out a few more clues and went out to treasure hunt.

In the park, GUESS WHAT THEY SPOTTED?!?!?
Oh yes, A DOG WITH PINK POLKA DOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not just a sweater or a polka-dotted collar, but actual painted on PINK POLKA-DOTS!
Faith and Sydney approached the couple walking the dog. It turns out the woman was a believer and had been praying for her husband. Faith and Sydney explained that God brought them to pray for him today and it really showed the man that God is REAL!!!

If you've never been treasure hunting, I recommend it!!! It is fun to see God move.

Dancing in SweetLand

2009-04-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

To the end that [my] glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok normally I would not post pictures of myself as silly as these, but tonight I lay all pride aside. Something happened here in SweetLand tonight, I can't keep it to myself!
It all started with a package that came in the mail today - "Momma D" made us tu-tus.

Faith wore her pink one to New Jersey and was gone all day while Dallas and I worked in the studio. Well tonight, God just showed up. Dallas couldn't stop laughing, she was getting more FREE and so was I. We were singing and laughing, there were angels everywhere and we were dancing with them! Believe me or not, maybe you think I'm crazy but I wouldn't make this up!!! I still see and feel them everywhere. Wow I am changed forever.

Do you know that life in Christ Jesus makes you FREE!!! (Romans 8:2)

Galations 5:1 says to "Stand fast therefore in the LIBERTY by which Christ has made us free! Do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Stand fast in the freedom He died to give you. When you truly grasp what Jesus did for you--when you know this truth--it will MAKE YOU FREE! (John 8:32).

God wants you free. Why did I post pictures of me dancing in a tutu? Why did I tell you I was dancing with angels in the presence of God? Because I'm FREE. When you taste this freedom, when you taste how sweet, you quit caring who knows it! I've been on the other side - I know what it feels like to be in chains. Depression, sickness, defeat, lack, vicious cycles of sin and emotional issues - I've tasted all that - I've lived in it. But then i grasped and received what Jesus did for me.....and it set me free!!!!!! Now that stuff has no power over me - I live ABOVE it all - and He just keeps taking me deeper in Him as I'm getting more and more free!

Free to dance, free to sing, free to laugh, free from what people think! I am in love and am truly living in Heaven RIGHT HERE on Earth. Hallelujah.

I hope you have an amazing day today - Let Jesus set YOU free. He's already paid for your freedom. All you have to do is ask Him to help you RECEIVE it. HE LOVES YOU! and wants you living in HEAVEN, not when you die, but RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A typical week in SweetLand

2009-04-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

"Commit your work to the LORD...then your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3

Our TO-DO list last week:

WED - Faith bake like 100 pounds of Champagne and Chocolate cake

THURS - Faith make 6 pounds of buttercream

FRI - Football Grooms Cake DUE

SATURDAY - Wedding Cake DUE

Faith and i packed up the car and headed to Philly with the cake perfectly packaged in 3 separate tiers. We assembled when we arrived.

The wedding was a success :)

SUNDAY - rest...well sort of

MONDAY - Mermaid cake DUE

Also MONDAY - Private Class with Kelly - "Shoebox cake and Gumpaste Shoes"

TUESDAY - Birthday Card Cake DUE

Ok this story I HAVE to tell...Colin called last week to order this cake for his girlfriend. He said he had been joking with her that if he didn't get his tax return in time for her birthday, all she'd get was a handmade birthday card. So he thought it would be funny to get her a Cake that looks like a Handmade birthday card that he and all his friends could sign in icing.

Way to go Colin! What a lucky gal she is

Also, Check out our latest You Tube Video!!!!
Panda Bear Cake Decorating with Cara Linn & Friends
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf2oqAYrETc

A+ Cake Students

2009-03-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

Check out the success of a few people who have taken our cake classes. It's so great they took what they learned and are practicing it on their own! If you've taken one of our classes, keep the pics coming! We love to see your creations and watch you progress.

Cheers to Cake Decorating!

CRYSTAL TULLOS, Baton Rouge LA

Crystal made her little boy Whitaker's 2nd Birthday cake. After only one Level 1 class, she pulled off a 3-tiered cake! And from the look of Whitaker's picture, it didn't taste too bad either.

The theme of the event was a "Puppy Paw-ty in the Park" with doggy bowls for eating out of, puppy tail hats, Puppy Chow for snacking, and doggy bags full of goodies to take home. Also, the guests were encouraged to bring their pooches for playing in the park.

