Y'all....we have huge exciting news!!!  July marks our 10th anniversary!!  I cannot believe 10 years ago I quit my job to begin the journey of owning a custom bake shop.  With my husband and 1 year old little boy in tow we moved to Austin from Ft.Worth and began the journey of business ownership!  In honor of our 10th anniversary, I'm going to share our 10 most exciting moments!

1. July 2008 - The Big Move! After much prayer and discussion with my husband we decided to both quit our jobs, move to Austin, and start a business of our own.  So, we loaded up a uhaul and headed this direction!  I built a relationship with Pump It Up Parties, made some brochures, and created a google photo album.  That's where it began.  
2. October 2008 - The stock market crashes and my husband looses his job.  Determined to make sure I am successful he works 3 jobs (yes 3) so I can keep my focus on our very new family business!  He's a rockstar! 
3. January 2010 - We won our first Couples Choice Award from Wedding Wire.  We have gone on to win this award 7 more times!  Each year Wedding Wire chooses the top 5% of wedding professionals based on reviews and experiences from couples that year.
4. June 2011 - Our very first wedding show!  The Modern Bridal Expo was our very first show and we were so excited to meet with all those lovely couples!
5. September 2012 - Our very first Austin Bridal Extravaganza!  This is my favorite show of all times.  The energy!  The couples!  The ideas!  They are so much fun and we are exhausted at the end of the day!  
6. October 2016 - We attended the Wedding MBA in Las Vegas!  One of the most fun parts of the wedding industry is all the change.  Brides change.  Trends change.  Colors change.  Weddings overall change.  The Wedding MBA is a seminar where wedding professionals from all across the country come together to learn and dig deeper into weddings!
7. December 2016 - We hit a huge milestone...100 weddings in a year! A major goal of mine was to create 100 wedding cakes for couples in a single year.  And this year we did it!
8. January 2017 - We won The Best of the Knot Award!  Each year the Knot selects the best wedding professionals based on reviews from our couples. 
9. May 2017 - We began the first steps to our very own kitchen!  As our little bake shop grew we weren't sure how to expand to handle the growth without changing the nature of our bake shop (custom personal cakes).  After speaking with several wedding professionals we decided to move to a larger house on some land and build a commercial kitchen on the property. 
10. July 2018 - We were nominated for a GLAMMY Award!  Each year the Austin Event Company hosts the GLAMMY Awards where 5 wedding professionals of each category are nominated.  Austin area wedding pros vote for the best professional of the year in that category.  Stayed tuned for the results! 

Stay tuned for next week....our 10 favorite cakes!!!

There are some really fantastic looking fondant cakes!  You can do so much with it!  The use of fondant allows us to sculpt and mold and manipulate icing into all kind of shapes and forms.  But, it's expensive!  And many people don't care for the taste of fondant (myself included).  So does that mean you have to give up on the fun cake you had in mind?  Not necessarily.  Some fondant designs can be recreated in buttercream with only certain elements being in fondant.  Keep in mind the look will not be 100% similar, but if you are going for a concept, it will be the same!  

Let's compare these two poker table cakes!  The top one is made entirely of fondant.  The second one is made in buttercream with a few fondant elements.  The price is also nearly half of the all fondant cake too!  

• The base of the first cake is fondant.  This gives the cake a more realistic look.  It also allows us to marble the brown side, giving the cake more of a wood look.  The second cake is all buttercream, which will give you the great flavor and lesser price, but does look like a decorated cake rather than the real thing.
• The poker chips on both cakes are fondant, so you would have those elements be the same in both cakes.  And the cards are actually real playing cards in both cakes too, allowing for a more cost effective cake adornment.

Oftentimes couples send me photos of fondant cakes but would like for them to be made with buttercream icing.  I always like to mention that the concept will be the same, but switching icings will change the overall look.  Understandably, it can be difficult to visualize that difference, so hopefully seeing these two cakes side by side can show the difference.

My suggestion: if you are going for the look and want that wow factor centerpiece cake, then splurge a little and go for the fondant.  If your main priority is an adorable concept without spending a fortune, then the buttercream cake with fondant elements will probably be the better option for you.

