Wedding Cake Project - Part 1

This year is a milestone. 

I received my first wedding cake order, and I have mixed emotions. Excited, nervous, inspired, overwhelmed by ideas and resources. Yikes! I have done special occasion cakes here and there, but not for an order as large as this one - so this is a learning experience, and a test not only to my baking, but also to my time management skills- ahem.

I am either super obsessive or a professional procrastinator, it just depends on the project, but no worries - I also deliver during crunch time. Luckily - I am leaning towards OCD on this one and I have a very strategic approach... so I tell myself. I have been researching, I have PowerPoint slides,  I have spreadsheets. I am literally project managing myself.

The client is a co-worker of Meghan's who happened to ask if I made wedding cakes, so we exchanged emails and covered the basics - I was honest and let her know that I was a humble home cook and that she should look into professional bakeries if she was not confident in my abilities, but somehow she seemed to believe in me. I am very fortunate to have a client that not only is extremely sweet but very easy going. She shared her ideas and suggestions but basically said I could run with whatever I thought would be best. 

Best. First. Wedding. Client. Ever. 

I am very determined to make the cakes as beautiful and as special as their wedding day very much deserves. 

Here are the details so far:

1. When: November, this means the weather will be cooler, (at least for FL weather) thank goodness. 

2. Where: Reception is indoors. Can I get an Amen!

3. What:

A tiered cake

Grooms Cake

Cupcakes

4. Theme:  Beach

5. Flavors: 

Wedding Cake:

Vanilla Chocolate Marble Cake

Filled with Bavarian Cream and Chocolate Ganache

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

**Later updated that top tier is to be Gluten-Free because of food allergy**

Cupcakes:

Same flavors as the wedding cake

Grooms Cake:

Chocolate Cake

Filled with Chocolate Ganache

Chocolate and Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Chocolate covered strawberries

6. Design: 

At first they wanted a smooth fondant look with accents of shells and starfish, but later changed their mind to add texture with a blue ombre effect. Here was my initial sketch doodle of the concept - 

My plan is to to a 10"/8"/6" tiered cake, with the middle tier being tall. 

(I know, my drawing skills are earth shattering - Move over Picasso!)

Then I doodled this one:

That actually is part of the word "scraps" - haha.

Then this one, which is the design I am going with:

I have been practicing piping techniques, testing recipes, sending samples (click here to see test run), and using the poor unsuspecting employees of Bert Fish Rehab Center as guinea pigs. So far I have gotten very positive and encouraging reviews!

I am about to hit the 1 month timeline before the wedding date. So stay tuned -I will be ramping up enormous amounts of buttercreams, syrups, and gum paste and chocolate seashells, and of course blogging through my successes and not so glorious moments. 

Jump to Wedding Cake Project - Part 2