SYDNEY & FAITH, Brooklyn NY

These two girls were feeling creative one day here at the "SweetLand" studio. They decided to make a purse cake and Sydney was very clear that she wanted it to be triangular.

I think they made a great team and the purse turned out super chic.

DIANNE HAMMER (aka "Mom"), Amarillo TX

She actually took our Level 1 class in Brooklyn, but has also had lots of good Hands-on experience helping me out in times of need! The bow she's working on however, I cannot take credit for teaching her. I was very impressed! This cake she did for a Baby Shower.

Handbag Cake Class in NYC

2009-03-31T14:40:00.000-07:00

Another fun-filled cake class full of unique people, good information, and sweet creativity. This class sculpted and "designed" their own handbag cakes. And for the male student, well he blew us all away with his sports bag! See our upcoming classes below and register for one today!!!

UPCOMING CLASSES

Tuesday, April 14 - LEVEL 3 Focus on Design - Manhattan - $129

Learn: Brush embroidery, Flower Blossoms, Gumpaste bows, Pattern duplication, animal print, etc.

Tuesday, April 21 - LEVEL 1 Cake Decorating 101 - Brooklyn - $89

Learn all the basics of cake decorating - Great class for beginners

Saturday, May 2 - LEVEL 3 Focus on Design - Brooklyn - $109
(same as first)

Call for more details or to register:

347.365.4617

faith@caralinncakes.com

Sweet Sugar 'Sistas'

2009-03-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

"this cake is Da-lish-iss!"

My sweet sisters, Emily and Aubrey came to visit this week with my Step-Mom Luain (who is equally sweet). The entire week was full of exciting New York adventures, but one of the most memorable by far was our day in the cake studio!

We spent a whole day baking and creating.

The end result? A fabulous Panda Bear cake named Penelope.

I promised these girls they would be hired as soon as they're old enough to work!

I SOOO loved having them here - Here's to you my SWEET SUGAR SISTAS. I love you!!!

Emily working on Penelope's head

Aubrey making bamboo out of fondant

the Finished Product

"I just love it here in Sweet Land"

The Sweet Sugar Sisters

(I am missing you already!)

To see a video of our cake process - click link below - "Penelope in the making"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf2oqAYrETc

MANGO Fever

2009-03-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

We did some desserts for a catering event this week.
MANGO was the theme of the evening--one of my most favorite things--So we had fun making cubes of Orange-Vanilla Creme Brulee with Mango Coulis and
Dark Chocolate Truffles with a Mango Cream Filling topped with bits of dried Mango and Curry powder.

Mango is a fabulous ingredient. I'd like to see this as the star in an Iron Chef battle.
Anyway, Enjoy! OH Also check out our upcoming classes and sign up for one today!!!!

Sunday, March 29 - 6:30-9pm - LEVEL 2 (SOLD OUT)

Tuesday, April 14 - 6:30-9pm - LEVEL 3 (Manhattan)
Tuesday, April 21 - 6:30-9pm - LEVEL 1 (Brooklyn)

Also ask about PRIVATE classes in our studio!
To inquire or register, Email faith@caralinncakes.com

or call us at 347.365.4617

Signing in the City

2009-02-27T12:42:00.001-08:00

"My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer...Grace is poured upon your lips; Therefore God has blessed you forever." Psalm 45:1-2

My heart is overflowing and God has definitely blessed me forever! It feels so great to have something finally completed that has been inside of me for so long. How do I say thank you to everyone for all the love, support, and faith in me for this book so far?!?!?!
THANK YOU THANK YOU to all who came to the signing! What an amazing night and most memorable for me. I am truly honored and grateful to all of you who came and everyone who has purchased a copy - Here's to the SWEET LIFE!!! Enjoy the pics ~

Love, Cara Linn

Our event took place on Broadway - a fabulous spot overlooking Union Square

Sydney, our little "Cake helper"

A special thanks to City Space Suites - if interested in renting the space seen in these pics, go to http://nyvirtualoffices.com/.

Also, an extra special thanks to my Manager FAITH LANGE (aka best friend :) None of this would have happened without her! She's a Rockstar

What Recession???

2009-02-17T09:25:00.001-08:00

So much has happened...IS happening...since the last blog post so I've decided to update you by combining all of our recent happenings into one posting! There is something here for everyone so PLEASE INDULGE! Reserve a book, join a class, order a cake, just GET INVOLVED!!!

Here at Cara Linn, Inc. we are about more than just making a great cake, or selling a lot of books. Our main mission is to invest in people, to activate destinies and to inspire others to walk into their dreams!

