Cakes that matter

I've only ever made cakes for fun or because I felt like it.

And I've only worked with fondant twice now.
So when Bethany asked me to make the cake and cupcakes for her wedding reception, I was super excited and terrified at the same time. Everything turned out great, and it gave me a new sense of pride and accomplishment.

That, my friends, is 100 hand-stamped fondant hearts.

There were 60 cupcakes in all, 30 vanilla with milk chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and 30 dark chocolate with teal vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. Each cupcake was topped with edible glitter and a fondant heart.

She also requested a small cake, not to eat but to freeze for their one year anniversary. I made 4 layer white cake covered in white fondant with teal buttercream piping. I dusted the piping with silver edible pearl dust and wrapped the whole cake with teal and black ribbons.
I think the whole shebang looks pretty damn good!

The reception location was an hour from my house, and the wedding was at 2:15. So at noon, Ricky and I had to drop the cakes off at the hotel and leave them in a fridge. Let me tell you, driving for an hour in the midday Florida summer sun with 60 wedding cupcakes in your Subaru is a bit stressful.
Then after the wedding (which took place on base, 30 minutes from the reception hotel) we had to get there before everybody and set the whole thing up.
All I could think as I unloaded and arranged cupcakes with my blue apron on over my matron of honor dress was, "this is like my own little cupcake war, against myself!"
All the effort and stress was 100% worth it. The Coopers loved their cakes, and there were even some leftover to give to the hotel staff as a thanks for being so awesome.
Not bad for an amateur, no?This is how you know you've made a good cupcake! Kids don't lie! Rebecca has the cutest kids, doesn't she? And they love cupcakes!

P.S.
Many many thanks to Chantal Taylor for lending me a carrying cart and cupcake box for the transport, and to Samm Olsen for loaning me the lovely blue platters and for making baby B's tiny teal bow tie.
♥