My first attempt at stacked cake!

Since I really adore this butterfly and mine was still moist, I asked for one from Wiz!! Notice the beautiful ribbon insertion and also some of the frills dah broken, he he!!
My butterfly, which was still moist, so I could only paste in on the cake! Notice the smock effect on the top tier! I love those frills, too!

The end result, hmm, still far from perfection!

I have many other posts that I meant to put up here, but I have to put this one up first...many reasons for that! Most importantly, I must express my gratitude and many thanks to my cikgu Wiz for wanting to coach me to do this cake...which I have been dreaming of doing, ever since I started my endeavour in baking!!!

The story went like this....knowing that I will be in my 36th or 37th week gestation last weekend, I had earlier on secured, confirmed and delivered all orders for June, the last being on Sunday 28.6.2009. That Sunday was supposed to be a free and easy Sunday, cleaning up my room (yes...I meant to do that from god knows when), put the baby cot sheet on, etc, etc......but earlier in the week, I read in Wiz's blog that she had held a stacked wedding cake class.....which of course I had missed...well, even if I wanted to attend, I couldn't as I couped up with my orders!
So, feeling devastated, knowing that this baby is going to pop soon, I contacted Wiz, asking her when she will be having another class, in the nearest possible time? You know Wiz being Wiz, just like me, I think (of course with my gentle pressure!) gave me a date which was last Sunday....since am a time bomb!!!

We, as in myself, Lina (DH's cousin's wife of RS Bakeshop, who attended sugarflower class with me earlier) and the sweet Kak Izan of izanlily.blogspot were there eagerly to menimba ilmu! I had this idea that Wiz will be showing us how to do a very simple wedding cake...but you know Wiz yang pemurah tu taught us so many modules....smock, swag, frill, ribbon insertion, sugar paste ribbon and of course the essentials of how to cover the cakes, stack them together, 3 different fondant and sugar paste recipes.......think what Wiz charged us were very minimal!

And, of course, not to mention the delicious lunch of roast chicken, potato salad, Caesar salad, cheesecakes with strawberries...the recipes for roast chicken and potato salad also included in that day's package..........

I also got my patchwork butterfly cutter/embosser which I have been dreaming of, ordered by Wiz, in exchange I ordered petunia veiner for her........I chose baby blue for my assemble that day...wanted to do periwinkle blue, but time was of a challenge to me, so I settled for wilton's cornflower blue (no mixing of colours needed), as I had to really count the ticking of the clock as I had promised to watch Transformers with the kids, and had to be home by 6 latest!

I rushed home at around 5.30, chucked the cake on my dining table and only took pictures of it yesterday...by which time, I realise that there were some ants on the frills...and as I was trying to get rid of the ants I knocked down and broke some of the frills, ayai yai.....never mind....think if I'm still ok this weekend, I will reconstruct another cake as my profile!!!!

St Nicks Mini Reunion Part 2

Moi, Elina, Serena, Ayu Ting Ting and Poh Poh

Poh Poh, Ting Ting, Elina and Serena
Poh and Ting Serena full of expression!

Pueh Fong and Poh

Elina and Poh, they never grew and looked like Form 4 students, just like I remember them to be!!

I had earlier posted a blog on my childhood friends....well I have many other childhood friends, but somehow these gorgeous people are the ones that are constantly on my mind...I didn't spend time from kindy with them, only to know most them when I moved to St Nicks in Alor Setar in 1978 and left for boarding school in 1984. But then all the things that we did....ah well, there were loads of fun that they went through but I decided not to join them then, as I was more a serious person then...only to regret now....so, now that we have met again, thanks to Sham and FB, I can only smile and enjoy those childhood stories especially what we did in school!!!

