A True Honor And A New Cake Adventure ?

A dear friend who lost his wife just about a year ago gave me a call to ask if I would make his wedding cake.


What a joy filled my heart to be asked a question like that. He was marrying his late wife's best friend and prayer partner, so I didn't think twice about saying yes to him. I knew I could make one of the best cakes he ever tasted and felt very comfortable with (almost) any design they would request.

My only unbending standard is that all my creations are iced with buttercream. I order Amish butter online for my family that makes baked goods (and everything else it touches) taste like a sweet dream. They ordered a carrot wedding cake with a Red Velvet groom's cake. No problem. Right?

Creative Baking


Two weeks before the wedding, I decided to make some test cakes to be sure the carrot cake recipe I was going to use would be as good as the white cake recipe I usually serve. My family loved having all the cakes to eat.

I finally settled on Lorelie's Best Carrot Cake recipe but I cut back on the sugar, whipped the egg whites separately and folded them in last, substituted cardamom and nutmeg for half of the cinnamon, substituted coconut oil and butter for the corn oil, added a little almond extract and lemon flavor with the vanilla and left out the raisins.
<3>Tea Cakes?
I also wanted to try to make a Red Velvet cake without the artificial color. So I brewed up some hibiscus tea and reduced it to a bright, bright red color. I made a tray of test cupcakes using the rest of Lorelie's Red Velvet Cake recipe.Fail! As soon as I added the concentrated tea, the color turned brown.

I baked up the cupcakes anyway. They were DELICIOUS and brought new meaning to the name, "Tea cakes". For this wedding, I stuck with Lorelie's recipe and used the *sigh* artificial red food dye. My color experiment was worthwhile, because now I really want to try baking cakes successfully with tea and natural food colors. Hmmm, a new business??? Maybe.

Royal icing Flowers


Another challenge to this wedding cake was the request of the bride to use the colors black, white and plum. When you use buttercream icing, it never turns out white. So I decided to have
all the color requests in the flowers that I made with Royal Icing. I made the flowers days in advance to allow the colors to fully mature. I had their wedding invitation to be able to tint the icing to the perfect shade of plum. The funny thing was that the wedding decorator did not have as fine a success with the color so the colors at the venue were more of a purple. Oh well, it didn't clash too badly.

Grooms Dream


It was also a personal challenge to top the groom's cake with what he requested - a little football and a computer. I know he was thinking to put just pieces of plastic on there, but I couldn't do that. It would look so, so, plastic! compared to the rest of the cakes' details. My daughter has made some of the cutest gingerbread houses for her friends, so it was easy to figure out a way to top the groom's cake with something clever and edible. My icing did not work out as well as I wanted, but it was still attractive once it was all put together and effective. The cookies were delicious too.

The Most Popular


Because it was a second wedding for a "mature" couple, I figured it was not going to have all the pomp and food that a first-time wedding would. I figured the cake would be the main refreshment. I decided at the last minute to make a third cake, a traditional white wedding cake, for anyone who might not want either of the two flavored cakes. I was glad I did. The white cake was the one people really wanted and disappeared in a matter of minutes.

Compliments All Around


Everyone completely enjoyed all the cakes; I got nothing but compliments and applause for their exceptional flavor as well as their beauty. But it was the look on the bride's face that really made my heart fill with thankfulness and joy to be able to bring to her wedding exactly what she was hoping for. She had lost her first husband over 35 years ago, and I'm sure she never thought she would find herself a bride again.

Being able to make a unique cake especially for her and my friend is a pleasure I can not fully describe. I am honored to have this talent to offer some very special couples.

Comments for A True Honor And A New Cake Adventure ?

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Nov 11, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		WOW!
by: Lorelie

Melisa What a great story. So touching. I also LOVE your creativeness with the recipes. Amish butter sounds like it would be fantastic too. I'm sure the couple was very happy with your special touches and incredibly delicious creations. Thank you for your tips and story and beautiful photos. I am sure that many people will see your creation and be quite inspired by it. One more thing the "Tea Cakes"idea. Go For It!!!!!
Nov 11, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Great story!
by: Melanie

Great story! So glad that all the experimenting paid off and that all the cakes were a hit!
Nov 11, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		such an awesome story!
by: Tracy Anderson

That is an awesome story. Your cakes are beautiful!
Nov 12, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Love it!
by: Jessica

Beautiful cake & story
Nov 12, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks Everyone
by: Lorelie

Thanks Melanie, Tracy and Jessica for stopping by and saying a few words about Melisa's contribution :-)
Nov 13, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I thank you all too.
by: mpbusyb

I love the cake-bakers community. You are all as fine and beautiful as your cakes. Thanks for the kind comments. They are very encouraging.

Melisa

Afterthought: Do you all ever watch Cupcake Wars??? I do find it odd that when the contestants go back to the waiting room while the judges discuss their presentations that none of the bakers talk to each other. Or maybe they do, but the footage doesn't show it. I know I would be talking after all that adrenaline and with all that anticipation. ;-)
Nov 13, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Backstage
by: Lorelie

Thanks Melisa from all of the bakers in the community :-) Cupcake Wars: I have watched it a few times. I don't think I have ever watched the entire show because I never saw the backstage stuff. Most likely they want to create tension and drama or maybe ask them not to speak? I'm so sure they chat it up and support each other when the cameras are off. I know I would :-)
Feb 09, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		butter
by: Betsy Jo

Would you please share your online source for Amish butter. I have not had real homemade butter in 35 years. Store bought butter is not the same. Please share.....Thank you
Feb 10, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Butter
by: MPbusyB

Hi Betsy Jo,
This is where I get my Amish butter. http://www.minervacheese.com/ I am able to get bulk pricing because I order all my Minerva products in cases. When the Amish butter goes on sale, I buy a whole case. I also contact all my interested friends and offer them the same discounted prices. I don't mind splitting up cases for them. Everyone walks away with delicious dairy at really good prices. It's like a dairy co-op.

If you don't want to deal with online purchasing, I would look into local butcher shops and meat processors. They will carry the "hand" rolled butter. It just won't be Minerva so I cannot vouch for the flavor. If the butterfat is higher, it will make better baked goods. :-) Melisa
Feb 10, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		BUTTER
by: BETTY

Thank you for the Butter information I appreciate it very much.

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