So this will be about some awesome cakes I have coming up in the future that I can not just keep to myself. I am so excited about them!!
We will start off on the dummy cakes that I am working on and potentially working on:
First is the awaited justice league cake that will be featured in next Tuesdays post!! I will reveal all then! Hope you are all excited and ready to get nerdy!
Next up will be a dummy castle cake. I'm super excited with all the details I have planned with this cake. I 3D figure on one of the castle towers. He is going to be a deep crimson red and breathing fire. The fire will be made out of sugar! Exciting! BUT that's all I'm going to reveal to you right now.
After that I will be working on TARDIS from the TV show Dr. Who! Which is, for those who don't know, a police box from England.
I'm super excited for my cousin's wedding cake. It will be Shimmering Sugar's first wedding cake and we will make sure that it's fantastic. I don't want to give away all the details, but it will be a three tier cake with daisy's and nonpareils. The cake will be completed by the second week of June, so I will have pictures posted then.
I'm also making the cake for her bridal shower. This one will be a shoe box embroidered with their last name. On top of it will be two shoes that embody the personalities of both the bride and the groom. The box will be made of cake and covered in rolled fondant, and the shoes will be made of gumpaste. Since this one will be fresh cake and not a dummy cake, it will have to be made within a day or 2 of the bridal shower, so I won't be able to post pictures until afterwards.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Official Flavor!!
As promised here are the list of our OFFICIAL flavor and names!!
Amaretto Delight - Almond
It is an almond cake with home made amaretto mixed into the batter a long with minced toasted almonds.
Banana Foster - Banana (Of Course)
This is created from the traditional breakfast dessert. The batter has rum and banana along with substituted brown sugar and cinnamon. Drizzled with a rum syrup.
Bubbly - Champagne
This is a fantastic refreshing cake with Brut Champagne inside. Perfect for any celebrations and weddings! Its a light but flavorful cake. Soaked with a champagne reduction for added for a splash more flavor!
Midnight Dream - Chocolate
Is our delectably rich chocolate, moist cake would be any chocolate lovers dream. Chocolate chips added to the batter to give you that added chocolate flavor and texture.
Tropical Wonder - Coconut Cream
This is our tropically wonderful coconut cake that includes coconut oil, milk and shavings to give that coconut cream taste with a splash of pineapple juice to give it depth.
Double Shot - Coffee
This is every coffee lovers dream. Made with home made from scratch a hazelnut coffee liqueur. Hazelnut added for depth and flavor, BUT upon special request we can make the double shot hazelnut free for all those allergic.
Lemon Meringue - Lemon
Our home made lemon cello is added to the batter to give it the add lemon flavor, along with lemon zest. What makes it Meringue is what we top the cupcakes with toasted meringue. The meringue and be added for filling in cake form.
Swirls - Marble
This is a cake that is best of both worlds. Mixture of our delicious Vanilla and our delectable chocolate.
Nutty Butter- Peanut Butter
The peanut cakes is crafted with creamy peanut butter. Along with honey rosted peanuts and just a hint of local honey.
Raging Raspberry - Raspberry
Our homemade raspberry puree added into our tasty batter to give you a subtle but sweet raspberry flavor. It doesn't or will not taste like those artificial cake flavors. We will always use natural raspberries.
Red Velvet -
Our own twist on the classic Red Velvet. Rich but moist with a creamy texture.
Shimmering Sugar- Vanilla
THIS is our signature cake flavor. The amazing flavor of vanilla moist and sweet waiting for your enjoyment.
Carte Blanche - White Chocolate
Lastly our white chocolate cake, this is another of our light feeling cake. The best tasting white chocolate in the batter along with white chocolate chips for that add crunch!
Hope this gets all your mouths watering. Frosting will be out shortly. We do apologize for not having the blog up yesterday. SO for all your disappointments about that I will have ANOTHER blog out later tonight!!
Amaretto Delight - Almond
It is an almond cake with home made amaretto mixed into the batter a long with minced toasted almonds.
Banana Foster - Banana (Of Course)
This is created from the traditional breakfast dessert. The batter has rum and banana along with substituted brown sugar and cinnamon. Drizzled with a rum syrup.
Bubbly - Champagne
This is a fantastic refreshing cake with Brut Champagne inside. Perfect for any celebrations and weddings! Its a light but flavorful cake. Soaked with a champagne reduction for added for a splash more flavor!
