Saturday, January 31, 2009

Coco Cake... More Than Meets The Eye













Try it in your best robot voice:
"Transformers...
More than meets the eye!
Transformers...
Robots in Disguise!"

I was born in the 1970s, and, being a tomboy growing up, of course I was majorly into Transformers. Optimus Prime! But how Transformers-y could Coco Cake get? Coco Cake, the land of vintage-look and design-y cupcakes? I normally don't do mainstream cartoony-look cupcakes-- there's lots of other bakers who are wonderful at this-- I prefer doing vintage-look lions, teddy bears, and other older "vintage" styles of decorating when it comes to kids' birthdays. But perhaps it's the soft spot I have in my heart, memories of ripping around Optimus Prime on the brown carpet in the basement crashing into Peaches N Cream Barbie, that allowed me to do this wonderful birthday party!

I made Coco Chocolate Vanilla in two colors, red and blue for Transformers color theme, and I made 6 Transformers cupcake picks. I also put two vintage car cupcake toppers on them--- ok, the cupcake car toppers weren't the latest technological gadget-heavy next-season Lamborghini Countaches like they have in the recent movie version (no idea if they still make Countaches?) but a cool old school Datson and a muscle car! Awesome...

ALSO: Simply Read Books presents: Penguin And The Cupcake book launch/reading! I need to get some decorating gloves, as every time I work in fondant my hands get sooo stained from working with the inks. Aiyahhhh. I made: a funny little black penguin atop a pink cupcake (just like the book!) , and 8 dozen Coco Cake Vanilla minis in beautiful light colors of pink, baby blue and white. I made a custom stand using vintage gingham-patterned blue wallpaper and pink satin ribbon!

It's been a busy couple of days... now I get to treat myself by going to a fondue party, and tomorrow, a matinee!! (Why do I want to see the new Kate and Leo movie so bad??)

Your friend,
LKS


Friday, January 30, 2009

May The Good Life Be With You!










When I received a call to make a beautiful cupcake display for a retirement tea party, I could tell from the start that this was a very special person who was retiring. A theme of turquoise, silver and grey was requested, and with that in mind, the excitement for Coco Cake began! For the custom stand, I used lacy doilies, some lovely ornate paper in the theme colors from Granville Island's Paper-Ya, and a very pretty fancy ribbon in a light turquoise (Martha Stewart brand! I can't help it, her stuff is soooo cute!). The cupcakes were in three flavours: Lemon Love, Coco Chocolate and Coconut Vanilla Buttercream! 200 cupcakes in all, a mixture of regular and mini sized! It was a marathon baking session for Coco Cake's sole proprietor and baker L.K. Sung. I had lots of fun decorating-- the mini coconuts with the light turquoise buttercream looks like little hats sprinkled with shredded coconut snow!

I had my wonderful friend Sharon, (also the name of the woman retiring!) a budding and very talented vegan chef and caterer, help me set up, and the amazing Savoury City were our co-horts in tea party-ness, providing their delicious gourmet platters and wonderful service to the party.

To Sharon the retiree, I hope you enjoy the wonderful future ahead-- may there be lots of fun and relaxation! We had lots of fun being a part of your celebration!

xo


Thursday, January 29, 2009

These Are The Days Of Coco Cake's Life















It's been a while since I've posted, and let me tell ya I love to post on my blog so I apologize for being a busy beaver! First off: HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! Celebrate the year of the ox! This past weekend I was in Calgary for my grandmother-in-law's 94th birthday, it was lots of fun! Calgary was so cold that when I breathed in, my nostril hairs literally froze together. Weirdest feeling ever!! So to recap Coco Cake's life in the last while, here is a collection of pictures!

Coco Cake had the honour of being part of a tv shoot for OMNI Television, a program called Mandarin Magazine, where they interview Chinese artists in Vancouver and beyond. It felt like I was on a cooking show-- I set up chocolate cupcakes and a decoration station for the host, Helen Lee, and myself to decorate, and I did a quick vanilla buttercream demonstration! Yay!! We also talked about my jewelry design, COCO CHOW FUN. I'll let you know when it airs, it will be in late Feb or early March. Heehee!

Other Coco Cake cupcakey things: "Flag of Syria" themed birthday cupcakes for Engine Digital--- well allllllright! Beautiful pink and lavender cupcakes, Christa Min birthday cupcakes (partially decorated by the OMNI TV people!)

Coming up shortly... a wonderful retirement party, which I made the silver, white and light turquoise custom stand for, plus many more parties, even a children's book launch for Simply Read books! Pictures and posts of these projects coming soon, I promise!

See ya soon!
xo

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Coco Cake Cupcakes Getting Married... Indie I Do

















Coco Cake and sister company Cake & Lemonade Super 8 Wedding Films had a ball of a time at their very first wedding fair, Indie I Do. Coco Cake has in fact decided she's getting married to the dessert tables of some very lovely and stylish Vancouver brides. Thank you to all who came by and enjoyed a cupcake, and I certainly enjoyed speaking to you about your cupcake nuptial desires! "These moonlight desires haunt me...!" (Remember Gowan in Degrassi Junior High anyone??)

Hours were spent prepping for this event, including the making of felt banners on sequin string, the construction of a stripey-adorable custom stand, and ice cream shaped and frosted sugar cookies. I also made raspberry buttercream almond macaron. Having two booths was a double-whammy to my poor brain, and I had been dreaming about my post-wedding fair nap for an entire week, haha...

I had a Coco Cake cupcake bar, as well as a cupcake display in the cute little lounge area. My sister business, Cake & Lemonade, had a table as well, with my business partner Rafael doing most of the socializing while I woman-ed the cupcake bar along with a kind volunteer named Cath. I made five flavours for the event, Coco Chocolate, Coco Vanilla, vegan Coco Chocolate Ganache, Coco Choco Peppermint and the party fave, Lemon Love! All in a selection of colorful frostings, piped royal icing accoutrements, flowers and sprinkles.

All in all we met some amazing fellow Vancouver vendors, including Photobooth Vancouver, Sunlit Letterpress and Pollination Floral Design! Of course we also met some beautiful ladies ( and a couple of guys!) who are tying the knot and dreaming of tiers of beautiful cupcakes at their receptions. Mad props to the organizers, all my pals and family for stopping by, and of course thanks to my cute and cool husband RT for helping me set up, carry all my stuff and giving me moral support!

What a blast, what a day! See you all soon!
xo