Cake Blog

Versaces

2012-02-09T19:06:00.000-08:00

My lovely bride Bridgette met with me last year to discuss her design of cake.
She has a love of cherrubs and brought with her a photo of a cake that she was wanting.
After a little research and visiting a few American sites I found a suitable lace cherrub to use for her design. Her cake was covered in beautiful white sugar paste and all the lace detailing had a white satin shimmer. All the pearls were hand made (no bead moulder used!) and hand piped pearl detailing on the sides of the cake also.
The venue room was the restuarant that overlooked the swimming pool and was indeed a beautiful room.
The design included a hexagon shaped cake and all 4 cakes were a different flavour.
The deisgn was beautiful and when I went a delivered and set the cake up there were a few oohs and ahhs from the various staff members of Versaces.

January 2012 Happy New Year!

2012-02-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone, I hope you had a wonderfull Christmas and New Year.

This year I have many beautiful cakes to create and thank you for the support from all my brides and grooms to be.

I am also lookign foward to travelling to the U.K in May for the cakes international show that is hosted in Birmingham. I am also travelling with a group of other cake decorators from Brisbane and Toowoomba and together we will be visiting other cake makers too. Including Mitch Turner and Peggy Porschen in their cake studios in London. I am also looking foward to seeing my family and my 2 lovely brothers.

Cake Classes have now been listed right up to the end of August and I am offering a weeks worth of classes in the month of August. So if you are interstate and wanting to attend a weeks worth of classes starting with beginners classes and including a 2 tiered cake then please check my website for further details.

Channel 11 contacted me and asked for a simple designed cake with their logo to celebrate their first year of airing. My son and I visited the television studios up at Mt Cootha and I have attached the pictures of the cake.

I was amazed at all the different sets for the programs that they film there.
My husband Matt with the company he worked for, built a famous television set in the U.K which was for the Crystal Maze series and for those that remember that program you're probably 40+ years old and from the U.K.

Spencer and Rutherford Hand bag Cake

2012-02-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

I was set a challenging task to re create a handbag from this beautiful designer, the guide lines were that the cake had to feed 40 and I had a choice of handbags to choose from.
The design I chose was beautiful with the colouring and detailing.
The cake involved royal icing stencilling, lace work, metallic piping and quite a bit of detailing and the cake looked realistic like the real bag.

December 2011

2012-02-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

Ronald Macdonald House.

Every year the 2 houses in Brisbane get together and have a Christmas party with residents and staff together.
This years Christmas cake, I decided to make with a snow themed effect. Below you will find a link to youtube where I have posted a tutorial on how to make this cake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rGAKJR5I8M&feature=g-upl&context=G2a15b98AUAAAAAAAFAA

As you can see I created a snow effect ski slope with modelled cute penguins.

December 2011

2012-02-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

Christmas every year is always a very busy time for me, with Library demonstrations, Christmas classes and Christmas cakes and more!
This year I taught 2 classes at Logan Hyperdome Library on Tuesday the 13th, the first one being a children's cupcake class in the morning followed by a teenage cupcake workshop in the afternoon.
I provide every thing for the class, including tools, frosting and sugarpaste and this year I took a collection box for my charity Ronald Macdonald House and thank you for your coin donations.
My thanks to the Library for hosting me and I hope the cupcakes were enjoyed by all.

On Wednesday the 14th I visited Logan village Library and taught an adults cupcake class workshop, the building I was in was almost 100 years old but thankfully had air conditioning.Again I met a friendly bunch of women and I hope you were pleased with your results.

Christmas is coming!!!

2011-12-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

Well its been a while since I last blogged and lots of classes and cakes have been created.

I had a short break with family arriving from Germany and we all were tourists again at the wonderful Australia Zoo which is ever expanding and has now the African display starting to evolve.

Christmas themed classes are still available for more information visit my website for further information www.contemporarycakes.com.au

I have a christmas cake demonstration for Sunday 11th of december 1-4pm and a Christmas cake workshop Sunday 18th of December 10-4pm

Places are still available for the childrens Christmas cupcake class thursday 22nd of december, parental supervision is required.

This month I am attending the Ronald Macdonald house Christmas party, with a cupcake decorating table and get creative with the residents and parents cupcake decorating skills.

I will upload the pictures after the party.

Wishing you all a great Christmas and new year.

Lifestyle food channel!

2011-10-15T03:47:00.000-07:00

New website with online class bookings have now been launched and I look forward to create a quicker way for students to book into my classes.

At last a much awaited television show of mine has now begun, the world of Choccywoccydoodah!

When I lived in the Uk I was Head chef at a prestige caterers called Champagne and Caviar.We would often cater for the rich clientelle of our neighbouring Sussex counties and catered for the rich and some famous! We would often sample the delights of a wedding cake from Choccywoccydoodah and I was amazed at the design and details of the cakes and took inspiration from them.The temperature and climate is much more suitable in the UK for those works of Art but was sometimes challenging when left in a marquee during a hot summers day!so a cold room was a must.

At the time, Choccywoccydoodah was also based in Eastbourne, as well as in the mecca of Brighton and I would often stop and glance through their window and be in awe of their amazing creations.
What a fantastic show with amazing talented staff and I look forward to seeing the rest of this series.

Have a good week, Jackie.

Ronald McDonald House Gala Charity Ball Brisbane Saturday 27th of August 2011.

2011-08-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

I am really pleased that my husband and I,as well as another couple who have supported the 2 houses in Brisbane for several years with their baked goods have been invited to attend the ball as guests of the 2 houses, here in Brisbane. I am also in the middle of creating a cake for the nights events,that will be auctioned, a cake scullptured in the shape of a Macdonalds house all made of delicious chocolate mud cake with their helping hand logo.I will post a photo once the masterpiece has been completed ! I have also offered a baking cupcake voucher to be auctioned too.

Tickets are still available to purchase

I am looking forward to booging on down on the dance floor, to the one and only Leo Sayer who is entertaining us at the ball.
( My cousin who is a London taxi driver said he picked him up once and said he was like a live wire in the taxi very chirpy! some celebrities he has ferried around say absolutely nothing!)

Ronald McDonald House Gala Charity Ball Saturday 27th of August 2011

6:30pm til midnight

$250 p/person

Bookings & Enquiries: http://www.rmhc.org.au/events/qld-gala-ball-2010

For a night with some added sparkle, please come and join us at this year’s Ronald McDonald House Charities Channel Ten Queensland Gala Ball where star-studded entertainment, great food and wine, dancing and unique auction items make it the talk of the 2011 social calendar.

Money raised on the night will assist the funding of RMHC’S current Queensland programs and go towards developing our future commitment to the following:

Ronald McDonald House – Herston

Ronald McDonald House – Mater

Ronald McDonald Family Rooms – Gold Coast

Ronald McDonald Learning Program

As McDonald’s covers all administrative and management fees associated with the charity, we guarantee that 100 cents out of every dollar raised on the night will go directly to RMHC.

Dress:

Black Tie
Tickets:
Dinner & Entertainment: $250 per person or $2500 for a table of 10

For all enquiries and to confirm your reservation to this ‘night of nights’:

Meredith Holland, RMH SEQ

M: 0439 789 344

Direct Dial: 07 3636 2221

E: meredith.holland@rmh.org.au

Have a good week, Jackie.