Midnight Dream - Chocolate
Is our delectably rich chocolate, moist cake would be any chocolate lovers dream. Chocolate chips added to the batter to give you that added chocolate flavor and texture.
Tropical Wonder - Coconut Cream
This is our tropically wonderful coconut cake that includes coconut oil, milk and shavings to give that coconut cream taste with a splash of pineapple juice to give it depth.
Double Shot - Coffee
This is every coffee lovers dream. Made with home made from scratch a hazelnut coffee liqueur. Hazelnut added for depth and flavor, BUT upon special request we can make the double shot hazelnut free for all those allergic.
Lemon Meringue - Lemon
Our home made lemon cello is added to the batter to give it the add lemon flavor, along with lemon zest. What makes it Meringue is what we top the cupcakes with toasted meringue. The meringue and be added for filling in cake form.
Swirls - Marble
This is a cake that is best of both worlds. Mixture of our delicious Vanilla and our delectable chocolate.
Nutty Butter- Peanut Butter
The peanut cakes is crafted with creamy peanut butter. Along with honey rosted peanuts and just a hint of local honey.
Raging Raspberry - Raspberry
Our homemade raspberry puree added into our tasty batter to give you a subtle but sweet raspberry flavor. It doesn't or will not taste like those artificial cake flavors. We will always use natural raspberries.
Red Velvet -
Our own twist on the classic Red Velvet. Rich but moist with a creamy texture.
Shimmering Sugar- Vanilla
THIS is our signature cake flavor. The amazing flavor of vanilla moist and sweet waiting for your enjoyment.
Carte Blanche - White Chocolate
Lastly our white chocolate cake, this is another of our light feeling cake. The best tasting white chocolate in the batter along with white chocolate chips for that add crunch!
Hope this gets all your mouths watering. Frosting will be out shortly. We do apologize for not having the blog up yesterday. SO for all your disappointments about that I will have ANOTHER blog out later tonight!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Food Truck
I have decided to start my business with a food truck! WHY a food truck you ask? Well, it will be;
- Cheaper to operate
- Don't have to pay rent
- Mobile
- Don't have to pay zoning permits
- One Utility, gas
- Travel and sell
Since it's just me it will be rough at first to produce product and managing the truck. I think it will be worth while in the end. I am ready and willing to work this hard.
My goal one day is to have a fleet of food trucks! How amazing that would be to go out and reach many people!! With that fleet of food trucks I would like to have them in several major cities. Las Vegas, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Miami, LA, Austin are just to name a few ideas for now. Since its not set in stone just yet they are subject to change.
Also I will have a store front in each city to produce fresh product to the food trucks. I will not allow partial backed and shipped across the country product. Thats not what I will allow my customers to eat like other chain establishments. They will get FRESH baked goods daily, that IS my promise to you!!
As of right now I am waiting for the Health department to get back to me on what I will properly need to operate a food truck. I'm hoping I won't need a commercial kitchen so soon. If so, there are some options.
As of right now I am waiting for the Health department to get back to me on what I will properly need to operate a food truck. I'm hoping I won't need a commercial kitchen so soon. If so, there are some options.
I can see what needs to be done to make my kitchen right now legal and able to produce product, which is VERY SLIM chance, I know. Next option is to lease a building in the surrounding area, which will cost a bit more and is most likely. After that there is buying a building, which will cost way more than I would like, so that is a last resort. Finally, perhaps I could make a deal with one of the hotel kitchens around here. I would love to do the last one since we are just starting up but we shall see how everything goes.
This could be what my food truck looks like. Without the logo and everything!
I have found this awesome little site where you can customize food trucks and vending trucks a like. Mine will only be equipped with fridges to store the cupcakes and keep them fresh. I am hoping to make it solar powered so that it is nice to the environment and saves money on gas for the generator. CROSS your fingers!!
***Also Justice League Cake is coming up soon!! Make sure to CHECK it out!!***
Friday, September 21, 2012
Business Plan
Ok all you small business dreamers out there!! It is information time on a major item you should have when starting a business ( that I forgot about an then remembered):
Again I can thank my schooling (which at the time I thought was just another worthless part) I am well prepared in opening a business. Yes, I may be young but the knowledge that was pasted down to me by Chef Mark and my Cost Control teacher prepare me beyond my years. Those two among a few other teachers that shaped me into the business knowledgable person I am today, Thank You.