Our foundation is built on a rock...THE Rock...which means our ground is fertile and prosperous. Any time you sow into it (financially, time, etc.) you are planting a seed that WILL grow and bloom and bring you back more than you expected! When you are connected with us, you can't help but share in the blessing.

You want the key to being exempt from this recession going on?????
Get hooked up with the Kingdom of God. Invest in His work and His companies. I'm telling you...Heaven never has economic problems and as children of God, we don't have to be affected! He wants to prosper you, regardless of what's going on with the economy.

Yeah!!! That is good news.

ENJOY! We love hearing from you :)

Sweetly yours, Cara Linn

"The Lord is my Rock and my fortress and my deliverer; The God of my strength, in whom I will trust..."
"...the floods came, the winds blew and beat on the house AND IT DID NOT FALL, for it was founded on the Rock."
(2 Samuel 22:2, Matthew 7:25)First I'd like to announce our most exciting news - Faith, Cake, and Jesus is FINALLY finished and available for purchasing!!! EVERYONE is invited to the book signing - come get your very own copy, have it signed, and enjoy a cupcake!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH 6PM - 9PM (come-and-go)

817 BROADWAY, 5TH FLOOR (Union Square)
NY, NY 10003

If you can't make the signing, click on the "BUY NOW" button on top left of this page to order a copy today!

NEW YORK BIRTHDAY CAKE

DORA AND BOOTS
Chocolate and Banana Cake layers filled with Nutella Buttercream

KANGAROO CAKE

My friend Sam just moved to Australia so his sister Elisabeth ordered an Aussie/outback type cake for his going-away party. A kangaroo is what I came up with :)
Inside was Red Velvet cake with Cream Cheese filling (Reminds you of the armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias, right?)
Red Velvet is Sam's favorite :)

BROOKLYN CAKE CLASS!

We now also offer classes in Brooklyn (Park Slope)!
This past weekend we had a Level 1 Class in Brooklyn - in March we will be in Manhattan and also Long Island.
See upcoming classes below and REGISTER if you're interested!
They are fun!! And you will go away learning lots.

Even my mother took a class this weekend! She gave me a surprise visit for my birthday - it was fun having her here. Look closely at her cake...is this where I got my talent?!?!?

UPCOMING CLASSES

LEVEL 2
Sunday, March 29 - 6:30-9pm
Midtown West, New York NY
$119 per person

LEVEL 1
Tuesday, March 31 - 6:30-8:30pm
Long Island, NY
details TBA

REGISTRATION REQUIRED and will close once classes become full.
Call or Email us today!
E: faith@caralinncakes.com
Ph: 347-365-4617

Sing Sweetly

2009-02-05T06:54:00.000-08:00

"Let the Godly sing with joy to the Lord, for it is fitting to praise Him!" Psalm 33:1

This week was Aaron's birthday, a friend and God-send I adore. This woman is one of the most amazing women you will ever meet. If you haven't met her, you are missing out! She is so genuine, uplifting, powerful, and just a joy to be around. She's creative, artistic, and a fabulous musician on top of all of that.

Happy Birthday Aaron! I hope your cake was as sweet as you

These topsy tiers were filled with Italian Cream cake and sweet Cream Cheese Buttercream

Giant Cupcake Joy

2009-01-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than [cupcakes?*] to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103

(Ok, the Psalms doesn't really read "cupcakes" - it actually says "honey". Forgive me, it just fit!)

Every day I wake up so grateful for my life.
Is it always perfect, full of sunshine, sugar, and cupcakes? (It may seem like it from this blog but....) NO.
Life is not easy - I definitely have my share of challenges to face. Anything worth having takes blood, sweat, and tears. There are many nights I've cried myself to sleep or wondered how I would ever make it through, but over the years I've learned that no matter what comes against me, I can keep my joy.

Joy is not happiness. Many people use these two words interchangeably, but they're not the same.
Happiness is based on a feeling - (kinda like the way you feel when you eat a cupcake:) It changes with circumstances.
But JOY goes deeper. Joy is based on what you know! Knowing that NO MATTER WHAT comes up in life, you are BLESSED! It's believing that you WILL come out victoriously because you have God on your side (and if He is for you, who or what can dare stand against you???)

Joy is steadfast. It's the thing that rises up when life gets tough and you want to give up.
Joy is laughing in the midst of a hard time, chuckling deep from your belly when circumstances are telling you to worry or weep.

