Cake Imitates Art

The Fall issue of Martha Stewart Weddings features cakes inspired by famous paintings. Here are a few of my favorite interpretations.

A variety of colored fondant dots decorate this cake to resemble Damien Hirst's dot paintings. Eliminating the letters keeps the cake from looking too cluttered.

This sculpted cake has a painted quality. It looks like the canvas brought to life. Just look at the golden tips on those orange-red flowers and the metallic shimmer on the flower urn. Stunning.

It would have been so easy to make little yellow and light blue fondant squares to cover this cake, but re-creating the artwork from an aerial view on mini cakes is a great mod idea.

Be sure to check out all of the art becomes cake features here and tell me, Which of these three is your favorite?

Inspiration Board: Rustic Elegance

One of the wonderful brides-to-be that I met at the Mpls/St. Paul Magazine Bridal Party contacted me last night about her upcoming event. She wants an October event with rustic elements that is comfortable and still elegant. Her main accent color is burnt orange with other fall hues sprinkled in.

I started to work on an inspiration board for the dessert table's design with the intention to have it ready by Thursday. Well, I was so inspired by the thought of a comfortable, yet elegant wedding that I had the board ready to go an hour and a half later.  So, I thought I'd share my interpretation of rustic elegance with you.

I love the olive green, satin peep toe pumps for walking down the aisle, but a change into some equally gorgeous green flats would be a requirement for the hours-long reception and dancing into the night.

All Hung With Care

Why just hang a wreath on the door when you can display them as part of a winter-y dessert buffet? A chandelier or square wreath display is an unexpected twist on a classic. These are affordable, yet unique ideas that would draw guests to your dessert station for a closer look.

If you don't have the time/money to invest in some creative wreathing this year, shop the after season sales and grab a few faux wreaths to use next year. Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Target, and Hallmark will have some gorgeous ones for up to 75% off. This type of after-season shopping is a tradition of mine. The decor we used this year was purchased last year, so opening the box of ornaments was a nice surprise. I'd completely forgotten what the ornaments and garland we chose last year.

Rectangular wreath buffet (BHG.com), Wreath chandelier (Martha Stewart), Hanging wreath (BHG.com)

Dessert Table: The Touch, The Feel of Cotton

 

 

I immediately fell in love with this dessert table. Kelly of yes, please designed this beautiful table using greenery and organic cotton of all things! Soft lighting creates a warm, intimate feeling and casts a lovely glow. Little fluffs of cotton serve as cupcake toppers and tea cakes and gingerbread men are elevated from everyday to elegant.

Dessert Table: Hanukkah's Silver and Blue

Hanukkah starts December 12th this year, which gives you plenty of time to plan, buy, and create some delicious treats for your guests. Blue and silver are the traditional colors of the holiday, and this time of year, there are sure to be tons of silver-y blue ornaments and decor to sprinkle across your table.

Glittery dreidels strung above the table make a perfect banner, while a tiered cake is sure to be a show-stopper. Have a baker (or your crafty self) handpaint a menorah on one side and a dreidel on the other for a 360 degree experience. Cookies decorated with royal icing can be packed away as favors or displayed during the party.

Table, Sufganiyot, Favor boxes (Martha Stewart), Cookies (Whipped Bake Shop), Hanukkah cake (Dahlia's Cakes)

Dessert Table: I Scream, You Scream (You Know the Rest)

I love the sherbert hues used in this amazing ice cream dessert buffet. Eat, Drink, Chic featured this beautiful table, but even better...designer Amy Moss has included free downloads for the labels she used!

Check out the post here to see all the photos of the table, including a large view of the entire creation. Awesome, simply awesome.

Dessert Table: Red, White, and Mmmm

I immediately fell in love with this peppermint-themed event. Everything has been thought of, everything. The linens, the peppermint truffles, and the striped translucent favor bags can only be topped by the waiter serving peppermint martinis.

This is so lovely, and even better, it's attainable. Drape a white cloth over a table or console and use a red runner (or any red fabric) down the center of the table. You don't have to try to accomplish the large bow, simply having that shock of color will create a jaw-dropping effect. I used this technique for an event. Check out the pics here.

Although hiring a waiter might not be feasible, you can arrange the glasses on sliver trays. Put one tray on each end of the dessert buffet. Pour the drinks right before guests arrive and leave a recipe card for guest to refill for themselves as the night continues.