List Update: I am now looking up everything documentation I need to start a small business. By the end of this endeavor I should be a pro, shouldn't I!! I am now working my butt off in finding out all permits, license, business planning, Justice league Cake!!, and costing still. THOUGH I am getting things checked off on my list!!
Any who any starting business need a Business Plan. What is a business plan you ask?! Well I will tell you. It is a complied portfolio of documentation about your business. It is supposed to bring your dream to LIFE ( like a mad scientist!) I will basically take with me to everywhere I got to get permits and licensing AND of course loans and such!
I have found this fantastic link ⇒ http://www.sba.gov/sba-direct/article/2815 ⇐ This will help you formulate your plan if you already don't know how to. It has all sorts of fun things to look at if you are starting up. This website is most helpful, I give it an A+!
I will say that I haven't been working as hard because I've been having melt downs per say, BUT I am back in the right state of mind with all cylinders burning. SO watch out world here I come!!
I may have mentions permits and license a lot in this post but not it is very important to have all of what you need for several simple reasons:
Other wise it will be incredibly hard to build your business. Work nice and respectfully with the city or county and they will treat you well. They aren't evil they are there to HELP you! I wish you the best of luck!
Also stay tuned for my up coming Justice League Cake!! I will be AMAZING!!
A BUSINESS PLAN
Again I can thank my schooling (which at the time I thought was just another worthless part) I am well prepared in opening a business. Yes, I may be young but the knowledge that was pasted down to me by Chef Mark and my Cost Control teacher prepare me beyond my years. Those two among a few other teachers that shaped me into the business knowledgable person I am today, Thank You.
List Update: I am now looking up everything documentation I need to start a small business. By the end of this endeavor I should be a pro, shouldn't I!! I am now working my butt off in finding out all permits, license, business planning, Justice league Cake!!, and costing still. THOUGH I am getting things checked off on my list!!
Any who any starting business need a Business Plan. What is a business plan you ask?! Well I will tell you. It is a complied portfolio of documentation about your business. It is supposed to bring your dream to LIFE ( like a mad scientist!) I will basically take with me to everywhere I got to get permits and licensing AND of course loans and such!
I have found this fantastic link ⇒ http://www.sba.gov/sba-direct/article/2815 ⇐ This will help you formulate your plan if you already don't know how to. It has all sorts of fun things to look at if you are starting up. This website is most helpful, I give it an A+!
I will say that I haven't been working as hard because I've been having melt downs per say, BUT I am back in the right state of mind with all cylinders burning. SO watch out world here I come!!
I may have mentions permits and license a lot in this post but not it is very important to have all of what you need for several simple reasons:
- Not getting shut down
- No fines are good fines
- Make nice with the City and County
- Make connections and networking
- Prosper and Profit
Other wise it will be incredibly hard to build your business. Work nice and respectfully with the city or county and they will treat you well. They aren't evil they are there to HELP you! I wish you the best of luck!
Also stay tuned for my up coming Justice League Cake!! I will be AMAZING!!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Emotions of a Cake Decorator
There is a list of emotions that happens when I do cakes that are not dummies.
Before I bake them I get extremely excited and happy to do them. All the ideas start flowing, I plan every little detail out how I am going to do what. Then comes the baking part. After the batter is made and in the oven that is when the anxiety sets in. Thoughts pop in my head like will it turn out? will it even bake? am I even capable of doing this? All of this self doubt happens.
I guess it's because I strive for perfection on each cake the I make. Its my name going out there and I want this to be perfect. My heart and soul goes into every cake I make. They are like my children, that are meant to be eaten, but minor details. I have a lot of self doubt.
After the cake is out of the oven a relief set in. Seeing the cake in its perfection calms the doubt for now.
After it cools and is inspected to make sure that it is still amazing I stack it. Taking lot of time and effort to make sure that it is completely level. Nothing's worse than an unstable cake that's leaning.
Then the anxiety returns when the frosting stage sets in. I'm ok with frosting but I always get nervous to make sure the sides are parallel and the top level. Not to mention trying to get it as smooth as possible to look like fondant. Which I am amazing at. Fondant is the only thing that I am 100% confident with.
After it's covered in fondant or just iced. I have a little moment of relief, if it looks good. Which I'm told it always does, but I always find at least one or two things I think are bad but no one ever notices. The way I look at it is, The day I don't find I mistake or something to work on is the day that I stop striving for perfection.
Then I start to decorate which gives me the most joy because I know the hard parts are behind me. I really do love to decorate it gives me a feeling of accomplishment and happiness. You can always find me smiling unless the cake is giving me attitude then I am frowning but that rarely ever happens.
