How to Properly Cut a Cake ... (Read this: You'll Learn Something)

You're probably not sleeping well at night wondering how bakers decide on servings per cake... 

Well, actually you probably never really cared unless you were the unlucky relative who got stuck cutting and serving the cake. C'mon you know what I mean...  You start freaking out (just a bit): How big do i cut the slices? If I cut them too small then people will make me stand here longer holding a knife.  If i cut them to big, then big Aunt Bertha might not get a piece and, well, we just won't go there...

Beauty and the Beast Castle Cake

 Have no fear! Your humble baker is here! 


Step 1:  Get a Cake (I will demonstrate on my Beauty and the Beast Cake)

Step 2: Find the Dowel Rod

Step 3: Pull it out

Step 4a: Remove the top tier of the cake by placing your knife under the cardboard base

Step 4b: The trick is to gingerly slide your knife along the base and lift up so that you keep the bottom cake's fondant intact.  (So far so good!  Phew!!)

Step 4c: Don't drop it as you are putting it on a different serving platter!  

At this point, however, you might want to get your knife ready because, "The Beast really won't like what you did to his castle".

Step 4d: Decide which flavor cake you want to eat first, now that you did all that hard work.  (In this case it was vanilla with banana buttercream on the top tier and lemon with vanilla buttercream on the bottom.  Both flavors picked by my 4 and 2 year olds and both flavors were awesome!)

Step 5: Remove the dowel rods that were holding up the upper tier

Step 6: Cut a circle inside of the cake roughly where the top tier had been sitting

Step 7: Cut a slice about an inch or so thick, from the outer edge of the cake to where you made the circle cut.  (Meaning, leave the circle in the middle for more servings later.)

Step 8: Now you can have your cake and eat it, too!!  (And if you are thinking that this looks like a small piece; trust me, it will be a lot more than you think!)

 Step 9: Cut the top tier the same way.  (Or, since it is small, you could always cut triangular slices, but cutting it the same way as above will ensure that all the pieces will be uniform.)

Here is a picture of both kinds of cakes on a plate.  The slices don't look so small now, do they?  (I actually ate all that, and I'm so stuffed, I don't even know how to describe it!)

April has been a busy, busy month!!

Well, as the title says, April has been a busy month!  And there is still one week left.  Let's recap shall we?

There were two shows where I showcased my Ruff Apparel items.  The hot items were large male collars, anything skulls, character kids' belts, and my pet placemats.  (And of course since it is Syracuse, all my orange and black basketball collars sold out as soon as the show started!)

I've also been steadily fulfilling cake pop orders for the "Out of the Darkness" cause for sucide prevention.  All red velvet and strawberry cake pop sales for the month of April are going right to this important cause.  So far, I made $85 in pops and had a $25 direct donation.  If you are still interested, I can ship them ASAP (even in time to fill Easter baskets), and you will be making a difference!!  (email: sweetchemistrycakes@gmail.com).

My 4 year old Monster and his cake!

Then my eldest son, Rory, turned 4!!!  We had a little party with friends and family at my in-laws' house, and he had a blast!  He's so OLD now!  Here is a picture of his monster cake.  It was also my brother-in-law's birthday, so I made him a surprise beer cake since he brews all his own beer.

Beer Mug Cake

Then I came home just in time to make a ton of kids' belts for Easter basket orders, before I had surgery on my right wrist.  And seeing that I am right handed, this wasn't easy.  I finally got the cast off today, but the pain is actually worse now!  And of course I have the itch to sew and bake, but I think my whole family will kill me!

Now it's time to get ready for Easter.  I have some adorable chick cupcakes to make for a customer, as well as one of my famous Toll House pies and an Easter bunny cake for another customer.  Next week I am making cowboy cupcakes for a school birthday party, and then cake pop favors for a party on May 1st.

Like I said: Busy, Busy Month!  But honestly, I love it.  Keep sending me your orders for cakes and collars, harness, kids belts, and pet placemats!  Also, email me for a full list of unique and delicious cake pop flavors!  Remember I ship anywhere!!

If you want to continue to see my lastest cake creations, make sure you "like" my Sweet Chemistry page on facebook!



Support the Out of the Darkness Cause with Cake Pops!!!

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is an amazing cause which provides prevention programs, research, education, and survior support.  One of the main ways they receive their funding is the "Out of the Darkness" walks.  On June 4th through the 5th, they will be hosting this walk in New York City.  My wonderful friend Candice has decided to fight this cause by walking.  She needs to raise at least $1000, and I know with everyone's help we can make this happen!! 

To directly sponsor Candice please click this caption

Please help me with this cause by buying my special cake pops during the month of April for this cause. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to Candice's goal. They come in either red velvet with white buttercream icing or white cake with strawberry buttercream covered in white chocolate . They are $1.50 or $15 for a dozen and I can ship them anywhere.

Suicide takes the lives of nearly 30,000 Americans every year.   Depression is the leading cause of suicide.  Many who attempt suicide never seek professonal care, however, 80% of people that seek treatment for depression are treated successfully.  There are twice as many deaths due to suicide than HIV/AIDS.  For young people 15-24 years old, suicide is the third leading cause of death.