New Cake classes listed.

2011-08-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

New cake classes are now listed on my new cake class schedule for October, November and December.

I have created 3 new designs.The first being a Fairy cake class I have been asked many times by my students to include a figurine as part of the design so pictured to the right is a very cute beginners cake.It is designed for students who are allready familiar through practise, ganaching and covering their cakes and this class has the added skills of learning how to create a marble effect in the sugarpaste as decorated on the cake board.We also learn how to get an even rolled out 2 piece plait as well as make hand rolled roses. A very cute fairy is modelled using sugar modelling paste with a 3d wand.

The next is a Chocolate wrapped cake.This is an advanced cake workshop, not suitable for beginners.Students will learn how to make chocolate modelling paste in the class and over the next 2 days learn how to wrap their cakes, create bows and ribbon tails and beautiful roses and leaves.Photo to follow soon!

Masquerade cake .This cake is a 2 tier offset stacked cake with sugarpaste applique in the design.The use of an airbrush will be shown and each student will use an airbrush to create this stuning visual technique.Pastillage modelled masks will be made with various techniques learnt in the class, embossing, piping and creating eyelets.

Cake Pops the craze that has arrived from America and I am teaching 3 classes all quite different in the designs.
The October class we will be doing additional designs to include Halloween and with the December class Christmas themed decorations will be included.

Princess, Pirates ,cupcakes and cookies.
This class is designed for students wanting to create both designs in cupcakes as well as cookies.

Wishing you all a good week, Jackie.

Ekka Show

2011-08-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and I hope you have all had a great week.

Last Saturday I joined a group of lovely judges and spent the entire day at the Ekka judging the cake categories.The stewards provided beautiful morning tea, lunch and constant coffee throughout the day.What a wonderful service they provide and the extent of their hardwork I hope is recognized, thank you.

What a wonderful array of designs, colours and shapes, amazing sugar flowers used to decorate the cakes and the smell of the fruit cake as it was been cut just deliscious!
The childrens cake category was just wonderful and the standards that were achieved makes me reiteratee the potential of getting our children involved in this amazing craft.I find, when I teach childrens classes, which I run several times a year from my home based cake studio as well as my yearly sessions at Christmas at my local library, the children have no inhibitions, no doubts, they just create! We all need to encourage them and nuture them in all that they do.

Now for those that know me baking is my love and passion that began when I was a child and those gorgeous guys from Southern Cross baking group are doing what they do best, sharing their amazing skills, passion and deliscious recipes again .

Southern Cross Baking group are hosting An Introduction to Baking with Preferments visit their website to book your spot.http://www.southerncrossbakinggroup.com.au/news/bookings-open-for-first-event-of-master-class-series/

(Louis Lesaffre Cup Master Class Series)

Brett Noy will demonstrate 3 breads of the Australian Baking Team made with preferments:

•Traditional Baguette

•Decorative Baguette

•Old Style Sandwich Bread

Brett was the captain for the Australian team that competed in the Louis Lesaffre Cup, China 2011. He has real world experience on how these unique breads can fit into a production schedule.

Will McPhail will discuss technical components:

•Using bakers % in formula construction

•Introduction to the biology of sourdough

•Important aspects in controlling a leaven

Will was the coach for the Australian team competing in the Louis Lesaffre Cup, China 2011. He spends much of his time developing practical applications from technical knowledge for use in small bakeries.

At the end of this class you will have had a chance to taste a range of different breads. You will have a better understanding of this production style, recipes and technical information to better assess the benefits of baking with preferments and their role in your production.

Date: Tuesday 20th Septempber

Location: Bakels Test Bakery

Address: 100 Compton Rd

Underwood, Brisbane

Time: 9:00am - 2:00pm

This is a great session and I highly recommend it, as I attended their last bread day.
I will not be attending as I have a designer handbag class that I am teaching and I am being a handbag diva for the day!

Have a great week, Jackie.

Ekka week

2011-08-04T06:43:00.000-07:00

It is that time of the year for the Brisbane Ekka and I am very honoured this year in being asked to judge the Ekkas cake competition.I am really looking forward to a sneak preview of Queensland Cake talent this Saturday prior to the shows opening.I have also sponsored a cake category and wish everyone that enters the very best .

This week has been busy with cakes and classes and emails for cake classes and bridal cake bookings.
Please remember that my classes are only small and so do fill quickly and for cake bookings I need at least 2 weeks notice for party cakes and with wedding cakes a couple of months notice.

I received the latest Modern wedding cakes from the publisher in the week, prior to it be circulated at the newsagents and was very pleased with the cakes they choose that I had submitted.
Most bridal magazines will not travel up to Queensland for photo shoots and so I have to email my photos to them. For those that know me photography is not my forte! Anyway as you know that familiar saying practise makes perfect, well then I must have been practising with the camera as the pictures look beautiful!

The magazine has a mixed array of the latest trends in designs and again a lot of colour and ruffles are at the for front in designs at the moment. Tall elegant cakes and the simple classics are also featured.

A couple of weeks ago I created a 7 tier wedding cake (actually 9 tiers as 2 tiers were double stacked!) and delivered and set this up at Versaces.

The assembly of the cakes took 2 and a half hours with every sugar flower placed in a micro flower pick.The results was a very tall beautiful cake sugar roses and sugar phaelenopsis in a beautiful venue for a beautiful couple.

One last thing .....I meet a lot of medical staff through my classes and I would really like to get their message across to all that read this blog Have you ever donated blood ? or perhaps you can consider donating?

My husband and I would regularly donated blood in the UK but due to Mad cows disease risk (and yes I know what your thinking!!!) we cannot donate here in Oz and blood supplies are an all time low.

The blood banks simply need more.Can you help change that?

Have a good week, Jackie.

Chocoholics day, I want to go but I have a beautiful 2 day stencilling cake class to teach!

2011-07-04T05:19:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Appreciation Demonstration with Drew Maddison hosted by Southern Cross Baking group.

26 Jul 2011 - 9:00am-2:00pm

Town: Brisbane

Location: Bakels Test Bakery

Address: 100 Compton rd, Underwood.

Notes: Drew developed his passion for chocolate whilst working at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne. In 2008 he filled the role of Technical Sales at F.Mayer Imports in the Chocolate Division. He is responsible for the Callebaut and Cacao Barry brands for Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania.

The last 4 years has seen Drew complete intensive chocolate and pastry training in Belgium, France, Denmark, and Singapore. This has allowed him to further expand his position to a more technical role which involves recipe and product development, training, and judging roles.

Drew will demonstrate the following

•Chocolate Decorations

•Dipped Pralines

•Chocolate appreciation tasting of Single Origins

Cost :

$35 Members

$50 Members

Book now! http://www.southerncrossbakinggroup.com.au/events/?event_id=26

Cake registration of home based businesses, do you want to get your business licensed?

2011-07-04T00:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend 2 sessions in one day.
Sunday 10th of July 2011 10 am - 1pm Cost of workshop $325 inc of gst

Setting up your home based cake business. Are you a cake hobbyist at the moment and wanting to know how to become a licensed cake operation?