How do we get this type of joy?
Psalm 16:11 says, "In Your presence there is fullness of joy."
You may find happiness in the sweet presence of cupcakes, but in the sweet PRESENCE of God is the only place to find true, genuine joy.

Nehemiah 8:10 says, "The Joy of the Lord is your strength."

This joy is designed to be our strength, our shield, and our Rock.
Oh how I love Him - even more than cupcakes!
My life is sweet. Not because I make cake for a living, but because I have the fullness of His joy.

Yeah!!! Enjoy the newest cake creation

My Cake Babies

2009-01-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know me, know I often refer to my cakes as "My Babies". I don't have kids yet, which seems long overdue to most of my family, however I definitely have this "business kid" needing much nurturing and attention, constantly sucking money out of my pocketbook, and keeping me active long hours during the day (and night!).

As a proud mom, my sister posts her babies, Whitaker and Campbell, on her blog to send love and updates to the family...well...I post pictures of my cakes.

Today I definitely did feel like a proud mom watching my cakes get some time in the spotlight. We had a photoshoot today, preparing for our new website COMING SOON!

Amy Beadle, a great food photographer http://chimeraobscura.com/mi/, came to the studio and got shots of all of our upcoming seasonal cakes, featured birthday cakes, and lots of our Sweet Treats. It was a productive day - can't wait to see how the pictures turn out. STAY TUNED for updates on our new site (and don't ask to see the cake pics yet - they are top secret until the new website launch!)

Us Getting Ready for the Shoot - LOTS OF WORK!!! Faith is the best assistant in the world!

Surfs Up!

2009-01-12T16:31:00.000-08:00

"The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea." Psalms 93:4
Here's the latest cake creation - a Surfboard Riding the Waves!
Let us know what you think...we love hearing from you!

Pomeranian "Pup"Cake

2009-01-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to a little Pomeranian named Noah. My friend Avi ordered it for his girlfriend (and her dog :) Winter White Cake with Chocolate Buttercream filled the inside of this sweet furry friend!

We also did a Superman cake this week for a little boy turning 4!

Lots of exciting things are happening with us...stay tuned for more in the upcoming weeks!

Cake-Makers in Training

2009-01-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

As a Christmas gift, the moms of these two girls bought them gift certificates for a Private Cake Decorating Class. They came to our studio, made some fabulous handbag cakes, and hopefully walked away learning lots of cake decorating secrets!

Alex and her white fondant purse with stars and sequens
Laney and her personalized Pink shimmery handbag
Our Inspiration

Laney and Alex we loved having you! Keep practicing and we hope to see you again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gingerbread Extravaganza

2008-12-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

Last night we held our 2nd Annual "Gingerbread Extravaganza" Christmas party. We construct two large Gingerbread houses, make lots of sweet treats, and invite our favorite people!

The only thing we ask everyone to bring is a bag of candy to decorate their house. At the door, we tag our guests with either a red or a green "tinsel" bracelet to differentiate the teams, then dump their candy in big buckets.

When the competition starts, we set the timer for 1 hour while both teams usually huddle up to form a design plan. This is where the fun begins!

For judging the competition, we "WEB-CAMMED" in two gingerbread house experts all the way from Texas. My 8 year old twin sisters, Aubrey and Emily, were tough critics...but I guess someone had to be!
After much thought and consideration, they made their decision. "It wasn't easy..." they said, "but the GREEN team wins!!!!!" Everyone cheered.

Great job everybody! Can't wait 'til next year. If you want to join us in '09, let me or Faith know and we will add you to our guest list. Thanks for checking out our blog and Cheers! to a sweet and fabulous Christmas.

Love,

Cara

SOUTHERN FUN

2008-12-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

We just got home from our trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana!
It was relaxing, slow-paced, and refreshing! If you live like we do in the big city, you MUST plan a trip to the south. Everyone is laid back and friendly and let me tell you, the men know how to treat the ladies! I don't think I opened one door while I was there.

It was a much-needed getaway! Another plus - I got to spend time with my amazing family and my two adorable nephews.

We made a "gingerbread house" cake. My dad and nephew, Whitaker, even contributed their own touch of creativity.

We even made time for dancing to some Christmas tunes :)

We won't see each other at Christmas, so this was our "early" Christmas picture. This is me with all my siblings. (from left: Tyler & Crystal, Whitaker & Campbell, Me, Neil, Emily, and Aubrey) We are all spread out location-wise but when we get together, it is always a FUN TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Faith and I even had time to squeeze in a Cake Class one day. We drove to Thibodaux, LA (my college town!) to hold a class. Thanks to my friend Breanne and her lovely mother, Mrs. Chris, who got a group together for us. It was fun to be back there.

