Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Birthday Cakes

It has been quite a busy week for me right after CNY. I got 2 birthday cake orders to fill so I was literally stuck home making birthday cakes and doing house chores the whole time. ;P Frankly speaking, I like it! (not the chores part of course!) I feel honored to take this all important job for making someone's birthday just a little more special. :) The first order came from a neighbor whom has requested me to make birthday cupcakes for her daughter. After some discussion, it was decided on garden theme. So here it is:
If you ask me, this is 60% fun, 40% hardwork. :) I love playing with fondant, so when my neighbor asked for it, I jump to the opportunity! Lol! Even though it does take up time for the moulding, but with proper time planning, everything will fall into place nicely. :) Furthermore, cupcakes are much easier to handle rather then a whole cake. :P
Comparing this with my previous fondant cupcakes for my kid's birthday, this is definitely a much easier one. :) I made the usual chocolate butter cake, piped buttercream tinted with leaf green over it and top off with the fondant "insects", wordings and flowers. :)
I do hope the birthday girl and her friends love these cupcakes. :) Happy Birthday Jade!

The other order I got was from my husband's office. I guess the primary reason why this order came about was from my Root Beer Chocolate Chunk Cake. Apparently the birthday gal loves to drink Coke and so her thoughtful husband took the initiative to order a Coke Chocolate Birthday cake to celebrate her birthday. :)
As I did mention in my previous post, the root beer taste was not evident so I suspected it was gonna to be the same even if I switch it to Coke. Furthermore I had to change the recipe to sponge cake rather then pound cake but still using Coke as the base fluid ingredient. Reason is simple...who uses pound cake for birthday cakes?!
I have adapted the technique "分蛋式海绵蛋糕" from my new cookbook collection; 孟老师的美味蛋糕卷. It is a little different from your usual chiffon method, but supposedly more soft and yet stays fluff without deflating. However since I needed to incorporate Coke into the cake, it got a little more tricky even though I have tried that technique before. Well, a baker's gotta do what a baker's gotta do...just bake!
It's good that the chocolate cake still turned out decant. *phew* However, even though as much Coke as I've added to the recipe, the Cola taste wasn't that evident. :P I even soaked a couple tablespoons of Coke onto each layer of the sponge cake! Oh well, I did what I could, I just hope the birthday girl wasn't too disappointed about it. :P Anyway, hope you have a great birthday celebration! :)

I won't be sharing this recipe since I did modified the original recipe from
孟老师的美味蛋糕卷. I will post up another Swiss roll recipe with this technique soon, so stay tune if you're interested. :)

Okay, thanks for staying on to read my post. But I gotta go now. :P Hope you all have a great remaining week! Cheers~!



19 comments:

茄子 said...

纸杯蛋糕装饰很可爱哩!我很喜欢孟老师这个分蛋式海绵蛋糕,蛋糕体很好操作,而且又很湿软。

j3ss kitch3n said...

i love both the cupcake and cake! very beautiful!

The Sweetylicious said...

AWESOME! those cupcakes are sooo nicely decorated! and for the cake, you're so creative! hardwork pays off (: (: great job bee bee (:

ann low said...

Love the beautiful cupcakes and birthday cake. :)

Swee San said...

coke chocolate cake... mmm I think Nigella had it in one of her books. sounds interesting..

ReeseKitchen said...

Bee Bee, both cakes look lovely...:) *clap clap*
You did great!! All cakes turn out great from you, I can't remember there is any cake taste bad....cause there is none!!
I really wish that you are still nearby so that we can all taste the yummy cakes again..:)

lena said...

as i'm terribly bad at fondants,i rather do house work , hehe! Your fondants figures are always great looking, so does the birthday cake, well done!!

Unknown said...

I love love love the chocolate and strawberry cake, it looks gorgeous. x

E. said...

Whenever I look at your cake posts, I'm always motivated to try making cakes. I just need to find an excuse now, like when it's someone's birthday. :) The cake looks really good. I like the way you frosted the layer cake. Did the frosting have white chocolate? I'm glad it turned out well.

Edith said...

wow nice cupcakes and cake. I am actually curious about this new method. Looking forward to the recipe.

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks for the compliment 茄子! So nice of you to drop by my blog! I've always been following your beautiful blog, always love your bakes & photos! ;)

Thanks J3ss!

Thanks Jasmine! Nah, I'm still learning, but I grap every opportunity I can. Hopefully I can post more nicer cupcakes. ;)

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks so much Ann! I still have much to learn from you! Your cakes are always so nicely decorated!

@Swee San: is it? Unfortunately I only have "How to be a Domestic Goddess", I don't think it's inside though. You have it? Can send me?heehee...

Dear Reese, thanks for your ever support! Don't praise me too much...I've also flopped my cakes also, just that you didn't see only, hahaha! Yeah, pai seh lah..so long didn't make anything yummy for you ladies.

Honey Bee Sweets said...

@the Art Of Being Perfect: thanks, thanks thanks for your lovely comment!

Hi Esther, yes, I used white chocolate for the top decoration and wordings. Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing a cake post from you! So glad I motivate you in some way, heehee!

Edith, hope you have to wait too long...need to find time to bake, heehee!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

These two cakes look exactly like those selling outside, well done Bee Bee.

DG said...

Love the garden theme cupcakes, so colourful & beautiful. And for your chocolate cake, it's beautiful decorated, the word "Happy Birthday" so neatly written.

Jo said...

Bee, especially love the cupcakes .. they are so cute!

Bakericious said...

Bee Bee, you never fail to impress me, both cupcakes and chocolate cake looks fantastic!

Honey Bee Sweets said...

Thanks Sonia! I have still have much to learn though. :D

DG, actually the Happy Birthday wording is cut out with fondant, that's why it's so neat. :)

Thanks for dropping by Jo. :)

Hahaha, thanks Jess!

Carolina said...

Que tarta mas bella!!!! y deliciosa!!!!