Yes, cakes do have a personality; each one is different. Most are very pleasant but you will always get that rotten egg that just doesn't want to cooperate. It tries your patients and your sanity but in the end they are the most magnificent work you have ever done because you try your hardest.
Though I do that with every cake I bake. I feel like each is an extension of my self. I strive to show that passion to every one and hopefully they will appropriate it as much as it do.
Before I bake them I get extremely excited and happy to do them. All the ideas start flowing, I plan every little detail out how I am going to do what. Then comes the baking part. After the batter is made and in the oven that is when the anxiety sets in. Thoughts pop in my head like will it turn out? will it even bake? am I even capable of doing this? All of this self doubt happens.
I guess it's because I strive for perfection on each cake the I make. Its my name going out there and I want this to be perfect. My heart and soul goes into every cake I make. They are like my children, that are meant to be eaten, but minor details. I have a lot of self doubt.
After the cake is out of the oven a relief set in. Seeing the cake in its perfection calms the doubt for now.
After it cools and is inspected to make sure that it is still amazing I stack it. Taking lot of time and effort to make sure that it is completely level. Nothing's worse than an unstable cake that's leaning.
Then the anxiety returns when the frosting stage sets in. I'm ok with frosting but I always get nervous to make sure the sides are parallel and the top level. Not to mention trying to get it as smooth as possible to look like fondant. Which I am amazing at. Fondant is the only thing that I am 100% confident with.
After it's covered in fondant or just iced. I have a little moment of relief, if it looks good. Which I'm told it always does, but I always find at least one or two things I think are bad but no one ever notices. The way I look at it is, The day I don't find I mistake or something to work on is the day that I stop striving for perfection.
Then I start to decorate which gives me the most joy because I know the hard parts are behind me. I really do love to decorate it gives me a feeling of accomplishment and happiness. You can always find me smiling unless the cake is giving me attitude then I am frowning but that rarely ever happens.
Yes, cakes do have a personality; each one is different. Most are very pleasant but you will always get that rotten egg that just doesn't want to cooperate. It tries your patients and your sanity but in the end they are the most magnificent work you have ever done because you try your hardest.
Though I do that with every cake I bake. I feel like each is an extension of my self. I strive to show that passion to every one and hopefully they will appropriate it as much as it do.
Update!
To All of you that are graciously reading this I will try to upload new and exciting information on Tuesdays and again on Fridays if you just can't get enough!!
Also in between those times you can check out my FaceBook page Shimmering Sugar Cakery and we are now on Twitter https://twitter.com/Shimmeringsugar !!!
Hope to be seeing your awesome comments or suggestions or quite possible ORDERS!!
If you have any question or want a topic addressed just let me know and I will see what magic can happen!!
Also in between those times you can check out my FaceBook page Shimmering Sugar Cakery and we are now on Twitter https://twitter.com/Shimmeringsugar !!!
Hope to be seeing your awesome comments or suggestions or quite possible ORDERS!!
If you have any question or want a topic addressed just let me know and I will see what magic can happen!!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Flavors Ideas
Creating flavors has to be in my top 5 favorite things I have created for this. I got to be creative and produce what I think would be incredibly delicious.
My first thought was to make 10 base flavors that I would produce year round. Mostly the main flavors everyone loves, but with my own twist. After my brainstorming stage I ended up with 13 total. A few more than I wanted but they are a must have:
Almond
Banana's Foster
Champagne
Chocolate
Coconut Cream
Hazelnut Coffee
Lemon Cello Meringue
Marble
Peanut Butter
Raspberry
Red Velvet
Vanilla
White Chocolate
Their names are a work in progress right now, but I think they are a solid group of base flavors.
Then I decided to have a couple seasonal type flavors. There is going to be a seasonal fruit flavor, because come on who doesn't like fruit? Next in rotation there will be beer flavor. I decided to use the local brewed beer. Then there will be a cocktail section. This includes flavors such as margaritas, mojitos, comsopolitian, etc. Lastly there will be misc. flavors these don't quite fit into the other categories.