Sweet Christmastime

2008-12-02T07:54:00.000-08:00

We've been stringing the lights,
Hanging stockings just right,
And making sure all the cookies are iced.

Gingerbread baking
Ornament making
Tree Decorating
And of course, picture-taking!

This season is full of fun things to share
So be sure and ENJOY your Christmas this year!

Enjoy our sweet pics

Love, Cara and Faith

Every year, Faith and I make our own ornaments out of sugar cookies and royal icing and yes, our tree topper is definitely covered in fondant :)

Neil (my brother) couldn't resist joining in on the fun

Trimming the tree was only the beginning of our planned projects! Gingerbread houses were #2 on the list. I let Faith be in charge of this task and I must say, she did a FABULOUS job. Check her out!

The houses are TO BE CONTINUED. They are a little messy but the detailed decor will cover all of that! After our Gingerbread House competition party on December 11, we will post the finished masterpieces....STAY TUNED!!!!

We are flying out tomorrow morning to hold classes in the Baton Rouge area. If you are interested, let us know! We still have room in our classes.

Until next time everybody...
Enjoy the season :)

Just Let it Flow

2008-11-25T15:42:00.000-08:00

A client ordered this cake for his wife's birthday. All he said was, "She's an artist, fashion designer, painter, and seamstress. Come up with something!" As I set out to start on a cake, I had a sketch drawn and somewhat of a vision in my head, but nothing too specific.

I usually have it planned out in detail for the most part, but this cake was different. I just couldn't quite grab hold of the inspiration I knew it needed. A dress-form manican with a piece of fondant fabric across the chest is what I had in mind...but it needed something more.

Despite my blurry vision, I started. (Sometimes as I get going, the inspiration just develops naturally. I was believing for the best :)

I filled my cake layers, sculpted the dress form shape, then covered it with fondant.
Now what? Hmmm....

I began flipping through fashion magazines trying to get inspired. I began to envision the cake with a raw piece of fondant fabric roughly pinned up, maybe in a flowery fall print. (Ooh yeah! I was going somewhere.) But what type of fabric? I kept flipping pages, hoping to find a print or color pattern I could fall in love with. Nothing.

My vision? Still blurry.

I opened my bucket with leftover fondant colors from past cakes. I found a ball of purple that caught my eye so, "Why not?" I said to myself. I pinned it up to get a preview. Yeah, I liked it.

I rolled it out, then found some white lace in my inspiration box. I impressed the lace into the fondant...
then sponge painted it with black dye.
I came up with this technique in hopes of creating a lace look, but it actually looked more like snake skin. (Even better!) I finished by dusting it with burgandy luster, then my fondant "fabric" just sort of formed itself around the cake manican.
I added the tape measure and the pin cushions to give it an alive "project in progress" look and voila!

Upon completion, I stood back to admire the masterpiece. I was pleased with the finished product, (even a bit surprised to be honest.) "Did I do that?!"

Before starting this cake, I asked God to anoint my hands; to let His creativity flow through my mind. It's funny what He will do!
I didn't have to plan it out perfectly or force inspiration; it just flowed naturally and turned out beautiful.

This was a good life lesson for me.
Sometimes we think we have to know it all in the beginning before we take a leap of faith, but sometimes the vision just needs to develop naturally. Take a step of faith and start with what you have - the inspiration will follow. And chances are, the end result will be more beautiful than you could have planned!

Put your hope and trust in "God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within you, to accomplish infinitely more than you might ask or think." ( Ephesians 3:20)

Until next time...HAPPY THANKSGIVING, enjoy the cake, and check out Faith's blog to see her latest creation ;) http://faithinnyc.blogspot.com/

This Week at Cara Linn Cakes

2008-11-17T05:28:00.000-08:00

CAKE DECORATING CLASS

Last night we had our LEVEL 2 Cake Sculpting Class in Manhattan. In this class, everyone learned how to sculpt a handbag cake! I always love seeing the creations at the end of the night. Great job everyone! Thanks to all who registered and we hope to see you again in another class soon!!!

(If you are interested in taking one of our classes, contact Faith Lange at faith@caralinncakes.com OR visit our website at www.caralinncakes.com for upcoming dates and locations. We would love to see you there!)

