Ice Cream Roses

Is it just me or did everyone know that ice cream that has been molded in the shape of a rose is like . . . a thing?? I've heard of rose petals being used to flavor ice cream. I've even seen rose-shaped ice cream as a specialty item and served in a bowl, but never have I scene so much fanciness in a common ice cream cone! I searched and searched for more info on the history of this flowery treat, but couldn't really find anything, other than that it seems like rose-shaped ice cream is usually found in Europe and Asia, which is probably why I haven't seen it! Does anyone have any info on when/where/how this trend started?

Photos by Aseerat Galb, Stuart Eve, Julie Upmeyer

Sugar Bliss Cupcakes

I'm pretty taken with the frosting on these cupcakes by Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique in Chicago. Cupcakes have been everywhere for the past decade, so it's nice to see a new design option for this classic sweet.



Sugar Bliss offers more than 20 varities of cupcakes, with flavors ranging from cinnamon carrot to orange creamsicle and everything in between. They also carry breakfast cupcakes like apple cinnamon and berry berry. In addition, if you're jonzing for a sugar rush, you can also order up a frosting shot, for those who are so inclined. Personally, I prefer my frosting on cake, but I know people who can't resisit a shot of frosting in the middle of the day! Click here to visit their Web site and to order online.

Tree Pedestal Cake Stand (DIY)

For those of you looking for a more environmentally friendly choice in your cake stand options, the Tree Pedestal Cake Stand from Laurie at Once Wed is the stand for you! It's a really creative way to take found material and turn it into something useful and lovely. I was wondering, though, can you just use any old piece of tree that you find in the woods? How do you know when the wood it too rotted to use? Okay, maybe those are naive questions, but, really, I don't know the answers! Anyway, I was really impressed with how well these turned out, given that not much has changed from the original pieces. I even love the cake topper! Click here for full instructions on how to make the stand at Once Wed and here to visit Laurie's personal site for more crafty ideas!

Tord Boontje Cake

I am so loving this cake by designer Kate Sullivan. When I first saw it I thought, that's what a Tord Boontje cake would look like if, you know, Tord Boontje quite his day job and opened a bakery! I later discovered that this cake is indeed called the Boontje Nature Cake, so the inspiration is fully acknowledged by Ms. Sullivan. I know some people are getting rather tired of the whole animal trend, and I've been desperately trying to wean myself off it, but I just can't seem to stop! I'm a sucker for animal designs and I don't know if I'll ever get over it! Anyway, Kate Sullivan has a lot of other great, nonanimal-related cakes over at her Web site, many of which are inspired by artists like Robert Indiana, Andy Warhol, and filmmaker Preston Sturges (see below). There's also the Guggenheim Museum cake, complete with miniature people waiting outside.

Kate's cakes are especially impressive once you discover that she didn't train at some fancy wancy culinary skill, but learned her trade by studying books and by engaging in the art of good old-fashioned practice. See, there is still hope for the rest of us! Click here for more great photos on Kate's Web site.

Black Hound Bakery Cakes

Black Hound Bakery has the cutest cakes! They look so good and word on the street (okay, word in local newspapers and magazines, like The New York Times) is that they actually taste as wonderful as they look. We all know how often looks can be deceiving and we've all been fooled by a nice-looking cake at one time or another, so it's nice to know that the Black Hound cakes won't break our hearts once we bite into them. I'm especially fond of their samplers, which allow you to try a variety of flavors, without buying the whole cake. Also, if you're an avid reader of ingredients, like me, you'll be happy to know that Black Hound lists their cake components on their Web site and I am happy to report that I could pronounce each and every ingredient listed. No partially this or that in these cakes!

If you're in New York you can stop by their shop to oogle all their baked goods or you can order online by clicking here.

(above: Lemon Blossom Cake, below: checker cake, Classic American Cakes Collection)

Classic Sugar Cookies from Baked

Well, I'm in the process of making my way through the Baked cookbook and I have yet to be disappointed! So far, I have made two cakes (salted caramel and malted milk) and the Baked Brownies. All of which received rave reviews! Last weekend I made the Classic Sugar Cookies, even though the thought of eating sugar cookies bores me, but I really wanted to make something with cookie cutters and sugar cookies are the obvious choice. (Has anyone used cookie cutters on another type of cookie?) These were really yummy, though, so I was pleasantly surprised. The frosting was a little runny and I couldn't manage to get just the right consistency, but it worked out fine. I probably wouldn't decorate them the next time because it's a bit time consuming and the cookies look and taste really nice, just on their own. That said, I have to say, even though my cookies look as though they were decorated by a 5th grader, it was a super fun activity for a Sunday afternoon!! For more information on Baked, click here.

