Sunday Sweets: Like Buttah
March 22, 2009 Buttercream icing, that is.
Yep, here's another fondant-free installment for you purists out there. I've got nothing against fondant per se, but I do agree that all-icing decorations are much yummier. Besides, it's nice to see what cake artists can come up with when they're limited to non-fondant options.
First up, Alison B. of Town Lake Cakes certainly knows where the wild things are:
Alison, will you tell us your secret to drawing such perfect characters? I'm guessing you used either a stencil or possibly hand-drawn chocolate transfers - am I close? Of course, whatever you used, I love the result.
Speaking of love, I am gaga for the bright colors and glass-smooth icing on this Abby Cadabby cake Shelly M. got for her daughter's birthday:
Isn't it adorable? And you'd really never know it wasn't fondant, the lines are so clean. The bakers over at The Cake Stand in McKinney, Texas clearly have some mad skilz.
You know how we're always getting down on grocery-store decorators? Well believe it or not, not all of them are illiterate goofballs; some of them are real artists. And a few of these artists are determined to change my mind on the horror of CCCs. Yeah, like that's gonna happen. [eye roll]
However, I will grudgingly admit that this Squidward CCC is darn impressive:
The decorator in question whipped this up for a customer on the spot at the grocery store where s/he works, but asked to remain anonymous. For those of you not up on your Sponge Bob characters, here's a reference shot of Squidward:
Nice, huh? Or at least, it looks like him. ;)
And lastly, Jody H.'s creation - also a Cupcake Cake, and also all buttercream - is flatly astounding:
Wait, wait, wait. A CCC...with airbrushing... and it's NOT a WRECK?!? I think my head may implode: clearly we've entered some kind of parallel universe here.
Oh, and if you don't recognize Jose, the famous "Jalapeno on a Steeck", watch this:
(Note to moms: vid includes mild language.)
Reader Comments (94)
wat kind of idiot doesent know who SQUIDWARD is????? :)
- M.r.H
Very glad to see butter cream cakes featured again. It takes a little extra skillz to make a kick ass butter cream icing cake, is all I'm sayin'.
OMG, The Cake Stand is SO GOOD! Can't believe people think grocery store cakes are high quality *eye roll*. In their defense, a real bakery is hard to find in this super suburban area. SO GLAD T.C.S. is close!!!
Jeff Dunham has amazing talent and is HILARIOUS! I want a jalapeno on a steeeek cake!!!!
WOW I can't believe I'm a Sunday Sweet!
KariAnn & Karen - you guessed it. They're frozen buttercream transfers (FBCT for short) You can tell for sure because they're BACKWARDS - I forgot to flip the pics before I put them on the cake, then decided I liked the new layout better anyway.
I wanted some extra dimension so I embellished the characters after they were on the cake by adding teeth, claws, hair, and a few other things on top of the finished FBCT.
I really just loved this cake.
BTW Anybody interested in the FBCT technique can find it on cakecentral.com
I wonder if I should collect my jaw from the floor before or after commenting.
The "Where the Wild Things Are" has to be the coolest cake, ever. And the CCC's? I don't think I would have recognized that they WERE CCC's unless you pointed that out. Of course, Squidward and Jose are just about the only figures you could make with a CCC.
I would venture a guess that the characters on the Wild Things cake are buttercream transfers. Basically they are traced in buttercream (backwards) onto acetate of wax paper and frozen. Then they are flipped onto the cake. If you look carefully they are a bit raised from the surface. Cool trick that was executed perfectly!
What is a CCC??
I feel I am not in the secret 'knowing what a CCC is' club. D:
Ruby x
MrH,
Oddly enough, though I am married to the author of this blog, was an avid cartoon watcher in my youth and consider myself to have above average intelligence, I have not a clue who Squidward is. In addition, it saddens me that a word like "Idiot" which originally meant mentally handicapped, has become a flippant insult for one who lacks understanding. Ah well. You put your name so it got published.
ta,
john
Thanks for going fondant-free again. Fondant is the modeling-clay of the cake-world (and just as edible).
The cupcake cakes illustrate something important: a comfort with the artisitic medium. Squidward seems the perfect subject for such a cake--his shape adapts perfectly to being made of circles. The second cupcake cake reflects a truly accomplished cake artist--recognizing the potentials and limits of what can be done on the edible canvas.
The others are great also.
I freaking LOVE all of thees!!! I love Squidward and think that CCC is perfect (the only one so far)!
Jeff Dunham's no more racist than some of the other so-called comedians out there.