CAMERA CAKE

This was our favorite cake of the week! It was for the birthday of a photographer. Inside was our Red Velvet Royale with pink Cream Cheese filling. Nadra, we hope you enjoyed your cake...Happy Birthday!

to see this video click on: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=704044576883#/video/video.php?v=704044576883&subj=1370681152

Beautiful Birthday

2008-11-11T06:45:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Johanna's Birthday Celebration was last night. She's so beautiful inside AND out and deserved nothing less than a beautiful cake!

I made her an Indian-themed cake with a Henna design. The cake was covered in royal purple fondant with a shimmery orange fondant ribbon, and the design hand-panted on top.

The flavor of the cake was Winter White with Nutella Buttercream and the cupcakes were Champagne Chic with Strawberry Buttercream.

We started the evening out eating Corn Fritters and Curry at a Thai restaurant called Galanga in the West Village (thanks to the amazing party planner, Aaron).
Then a few of us girls took Johanna to a Jazz club down the block (again, thanks to Aaron!) It was fun! I was sort of a gramma and left at 11, but the night overall was fabulous.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHANNA! WE LOVE YOU!

Eva loved her cake...

2008-11-04T09:06:00.001-08:00

Cakes of the Week

2008-11-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

We've had a busy couple of days this past week in "Cake World". Four cakes we did!
The Cat cake I actually just finished today. It's for our friend Eva, who's staying with us from Spain. Her husband Rafael ordered it for her birthday. It is waiting for her upstairs on the counter as a surprise when she gets home! I will take pictures and post those tomorrow!

The mini cakes we did for a tasting with a catering company in Long Island. This was our fall collection of flavors and colors. Chocolate cake with Nutella buttercream, Winter White with Vanilla Buttercream, Champagne cake with Orange-Vanilla buttercream, and Red Velvet with Cream Cheese buttercream

The other two cakes were birthday orders. The 3-tiered was a "Disco" themed party. All of the guests were dressed in 70's outfits, bell-bottoms and all! And the house was decked out with disco balls, flashing lights, shiny streamers, and bright colored walls. It was fabulous! And from what we heard, the cake was a hit.

Aaaaahhhhh...now we can take a breath. This week is a little bit slower.
(Oh and check out Faith's new bangs!!!)

My Nephews

2008-11-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

Sorry but I just have to show them off a little bit more. I really think I might have the cutest nephews in the world!!! (And how great does my sis look after just giving birth?)
WHITAKER and CAMPBELL, I can't wait to see you!

New Baby!

2008-10-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

I would love to announce that I am now "Aunt Cara" to one more little boy!
Campbell Reed Tullos was born today and weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz

All my love to my beautiful family - Sorry I can't be there to celebrate!

Campbell/ My Sis Crystal/ Tyler and Whitaker (the big brother!)

Feeding a Film Crew

2008-10-20T19:45:00.000-07:00

Faith and I have done a lot of things, but the last few weeks, we spent our time doing something we've never done before! We had the rare and interesting experience of working on set of an independent film. Our friend Emily was the production coordinator and referred us to do the catering. We worked really hard, traveled all over - Conneticut, Pennsylvania, and Poughkeepsie, NY - met lots of great new people, and overall had a fabulous time. (They even used us as extras in a couple scenes - notice we are wearing scrubs!)

Cara & Faith driving the crafty van/ Cara with Lexi (the lead actress)/ Faith making Nutella-Banana sandwiches

Faith & Cara as nurse EXTRAS!/ Us with Carly and Emily/ Faith, Kent, Cara, and Emily

The movie, if you're wondering, is called "Listen to Your Heart." It is a tragic love story that comes out next year. Visit www.listentoyourheartfilm.com to learn more about the film. Danny (Kent Moran) is a struggling musician who falls in love with Ariana, who is deaf. (Her mother is Sybil Shepard in the movie). Ariana is never able to hear the music she inspires him to write. I won't tell you how it ends, but be sure and watch out for this film next year. They are hoping it will hit the big screen.

Once all the work was done, everyone celebrated at the wrap party. I think it was bittersweet for most people...glad it's over, but a little sad at the same time.
Would we take on a job like this again? IN A HEARTBEAT.

10/5 Cake Classes in NYC

2008-10-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

September Wedding

2008-10-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Just a simple design, yet so elegant! This wedding cake was covered in ivory vanilla fondant and fresh dark red roses. Each tier was a different flavor baked by Faith [my amazing partner and baker-in-training!]

Top-Red Velvet with Cream Cheese filling
Middle-Champagne Chic with Gianduja Buttercream
Bottom-Cara's Chocolate filled with sweet Vanilla Buttercream

Amarillo Cake Classes!

