Naked cakes are a trend that is here to stay. They offer a neutral palate for the surrounding decor, and because they aren't finished with a layer of perfectly smooth icing, they are usually a less expensive option too.

Matt and Deshayna liked the look of the naked cake, but they also wanted fondant flowers as well. Their colors were shades of blush pink and dusty rose, and the edible flowers turned out just perfect for the color palate.

This 130 serving cake was delivered to The Grand Ivory in Leonard. Instead of a groom's cake, the couple chose a single large cake with two flavors. The top and bottom tiers were Strawberry cake with Cream Cheese buttercream, and the middle two tiers were Cookies & Cream Cake with Cookies & Cream buttercream. 

​Venue The Grand Ivory

Share

At the end of September I delivered this wedding and groom's cake to The Grand Ivory in Leonard. The bride knew exactly what she wanted at the consultation. She brought me pictures of three different cakes and said I want the bottom tier of cake one as my top tier, the middle tier of cake 2 as my middle tier... That part of the consultation went quickly and the design was inspired by a glass of champagne.

We then started talking groom's cakes. The only real requirement was that they wanted to incorporate a tier that was painted to look like wood. I love hand painting wood grain because each time you get something slightly different and unique. We talked about where the couple went to college and came up with a design. 

The bottom tier was a square cake covered in fondant and painted to look like a wooden box. On top was a buttercream tier adorned with the Texas Tech Red Raider's mask and cape, "guns up" signal, and the double T.  My husband, an Aggie for life, had a hard time watching me make this one!

​Venue - The Grand Ivory

Share

As a baker, you never quite know what to expect at a venue until you deliver the cake. Even if you have delivered to that venue several times before, there is always something different to work around. Usually you can count on the bride one week wanting the tables laid out in a completely different arrangement than the bride next week. Maybe the topper has to be located because the maid of honor said she was bringing it at one point, but the mother of the bride wound up bringing it and setting it in the kitchen where it got buried under some of the caterer's boxes. The cake table may be missing its table cloth and not be ready for delivery yet - or not even be set up in one case! A little surprise of some sort can always be expected at every delivery. 

This wedding cake from the fall of 2017 had a tier covered in buttercream rosettes,  buttercream swags, and a hint of gold in a fondant ribbon around one tier. The florist left a beautiful arrangement for the top of the cake. Usually, I am left with a bunch of flowers that I cut, wrap, and arrange, so I was loving the idea that I could just place the arrangement on top of the cake and call it a day. However, when I got up close, I could see it was too big... like it could have fit perfectly on the third tier big.

No problem! I talked with the planner, the amazing Amy at Amy Lacey Weddings, and we decided it had to be taken apart and put back together on a much smaller scale. So I got out my clippers and went to work. The resulting arrangement fit the top tier perfectly, and the bride loved it!

Here's the review the bride left on Wedding Wire.

If you have found your perfect wedding venue and still need a wedding cake, contact us to set up your consultation; we would be happy to help!

Venue - Rustic Grace Estate
​Planner - Amy Lacey Weddings
Florist - In Bloom Flowers

Share

Thanks to Jaz at Moxie Rose Photography for suggesting Voyage Dallas take a look at Sweet By Design! Guess it's time I introduce myself! My name is Melisa, and I am the one woman show behind Sweet By Design. From cake concept to clean up, I am responsible for all that goes on here. Except for taxes...I call my husband my CFO because he takes cake of all that. ;) 

I love to read, am deep water scuba certified, and majored in dance in college. Thanks to an ankle injury and my daughter, I started Sweet By Design. To find out a bit more about my story, check out this interview I recently did with Voyage Dallas.

Occasionally, I will get a request for a duplicate of a cake I have made previously... the "I saw this cake on your website, and it would be perfect for my daughter's birthday!" order. I like having this kind of cake every now and then because it gives me a chance to rethink how I did the original and challenges me to find what I can do differently to make the new version special for the new client. 

Here is the original cake I made a couple of years ago. The cakes are very similar, but cakes with this kind of detail will never look exactly alike because they are hand made by a person, not a machine. The finish of the cakes is fondant that has been hand painted to replicate the look of parchment. The wood grain look of the cake board is also fondant that has been hand textured and painted. The wands, scarves, and glasses are also all slightly different. The most obvious difference I think was the addition of the footprints around the name plaque on the second cake. Ironically, both cakes were Chocolate Fudge filled with Chocolate Hazelnut buttercream. I guess wizards have a favorite flavor!

It is important to keep a few things in mind when you find that perfect cake on the interwebs:

1. No two cakes will ever look exactly alike, not even if made by the same baker. Also, there is this neat tool called Photoshop... ask your baker if the cakes pictured in their portfolio were made by them and if they have been altered in any way. Personally, I only mess with the lighting on my cake photos - wedding venues tend to be dark, perfect for a romantic wedding reception, not so great for a baker trying to get a photo with her phone. Otherwise, I don't retouch my photos - you need to know how your baker's final product will look, and you can't get a good idea of their skill level if they photoshop out their mistakes (the homeschool mom in me is cringing at using photoshop as a verb, but you get the idea, right?).
2. Pinterest is great for inspiration, but keep an open mind and let your baker talk to you about how inspiration from several elements can be put together into a custom design made just for your event. 
3. Actual cake sizes are deceiving in photos. Take a look at the two cakes below - one serves 55 and the other serves 100... can you tell which is which? 