Vintage Cake Toppers

I'm having a huge "oh, my gosh, I love these" moment over these candle holders and cake toppers that I found on Etsy. I don't normally like things that rarely get used because they just make me think about how they're going to end up in a garbage dump some day, polluting the Earth. The good news is that these particular pieces are vintage, so I can purchase them guilt free! (Okay, so I still feel guilty about the packaging involved in mail order, but most of that, if not all of it, can be recycled.) These would look so adorable atop your favorite cake or cupcake! Instant crowd appeal, with very little effort!

[Wooden Cake Toppers Candle Holders Zoo Animals ($7); Dancing Teens Cupcake Toppers ($4); Vintage Ballerina Cake Toppers ($5); Little Vintage Flower Candleholders in Pinks Yellow and Red ($3)]

April Reed, Cake Designer

I've been wanting to do a piece on cake designer April Reed for some time now and this seemed like the perfect time, considering that the subject of one of my recent posts, the Farnsworth gingerbread house, was created by Ms. Reed. One of the reasons that I love April Reed's cakes is because she, like me, is a genuine, old-fashioned cake head! After graduating from the Culinary Institute of American and working at Tom Coliccho's Craft Restaurant in NYC, she decided that she just couldn't keep cake of her mind! She chucked it all in in 2001 and began working on her dream job, her very own cake design company! Reed's creations are both beautiful and original. I am especially fond of the Carnation Cake (the detailing is wonderful) and the Studded Truffle Cake (so fun)! Click here for more great pictures and additional info.

Orla Kiely . . . at Target!!!

I'm soooo excited! Designer Orla Kiely is coming to Target in February! Her home collection will include great items for your kitchen like towels, placemats, napkins, aprons, oven mitts, dishes, trays, mugs, and a whole lot more. Plus, there are products for other parts of your home as well (laundry bags, shoe racks, desk trays, etc). Click here to see the full collection! Yippee!

Vintage and Not So Vintage: Plate Sets

I'm starting a new feature with this post, Vintage and Not So Vintage, where I'll list one kitchen item for those who love vintage items and one comparable new piece, for those who don't.

Vintage Nobility Permaware Bread Plates ($12/set of seven)

Plant Food ($42/set of four)

Gift Guide: Plates

Late-For-Dinner Plates ($24/set)


Fiori NeriPlate ($25)


Sweet Stack . Hand Painted . Ceramic Small Plate ($28)


Fashion Plates ($42) set of four different plates


Vintage jadeite jadite Fire King Fantasy leaf plates, available on Ebay


Gustavsberg Bersa Plate by Stig Lindberg ($55-65)


Flirting Birds Plate Set ($85)

Gift Guide: Cake Stands

Vintage Milk Glass Pedestal Cake Stand, available on Ebay


Vintage cake tin ($25) available on Etsy (White Elephant Vintage)

American Milk Glass Cake Stand ($78) not vintage, available on Ebay


Bengt & Lotta Cake Dish ($85)


Bird Cake Plate ($80-110) by Whitney Smith


Undergrowth Design Cake Plate (approx. $190)


Cake Plate ($238) by Frances Palmer


Cake Tray ($240) by Jenni Brant

Let the Gift Guide Begin! (Day 1: Bowls)

Okay, here it is, my first attempt at a gift guide. I tried to include at least one vintage item per post because there's just soooo much great vintage kitchenware out there. I also tried to focus on Etsy sellers because if you're not going the vintage route, at least you're supporting independent artists. As far as the layout is concerned, there is probably a better way to set this up, but my time is limited, so I just stuck with the basics. Enjoy!



Vintage Pyrex Friendship Mixing Bowl, available on Ebay


Mini Bowl ($35) by Jill Rosenwald


notNeutral Bowl Set (4 @ $48)


Just He/ Just She - Big blue-black bowls ($60)

Whirl Bowl ($70) by Kim Westad

Handbuilt candy bowl ($87), designed by Aida Dirse, available at Rare Device


Poppy Bowl ($158) by Whitney Smith


Eight Nesting Lotus Bowls ($325) by Whitney Smith