Lock and key cake

 

This Lock cake was almond cake with marzipan filling. Key was made of fondant. This cake was inspired by the escalating turmoil in the Middle East. Human beings are most cruel to their own species whereas animals only show aggression when in fear or hungry.  When will this end? Desperately praying for a world of peace and freedom from aggression. 

“There's a Palestine that dwells inside all of us, a Palestine that needs to be rescued: a free Palestine where all people regardless of color, religion, or race coexist; a Palestine where the meaning of the word "occupation" is only restricted to what the dictionary says rather than those plenty of meanings and connotations of death, destruction, pain, suffering, deprivation, isolation and restrictions that Israel has injected the word with.”
― Refaat Alareer, Gaza Writes Back

“If you expect the worst, you'll never be disappointed.”

― Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key

Nail Polish cake

Getting our nails done has become quite popular ritual in today’s society, especially before big events, or during summer when we all want our nails to shine.

The first nail salon dedicated to nail care was opened in 1878 in New York City. Founder Mary Cobb learned about nails in France, and then brought the concept to NY.  The idea soon caught on with big companies such as Cutex and Revlon in the early 1900s. Cutex launched its first nail product in 1911 with a product to soften the cuticles around the nail. They also created liquid nail polish in 1925 and for a while nail polish was referred as “Cutex”.

Revlon began by inventing nail polish that was made using pigments instead of dyes in 1920. By 1932 nail polishes were sold in drugstores and department stores, making it available to the masses.

Acrylic nails appeared In 1957; a dentist named Frederick Slack broke his nail at work. He ended up patching it up with aluminum foil and dental acrylic. The look of the nail was so good that he collaborated with his brother to create and then patent the acrylic nail.

Today nails are a multi-billion dollar industry and still growing thanks to social media.  Nail art of today is more than just part of grooming but has been exhibited in Museums; It is creative, glamorous, and even over the top and sometimes downright scandalous.  Our nails are a vehicle to express who we are or who we want to be.

This cake is ode to our expression of self. The bottle was a carrot cake with cream cheese filling and the lid was an almond cake.  This cake shows breathable, halal nail polish. Halal certification has become an important element in the Islamic communities of the world.  Breathable nail polish allows water to penetrate. 

Enjoy

A woman is helpless only while her nail polish is drying.

 

Teacup cake

I grew up in a place where socializing over a cup of tea was the norm.  Anytime anyone came for a visit we put the kettle on.  There are hundreds of tea flavors, but our favorite was a simple black tea steeped in a teapot.

Tea is known to contain caffeine which stimulates the central nervous system thereby making us feel alert and focused after drinking a cuppa.  Tea also contains an amino acid, “L-theanine” that promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety. L-theanine increases the levels of a neurotransmitter called gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) which reduces the stress response in the brain. And when we combine theanine with caffeine in a cup of tea we experience a boost in our brain activity as well mood.

This cake was fun to make. I first made a white chocolate cup using a bowl as a mold, then I filled it with the fruit and nut cake and mascarpone cream filling. The birthday girl did not want to cut it.

So, let’s socialize with a cup of tranquility and a slice of a teacup cake!

 

Black Channel purse cake

 

Another Channel purse, the sign of elegance, luxury and status.  Personally, I believe a purse is just a pretty accessory to carry essentials.  I have no interest in radiating status and wealth by carrying a handbag with a charmed designer inscription.  A handbag can be a practical and beautiful accessory without clamorous proclaimation “Look! I am rich”.   I would rather spend on helping someone with eye surgery to regain sight. 

Nevertheless, designer handbags are indeed works of art much coveted and enjoyed by the elegant ladies of the 21^st century.  This designer handbag was a cranberry and walnut cake with whip cream filling. It was fun to make, especially the texture on the flap.  Enjoy!

 

I want to speak up and tell you that mascara and clothes don't make you cool, neither do name-brand handbags, but being a leader can.    Renee Olstead

Handbags, I don't at all like them because they occupy my hands. My hands always have to be ready in case I need to slap somebody.    Miriam Defensor Santiago

Kitchen mixer cake

 

This cake is an ode to edible art that delights all the senses. Baking is not just creation of tasty treats; it is also an experience, an art that brings joy and comfort. I find baking extremely therapeutic and a fabulous source of stress relief.  Imagine the feel of relaxed content when the house fills with the fragrance of a freshly paked pie.  