Trends come and trends go...and trends come back again!  When I first opened my business 10 years ago the popular trend was a white cake with a colored scroll (oh the scandal...putting color on a wedding cake!)  I remember hearing all types of comments about the wedding cake needing to be white.  Well, today color is everywhere in a wedding...including the cake!  However, the traditional scrolls and piping disappeared.  Replaced with textured cake, semi naked cakes, and geometrical designs we haven't seen many piped cakes in years. 

However, I'm noticing a shift in the wind.  I first noticed when I read an article on possible cake trends for 2019 and one thing this author mentioned was that they are seeing traditional piping on cakes.  I started to pay attention to the collective ideas from my brides.  And sure enough, I've been doing more piping.  In fact, last week 2 of my 4 weddings had traditional classic piping on their wedding cake.  In my consultations with future brides, I'm noticing a lot of them are choosing designs from my old album...the one with the traditional piping.  Some are choosing the entire cake to be one scroll while others are mixing it up a bit and designing each tier with a different design.  Is the classic styled wedding cake making a come back?  We shall see! 

We are very quickly coming up on 10 years in the wedding industry!  In those 10 years we have learned ALOT!  Not only about cakes, but about brides too!  Some brides have brought me to happy tears with their kindness and generosity and others leave me in a blank stare.  Thankfully, the former is more common!  So, do you want me to let you in on a little secret?  Those brides...the one's who are sweet, humble, and treat us like we are the professionals...their kindness gets them a lot more with their cake.  Here are a few tips to be the best bride ever in the eyes of their baker:

• DO SHARE YOUR BUDGET - So you have a budget?  Great!  So does every other bride.  Be honest with your baker about your budget.  Knowing your budget can help us guide you and give you tips and subtle changes to give you the cake you desire without going over your price point.
• DO NOT BE DISHONEST - This should seem obvious.  We really are not trying to sabotage your wedding. We are in this industry because we love working with couples and being a small piece of your wedding day.  So, if we say something can or cannot be done, please do not go behind our back and do it anyway.  It undermines us a professionals, and can hurt our business if your deception damages our cakes in anyway.
• DO LISTEN - Once we open our shop we don't stop learning.  We are always studying cakes, trends, new ways to do things, technology, etc.  We spend countless hours every month in seminars and meetings learning how to improve our skills and business.  When we make a suggestion or change regarding your cake, please understand we are doing this because we know the inner workings of cakes and how to get the look you are going for in the best possible way.
• DO NOT BE MARRIED TO AN IDEA - I love Pinterest!  I have hundreds of pins...not only professionally, but personally as well.  I think my husband will move out if I show him one more chandelier! That being said, many of these cakes are staged...meaning they are fake.  If you see an idea that you love and your baker either cannot do it or has to make changes, don't demand that the cake look exactly like the photo. Every baker is an artist with their own personal touch and style.  The cake may not be a 100% replica and you need to be comfortable with that.  Besides, you want a custom cake...not a copycat cake anyway...that's why you are hiring a custom cake baker.  Additionally, if the design is obviously the creation of another baker, it is not good baker etiquette to completely steal the artistry of another professional.  However, taking elements of one cake and putting our own personal spin on it is a great way to get your custom, gorgeous, one of a kind cake!    
• DO BE PREPARED - On your wedding day, make sure everything is ready to go for when your baker arrives.  If you have a wedding planner or day of coordinator, that's her job and you can just relax and enjoy your day.  But, if you are the one in charge you may need to do a little prep work that day.  Know what time we will be arriving.  Have the cake table set up and skirted at least 30 minutes before we arrive.  Who knows, traffic may be in our favor.  Have the cake stand, flowers, cake toppers, and other cake decorations at the cake table ready and waiting for us.  This will allow us to quietly slip in, set up your cake, and slip out without disturbing you.     

