Renewing your vows

For years I have said that if  couple can make the first ten years they should get to do it again - new dress, catered reception, gifts, the works.  Why?  Because many of us look back and say, "I wish I'd done...." and by now we need new stuff!  On top of that ten years is a big milestone, I think, by today's standards. 

Imagine my surprise and delight when I met with a bride-to-be and found out this is actually a renewal of vows wedding.  They are celebrating ten years and she wants it to be so much more than it was the first time.  Obviously if they have made it ten years it's not the party that makes a marriage but after ten years maybe you deserve a party.  She explained to me how the initial wedding and reception were handled.  They were nice but her memories of it are not great.  She wants to do it her way this time and so we got to talk some cake.

An hour and a half later, many laughs and knee slaps later, we had created a gorgeous cake that said, "Yes, this is the one." 

I'm so glad that I am not the only one who thinks that every ten years should be a chance to say, "I would do this all over again" and (maybe) get new stuff!

What's the difference?

Many times while talking with clients they describe their cake like this:
"I want three layers with...and each layer a different flavor."  This caught me by surprise the first couple of times simply because you can indeed have a three layer cake.  This isn't what they really intended.  What they were really trying to describe was a three tiered cake with each tier a different flavor. 

The first time this happened I decided to give the same description to a friend and see if she would catch the difference.  I started to describe a wedding cake that was three layers and so forth and, again to my surprise, she didn't see anything wrong with what I proposed.   Again, there are three layer cakes but I guess I took for granted that most people would know and understand the difference between a layer and tier.  Then again, depending the subject matter, I'm sure there are plenty of things I presume I know plenty about and I'm completely off the mark.

The difference between a layer and tier is this:  a layer is one part of many layers that create a tier.  It usually takes four layers of cake to create one four inch tier.  One cake pan will create one  2" layer of cake.  (There are 3" cake pans but I'm working with standard numbers today - and yes, you can fill the pan half way and make a one inch layer cake but that doesn't fit today's purpose either.)

You would need to bake two 2" cakes to achieve a tier.  Once those cakes are cooled and leveled (meaning cut off that bulge at the top so it's nice and flat) you then cut them in half horizontally so that you now have a total of 4 thin layers of cake.  Now you fill them with frosting or your desired filling and stack them one on top of the other until your assembled tier begins and ends with cake.  Once this has been crumb coated (that just means the first layer of frosting) it should measure approximately 4" tall.  That is an assembled tier.

Reflections by Cathy Foreman Photography

The picture to the right is a 5 tier cake.  I like doing really tall cakes since they are a rarity for me.

So now I know that taking even the smallest bit of information for granted is not a great idea.  Live and learn and never, ever presume.

Tisha and Rodney, a June wedding

So my good friend Catherine Katz of Cherished Celebrations http://www.cherishedcelebrations.com/ emails me to see if I have June 2nd open because she's got this fabulous couple who are in need of a great cake.  Um, yes!   We met at a Panera Bread in Cary where I toted dozens of samples.  It really wasn't dozens but I got creative with their requested combinations so they could get the most out of their time and taste buds. 

After a couple of hours of cake, coffee, lots of laughing, wedding talk, cake designing and so forth, I have to completely agree with Catherine (http://www.facebook.com/#!/CatherineKatz and  http://www.facebook.com/#!/CherishedCelebrations ) and she was so right.  Tisha and Rodney are so much fun and I'm so excited to make their wedding cake.  It's going to be....FABULOUS! 

Once we get through their big day we'll update this post with some awesome pictures!