Even Gabriel Iglaseis makes fun of his own heritage. Geez.
~Amy B
It's Spongebob. Spongebob. ONE WORD! Spongebob!
Mr. Cakewrecks = hottie. I can feel it.
Mr. H = The guy Brad Paisley sings about...
And fwiw, I always thought his name was Squidworth. Go figure.
RE: Laura's comment about Jeff Dunham -- he's a COMEDIAN sweetie. You're ulra-hyper-sensitive, and PC to an inappropriate degree. It's a beautifully done cake -- get a grip.
I love that you featured non-fondant stuff. I think it shows madd skills when things come out amazing using frosting.
Alison who made the Wild Rumpus cake - I want you to know that you're my hero. Transfer or no, that is some brilliant stuff.
I'm guessing the first cake was done using a frozen buttercream transfer, one of my favorite techniques. It's lovely! (On a steeck!)
I think Squidward is the perfect shape for a proper looking CCC. Perhaps the only one?
I Want a jalapeno on a stick cake, NOW!
I LOVE Jose, but is it kinda odd that a 10-year-old would have him as a CCC? I mean, they play it on comedy central, but the humor is rather adult sometimes. Oh well, guess I'm outdated. Nice work overall (for a change).
I love your blog, but I just have to point out that moms aren't the only ones who might be taking care of kids and want to avoid offensive language.
I LOVE the "Where the Wild Things Are" cake!
The Squidward CCC? Mediocre at best.
All of you fondant haters, you probably haven't had good fondant. I just had some HORRIBLE buttercream a couple of weeks ago. Any type of icing isn't good or bad 100% of the time.
At first I thought the last one was the king from Katamari Damacy
Thanks for featuring the butter cream cakes. Though fondant is beautiful, there's just something so much more appealing about a cake that looks both pretty and edible.
~Melba
Down with the evil Fondant, buttercream rocks!!
Who would really want to eat a sheet of sugar dough, yuck!
DeeDee
http://small-budget.blogspot.com/
On a STEEEEEEEEEEEK! Oh I LOVE Jeff Dun-Ham! :D
Now i need a cake on a Steek for my next Fiesta!
Where else but Cakewrecks can find a jalpepeno on a stick?
The Squidward CCC is the cutest I've ever seen! My kids would LOVE it!
I guess there 's hope for the CupCake Cakes after all.....
I think the Jalapeno thing is ugly no matter how accurate it may be to the original.
I just watched that vid. Although I do believe that many folks are hypersensitive in general, I found it pretty racist and un-funny.
OMG...that Jose cake is the COOLEST!!!!
Squidward = win. One of the only CCCs that could qualify as a win, maybe? =)
Creativity rocks! =D
Too funny, I just watched that clip on TV! It's a cute one! Wonder if it's spicy?
I'm never happy to see kids that like Jeff Dunham. I worked his concert, and I've never seen such a bunch of racist homophobic yokels in my life.
I know I'm late, but SERIOUSLY!?!?!?! Jalepeno on a STEEK?!?!?! Good times!!!
Wow, Squidworth is impressive. Especially it if was whipped up on the spot. Mad skillz.
funny squidward cake jaja.The Society to Save Endangered Species was formed by Fred Smilek and two of his colleagues; Charlie Mack & Jonathan Korny. Fred Smilek stays active in raising awareness for this cause. [www.fredjsmilek.com]
Holla! I'm in McKinney! The Cake Stand not only makes gorgeous cakes, but they are DELICIOUS!!!!
The Jeff Dunham joke is wrong, I heard it some where else and it said- I am not Mexican, Mexicans are from Mexico. I'm Puerto Rican, I'm from New York. Funnier, but more racist.
Isavelle.
The entire Jose skit is just too stupid for me to even bother being offended. Except for the BMW bit. Thanks, but I don't consider myself "big" at a size 6, Jeff.
It is odd that a 10 y/o would have a ccc with the jalapeno on it though. I can't argue that. Who would encourage their kids to watch this guy? (Even if it's a well done ccc.) It would be like a 10 y/o with a Carlos Mencia cake.
I lOVE Jeff Dunham :)
I love all these cakes! Even the Spongebob Whoozit CCC is extremely well done.
I lifted my eyebrows when I saw the Jose cake's inscription (not a huge fan of that comedian), but come now, it isn't so weird for a kid. I remember desperately wanting to watch Beavis and Butthead and the Simpsons like all the other kids.
Is it just me, or does that look like Jay Leno's face on a steeck?
oh gawd...
so wrong. so racist...
carla