Registration and licensing requirements, the varying council requirements and Enviromental health and food licensing.Regardless if you are in Logan, Brisbane or in Perth the food licensing laws are all national, the various councils have different requirements.Public liability what do you really need?What are the costs involved , food safety supervisors certificate and organising meetings with council planning and the EHO.All of this is covered in this 3 hour workshop.

If you attend both workshops a light lunch will be provided.

Sunday 10th of July 2011 2 pm -5pm Running your own cake business. Cost of workshop $325 inc of gst

In this workshop we will discuss many topics including, cake pricing, quotes, consultations, advertising, marketing .What extras can give your business the edge from all of the others.

We will discuss delivery and transporting cakes, public liability, quotes deposits and balances.You will be given a folder containing valuable information to help run your cake business.

Let me share with you my six years of Australian life and starting a new business in a new country.

Contemporary cakes Jackie Thompson 33882453
jackie@contemporarycakes.com.au

Cake baking tips.

2011-06-30T02:33:00.000-07:00

I received the following email and wanted to share this with you all.

Hi Jackie,

I am having many problems cooking a cake that I have done many times before. I am at the point of tearing my hair out and would appreciate any help you could give. It is a Womens Weekly cake that I have cooked about 6 times in the old oven and twice successfully in the new oven. It is the one I sent you a photo of with the "J" on the front.

I am having many problems - from being overcooked on the outside to being not cooked in the centre or completely hollow. I believe these issues to be temperature related and I have varied the temp, the length of cooking time, the size of the eggs, added more flour. I don't know what else to do.

If a recipe states that it is for a 20cm round tin - is it ok to use a 20cm square tin? I can't locate my round tin in the renovations we are doing from the floods but am tempted to go buy another one just to trial it.
I hope this email finds you and your family well.
Thank you for your time, Ann.

Hi Ann,

I am sorry to hear that some cakes are not consistant.The first thing is to check the oven temperature and so you will need to buy an oven thermometer to check this.

If the cakes are overcooking on the outside and raw in the centre the oven is simply too hot.
Some ovens cook too quickly and so when the cake has formed a crust you can cover this with a piece of baking paper and a wooden spoon and this will slow the overbaking.

A "6"square tin has more volume than a 6"round tin, fill a 6"round tin with water to the level you would fill it with cake mixture and then pour it into the square you will then see you would need more mix to fill it, they are not the same quantity.

Are you pre warming your oven?

Are you measuring your eggs? or does the recipe say 3 eggs? If so they should be 50 g eggs not super dooper X large eggs.

Are the eggs fresh within use by date? the yolks should be nice and pert and the whites jelly like and not watery.

Are all the ingredients at room temperature before starting ?

Are you correctly weighing all the ingredients?Always sift the flour to add airation as flour is sometimes over a year old.

If the oven is over browning the cakes a small oven proof dish, ramekin, can be placed on a shelf with some water in it and this will create a moist vapour and slow down overcolouring of the cake.

Is the cake in the centre shelf of the oven? do not overcrowd the oven.

I hope this helps and I may have to put this on my cake blog as this is a common problem that cake makers have but if we create with the above guidelines we should be achieving beautifully baked cakes, fingers crossed!

Let me know of your outcome.

Have a good week, Jackie.

If you have any questions about baking just send me an email and I will reply on my blog to share with everyone too.

jackie@contemporarycakes.com.au

Brisbane Ekka Show.

2011-06-16T03:09:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to anounce I have been asked to judge the Contemporary Cake category at the Brisbane Ekka Show.

For those wanting to know how to enter their baked goodies or created decorated cakes click onto the below link., childrens categories also available too.
This is the link for the Brisbane Ekka show.

http://www.rna.org.au/royal-qld-show.aspx

I look forward to seeing all those beautiful entries.

Have a great week, Jackie.

Queensland Cake Decorators Ässociation Show.

2011-06-16T02:10:00.000-07:00

Friday 24th June 2011 11.30am- 4pm, Saturday 25th June 9 am -4pm and Sunday 26th of June 2011 9am -3pm at the Auditorium Mt Coot-tha Gardens, Brisbane.

Adults $3, Pensioners and students $1 and ankle biters free!

Cake decorating techniques and demonstrations will be featured throughout each day.

Come and view Queenslands talent and a chance to grab a cuppa and a slice of cake and purchase some cake decorating goodies.

Come and have a look at all your local talented cake decorators creations.

This years group displays are Australian Native Flowers in sugar.

June 2011

2011-05-31T22:32:00.000-07:00

Last week myself and Sharnee Rawson. a previous contestant from Masterchef had the delightful task of tasting and judging some very tasty morsels.I donated a shooting stars cake that was then auctioned to raise much needed funds and I also offerered a gift voucher for one of my beginners classes, to the novelty cake category.The entries were both equally spectacular so I ended up giving the contestants a voucher each and I look for ward to them attending a class very soon.

Talking of classes I have just listed my next 3 month cake class calendar with some additional children and teenager baking cupcake classes for the July holidays.I have also introduced some sweet baking classes of whoopie pies, decadent deliscious desserts and a zesty lemon day of baking to!

*********Wednesday 6th of July2011

Childrens animal cupcakes.Cost of class $250 10-4pm( 8 to 14) years) Adult supervision will be required.

This class is for children to learn how to bake cupcakes from scratch.With the help of adult supervision, they will then decorate the cakes with animal themes.Modelling Making faces of elephants zebras, lions and monkeys a great way of being creative with food.The cupcakes will be boxed to take home and will guarantee a roar once the box is opened!

A light lunch and refreshments are provided.

********Thursday 7th of July 2011

Animal cupcakes. Teenage cupcake class 10am-4pm $250 Year 10,11or 12 students.

This class is for teenagers to learn how to bake cupcakes from scratch.

You will then decorate the cakes with animal themes.Modelling faces of elephant,s zebras, lions and monkeys a great way of being creative with food.The cupcakes will be boxed to take home and will guarantee a roar once the box is opened!

A light lunch and refreshments are provided.

*********Friday 8th of July 2011Teenage cupcake classPirate and treasure cupcake workshop .

10am-4pm $250 Year 10, 11or 12 students.

This class is for teenagers to learn how to bake cupcakes from scratch.

You will then decorate the cakes with sugar paste and create pirate faces , treasure chests, gold trinkets and more! aaarrrrh!!!!

A light lunch and refreshments are provided.

PAs Biggest morning tea,

2011-05-23T23:26:00.000-07:00

Join me this wednesday 25th at PA's Biggest morning tea,12pm start, main foyer.

Princess Alexandra Hospital, 199 Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba .

Are you a budding chef in the making?

Do you have a winning recipe?

...Enter your best Cake, Slice/Biscuit or novelty cake in the Bake Off.

HOSTED & JUDGED BY Masterchef Contestant SHARNEE RAWSON and JACKIE THOMPSON of Contemporary Cakes.

New classes soon to be listed ......................

2011-05-10T07:50:00.001-07:00

2011-05-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Queensland floods 3 months on the road to recovery

Join me at Bakels for a cookie workshop to raise money for the floods, please support me in this event.