For this meet, Elina and I decided to take the day off. Chan Poh Poh, the brialliantest, cleverest amongst us, came back for a short holiday from Singapore. I can never forget this cili padi Poh Poh, we got staright A's for our SRP during our days, and our stories were covered in Utusan Malaysia, woo hoo...first and last time I masuk surat khabar. After that Poh Poh got Asian Scholarship and went to Singapore to further her studies and I went to SM Sains Perglih...yang forever tak dak ayaq!!! Now, Poh Poh teaches O Levels Bialogy, a subject that she detests in school, ha ha!!! Moi! You know what I like to do nowadays, he he!

After our lunch at the Curve, Elina and I decided to walk together to our cars, well, she had to hold my hands and I was having excruciating back pain, but when we saw Borders/Starbucks...we decided to stop for coffee and continued chatting, until we realise that I was almost 5 pm!! We talked about how what we dreamt of and self appraise actually became reality.....she wanted to work in huge departmental store like the series that she followed on tv when she was young, now Elina is a buyer for Eraman, a job I would trade for anytime!! And me, loved watching Little House On The Prairie and Eight Is Enough, hence, my career as a fulltime mom in mind and working part-time during the day, ha ha!!!

The next St Nicks' meet is scheduled to be in December, think we'll have a grand one this time as Naz and Vicky will back for their holidays, I can't wait, I can't wait!!! Love you girls, xox!!!

Green Wt Envy!

These orders came from a colleague who works in the same building. It started when her friend discovered my blog, and recommended her to order profiteroles...which she did, week after week...yes, am not exaggerating...then, when she discovered that I also bake cupcakes (for now, and whole cakes sooon!!), she announced to her other colleagues!!

Hence, the earlier order for hantaran in white and this, in green. Along with the white hantaran cakes earlier, I gave them some cakes for them to sample, hence, the order for extra cupcakes to be enjoyed with family! And, the extra cupcakes that the department ordered last Friday, for Friday tea....hai! Semangat-semangatlah my colleagues kat atas!!

Since all the cakes were going to be transported to JB, I decided to do fondant flowers to top the 50 vanilla cuppies! Thank you Fariza and Amelda for the orders, lain kali order lagi ek!

Coffee Break...

Yes, I need more than a coffee break...soon, that's what Dr Ashar said, he expects the baby to arrive in the next 2 or 3 weeks, baby is already engaged but in a posterior position...which explains why I have been excruciating back pain....ni I dok doa and zikir sambil-sambil so that he gets into the right position and I won't have a loooong labour!!!

Some updates....met my St Nicks friends for lunch...all verbal diarrhea, all want to talk at the same time, all different topics...will blog later! Did a Father's Day cake...the morning before pick up, the figurine patah kaki....so, instead of sitting on a bench, he has to lie flat and his kaki resting on the bench when the cakes were delivered, I suppose it was bound to happen......if not then some other time, ha ha....I panicked...nasib baik tak terberanak!!! Will post pics later, also!! Did hantaran cakes in green......huh hah, alhamdulillah sempat lagi.....last orders this Friday and Sunday...lepas tu dapur sejuk sekejap!!! Did a last minute request for a few hundred cakes, mula mula I wanted to turn down, but when I was told that it was for sedekah anak yatim and anak belajar tahfiz....I cair right away...so delivered 300 cuppies of 4 varieties of topping.....see my update later.......and best of all Khadijah represented her school's debate team, bravo, ikut jejak mak bapak....but chapter domestic goddess, she's way far from it.....but am so proud of you!!!!

Tra for now!!!xox

My daughter is also drooling over LVs..

Ain't it too early????? Hmmm Sofia Copolla monogram ye??? I pun tak updated on this latest design ni, al semenjak I sebok baking, my eyes are all for those beautiful cutters and veiners....even though as part of the "smelling of the roses" session that Mrs N, SW and myself had yesterday...we had a quick lunch at The Loaf in Pavi and I bought a pair of sandals from Charles and Keith...the one that I have been wearing for the past 1 1/2 years is giving way...tak sempat nak tunggu I tip toe to the labour room.....and yes, Mrs N and I glanced through some nice bags and purses in Furla (I love Furla...bold, simple, very meeee!), and if not for the baby stuff that I haven't bought and the baking classes and cutters and veiners that I'm drooling over...I would have happily purchased the imprinted peony grey colour rose patent laether wallet at Furla yesterday...the bags in Celine and Aigner pu lawa lawa jugak.......anyway, am happy with the one and only LV monogram that I have.......I am so sane now!!!!

