Penny’s Journal
The story behind the cake-story…
Technique:
Ruffles
You can say I have a special place in my heart, and my cake toolbox, for ruffles.
Dispatches from Penny’s Kitchen
Where decadence meets ingenuity…
Strawberry Banana Cake
Bengiets
Pate a choux - the magical dough
Having this in your tool kit, you’re never without the means to make something extraordinary, taking this humble mix of flour and water to new heights.
Carbs4Corona... Millionaires Shortbread
I used a little trick to get the chocolate to set firm without tempering.
Vegan French Toast Challenge
I could absolutely be vegetarian or vegan if I had a personal chef. I know, I am a chef.
Cake Toppers and Following Your Instincts
The happiness of your life together as a married couple will not be lessened if you don't have silver plated monogrammed cake cutting instruments that you may never use again.
Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Technique
I have lots of strongly held opinions on most baked goods and for me, the perfect chocolate chip cookie is big, loaded with chocolate, crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, salty - very salty - and satisfying.
Thoughts on Technique- Ruffles
Fashion is one of my most favorite forms of inspiration, and ruffles and pleats come straight off the runway.
No Cake Pictures Please, Sherpa Series Volume 1
Consider me your wedding cake sherpa. Most likely, you haven’t done this before, and I have, over and over again.
Sugar Flowers vs. Real Flowers for Wedding Cakes
Unless organic flowers have been ordered, flowers are grown with pesticides. And those pesticides should not ever be touching your cake.
Extravagant Wedding Cakes
No ordinary wedding cake would do... their showstopper featured their dog Piko.
Charles James, the Met Gala, and Vogue...
In honor of the Met Gala's tribute to the iconic designer Charles James, Vogue asked me and 5 other amazing cake designers to dress Barbie in some of his most stunning couture gowns.
Nintendo AND Disney AND Cake
Two weeks went into creating this castle cake that sat 27" tall at the highest spire, and 22 inches wide at the base.
The Art of Floral Wedding Cakes
As Sugar Couture grew, I had more and more requests for these fragile beauties. People were impressed with their lifelike quality, delicate petals, and their impressive statement on the wedding cakes I made.
Never Say Never; Birthday Cake Edition
The cake-story we told honored her dual heritage and put her on the cover of Vogue.
Brides Best Wedding Cakes of the Year!
Wedding Cake Basics
Earlier this year I collaborated with Colin Cowie Weddings to come up with the definitive wedding cake info guide.
The Latest from Brides Magazine
As newly engaged couples are dreaming about all the possibilities, I'd suggest considering one of my favorite new trends in wedding cakes... hand painted cakes.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes Cake
A showstopper cake for today's launch of the new Lego Marvel Super Heroes game.
How To: Making Edible Sugared Flowers
After the pretty pictures hit the web, I was asked how we did it… so here you go.
“Cakes can seem deceptively large or small in photos. It’s always a good idea to think of their presence in all 3 dimensions rather than just height and diameter. They always have so much more presence in person. And bigger isn’t always better.”
― Penny