Alyea - The Sweetapolita Bakebook: 75 Fanciful Cakes, Cookies & More to Make & Decorate

CONTENTS

WONDROUS DESSERTS
FOR THE WEE

SUGAR-COATED
CUTOUT COOKIES

FOR THE LOVE
OF LAYER CAKES

FANCIFUL
TIERED CAKES

ESSENTIAL BAKING &
DECORATING TECHNIQUES

PRIZED BASIC CAKE
RECIPES

CUTOUT COOKIES
FOR DECORATING

FROSTING, FILLINGS
& MORE

INTRODUCTION

I CAN STILL VIVIDLY RECALL MY FIRST CAKE EXPERIENCE: It was 1977, and I was earnestly leaning over a heart-shaped chocolate birthday cake, feeling the warmth of three little pink Cake Mate candles burning away as I excitedly tried to dream up a wish. The cake was adorned with stark-white and Barbie-pink frosting roses, swirly piped borders, and an elegantly scripted Happy Birthday Rosanne. It was the quintessential supermarket bakery cake, and it was perfect. My mom was never much of a cake-baker, though she always cooked big meals and made many a pie.

For many years to follow, my mom bought me these beloved heart-shaped birthday cakessometimes chocolate, more often vanillafrom our local grocery store in my hometown of Kitchener, Ontario. She knew, as mothers do, that something as simple as a cake had the power to make her little girls eyes twinkle and smile shine brighter. To this day, I cannot spot a heart-shaped cake, or even a heart-shaped cake pan , without feeling the love and comfort of my childhood.

When I was sixteen, as a result of pure serendipity, I got a job at the only fancy bakery in our city, and it was during that time that I (officially) fell in love with the world-and-wonder of cake and confection. Despite having a longtime enchantment with pretty baked goods, my cake career began in a much different way when, in my twenties, I partnered with a friend and created a successful dessert-themed bath and body product company called Cake Beauty. And although I left the thriving company in 2003, I believe that those were the formative years of what later became Sweetapolita. A few years later, after getting married and having our first little cakelet, Reese, I was shopping and randomly came across The Confetti Cakes Cookbook by Elisa Strauss. As I flipped through the pages, I felt these pangs of envy and sparks of motivation, andBAMjust like that I knew it was time to follow my heart and finally learn how to professionally bake and decorate fancy cakes. The next day, I registered for baking and cake design courses at Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts in Toronto. It was there that I was lucky enough to learn from some of the worlds leading cake artists and ultimately became a professional baker and cake designer. After weeks of feverish brainstorming, I came up with the name Sweetapolitaa nonsense word that would represent my playful approach to baking and hopefully capture the essence of my workand with this name, I started my own custom cake and confection business.

Initially, I assumed that I would continue to pursue life as a wedding cake designer, but as much as I loved creating pretty desserts, something was missing. It was right around that time that I took a quick wedding cake photography workshop, with the simple hopes of learning to snap some decent shots of my creations to build a cake design portfolio. But then something unexpected happened: I fell hard and fast for food photography, or, well, cake photography (lets make that a thing). All I wanted to do was bake cakes and photograph them, and I was so inspired that I would talk about baking all day and night to anyone who would listen.

So with this burning desire, I decided to up and start a blog. I realized that if I had my own website, I would have a reason to make-a-cake, photograph, and write all about itanytime I wanted. I had no idea who would actually read it, but it really didnt matter at that point. It just seemed like the perfect way to immerse myself in the world of bakers and other artistic folk. My creative heart and soul were all a-sparkle as I launched Sweetapolita.com.

But of course its not just about career happiness. To me, baking is so, so much more than that. Frolicking in flour and frosting, even as a hobby or occasional pastime, is something that no one can ever take away from you. It is yours. Baking is timeless, its possibilities are boundless, and you can infuse it with your own flairmost often delighting everyone in your path along the way. Like a magic wand filled with sugar and sprinkles, sharing a made-with-love dessert seems to have the almighty power to instantly provide a sense of glee. A single confection can transport someone straight back to his or her childhoodoften before even a spoonful of frosting or single cake crumb is tasted. Add a few unexpected touches of whimsy-and-wow to your creations, and you just might teleport them somewhere theyve never even been.

As much as we love to bake for others, the truth is, I think there is just as much in it for usor more. Theres something empowering about spending time alone with your creativity and making something with your own two hands, and I strongly believe that we all yearn to leave our stamp on the worldwhatever it may be. Whether its blogging, opening a bakeshop, having a career in custom cake designing, or even simply being the noted baker of the family, I believe you can thrive if you set out to be different and memorable. I mean, since were in this, lets do what we love, kick it up a notch, and make some serious magic!