Join Jackie Thompson of Contemporary Cakes in a Cake Decorating fund raiser for the

Flood appeal. Saturday 7th of May 10- 4pm.

Hosted at Bakels 100,Compton Rd Underwood.

Cost of the day $200

All monies raised 100% will be going to the flood victims to purchase white goods. Dominique Rizzo from Ready Steady Cook will be talking about her soon to be published book, her recent travels overseas and why she loves to bake and cook.

Bakels rep. John will also be talking about their products that cake decorators can use.

Relish owner Leslie from the Logan Hyperdome will be donating a gift to our raffle as well also chocolate goodies donated from Jimele.

Gary, from The Packing Place will be showing us the latest trends in packaging and transporting cookies and cupcakes with some beautiful ribbons too.

I will also be donating a gift voucher to the value of $325 for a cake class.

Please bring a packed lunch and refreshments will be provided.

We will decorate already baked cookies, learn how to stencil the cookies using royal icing and then package them to take home. Readymade gifts for Mothers day! with other goodie bags to take home'.

To book your place please email me jackie@contemporarycakes.com.au 33882453

Queensland flood appeal cookie class.

2011-04-11T05:50:00.001-07:00

The great South East show was aired Sunday 3rd of April and I was overwelmed with wonderful emails congratulating me on my cakes, thank you.
I hope I have now answered all 200+ emails and have almost caught up with the answerphone.I look forward to meeting you all at your classes.
This past weekend I began the first of my business workshops.If you are wanting to get advice on registering a home based business or learn better ways of growing your cake business then check out my June cake class schedule.

Stage 2 big fundraising! Next month Bakels will be hosting Contemporay Cakes (me!) with a cookie workshop to raise money for the floods, please support this event.

Queensland floods 3 months on the road to recovery.

Join me Jackie Thompson of Contemporary Cakes in a Cake Decorating fund raiser for the

Flood appeal. Saturday 7th of May 10- 4pm.

Hosted at Bakels 100,Compton Rd Underwood.

Cost of the day $200

All monies raised 100% will be going to the flood victims to purchase white goods. Dominique Rizzo from Ready Steady Cook will be talking about her soon to be published book, her recent travels overseas and why she loves to bake and cook.

Bakels rep. John will also be talking about their products that cake decorators can use.

Relish owner Leslie from the Logan Hyperdome will be donating a gift to our raffle as well also chocolate goodies donated from Jimele.

Gary, from The Packing Place will be showing us the latest trends in packaging and transporting cookies and cupcakes with some beautiful ribbons too.

I will also be donating a gift voucher to the value of $325 for a cake class.

Please bring a packed lunch and refreshments will be provided.

We will decorate already baked cookies, learn how to stencil the cookies using royal icing and then package them to take home. Readymade gifts for Mothers day!

To book your place please email me jackie@contemporarycakes.com.au

What a week!

2011-03-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my husband and I attended the 101FM Live and Local Logan business show.
The Albert and Logan came out to my cake studio and I posed for the front cover( in an Ace Ventura Pet Detective cover !)
I attended several networking workshops and had a varied time, what I mean by that it was a bit of an eye opener.
I listened to amazing inspiring speakers and attended the Fridays morning breakfast network meeting.
I sat at the back of the marque during the breakfast and a young woman stood up and spoke about cancer and how it had affected her family.She told us of her son that had passed away to cancer at such a young age and told us of how she set up a charity, I could just about hear what she was saying as the speakers could have been louder and the 3 tables behind were non stop chattering.With sevearal people glancing back at them , the chatting just continued in the end I got up and asked them could they keep their chatting down , there response was that they could not hear anything themselves.I replied we can just about hear if they were to be quiet!
Why do people bother attending these events and chatter through them? Why not just go to the Coffee club?if then want to have a chin wag and a bite to eat? That lady deserved for that room to all be quiet, where is the respect? Okay rant over!

I also attended a talk by John Anderson of Contiki tours empire a wonderful inspiring ongoing story and I bought his book,Only 2 seats left. A funny wonderful and inspiring read.John received a standing ovation at the end of his talk.
Friday evening I went home and baked just under 400 cupcakes by 1.30am they were decorated and boxed and ready for Saturdays show! My 2 wonderful apprentices,Matt and Adam assisting!

We raised just under $700 for the flood appeal and I also sold boxes of 24 to the various companies that attended.
I met a real lovely group of guys that were filming small businesses and we had to film for a minute( in my case or two!) and my husband answered the visitors questions with a knowledge that even dazzled me!
He explained all about the different classes , the different levels and what they will get up to and how pleased they will be when they leave with their finished cakes ! He is now back in my good books after The Junior Masterched incident( for those that know wink wink!)

Anyway I met some fantastic businesses and a lovely Logan Mayor who was very thought provoking and inspired me and best of all I had a message on my answerphone on Friday afternoon from Paul the producer of the Great South East Show that the cup cake class that they recorded will be aired Sunday 3rd of April Wa hoo!

I have also received nominations for Quest business achiever awards so if you would like to vote for me can you click onto the link below, thank you and have a really good week.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.questawards.com.au%2F&h=88fce

New Cake Classes

2011-03-06T03:58:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know there are new classes for April, May and June. Including kids Easter cookies and kids Easter cupcake workshops, Mothers day cake class listed for the Friday, before Mothers day. I have also listed baking macaroon towers and croquembouche towers too.
visit http://www.contemporarycakes.com.au/ and click onto the cake classes.

For all who know me , I am really passionate about my cakes and it has been wonderful to receive emails and letters from my recent students, that have attended my classes, thanking me.
I know some of you are a little nervous when you arrive for your class but as soon as you enter my cake studio and as I say Welcome to my office! the fun begins.

My classes are small, why because that is how I like them!
I could have groups of 10 students and squeeze you in like sardines and I know plenty of cake schools that do but my cake room is large and spacious and could fit 10!
However I want every student to walk away pleased with their cakes and most importantly, have found a new passion in what they now do. So if you like my classes please do not be afraid to mention it on the cake forums,discussion boards and to your friends on Facebook.

Many students that I have met through my classes or at my local library demonstrations ask me how they can eventually have their own business from home so I have listed the following workshops to help them to do so.

Setting up your home based cake business.
Are you a cake hobbyist at the moment and wanting to know how to become a home based licensed cake operation? 3 hour workshop Cost $275
Registration and licensing requirements, the varying council requirements and Enviromental health and food licensing. Regardless if you are in Logan, Brisbane or in Perth the food licensing laws are all national, the various coucils have different requirements. Public liability what do you really need. What are the costs involved, food safety supervisors certificate and organising meetings with council planning and the EHO.All of this is covered in this 3 hour workshop. Please check calendar schedule for listings. Please note if you rent your home, a home based business is not possible.

Running your own cake business 3 hour workshop Cost $275

In this workshop we will discuss many topics including, cake pricing, quotes, consultations, advertising, marketing .What extras can give your business the edge from all of the others.
We will discuss delivery and transporting cakes, public liability, quotes deposits and balances. You will be given a folder containing valuable information to help run your cake business.
Let me share with you my six years of Australian life and starting a new business in a new country.