An engagement is an exciting time in a young couples life!  Many times we want to get the planning started and meet vendors, taste cake, and do all the fun things.  But let's not rush.  Let's make sure we take the proper steps.  Otherwise, our time together is counterproductive without direction.  So, here are 5 things you need to have down before you are ready to meet with cake bakers.

1. Have your date set and venue secured - Most bakers can only take a certain number of cakes per weekend.  So, it's best to have your date set before you meet with your baker to make sure they are available on your wedding date.  And you need to have your venue secured so the baker knows where to deliver the cake and how much to charge for their delivery fee.  It's also good because some venues have different rules for delivering, times, where to unload, etc.  It's good to know all that information for your consultation so we can discuss everything at one time.
2. Know your guest count - There is no way to know an exact guest count months before your wedding, but it's a good idea to have an idea.  Have your guest list already written.  A good rule of thumb is that 75-80% of your invited guests will attend.  This gives your baker an idea of what size cake you will need.  You can always adjust the size later if you need too.
   
3. Know your colors and the feel for your wedding - Knowing the colors and style of your wedding will help us as we design your cake.  Some cakes are more formal, some are more casual, some are more eclectic, rustic etc.  Knowing the style of your wedding will help your baker guide you as we design your cake.
   
4. Have an idea of the food you will be serving - You don't have to have every detail of the meal planned out, but it's good to have an idea.  Are you wanting Italian, maybe chicken and veggies, or BBQ, or maybe a nice steak dinner?  Knowing what you are serving your guests will help your baker direct you when choosing your flavors.  Some cake flavors pair really well with certain dinners.  And sometimes if you are eating a heavy dinner, like BBQ, a nice lighter flavored dessert will be more appetizing to your guests.
   
5. Have design ideas - Have a little fun looking at pictures of cakes.  Maybe pin some cake designs on pinterest, even if you only like a certain element of the cake.  Find out what styles or concepts of cakes you like and don't like.  This will give your baker a direction to go when you begin discussing the design elements of your cake.
   

So, is all of that already done on your to do list?  Then why wait...call or email me and let's begin designing your wedding cake! 

A cake in and of itself can be beautiful!  But, there are some tiny little touches that you can add to the cake to give it that extra touch, elegance, or ambiance to your wedding.  And one way is through cake stands!  Cake stands create more of a statement piece for your cake.  They also add height, making your cake more grand in show!  You can also choose a slightly larger stand and place fresh flowers, candles, or other adornments around your cake too! 

Perhaps my very favorite cake stand is the Pedestal Stand.  This elegant stand gives your cake a little extra height, while resting on a single pedestal.  It's a more dainty stand, but is strong in character.  The come as simple or as ornate as you wish. One word of caution, I recommend placing no larger than 3 stacked tiers on a pedestal stand.  While, I've stacked 4 tier cakes on them...it makes me nervous since the weight is not as centrally located.  

The most popular stand is the more traditional Footed Cake Stand.  This cake stand has 4 legs around the base of the stand.  Typically they are not quite as tall as the Pedestal stand, but are larger and thicker.  These are great for 4 and 5 tier cakes as they are sturdy and heavy.  The stand is also more dominant, making the stand itself more of a show piece.

Popular with more rustic or shabby chic weddings is the Wooden Stand.  These stands are large wooden blocks, often stained or decorated with lace or other adornments used in the wedding.  Couples can event paint their last name, Mr. & Mrs, or some other cute wording on the cake.  These customizable stands can be used in their home as decoration or for parties and other entertaining events.  They make a lovely keep sake of their wedding day that can be enjoyed for years to come.  

We have been a little silent about our new kitchen expansion, so I thought I would fill y'all in on the progress!  Right now, it's slow.  When we opened our custom cake shop 10 years ago, one thing we decided on was to run our business debt free!  The drawback is that things take a little longer because we have to save up for them first.  New ideas aren't flashy or instantaneous.  But, the good thing is that the business is 100% stable.  No bride has to worry about finding out our bake shop closed down because we couldn't pay our debt or got behind on our rent...because there is none!  Since we announced our plans for our new kitchen last May we have been saving and saving!  