Please email me at: sweetchemistrycakes@gmail.com or visit me on my facebook page: Sweet Chemistry.

New Sweet Chemistry Page!

So I finally have my facebook page up and running for Sweet Chemistry.  The only problem is that there must be a bug in their new page system because I sent out page suggestions to "like" the Sweet Chemistry page, and they never showed up!  (I know this because I logged onto my husband's account and there was nothing.)  I figure if nothing more than curiosity, and out of loyalty ;-) everyone who is a fan of Ruff Apparel will become fans of Sweet Chemistry.  And tell all your friends!!!!! :-) 

Please follow this link go to my page and click the "like" button!! :-)

Slowly but surely I am getting more customers and with each job is a new challenge.  It's rather exciting!  I've been told that people have been wishing for years that there was a good specialty cake business in Danbury (apparently there is none), so I hope word starts to get around.  I'm also prepared and willing to start making cakes in the Marcellus/Syracuse areas, too.  It's a good reason for the in-laws to see the grandkids more.

I will be in the Marcellus area from April 1st 'til the 10th, at two different craft shows for Ruff Apparel.  The first one is on April 2nd, at Elbridge Elementary School, Elbridge, NY from 9am-4pm.  The second is a two day show at the Immanuel Luthern Church in Camillus.  This one is Friday, April 8th, from 4pm-8pm and then Saturday, April 9th, from 10am-4pm.  Make sure to come by and say hello!!!  I'll be bringing my cake portfolio if anyone's interested.  I may even have some sample cakes to try (if I have time!).

My Ladybug Cake Had Babies!!!

Apparently ladybugs must be all the rage this year for baby showers.  A friend of mine showed one of her new co-workers some pictures of my cakes and cupcakes, and the ladybug cake/cupcakes were just what she was looking for. 

I decided to add a bit extra to the order, (because I'm crazy and love giving myself extra work for no good reason).  So I took the extra red velvet batter and cream cheese frosting and made four babies.  I figured it would be extra cute since it was a BABY shower. 

I hope she liked it....(What do you guys think?)

The Secret Society of the VW Beetle...

It's been awhile since I've blogged....I've been busy helping out my Aunt with her coffee shop among other things while she deals with the pain of a possibly fractured clavical and torn shoulder.  Let me tell you, running a coffee shop and doing catering and cake jobs at the same time is no easy feat.  I give her tons of credit!  I was completely fried after one day.  Although I will say delivering catering, even though I had no idea what I was doing, was a real payoff!  I got a $10 tip for driving 10 mins and putting out a lunch spread.  Not a bad gig.  Don't worry, friends and family, I will not be starting a catering business as well.  I can't forget the mayhem of cranking out all of those sandwiches and accoutrements in the wee hours of the morning.  Wait...maybe I WILL offer lunch catering with my cake orders...LOL.



Punch Buggy Cream!!!

The coffee shop (and my Aunt) are 3 hours away, so of course Helmut (my Beetle) and I had a lot of interstate driving to do.  As I was driving, I suddenly realized that I was singularly responsible for possibly 100's of "dead arms" in the passing cars.  You know, "Punch Buggy, Cream!!!"  **Punch**.   And if that's not yet another reason to be jealous of my car, apparently Beetles and truckers must be in a secret society of honking that I was inducted into.  As I drove past a couple of 18 wheelers, I recieved the "honk, honk-honk-honk-honk"  and I guess I am supposed to finish it with a big "honk, honk".  Awesome.
One last thing that came to my mind while I was out and about is the topic of the Smart Car.  Can I get an "Amen" to the fact that they are ridiculous looking death traps.  If you look at the crash ratings, they were rated one of the WORST.  My car looks like a limousine compared to them. Strap a desperate biker to the front of it and it looks like one of those NYC rickshaws.  I hated them with my first experience of the "Smart Car" in Italy, and I hate them even more now.  They really should call them the the "Stupid Car", but that's just me. 

Non-Slip Pet Placemats

A new product idea was given to me by the illustrious Colleen Dean: Pet Placemats!  I was so excited for a fresh idea, I dragged the kids out right before their bed time to get some fabric for a prototype.  The only problem is, I'm like a kid in a candy store when it comes to fabric.  I usually hate Joann Fabric and their horrible monopoly on the suburban fabric supply, like a hippy in the 60s hated the "Man", but they actualy had some good stuff!  I couldn't decide on what to get.  I still can't.  This is why I need help....

Anyway, here are the prototypes.  The fish was a disaster (in my opinnion).  I need to either scrap the fish or totally redesign it.  The fabric is a heavy weight cotton home decor material, with a non-slip backing. 

Bone Mats Measure (at largest parts) 25" x 15"

I don't know about you, but I can't stand my dog bowls don't fit on a placemat or other ugly piece of plastic or fabric.  And even if you do get them to fit, the mat is always sliding around.  Problem solved.  Tests still have to be done on machine washability.  I'm 80% sure they will be able to be thrown in the washer on a cold setting.  I'll let you know.

What do you guys think?  What colors/patterns would you like to see?

Thanks!  And keep the good ideas coming!!!!