I have had a few busy weeks with baking and fundraising at the same time.A few cancellations due the floods and weddings rebooked for later dates.For those still recovering from the floods I wish you all well and look forward to creating your cakes in sunnier times.

I have been busy creating quite a few novelty cakes and will post a few of my latest creations.

Fundraising for the Floods

2011-02-08T02:28:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks the Cake Gossip group has been busy with baking cupcakes, we baked 450 +
Jen Yap, Jenny and Hannah Wegner,Kellie and Sarah Ivory and Tiffanee and Brittany Coombes and Adam my handsome son ( he never reads my blogs anyway!) all mixed, spooned, baked and decorated one way or another beautiful rainbow swirls of cupcakes.
We then delivered them direct to some of the flood victims that were being housed temporarily at Warwick show ground at Ipswich.The weather was lovely as we left Daisy Hill but as we got closer we had torrential rain , strong winds and as we approached Ipswich a storm came through and our visibility to drive the cars was almost nil. We stopped several times as the roads had huge pot holes and I could not see the road markings! We eventually found the venue and delivered all the cupcakes and I realised then we were just scratching the surface of this huge life altering terrible experience to the families we saw.

We all wanted to help directly again so we put our ideas together and Tiffanee and Jenny thought about baking and selling cupcakes to local businesses.We then realised some businesses in fact all businesses have been affected in some way and so this might be putting more strain on them, by phoning around and asking them to buy the cupcakes, so we thought about having a cupcake stall, I mean how hard can this be with the amount of sausage sizzles every weekend at lots of stores?

Well our first point of call was at our local shopping centres.The cake gossip group are all cake makers based in and around Springwood, Beenleigh,Shailer park and southside of Brisbane.
So we called the Logan Hyperdome shopping centre and Springwood Centro shopping centre and they all said no as it was a conflict of interests as they had cupcake, cake shops and cafes.

I contacted Harvey Norman and they said yes as did Officeworks and eventually Bunnings agreed but we were looking for a busy indoor and air conditioned place( because of the cakes !) okay because we wanted to be cool!

Then I thought of contacting my favourite store Ikea ( who are not my favourite store now!) and they said no as they have allready helped with donations.

Kellie contacted Riverlink Shopping centre at Ipswich , which had been flooded and was under water, less than 2 weeks ago and yet was having a fund raising day with facepainting and activities and said a big Yes to us Wahooooo! With a bit of paperwork and uping my public liability to 20 million its easier to write the number then work out all the zeros! we had a venue! and yes they have coffe shops, cake stores and cafes too!

So On Friday Jenny turned up at 7.30am ( for those who know me I do not do early mornings and yes I know half of Australia have allready been awake for a few hours! I am more of a night owl! ) (That was a hoot!) and we got making the cupcakes and with a production line of baking and then Kellie and Jen arrived after the school run we went into baking and decorating mode. We spend almost the whole day and by 4pm the cupcakes were all boxed up ready for the next day. We made vanilla cupcakes and chocolate chip.

Albert and Logan came out to write about what we were doing and take a photo see link below

Click Here for paper article

A BIG Thank You.

We had donations of beautiful cupcake boxes from http://www.packagingplace.com.au/ thank you to Gary and his wife for delivering and donating them.( They are relocating to bigger and better premises which is great news.)
and our donation of yummy chocolate from Jimele http://www.jimele.com.au/

Driving through Ipswich it still looked like they had a lot more cleaning and repairs to do and you could see the level where the water had risen.We arrived at 8.30am Riverlink Shopping centre, the escalators were still not working or the lifts and my husband Matt and son Adam and I were met with a lovely warm welcome from one of the security girls( must have been all the boxes of cupcakes?) and we met with the other girls, Jenny and her husband Lindsay Kellie and her husband Don and daughter Sarah, we all got busy setting up the tables.What beautiful cupcakes and they all sold within 2 hours.We raised $1220 what a beautiful result.

We met lots of people that were blown away, when they found out that we had travelled from Springwood to help raise funds and it was going direct to the flood affected.We explained all our local shopping centres could not help and so we called further afield and we were all very pleased to help.

This shopping centre had been under water, the town and it surrounding areas flooded and yet a few weeks later was fundraising! and all the local residents came out to support this and they themselves had been terribly affected and so it was really good to be a part of that.

Today Kellie and I went and purchased with the money raised, 3 lovely fridge freezers for the Lockyer Valley flood victims, from our cupcake fundraiser on Saturday. They will be delivered to the families free of charge from The Good Guys.

What can I do next?

I am planning on a cake decorating fundraiser so that we can all meet up raise money and further our cake decorating skills all in one day and meet with other like minded cake decorators. All monies will go to the flood appeal, not just a percentage but 100% I will be posting more info soon on this blog and on facebook.

I like this quote I read recently "Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever."

Have a good week xxxx

Brisbane Floods

2011-01-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

To everyone that reads this blog I hope you are all safe and dry.What has happened over the last few weeks and over the last few days has been heartbreaking, to see on the news.

My home was flooded a week before Christmas and only ankle deep in water but just seeing the house like this I burst into tears and there within a few minutes was my lovely neighbour and family with towels helping to clear the water and clean up.I do not live near any rivers but the amount of rain and being at the bottom of a sloping rd , the drainage from the house could not cope.

This is insignificant to what is happening now and so I urge you to make a donation to the Queensland floods.
You can make a donation to the Premier's Disaster Relief Fund by phoning 1800 219 028 or visiting

www.qld.gov.au/floods/
or Donate by phone 0600 – 2300 7 days on 1800 219 028

My cakefriends and I want to help and so we are having a bake off of cupcakes to take to the various shelters,this coming Monday, if you are wanting to donate your time to help, please contact me on 33882453

Happy New Year for 2011

2010-12-30T05:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years wishes to you all.

I have just finished teaching a 3 day workshop watching, beautiful 3 tier square mad hatters be created. I have just uploaded a new cake class video with filming of the class and my new cake studio.Yes it is finally up and running, with thanks to Logan Council.This is viewable on my cake classes page of my website.

I have some great news to share,

Laurel Edwards from the Great South East show filmed a baking cup cake class with me in my new cake studio with her filming crew, producer and my great supporting friends, we all had a fantastic day of filming and you may see another class filmed later on next year! Laurel also loves to bake and I could tell from the minute she arrived in the class she was going to enjoy herself.They were only scheduled to be here for a few hours but they ending up filming until 3pm and leaving with a goody box of cupcakes! no surprise there! The camera man was impressed with the cake studio and the lighting so you never know whats around the corner.I used to send dvd recordings of my cake decorating to my Mum and she said I should be on the tely with my cakes and I said to her what are the chances of that ever happening? So maybe she is organising a few things up there in heaven??????

My friends,Barb,Tiffanee, Jenny, and Jen were there to help me with the preparation the day before and I will always remember those days with great memories.The show will air sometime in April 2011 on a Sunday and it will be cupcakes and bubbly at my house and tv recording that afternoon of the show!

Christmas workshops at Logan Hyperdome library.