2008-09-26T13:09:00.000-07:00

After Dallas, the fun wasn't over just yet. When I got back to Amarillo on Sunday, I had to stay in "Cake Mode". Monday I had 3 Cake Decorating Classes scheduled! We had 2 adult classes and 1 Kids Class and they were LOTS OF FUN! Thank you everybody for coming. Cara Linn Cakes will definitely be back in AMARILLO TEXAS for more cake class fun!

KID CLASS!

ADULT CLASSES!

If interested in one of our cake classes, visit our website at: http://www.caralinncakes.com/Classschedule.htm to see what's coming up.

If interested in having Cara Linn Cakes come to a city near you, email us! We just might consider it.

Cake Trip to TEXAS

2008-09-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

I just made it back to NYC late last night. My
brother Neil and I drove all the way from Amarillo, Texas to Brooklyn, NY. Our 2-day road trip across the country was quite an experience, but memorable nonetheless! He is now a "Northerer" (well at least for the next 2 years) and will be attending Rutgers University in October. I am so glad he's here...WELCOME NEIL!!!

It felt great to be back in my home state the past 12 days, and OH was it ever an adventure! Visiting family was by far the "sweetest" part, but you know I don't go anywhere without somehow involving CAKE.
My stay in Amarillo started with the HUGE task of making 350 mini cakes for my cousin Lauren's wedding in Dallas. I baked the cakes in New York, Faith cut 400 P's out of fondant, and we packed it all neatly in boxes. Like a crazy person, I carried it all on the plane and thank God, everything arrived safely. When I got in, I spent the night visiting with fam, and got to work right away the following morning. I worked for 5 days straight, then drove 6 hours to deliver them and attend the wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and the cakes were a success!

The whole family was involved at some point - I owe them so much credit! My Mom worked around the clock with me doing anything I asked, my sisters Aubrey & Emily helped fold packages, my Dad and step-mom, Luain drove them to Dallas, my step-dad Tommy created the labels and he even rolled out fondant! I couldn't have accomplished any of this without their help and support. THANK YOU!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!

Mott Street Sweets

2008-09-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

MODO eyewear has a new store on Mott St.
Rebecca Giefer, the director of Ops, is our fabulous friend whom we adore! She occasionally orders Sweet Treats for her Thursday night "Meet-n-Greet". Thank you MODO (and Becca!) for your business and friendship!!!!

(below) Cheesecake Lollipops/Sweet Scoops (on left) Cake Babies/Cupcakes

BOHO Magazine

2008-09-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

If you haven't purchased a subscription yet, you should!
Fashion's first "GREEN" magazine has arrived and we made this small cake to congratulate our friend Gina, the editor-in-chief.

http://bohomag.com

Glory Girls

2008-08-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a non-cake picture for a change.
This was in the East Village of Manhattan on a warm summer Sunday!

The four of us just all happened to wear black and white to church, so we had to capture the moment.

Johanna, Aaron, and Star are three of the most amazing women and precious friends that I adore! I am so grateful God brought them into my life and together, I know we are going to do great things!!!

EUREKA!

2008-08-18T14:03:00.000-07:00

For those of you who didn't see...
This was the masterpiece eaten by the crew of The Big Idea on CNBC.

I hope it at least tasted good. This cake was a lot of work, and even though everything didn't go as planned, the whole experience was fun and I definitely learned a lot!

Cake Lingerie

2008-08-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

Who really wears lingerie anyway (except on the hips perhaps)?

Eating it is much more fun.

This was for a bridal shower for my cousin Lauren, who is marrying Scott in September. Stay tuned for Mini Cake Favors I will be making for their wedding!

Ahhh Chocolate...

2008-07-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

Some days there's just nothing better.
Being a new "Brooklyn-ite" (with a cake business at that), I decided I should get out and begin to explore this amazing borough and all it has to offer.

So I set out the other morning and visited 5 or 6 bakeries to see what kind of cake is being baked up around here.

My findings with details and pictures coming soon...

(The picture of the chocolate cake is just to hopefully make you want to come back! This is my chocolate cake, which, I might add--with no biased opinion--is still my favorite of all other chocolate cakes I've tried. It is filled with Gianduja Buttercream and covered in pink fondant.)

It's just good - What can I say?

Princess Faith

2008-07-15T06:33:00.001-07:00

Did you hear??? Princess Faith came to town this weekend and celebrated her 27th birthday!

