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