Just before Christmas I taught 3 days of classes with 2 days in a row at my local Hyperdome library.Both days had 2 classes the first being parent and children decorating cupcakes together and the second class Teenage cupcakes.
The attendees had to bring 4 cupcakes each and some had even got up early and baked beautiful cupcakes that morning.All the frostings and icings are provided by me and this year I decided to bring a Ronald McDonald"s House collection box and I asked for donations as I do not charge the libraries for any of the items and tools I provide and I was pleased to see the collection box fill up at the end of the 2 days! so for those that attended well done and keep this beautiful creativity going.Thank you to Barbara and my son Adam for assisting me on those days and for keeping the coffeeand the laughter flowing!

The 2 teenager classes attendees, had there names placed in a raffle and Laurel aged 16 who had just completed year 12 at Springwood High School, won the prize and attended a full days class baking cupcakes the following week with another group of eager cupcake bakers in my new cake studio.

There challenge this year was to bake 8 cupcakes, ganache cover with sugarpaste and they created a beautiful display of cupcakes on a decorated display board to take home.Beautiful results.

I was very pleased to have Waikay Lau photography attend a Childrens Christmas baking class and photograph the days events.His work can also be viewed at http://www.waikaylau.com/ and he also specialises in Weddings, portraits and event photography.

His lovely wife Jen of A little slice of Heaven and children Ashley and Jordan were also enthusiastic participants of the class. I have attached a slide show of the photos and they capture the whole day and all the events from the beginning of the day to the end, some very beautiful photographs and the cast is not too bad too!There are over 500 shots so make yourself comfortable and be wowed at the photography!I may just use a few for my book!

The photos also include my very good friends,Tiffanee and her 3 boys,Zac, Jacob and Noah,
Jenny and her daughter Hannah, Michelle and daughters Amanda, Zoe, and son George, all available for commercials and films involving yummy foods!

Happy New Year to you all.

Teenager Christmas cup cake class

2010-12-11T02:19:00.000-08:00

Just a short blog, Logan Hyperdome library have places still left for the teenager cupcake classes this Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th .Please contact the library direct to book Telephone 3412 4120

Date: 14/12/2010 Start Time: 4:00 PM End Time: 6:00 PM Attendee must be between the ages of 10 Years and 19 Years old.

Date: 15/12/2010 Start Time: 2:30 PM End Time: 4:30 PM Attendee must be between the ages of 10 Years and 19 Years old.

Calling all budding junior masterchefs! Join in a fun, hands-on workshop on how to ice and decorate Christmas Cupcakes with local cake decorator, Jackie Thompson. Please bring your own 4 uniced cupcakes to the event and a box/ container to take them home . Every attendee from both groups also goes into a prize draw to win an additional lesson with Jackie .

2010-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

December 2010
I hope you are all preparing for the Christmas season and making the most of your time with your loved ones.I have had a very busy couple of months and some very magical things happening, that will be in my next blog!

New cake classes and a new schedule are listed for 2011 in my cake class section so have a look.

Firstly I want to tell you about The Packaging Place www.packagingplace.com.au

Gary Lyon, the owner has available the extended tier cake boxes suitable for either 2 or 3 tier stacked cake, perfect for transporting larger cakes to their venues.I was given his contact details by Kellie one of my students and I tried contacting him and failed several times and left messages for him. Eventually I spoke to him direct and we organised a meeting time.I explained that my family members bring the boxes over from the UK as they are readily available there to buy, but because of packaging size the postal service will not post out to Australia.

I showed him the box design and after several test designs and cups of coffee later, (with no cake I might add! diet is going well!) We had designed the prototype.The box retails for around $20 and you can buy an extender if needed. I still place a large square cake board in the base of the box and then some gripper matt, than place my cake in the box, if it is a round cake board , this stops any soft corners when carrying the box.The box is an 18 inch square box.

It also has an easy flap opening, so the box can slide open for easy access.The Packaging Place also sell cupcake carriers with insert cards in the cardboard boxes, much more suitable than the plastic cupcake carriers, for our humid climate. The business also has a good selection of ribbon and variouus smaller cake boxes and cello bags and lovely packaging. Please mention my name if you place an order as I would like my next order for free!!!!!

Last weekend I attended a workshop organised by Mary Of Merrivale cakes and Crafts, Mary thank you and Sheryl for your kind hospitality.
The lovely, funny and creative John Quai Hoi, from Melbourne, was the trainer for a two day workshop in Highfields. The workshop, coordinated by Merivale Cakes and Crafts, attracted twelve Brisbane and Toowoomba experienced decorators.
Whilst I was attending we got to use a product called Menina Flower paste which was a really fine processed flower paste and the best I have used in a long while.It also available in some beautiful colours too. This was kindly donated by Filomenia and John the owners of http://www.harttoheartcakes.com.au/ for further details of this great Australian made product and you do not need an ANB to purchase from them.

I have also been busy with more new cake classes and the Chocolate panelled workshop which I cancelled in July was rescheduled in November and we had great results, photos to follow soon.
I have added some recent made cakes photos to the right and as you can see a mixed selection of some beautiful cake designs, made.

Ronald Mc Donald House has 2 centres in Brisbane did you know? one based at Herston (Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital and Royal Childrens Hospital) and one at the Mater (south Brisbane) and also one in Townsville.
They offer a home, away from home for families of seriously ill children who are undergoing medical treatment at nearby hospitals.You can donate your time, subject to being checked, donate your skills, cooking, reading, donate tinned and non perishable food,books, toys and gifts to be wrapped for Christmas and childrens birthdays .I visit the home several times a month as all the cakes I make in a cake class, I donate and are enjoyed by all!

It was only by chance I watched the Millionaire programme a couple of years ago on television, which featured one of the houses in Brisbane.This touched my heart because my son Adam was very ill when he was a baby and my husband and I had to travel to London several times to Guys Hospital and the Maudsley and we were fortunate to stay at my Aunts house in London, otherwise we would have been financially drained by hotel bills for the weeks of tests and scans. Adam is fine now, the only side effects is an untidy bedroom!!!!Apparently there is no cure!!!!

Please contact the Ronald MC Donald House Managers for further information.
RMH Herston Geraldine Donaghy 07 3257 0328

RMH Mater Vicki Meyer 07 3163 8606

RMH Townsvill Helen Tarttellin 07 47755600

Spring has sprung!

2010-10-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

Well I have been a little slack in writing these posts but anyway I am back on track!

My beautiful Mum passed away in July and nothing could have prepared me for it. I always talk about my Mum in most of my classes, as she has always encouraged me with my cake business. Mum was always for me to be working at home and being with my family more, instead of the long and late shifts as a chef. Mum always encouraged me to be creative as a little girl, nothing electronic in my day! and was a big fan of my baking and cooking attempts even at my young age.

For the past few years I have been recording my cake decorating of my cakes and deliveries to all the beautiful wedding venues with my dvd camera and then posting them on to my Mum who lived in the U.K. Great armchair viewing of the Gold coast, Mt Tamborine and the Sunshine coast. venues.She said it was better than any tourist commercial of Oz,after watching all the dvds I made!

