Over The Top Birthday

Audra contacted me several weeks ago to order a first birthday cake for her daughter. At first, she ordered my Butterfly Cake, but then kept adding "I want more decoration that on my cake" and "I really want it to be over the top."

I did a bit of research for her, and found an amazing cake by Pink Cake Box. Their cake was full of color, and was definitely what you would call over the top. I emailed it to her and within seconds, she replied "Yes! Let's do that!" (The Pink Cake Box cake is at the bottom of the post).

The only changes she added to the Pink Cake Box cake was that she wanted turquoise, and butterflies. And she wanted it at least two feet tall!

I tried to keep as true to the design as possible, but of course, different cake designer means different results, and I really love how this cake turned out. The bottom tier is neon green, but orange, pink and turquoise stripes. I did hot pink beading around the bottom. There are also hot pink flower cutouts with gumpaste daisies on them.

The second tier is orange, with pink diamond cutouts and turquoise and green flowers at the junctions. The beading was in orange. The 3rd tier is neon green again, with orange, pink and turquoise polka dots. The beads were green. And the top is orange again, with leaf shaped cutouts in pink, and turquoise beading.
All over this cake, there are gumpaste daisies cascading down, in various sizes and with different colored centers-either in hot pink or orange. There are also a few butterflies resting on the cake.

On the wires, I did hot pink daisies with orange centers, and butterflies in pink, orange, turquoise and green. Soooooo cute.

The number I made myself, trying to emulate the number on top of the Pink Cake Box creation. The exact number they used cost about $130, which is just craziness, so I attempted to make it to save my client $$$. I bought Topaz crystals, and glued them onto thick floral wire, and got it into the right shape. Some how, miraculously, it stood straight and didn't fall over!

Since Audra wanted over the top, I added the feather boa again, for extra drama and color. When I was done, I was in love (again).

But, as much as I love these massive, extravagant cakes, I am so burnt out that my hands are cramping from rolling fondant. So, I am taking a much needed week off, starting with the beach! Hopefully my neon pink hands will return to normal in the ocean!