And now we are slowly ready to begin!  Yesterday we met with our electrician.  We walked through our space and drew out the plans...where would my oven go, my fridge, storage...and the fun one...my consultation room!  I don't know why but I am so excited to begin designing my consultation room!!  All the beautiful cake masterpieces that will be created in that room!  We mapped out every plug and wattage, as well as additional electricity for growth in the years to come!  Since our building was not created to be a commercial kitchen we are needing to bring in more electricity to our space.  So the electricity will be probably (hopefully) our biggest hurdle.  But, we are working through all the details and they will begin digging trenches and putting in the new wires, boxes, and all things electrical within the next few weeks!  

This is our biggest step.  Once this is completed our second to biggest step is our plumbing.  After that it should a fairly quick and easy process.  Fingers crossed our goal is to have our new kitchen completed and ready to go by the fall!  

Round wedding cakes...they are the traditional shape of an elegant and classy wedding cake!  They are so beautiful to look at, but cutting it...well that's another story.  Or is it?  Round wedding cakes look pretty difficult to cut.  However, with the help of a few tricks they are rather easy.  Here is the best way to cut a cake to get the most servings and create beautiful looking slices for your guests to enjoy!

When you cut your cake you want to imagine going into the cake about 2 inches.  From that point you will begin to cut a small line, staying about 2 inches from the end, creating a semi-circle.  Once you have that base you want to cut down from your semi-circle to the end of the cake.  Slide your knife over an inch and cut again.  Then plate.  Go over another inch and cut down, serving your second slice.  And so forth.  This will give you a beautiful slice of cake that is roughly 5 inches tall, 2 inches long, and 1 inch wide.  I need to make a video showcasing this technique, but in the meantime hopefully this photo will suffice.  Once you have finished the first row, go in another 2 inches and repeat the process.  When you get to a small circle in the middle of your cake then you will cut that in half and either serve or cut those two haves in half as well...giving your guests yet another nice rectangle slice of cake.   

So, order your round cake and get the look you want...slice with ease...and ENJOY! 

Join us as we welcome Austin's newest wedding venue Georgetown Gardens!  This quaint outdoor garden venue is filled with beautiful greenery and lovely landscaping.  I have had the pleasure of getting to know Bruce and Glenna as they have prepared to open the doors of their venue and they have created a beautiful garden scene for your wedding and reception!

Join us as they officially launch their venue at their Open House this Sunday, March 18th from 2:00 to 6:00 pm!!  Come and tour their property and see the gardens for yourself.  My sweet and lovely assistant, Crickett, will be there representing Kayla Knight Cakes.  Stop by our booth and say hi to her.  She'll have some cake samplings for your to taste!  Grab a brochure and talk to her about your flavor choices.  Check out one of our albums for inspiration, and visualize our mock cake on your wedding day.  While your there you can stroll by the other vendors tables and see all they have to offer too!

​We hope to see you there! 

Last week we discussed the color trend for 2018 brides!  Today, let's give those taste buds some attention!!  We have definitely noticed a flavor trend this year.  And that trend is....fresh fruit!!  Brides and Grooms are going crazy for the refreshing taste of a berry infused dessert, especially after a heavy meal!  There are two popular ways couples are incorporating fruit into their wedding.

One way to incorporate fruit into your cake is through your filling!  Couples are selecting a fruit filling to pair with their cake.  French Vanilla is the most popular flavor choice for wedding cakes, and couples are pairing it with a lovely strawberry and cream cheese filling or maybe a nice raspberry or lemon!  However, there are other nice flavors that pair well with fruit...like our pink champagne or rosewater cakes.  That little pop of fruit in every bite of cake adds just the right amount of sweet and savory to your wedding dessert.

Another way to incorporate fruit into your cake is with adornments!  Yes, couples are mixing fruit with their floral's on the cake to give the cake a refreshing glow.  And some couples are opting out of flowers all together and just placing an assortment of berries around their cake...and maybe add a touch of greenery for some pop.

Thinking about using fruit in your wedding cake?  Let's discuss some ideas!