I made this mixer cake for a lovely friend who bakes fabulous cakes and confections.  The stand was supported by fondant, the top was rice crispie treats and the bowl was made of chocolate with vanilla cake and canoli filling with walnuts. Yum!

 

 

“In the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips.” – Salman Rushdie

 

Red Hat Cake

First record of a hat is in a painting in a cave at Lussac-les-Chateaux in Central France and it dates some 15.000 BC.  Hats have been worn as a symbol of status, as protection from cold and sun, for safety and also for identification. 

I love the colorful hats that Queen Elizabeth II used to wear, so perfectly matched with her outfits. Over her 70-year reign, she established the hat as a symbol of sophisticated elegance.  She was a legend; the epitome of charm, grace, dignity, honor, wisdom, strength, compassion and humour. She managed to live in quiet dignity above all the noise.

I would have liked to have met her and perhaps present her with this hat cake. It is a walnut-craisin cake with cannoli filling.  Rest in peace your majesty! This cake is for you. 

 

Candy cascade cake

 

Have a Cuppa Candy

Americans are known for their food indulgence and obesity, however, it turns out that less than 2 percent of all calories in the American diet come from candy.  So candy is not the culprit for obesity but tooth decay is definitely caused by sweets.   Sugar in candy interacts with specific bacteria in mouth, producing enamel-demineralizing acids. These acids strip essential minerals from tooth enamel. Once the enamel is weakened, teeth are much susceptible to cavities, followed by pain, sensitivity, tooth decay, and eventually tooth loss if left untreated. Nevertheless, candy remains a universal symbol of sweetness and joy. 

Did you know that M&Ms were originally created for soldiers in World War II? The hard candy shell was designed to prevent the chocolate inside from melting in high temperatures. This made them an ideal snack for soldiers on the battlefield.

This was an almond cake with marzipan filling. A cascade of M&Ms into a cup of caramel. Enjoy!

"Getting a sugar rush, one candy at a time."

Shirt tie cake

 

Shirt tie cake for my brother’s birthday.  It was a plain vanilla cake with chocolate ganache icing.

"Dressing well is a form of good manners." - Tom Ford 

My brother is pretty suave and well dressed in a traditional and rather old fashioned, British style.  He wears these three piece suits accessorized with pocket watch. He refuses to wear comfortable jeans and sweats so popular in this day and age.  I think this dress shirt reflects his personality quite well.

"A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life." - Oscar Wilde

 

Roller bag cake

 

After an early retirement from a biological research career I work hard at avoiding periods of sedentariness. Now that I have time, I have dedicated myself to see the world and perhaps cross off some of the destinations on my bucket list.  I love the adventure of travel; I love flying despite the inconvenience of body scans and pat-downs.

I have no qualms taking a leap of faith, and imagination when I board a plane for some faraway land, hoping, for a taste of the inexpressible. Travel is one of the few activities we engage in, not knowing the outcome on the contrary we revel in that uncertainty.  We eagerly squeeze into a seat to be hurled at frightening speed to a distant place of unfamiliar language, architecture, geography and customs---- All at great expense. If we stopped to calculate the cost vs benefit; we’d never go anywhere. Yet we do.  Travel brings the best educational experiences; it enriches our lives in ways no books, blogs or vlogs can. 

After our pandemic of disappointments I believe we appreciate travel more today. We tolerate the inconvenience of body scans and security checks for the privilege of transporting ourselves to novel locations and exotic experiences. Ibn Battuta said “travelling leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller”;   Boy do I have stories to tell!!!

This cake is for a fellow adventurer; a carry on roller bag cake. It was a plain vanilla cake with a cannoli filling. 

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” – Susan Sontag

Channel purse cake

 

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous."- Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and businesswoman. She famously lived her life according to her own rules declaring "I decided who I wanted to be, and that is who I am". In the early 1900s she was a pioneering designer who simplified silhouettes and freed women from corsetry. Her garments infused menswear sensibilities into her patterns and fabric selections. She was first to use cotton jersey in womenswear, introduced the little black dress, and made bouclé jackets and skirts a style staple. Now, more than a century since she opened her maison, Chanel’s legacy continues to inspire.

This was a Channel inspired purse cake for a dear friend's birthday. It was a vanilla cake in different shades of pink with cannoli filling.  

Coco Channel's fabulous quotes are super inspiring. 

"Fashion changes, but style endures."

"You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irresistible for the rest of your life."

"Elegance is when the inside is as beautiful as the outside." 

"You live but once; you might as well be amusing."

- Coco Chanel