Fruits:
Spring - Apricot
Summer - Pomegranate
Fall - Apple
Winter - Cranberry
Beer:
Spring - Belgium Wheat
Summer - IPA
Fall - Triple
Winter - Stout
Cocktails:
Spring - Margarita
Summer - Mojito
Fall - White Russian
Winter - Eggnog
Misc. Seasonal:
Spring - Jello, Dark Chocolate
Summer - Pineapple Upside Down,
Fall - Pumpkin and Carrot
Winter - German Chocolate, Candy Cane, Black Forest
** I just want to make something clear to one and all. Just because there is alcohol in a cake does not mean you are drinking it. All the alcohol burns off and the flavors are left behind. It is perfectly safe for children or those of you that do not part take in drinking. I like using alcohol because there is a more complexity of flavors.
Most of these seasonal flavors are not set in stone, they are most likely to change, I will when I have made a set decision on flavors post a complete final list. This is just to show what I'm thinking of.
Any suggestions or comments are welcome!
Planning Stages
It has been little over a month now that I have been planning Shimmering Sugar. I have at least dedicated 7 - 8 hours each day working and calculating. Let me tell you I feel like I haven't gotten anywhere.
I have finally gotten most of the things on my check list done before I go pitch my dream, to hopefully not get crushed like a little bug, to get silent partners or loans . Though some how as I cross something off, I add another item to do.
Thanks to my Associates degree in baking and pastry I feel like I am more prepared than others, but there are limitations to how prepared one can be. I feel as if there is something big that will magically pop up and throw a chink in everything. Time will tell if my suspicions are right or not.
Not to mention I am so thankful for taking Cost Control in school. I hated it the whole time but in the end it was the right decision. Now I will be able to make sure that I know what my cost are but keeping prices reasonable for the customers too.
Here is my list so far:
Cake and cupcake amount of servings sheet ✔
Pricing Chart
Delivery Cost ✔
Flavors ✔
Webpage ✔
Name ✔
Costing out cakes and cupcakes
Colors ✔
Theme ✔
Recipes ✔
Cake order form ✔
Decorations price chart ✔
Face Book Page
Labor Cost chart ✔
Food cost chart ✔
Food list chart ✔
Material list sheet
Logo ✔
Email ✔
Licensing/permits
Small Business Paperwork
Truck Pricing ✔
You could say I have a chart for just about anything. In between testing recipes and all these charts I have been putting all my efforts into costing all my sizes of cakes and cupcakes out. Let me tell you how frustrating it has been, for a me. I am numerically dyslexic. Math was my toughest subject in school because of this. I struggled for every A I got. It may not look like much but I am putting my blood sweat and tears into this.
Literally on the tears. I had a break down last night. I had all the vanilla cake prices costed out and while figuring out the marble that I noticed I had screwed up most of the vanilla. I got threw it and now it is fixed and I can move on. At the time it was just aggregating, I feel more accomplished that I got over that hurdle though.
I should get back to costing out more flavors!
I have finally gotten most of the things on my check list done before I go pitch my dream, to hopefully not get crushed like a little bug, to get silent partners or loans . Though some how as I cross something off, I add another item to do.
Thanks to my Associates degree in baking and pastry I feel like I am more prepared than others, but there are limitations to how prepared one can be. I feel as if there is something big that will magically pop up and throw a chink in everything. Time will tell if my suspicions are right or not.
Not to mention I am so thankful for taking Cost Control in school. I hated it the whole time but in the end it was the right decision. Now I will be able to make sure that I know what my cost are but keeping prices reasonable for the customers too.
Here is my list so far:
Cake and cupcake amount of servings sheet ✔
Pricing Chart
Delivery Cost ✔
Flavors ✔
Webpage ✔
Name ✔
Costing out cakes and cupcakes
Colors ✔
Theme ✔
Recipes ✔
Cake order form ✔
Decorations price chart ✔
Face Book Page
Labor Cost chart ✔
Food cost chart ✔
Food list chart ✔
Material list sheet
Logo ✔
Email ✔
Licensing/permits
Small Business Paperwork
Truck Pricing ✔
You could say I have a chart for just about anything. In between testing recipes and all these charts I have been putting all my efforts into costing all my sizes of cakes and cupcakes out. Let me tell you how frustrating it has been, for a me. I am numerically dyslexic. Math was my toughest subject in school because of this. I struggled for every A I got. It may not look like much but I am putting my blood sweat and tears into this.
Literally on the tears. I had a break down last night. I had all the vanilla cake prices costed out and while figuring out the marble that I noticed I had screwed up most of the vanilla. I got threw it and now it is fixed and I can move on. At the time it was just aggregating, I feel more accomplished that I got over that hurdle though.
I should get back to costing out more flavors!
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