Of Cakes and My Counting Days.....

Mannn...this back is really killing me...I was perfectly fine 2 weeks ago, suddenly I started having this heavy feeling.....must be the baby has dropped in the birth canal...I'll know this when I next go for my check-up!
I thought that June would be a breather for me, but alhamdulillah am booked until 26.6! More hantaran cupcakes coming and cuppies for doa selamat, thank you-s, etc...I just pray that I won't meletop before 26.6, which by then I should be around 36 weeks...hmmm very close!
Anyway, I had a bit of a breather last weekend, we went back to Ayer Baloi, the kids loved it there. I just read magazines, sewed the swaddle blankets, without the ofray ribbons that I bought from Haby's...dah tak tahan sakit pinggang, so I just did what I could!....Kak Ezza, I'll put up the pictures, later. I didn't even masak....no need when the lauks from the neighbouring warung is so sedap hingga menjilat jari, so just beli aje....have you tried assam pedas cili padi!? Nantilah, one of these days I will mengendeng from the makcik warung for the recipe!! It was only on Sunday that I made assam pedas ikan parang and ketam masak lemak...the kids makan the assam pedas with roti canai!! Typical of orang Johor!!
Anyway, here are some photos of my 3rd hantaran do for a wedding in Melaka...the theme was hitam putih...I suggested that the fondant be left in white saja....how can you have hitam-hitam when it was suppoed to be a joyous occasion and you are getting married...hubby kata...biarlah orang punya choice...but to make up for the black colour, I prepared a box decorated with black and silver laced where I put the cakes in.....okaylah kan!!! Hmm, sikit hari lagi I'll become a wedding planner pulak.....

Selamat Pengantin Baru Norli!

Norli is my office administrator...sweet girl, pandai pakai make-up...I always ask her about the tips on how to do up my face, but I end-up in my lipstick and eyeliner je.....tak reti and tak kuasa!!!

My so-called "penangan" food with Norli started when she ordered profiteroles...once, twice, every other week...until she realised that she had to control her cravings and the inches, otherwise she wouldn't fit in her baju pengantin, he he!!

So, came the bertunang day, she ordered some cupcakes as hantaran, I didn't put up any pictures as my computer with those pictures gave up on me! And, she had requested that I do the same for her nikah hantaran... so! Here's what I have created for Norli....we both love lilac and pink..initially she wanted the fondant in lilac and violet...but when we thought it over (hish! macam I yang nak kahwin!) we changed the colours to those below! Thank you Norli, I doakan you preggers soon ikut jejak langkah I!

P/s I can never thank Wiz enough for her tunjuk ajar with sugar flower and fondant, without you howlah to create all these....sempena Hari Guru...terima kasih cikgu!

My first attempt with roses using humble cutters from Bake With Yen...need to improve it, just got FMM cutters....so let's see the results later!!

Still Got The Blues For You.....

I told you I was very busy last week...thank god the office was quite quiet...as in I'm still waiting for certain approvals before I will proceed to prepare documents....!! So, that allowed me to focus on my baking!!!

After weeks doing vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with buttercream topping...think am pretty much cool about getting those orders, only to panic when the orders came in more than 50 pieces!! And now that am getting the assistance from Ms Kmix...my hands don't hurt so much....Bad kept on reminding me that I should let the handheld mixer's vibrations injure my muscles....ye lah pak doktor!! Anyway, doing the icing in huge batches...pun strain my hands!!