The point I'm trying to make is to not let that dream cake you saw online be the end all, must have, can't even think of anything else. Your guest count will change the size and silhouette, your baker's skill set may modify the design, and the lighting at your event will alter how the final product looks. Be open to these changes, and you will end up with a centerpiece dessert that is perfect for you.

Share

The traditional stacked wedding cake is my most requested wedding dessert; however, dessert tables, where several goodies are offered, are still trending too.

We recently did a wedding at the gorgeous Rustic Grace Estate in Van Alstyne where the couple asked for a small gold painted wedding cake which was only for them and cake pops for their guests. The bride and groom chose a flavor filled combination they loved for their cake - Champagne cake with Lavender Blackberry, Vanilla, and Raspberry filling. For the cake pops, they selected Amaretto cake with Raspberry buttercream which they thought would be more popular with their friends and family. The couple's family provided some additional desserts to round out the sweet offerings.

When planning for a dessert table, we recommend that you plan on 3 mini desserts per guest. Some guests will only have one, but some will want to try every item you offer. We can't blame them...it's hard to say no to something this tasty!

Rustic Grace Estate is a beautiful venue just 20 minutes north of McKinney. They have a breathtaking white chapel (the floors! the pews! the windows!) that is just steps away from their 1920's red barn where the receptions are held. Additionally, they have a 3 acre lake with a fountain, longhorn cattle, and Arabian horses... what an amazing scene for photos! The venue is yours for 14 hours on the day of your wedding, and they also have a bridal suite and groom's room so you can get ready for the walk down the aisle on site. Take a look at their photo gallery, because my little picture of the barn is just a taste of all the rustic elegance they have to offer!

Share

I love a whimsical groom's cake! It gives the couple a chance to show off their personality and interests. 

This one we made recently is covered in thick swirls of dark chocolate buttercream, succulents, and edible gold leaf. Tucked away in the tropical fronds are a few extra party guests - classic and fun!

My kiddos named the dinosaurs John, Paul, George, and Ringo... can you guess what CD has been playing my car for the last 6 months?

​This design is a great option for a groom's cake, but it would also be a wonderful choice for a rehearsal dinner or birthday too!

Share

This sweet cake was actually a display cake made for an open house at 1899 Farmhouse.  I am going to be back out at their open house later this month, and I will be bringing this one out again so you can see it in person. 

Each tier is surrounded by trailing vines of pink and purple fondant flower blossoms. This design could of course be changed to match the colors of any wedding, and it is a great design for an outdoor or garden themed wedding. 

Dessert tables are really big right now, and the beauty of a design with smaller flowers like this is that you could add them to cupcakes or cake pops too. You can have the variety of dessert offerings while still having a visual continuity in the selections. 

To see this cake in person, come out to the Open House and Date Night at 1899 Farmhouse on September 28th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. You can tour the venue which has several versatile ceremony sites, meet some great vendors, and of course have some cake!

Share

Ah, the geode cake. This is a relatively new trend that is taking the wedding cake industry by storm. Just search "geode wedding cake" on Pinterest and spend an afternoon perusing all the lovely sparkly confections. Go ahead... I'll wait.

Cool, right! When made to look like a geode is growing in the cake, a portion of the dessert is carved away before being covered in fondant. Clear rock candy is then placed in the divot and painted with edible color to match the colors of the event.  

The inspiration for this cake came from slices of agate, not the rocky crystalline geode. Since they are commonly interchangeable search terms, you could call this my take on a geode cake (insert apology to my Geologist friend here. You know who you are, and I know they are not the same).  =)

To make the agate slices, I painted rings onto rice wafer paper with the same food colors I use for my icings. I then poured melted isomalt, which is a sugar that is clear when it melts and rehardens, onto the paper being careful not to get any in the center. Once cooled, I could paint the edges with an edible gold.  I painted the fondant covered tiers with the same food color and edible gold once the tiers were stacked, cut slits in the side of the cake for the agates to sit in, and added a bit of royal icing around them to make sure everybody stayed where they belonged. Then I added edible gold leaf here and there for a little extra shine. 

I love how this bold and colorful wedding cake turned out!

Share

A couple weeks ago, we delivered this cute little cake to a 2nd birthday party. The theme was Beauty and the Beast, and this buttercream and fondant field of flowers was the perfect setting!

The cake was our Golden Vanilla Butter cake, and it was filled with our Cream Cheese buttercream.

These colors would have been great for a gender reveal baby shower or a summery bridal shower too.

The birthday girl's mom found a cake topper set which included Belle, The Beast, and Mrs. Potts and Chip. We placed them on, and the princess was ready for her party! 

Share