Kates 1st Birthday cake

As is usually the way, things don't always turn out the way you planned. I had initially thought Stiletto Studio would mostly do parties and dessert tables, but it turns out the most popular thing - at least starting out - is cakes! So I taught myself how to make them, how to tier them, how to cover them in fondant, and voila! Now cakes are what I advertise the most (and let's be honest, what I EAT the most... :))

This is undeniably my favourite cake so far. I planned it over a few months, but as is usually the way with me, didn't really know how it would turn out until the day. Luckily, cute little 1 year old Kate LOVED it! What a cutie pie.

There were three parts to it - the main feature was a two tiered mud cake, plus vanilla cupcakes, and a sponge "smash cake". The smash cake was rainbow colours, since I figured that'd look all cute and mushy if it really WASH smashed

Plus y'know, it looks purdy :)

Started well, didn't drop anything, didn't have a break down, didn't run OUT of anything, even the icing went on the way I told it to! I'll let the photos tell the story:

Happy Birthday to Kate!

This week I'm working on some mini cupcakes for Kates mum, then a book club party, Christmas picnic night out, and a late Thanksgiving party the weekend after!

- B xx

These are a few of my favourite things

I can't believe it's literally been WEEKS since I last updated, especially when there's been so much to update! I wonder if it's possible to get writers block even though you know what you want to say.... Maybe it's just called procrastination :)

The end of October was a bit of a mad house for us - my mum had a birthday, and I left the next day (Halloween) for a week in Melbourne. I'm gutted I wasn't in a position to have a Halloween party! but there's so much around on the internet even now with details of fantastic Halloween events, I figured I couldn't do something half hearted. I still have the gorgeous Monkey Moo Moo printables I won from Following Phubie and think I may still use them to do a practice table spread so they get some love, and have a late Halloween :)

In the meantime, we had a dessert buffet for Mums birthday that we themed "These are a few of my favourite things" from The Sound of Music. I threw it together on the day for a night of sugary goodness with some of mums closest friends.

The frangipani canvas at the back was what I gave mum for her birthday, and the food was a combination of all her favourite desserts - as well as some for our neighbour Tony who shares her birthday (the duck cake back right was for him)

We had chocolate and cream fairy cakes (with chocolate icing, too yum)

Vanilla and cream butterfly cakes - mums special favourite AND her

specialty

And these vanilla slices/custard squares which were DELICIOUS. I've never tried to make them before, and found this recipe for Denheath Custard Squares over at Mrs Cake . We changed them a little bit and left out the coconut, but they are still ridiculously good

Look at all the custardy goodness. EEK.

Mint slice truffles for a twist on my usual truffles using mums favourite biscuits, and the green candy melts I won from Mrs Cake

Probably shouldn't have used so many green melts this close to Christmas... But you can't have mint and not use green...!

These were plain chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing, and the little circles of fondant were crazy easy to make using some new impression mats I got from Kiwi Cakes

There were a few dessert favourites (including chocolate self saucing puddings) which we left out because we wanted to keep everything to finger food and/or one serve and easy to eat on your lap, so we ended up using shot glasses for the chocolate mousse from some of Mums favourite places to visit

Ridiculously easy to prepare and set up, and actually a really good size serving!

The cake was plain chocolate with a layer of cream and a really rich chocolate ganache

Because it was only done on the day, and because of the layer of cream it was too complicated to cover the cake in rolled fondant like I usually would, but it actually ended up looking really cute with just fondant details - raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, white dresses with blue satin sashes

And little Maria (who was much easier as a nun!) is still sitting in our kitchen keeping an eye on things

Was a good night had by all - and the leftovers were even better!

Happy Birthday mum!

- B xx

P.S - Since the party I came across this ADORABLE Sound of Music party at Sew Weekly - it warrants a visit! The little kiddies in their curtain-outfits are far too cute.