That is buttercream icing...with fondant pulak, it's less messy, but boy the kneading and colouring to get the right consistency......think soon, I have to let an ortho see my hands!

Anyway, for the love of fondant and cakes and the happy faces when I deliver all these little cups of happiness...I will persevere.....

And, that brings me to my first order for an engagement fondant cupcakes.....satu minggu I susah hati, wondered if it would be turned out okay or would it be rejected....hmm, ever since Zira ordered my vanilla cuppies for tea on one Saturday...she has been my regular pemakan cakes and brownies, etc!! She wanted something in blue and silver.....I pulak am not a person of many colours...in the end I decided to put a dash of ivory to add some contrast...and I so lurve the silver lustre that I dusted on the flowers...so here's the result!!Pictures taken in morning light in my "kew gardens" in my kitchen...following the advice of dear Chut Breakaway... Zira also ordered 30 extra vanilla cuppies for them to enjoy with family and to give some to the pengantin belah lelaki! I made the above cuppies and topped with my favourite colours lilac and baby pink daisy cut outs and of course my pearl beads.....if you ransack my cupboard, you'll find bajus and tudungs in hues of lilac and baby pink....and of course my universal colour...black and grey! Thank you so much Zira for the order, you guys enjoy the photo...and this song!xoxo

Farewell Doctors, Nurses, Happy Teachrs' Day and Hantaran...

Yes, I have been baking for the past weeks, think ever since I first made profiteroles for Mrs Nordin's daughter's birthday do...I have been creating a hiatus in the kitchen! But last week was total madness!! I baked everyday, from Sunday until Friday!! So, there were a couple of hundreds of cuppies with buttercream and fondant topping!! Hmmm, this Muhammad inside me just have to do the practicals when he is born, all the other modules about cupcakes more or less are complete, already! Ha ha!!

On Sunday I made some cuppies for dear Bad, he wanted to give away as farewell treat to his consultant doctors, nurses and fellow colleagues in UMMC, then on Tuesday I had to deliver cuppies for Liza (Bad's wife who's also a doctor) also as farewell treats to her fellow doctors and nurses. After they gave chocolate cherry cakes...the doctors and nurses asked for more!!! I couldn't spare any pictures here as I was really rushing for time, and the designs were more or less a reproduction of Bad's previous orders! Thanks Bad and Liza....our sofas have been constantly warmed up by Bad from his bachelor days and now he angkuts his whole family to also warm our sofas.....Bad and Liza are our family's consultants when it comes to medical advice and also teman to share our meals, especially during weekends....Bad is an endochrinologist, but when it comes to makan, he totally forgets about what he preaches to his patients!!! We so love to eat!!! I also had to bake cuppies for Umar's and Yusof's Teachers' Day celebration, I made Ben Ten on top of vanilla cuppies for Umar (as requested by him) and vanilla with chocolate ganache and buttercream topping for Yusof! Yusof specifically reminded me that he didn't want all those "botox" topping on his cuppies..."botox" referring to fondant, ha ha Yusof, Yusof!!

And I made cuppies for Razlyn's girls for Teachers' Day celebration (Yusof, Umar, Ibraheem and Razlyn's girls go to the same school!), but suggested to Razlyn that the girls do their own icing for the cuppies!! They had fun, and you can see how when one thinks out of the box, things work wonderfully beautiful! And with kids, I always believe that they do not have a pre-set mind and judgemental in their creations...so things turn really well! Thanks Razlyn for the order!

On top of all of the above, I had to prepare fondant decorations for the two hantaran cupcakes that I have to deliver over the weekend........gedebuk gedebaklah I.......but I'll keep you in suspense with the outcome...in the next posting! In the mean time enjoy the following pictures...... My first attempt at sugar roses using cutters from Bake With Yen, I dusted the petals with pink lustre....

Shahida and Nabilla... Cuppies by Shahida and Nabilla!

More cuppies by Shahida and Nabilla!!

Cuppies for Yusof...

Cuppies for Umar!