What else do you give a Princess on her birthday besides a royal pink shimmery, rich chocolate cupcake?
These cupcakes were oozing with chocolate ganache (her favorite!), iced with chocolate buttercream and topped with a pretty princess tiara.

As you can see, she enjoyed them!

4 LOVE
Saturday night, Nicole, Janelle, and I took her out to eat and had a great time. The four of us haven't been together in a while, so this reunion was long overdue!
We ate sushi and fried Green Tea ice cream, talked about our dreams, and tried to convince Faith to move back to New York!

We finally said our goodbyes and sent Faith home with lots of "Love".
Happy Birthday Princess - we can't wait to see you again!

(Check out Faith's blog for more pics of our fabulous weekend)

Tatonka!

2008-07-02T06:22:00.001-07:00

My friend Stephanie ordered this for her husband Chris's birthday. I think it was sort of a sweet nostalgic gesture. Happy Birthday Chris!
Here's to the past and to the memory of your beloved Tatonka!

Wedding Cake

2008-06-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Here is the wedding cake I did last weekend. Inside was Winter White cake with Lemon Buttercream and Rasberry Preserves.

ROCKY ROAD in Atlanta

2008-06-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

Well I have been in Atlanta for the past 5 days and my trip has been anything but rocky, I just thought the title was catchy. (It does however, describe the scrumptious slice of cake in the first photo!)

Faith has shown me such a great time here in Atlanta. We have eaten at some amazing restaurants (Blue Pointe, Cafe Intermezzo, and Ru Sans Sushi). We ran a 4 mile race, did a little sun-bathing, and just enjoyed hanging out like old times back in New York. Oh how I miss her! We also went to a great Worship Conference called Jesus Culture and saw a lot of miracles take place, it was really exciting and cool. Wow, one 17 year old kid had a prosthetic leg and after a group of people prayed over him, his leg started growing!!! (That was only one story, I have lots more - it was amazing!) God is alive, people. He is alive and performing crazy miracles, all we have to do is believe Him and press in to what He is doing and what He wants to do!

Enjoy the photos and if you've never seen Atlanta, i would recommend it! It's a cool city.

Jeny and the Mad Monkey Cake

2008-06-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

My friend Jeny called me this week saying, "Help! I need to make a birthday cake for my boyfriend!" So she came over and we set out to create the meanest, maddest monkey cake ever. She did most of the work while I watched, but at the end of the day, I think we were both happy with the way Stewart turned out - yes she even named him!

I hope her boyfriend enjoyed eating Stewart, but even if he didn't, me and Jeny had a fun day of cake making. Jeny my dear, come back soon!

"Pup"Cakes

2008-06-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

This photograph doesn't really need any words. This is Dubya -- my dad's bulldog named after George "Dubya" Bush.

Look at that face... Somebody please give him a cupcake!!!!

Cake Party

2008-06-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

Went to Connecticut today for a Cake Decorating Party - Molly was turning 14 and celebrated by decorating cake with her closest friends. I can't think of anything else I'd rather do! I was very impressed by their chic and Girly creations.

It was a fabulous party, but I couldn't have pulled it off without my amazing assistant (photographer AND navigator) JANELLE! She is the best.

For JANTAMBE PHOTOGRAPHY interest: email her at jantambe@mac.com

Happy Birthday Molly!

Cake Decorating 101

2008-05-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

We had a Cake Class last night - for all who couldn't make it, you missed out!!! There were originally 6 people registered but 3 cancelled last minute. But we still had a great time (even though the guys had to wear pink aprons!) I had tan aprons ordered but they didn't make it in time. Sorry Steven and Joey!

We have lots of classes coming up, so if you're in the area...COME JOIN US!!! We have them in midtown Manhattan and also in Brooklyn. Hope to see you there soon!

Cake Favorites

2008-05-19T19:15:00.001-07:00

As requested, I have posted some past favorites. More to come!

Cookie Monster!

2008-05-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Cookies...er I mean Cake anyone???

I made this cake this past weekend for a 1 year old's birthday. Everything was cake...even the cookies! It was Red Velvet cake with Cream Cheese filling

Get Your Own Blog!

2008-05-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

I felt like I was always hogging up the blog space on The Packard Four blog, constantly posting pictures of my latest sugary creation. I'm sure no one ever minded but it dawned on me the other day, why don't I just get my own blog???

There is always something new going on with me up here in the big city, so for anyone interested in getting the sweet inside scoop, this blog is for you. I hope you enjoy.