After receiving another DVD she told me on the phone, how improved my cakes were, from being baked in the oven. I asked her what she meant and she replied so smooth and spotless. I had to laugh, as the DVD had footage filmed of ganached cakes ready to be covered with sugar paste! I laughed and said I wished they did turn out of the oven allready ganached but that was another part of the cake decorating! if only!

My Mum eventually went into a nursing home and was watching another dvd of mine,decorating a Mad Hatter as she was intrigued as to how it was stacked together and she asked me to record it as I made it. She told me as she was watching the DVD a care worker came into her room with a cup of tea.
Mum explained that it was her daughter ,decorating the cakes on the television. The carer replied yes dear of course it is, Mum thought she must probably think I am loosing my marbles!

Mum said the timing on the DVD was perfect,as I then spoke directly to the camera and said Well Mum this is the finished result I hope you have been paying attention as there will be questions when I call you next! The carer was gobsmacked and sat with Mum and watched a few more minutes of the DVD and Mum told me the carer ate some humble pie! Now thats the magic!

So a few close friends have known about my Mums passing and sent me beautiful cards, some gave me a beautiful vine which I have planted in my front garden . Everyday as I walk pass it, it is in a sunny spot just where my Mum always liked to be in life and is a gentle reminder of making each day count in life.Thank you for all those well meaning cards and emails.

I have tried to catch up with all business correspondance and emails and with the support of my lovely hubby and son and I am now back on track!

For those students that I cancelled classes with, nearly all did not want a refund and so re booked for another class and have since attended, thank you for your well wishes too.

We are, each of us, Angels with only one wing and we can only fly by embracing and supporting each other. Luciano De Crescenzo.

Debbie Brown in Brisbane

2010-07-02T03:50:00.000-07:00

Friday 2nd of July 2010

The last few weeks have been like a whirl wind I was very happy to sign up for all 4 Debbie Brown workshops that Sarah-Jane from Cake That, organised to be at the Mantra Hotel in Brisbane.
I had a great 4 days just playing with sugar paste no surprises there! Some of my good friends( who I have met through my own classes ) were great playmates! and we were up for the challenge with working with styrofoam instead of yummy chocolate cake anyway a few pictures are on the right.

I had a fabulous spiders web cupcake tower to create for a lovely bridal couple and a few more traditional Wedding cakes to bring me back down to Earth!

Okay so I have a few scrap bookers that follow my blog so listed below might be of some interest to you.

You are invited to the following event:

Scrap for a cure -OVARIAN CANCER CURE.12 hour scrap booking and papercraft expo.

$40.00 perhead which includes a light lunch and BBQ dinner

Date:Saturday, July 17, 2010 from 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM (GMT+1000)

Location: Strathpine Community Hall
Cnr Mecklam Street and gympie Road
Strathpine

Tickets on Offer.
Call Michelle on
0458 437 440 or
Email: scrapforacure@gmail.com
www.ovariancancer.net.au

For all of those with children, wishing you all a good school holidays and do some baking, cupcakes cookies whatever you like and add that extra free ingredient that all goodies should have ....love.

2010-06-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

Great news the PA S biggest morning tea raised $4,500.thank you for all that made a difference.

Queensland Cake Decorating Association's (QCDA) annual show at Mt Coot-tha.

This coming weekend.

The 3 day show is a great place to meet and view other peoples talent and also sit in and watch the demos, have a cuppa and a piece of cake of course! Afterwards have a wander around the beautiful gardens.

Queensland Cake Decorating Association's (QCDA) annual show at Mt Coot-tha.
The cake decorators association also display their groups creativity and the displays are absolutely lovely.You will also have the opportunity to purchase cake decorating tools and some great books also.

The show is open at the following times
Friday 18th June 12pm -4pm
Saturday 19th June 9.30am -4pm
Sunday 20th June 9.30 am to 3.30pm
Admission Adults $3
Children and mature people! $1

Biggest morning Tea.

2010-06-04T02:09:00.000-07:00

New cake classes are now listed for June, July, August and September 2010. Go to my cake class page on my opening page of my website.

Friday 4th June 2010

I was very happy to be involved and sponsor and judge the novelty cake entries at the PA Hospital biggest morning tea. What great entries, including an amazing 3D building cake of PA hospital and some saucy cupcake with various staff members. I donated a shoe and shoe box cake that was then auctioned for much needing funds.

Assisting the now very famous Dominique Rizzo, I first met Dominique 3 years ago as we are both involved in The Learn cook and Dine programme at Kitchenware-plus, she was not at the superstar status she is now! and watch out for her first new book later on in the year. I cannot wait a genuine book of receipes she creates, written by a genuine hands- on passionate foodie.

We had a a great time together with the task of judging and tasting the huge array of cakes pastries and slices! Sometimes my life is so harsh!!!!!

The amount of yummy chocolate delights was all too much! beautiful biscuits, slices cakes, cupcakes, even fudge and brownies were all tasted and judged and then tasted some more! They were then sold and the mornings events raised much needed funds to the ongoing cancer research.Thank you for all those that supported this morning.

The last few weeks have flown by, busy with classes, cakes and cake demonstrations at 2 more of my local librarys and I was met with a warm welcome, thank you.Both dates were fully booked out and its amazing how many other interesting topics the librays have going on so check out their websites for more details.

I still get a little nervous at the beginning and then after a few minutes of speaking ,I crack my classic joke " as you can tell from my accent I am not from around here.......I am from Daisy Hill " and that will normally break the ice! (English humour!!! cannot get away from it!) The event at Springwood library even got a mention in my local paper and its only taken me 6 years!

I often get asked do I miss chefing and the answer is yes. After watching Masterchef the other evening, I am now going to say no! They were creating canapes for a cruise ship moored in Sydney harbour.This reminded me of when I was head chef at a restaurant in Thornlands a couple of years ago.
We secured the contract to cater for the Redland Bay Film festival awards and I had to cater for 290 guests and staff.

The amount of planning and preparation that took in creating all that food! With 3 chefs assisting me and my fantastic apprentice Tiegan, who now works at Sirromet, pulled out all the stops and we worked like a well oiled machine thankfully with no misfires!

The venue was a Stradbrooke car ferry that was converted into a floating red carpeted restaurant .We had a portable kitchen installed with ovens that kept stopping and starting throughout the service! We actually sailed out into the bay for the duration of the evening and so everything had to be onboard, now that took some planning ! and as you might know by watching the Masterchef show, time is always against you. Anyway the night was a blast we had all been working 12+ hours and endorphines kicked in and everything went perfect .
I really felt for the contestants of the Masterchef show as that particuliar challenge was a really hard
challenge!Well done.

Now we are into the cold season remember kindness is contagious , so pass it on.

2010-05-04T00:42:00.000-07:00

Brisbane cake blog Tuesday 4th May 2010

The P.A Hospital are having the Greatest Morning Tea Thursday 20th May 2010

Celebrity and Brisbane Chef Domique Rizzo will be hosting and judging the bake off in which 3 categories for contestants to enter by paying a $10 registration fee to enter one category and $5 for each one there after.

The categories are as follows.

1. Cakes

2. Biscuits/slices.

3. Novelty/ decorated cakes.

Clich the link below for more information for registration.There are some great prizes on offer including a cake class voucher of mine!

http://www.pafoundation.org.au/.