Place your tree or an attention-grabbing menorah in one corner to draw people into the room, and enjoy your handiwork.

Images (Brides.com)

Inspiration: Pink and Chocolate Brown

The Party Dress blog featured this fabulous pink and chocolate brown inspiration board for a bridal luncheon. The dessert buffet features simple white china and gorgeous apothecaries. This is a great example of how a dessert table can blend cohesively with an overall decor concept. The table becomes a part of the event, not just an add-on. Truly lovely.

Cake Meets Catwalk: Runway-Inspired Confections

It seems obvious that fashion and food go hand-in-hand. For me, if it doesn't look good, I won't even try it whether it's clothes or cake. So, I really loved the couture cakes created by some world-renowned fashion designers. Betsey Johnson's cake mimicked the petticoats in her Spring 2009 collection, while Tracy Reese's cake captured the vibrant watercolor designs featured in her show.

Couture and confection, now that's a happy marriage.

Cakes (InStyle Weddings), Betsey Johnson dress (Posh24.com), Tracy Reese dress (About.com)

Holiday Dessert Table

I came across this Pottery Barn tablescape photo today, and it reminded me of a dessert table I designed for a garden-themed reception. There are similar elements in both. Both tables incorporate greenery. Mine features topiary trees, while Pottery Barn has pine branches. Both utilize tree stumps and pieces as perches. I used them for desserts, PB uses them as landing zones for cardinals. My table features Spring's inhabitants (butterflies, ladybugs, and flower candies), while PB features Winter's inhabitants (birds, deer, and pinecones).

My point? If you have a small table, you can recreate both these scenes using small accessory changes to create an entirely new tablescape that matches the season. For the winter table, use the trees stumps as bases for snowflake gingerbread cookies and a meringue cake. Swap the boxwood topiaries with pinecone topiaries. Small stockings make great favor bags for guests. You can make them from felt, which you can find as inexpensively as $2.50/yd, or buy them for as little as $1 each.

See more images from my garden-themed dessert table here.

Peppermint meringue cake (Bon Appetit), Snowflake cookie (Martha Stewart), Pinecone topiary
(Country Living), Pinecone stocking (Martha Stewart)

Smore-riffic!

Twig & Thistle posted these simple acetate boxes filled with Smores ingredients and adorned with twine. They are fabulously easy, great favors for your Thanksgiving or wedding guests to take home. They can be made all the better by adding gourmet marshmallows that will really wow 'em. These pineapple coconut lovelies would add a sophisticated, chic twist to a childhood classic, while Jack Daniels flavored ones would make perfect favors for the groomsmen.

The Kids' Table: Thanksgiving

I can't take any credit for this great inspiration board. The Party Dress Blog posted this fabulous kids' table idea, which is perfect for Thanksgiving. The kids could even get involved in making their own napkin rings, headpieces, and "Give Thanks" centerpiece. This would make the kids table the place to be.

Last-Minute Halloween Dessert Table

Even if you haven't had time to bake your own Halloween treats, it's still not too late to "wow" your guests for tonight's festivities. This crafty arrangement is made using a simple white cloth topped with black tissue paper. The tissue paper also transforms typical cake plates and platters into more Halloween-worthy dishes. Even store-bought goodies would look great.

Halloween Goodies II

This Pottery Barn dessert table is the perfect mix of sophisticated and spooky. Skulls and ravens look just right mingled with black and slime-green candies. The display is complete with different brews and wines. It's impressive, but still achievable for even a busy hostess.

This display is even simpler if you don't have time to concoct a bunch of different "brews." Simply mixing candy in with your other witch-y decor creates a great tablescape, too. Right now, Halloween decor is on sale everywhere you turn, so it's a great time to stock up on ravens, pumpkins, and other fall decor items. I love the silver pumpkins. They reflect the room and add dimension to the table.

Spooky Treats: Halloween Dessert Table

Leave it to Martha to create a fun Halloween dessert table. I love that the pumpkin faces don't require Picasso-like carving skills.

These snowy white carvings would be an elegant, unexpected twist for a fall wedding reception. My minimal skills could never create one of these masterpieces, but they would be phenomenal on a fall-inspired table surrounded by all-white candies and desserts. Lots of candlelight in the room would keep the event feeling warm and intimate rather than stark and sterile.