Its been a mad hatters week! With Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland in mind I created a great cake for a lovely young ladies 16th birthday, check out her rabbit ears!She really had a Mad Hatters tea party.

I have also been busy with classes, new students all very eager and what great results as you can see.

A quote I smile everytime I read is, The reason why Angels fly is that they take themselves so lightly..................

Brisbane wedding cakes Monday 19th of April 2010

2010-04-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

New Bridal show in Australia
I had this email arrive to day so I thought I would show it.
A new weddings TV show to be filmed and aired in Australia.

They are looking for brides who are getting married this year (particularly in late May, June or July 2010). They want to ensure that we cover a wide variety of weddings – and so the bride could have a unique ceremony, unusual venue, a great mix or guests or just something that they feel sets them apart.
More details of the company, who they are looking for and contact details can be found on the casting page of their website:
http://granadamedia.com.au/casting

The last week I have been busy doing demonstrations at Beenleigh library, a lovely group of women turned up to watch my presentation and of course to have a yummy cupcake of mine at the end of the demo.
Busy with cake classes and again beautiful results, had my work appear in the latest Bride to be Wedding cake magazine, paid for a small 1/4 of a page (cost me an arm and a leg) and was happy to see they gave me 2 extra pages and other pictures of my work dotted around the magazine.

There was also a feature about cake classes and was really pleased to see I got a mention.

I displayed my cakes at a bridal fayre on the Saturday which raised much needed funds for the Cancer research and met a lovely bride to be who was looking for Super Mario bride and groom figurines. When I spoke to her about last weeks, Super Mario Wedding cake and I had my camera with me and showed her the pikkies, she was raptuous and wants the same cake! Who needs advertising? Then I was of up to the Sunshine coast for deliveries and then back in the city.
I also made a bagpipe cake, matching the clans colours of tartan, for a wonderful Scottish man who was celebrating his 80th birthday and a cute fairy mushroom cake for a little girls first birthday.
Sunday was the wedding cupcake tower workshop and really beautiful results again.

Remember sharing warms the soul..............

2010-04-12T08:09:00.001-07:00

Brisbane wedding cakes This Saturday 17th of April 2010 I am displaying my cakes at a local bridal fayre at Springwood Community Centre, Cnr of Cinderella drive and Vanessa Boulevard 10-2pm.
A gold coin donation is the entry fee to help much needed funding for this great supporting community centre.

Did you know you can drop off food cans and sealed food within date of course ! that can then be shared out to those needing this.
So get checking in your food cupboards and share that spare food that you have been bulk storing!

Their contact details are 38084529, please call them first if you have some food to donate.

Remember we can all make a difference in our community.

Monday 12th April 2010
I hope you all had a good Easter and ate lots of chocolate!

I had a busy week with classes and cakes and I would like to show a few of the cakes this week.

Almost a year ago I was contacted by a bride to be and asked whether I could create a Super Mario Wedding cake, as you can see by my other picture in my website I love novelty cakes( as well as my traditional classic wedding cakes!) After a few emails back and forth and designs and with the help from my son as he used to play the game all the time I began my research.As only a buster move gamer ( I am unsure whether I have spelt that game name correct ) a Super Mario expert I have become, even though I have never played the game!

Bricks, turtle shells, sharp teethed flowers, the research began and I even discovered Super Mario is an Italian Plumber! Anway a fantastic design the bride sent to me to create and after I delivered and set it up at the venue, I was a little sad to see it leave my cake studio as I was drawn to looking at it!
It was wonderful to open my emailson Sunday to see the bride and groom had sent me an email with a big thank you and with the words, Wow, Wow and more Wows!!!!! Now thats the magic in cake creating..... Have a great week.

www.contemporarycakes.com.au

2010-03-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

Brisbane wedding cakes Happy Easter to you all.

Well I said I would never write one, ( have not got enough time !) but here it is my first entry into my blog! I cannot promise this blog will be written every week, but at least ever other ???? Below is some very exciting info about junior masterchef and I have to announce this to the world! at least Brisbane anyway.

I am also pleased to announce I am sponsoring the childrens category in cake design at the Ekka this year.

This now leads me to Junior Masterchef Newsflash

You can apply at the website below, all info. is listed there.

http://www.juniormasterchef.com.au/

They are looking for children aged between 8 and 12 years from all over Australia to apply for there new and exciting series of Junior Masterchef. (You must be between 8 and 12 years on the 3rd of May 2010.) If you love cooking and want to show off your skills in front of our judges, you can apply to take part and have the chance to be crowned the first ever Junior MasterChef Champion, Australia!

What they are looking for:
You need to be very enthusiastic about cooking and spending time in the kitchen.

You need to be adventurous and open to learning new skills. Ideally cooking is something that you do often (or at least helping your family cook).
You need to have cooked some things on your own before (or under your parent's supervision).

You need to have several things you like to cook that you can cook for the judges.

You need to be prepared to take some criticism (the judges may like some of what you cook, but there is also a chance they may not like other things about it).

The judges will be looking for how well you can cook and how delicious your food tastes, but they will also be looking for your potential. This means you may not be perfect at everything now but you could be one day.

And you can't be scared of being on camera!
So go on and apply.

I would like this blog to be of some use to you all, not just about all my cakes made this week ...........but information, ideas, cake decoration and recipes also.

The cake gossip group began last month at our next meeting we will be discussing the Mt Coot- tha show and I am encouraging all to enter the various cake competition design categories.

The 3 day show is a great place to meet and view other peoples talent and also sit in and watch the demos, have a cuppa and a piece of cake of course! Afterwards have a wander around the beautiful gardens.

Queensland Cake Decorating Association's (QCDA) annual show at Mt Coot-tha.
The cake decorators association also display their groups creativity and the displays are absolutely lovely.You will also have the opportunity to purchase cake decorating tools and some great books also.
The show is open at the following times.
Friday 18th June 12pm -4pm
Saturday 19th June 9.30am -4pm
Sunday 20th June 9.30 am to 3.30pm
Admission Adults $3
Children and mature people! $1

Easter is a great time to collect all those plastic packaging from Easter eggs from the stores.The packaging trays the packaged eggs are displayed in, recycle them, some make perfect cupcake transporters.Just place the packaging into a cake box, and your cupcakes will not move around and also not be touching.
I used to use some packaging from mini pastries bought at the restaurant I used to work at and would cry if the staff binned them, so get out there and recycle them.They also are perfect for storing your sugar flowers.I also use steradent tablet styrofoam packaging as they are perfect for storing paste colour pots/ jars as they just fit snuggly (and no I do not have false teeth! not yet anyway! If I eat any more cakes I might !)

The last few weeks, I have had new group of cake decorators who put my cupcake recipe to use, baked the gorgeous cup cakes and decorated using a lovely colour scheme and edible detailing, all very pleased with their results. Tiffany Cake workshop had lovely results also. Last weekends bride and groom workshop, the girls were full on into their hair designs and tiaras once I showed them how to . I demonstrated 4 different hairstyles and we all went for the long cascading designs, truely romantic...........

Here are cakes made this week..........