The Cake Plan

I think I have figured out how I am going to go about making the wedding cakes! I've been pondering over this for quite some time as it isn't as simple as it looks. But the moral of the story is just that I am not willing to pay $10-$15 per cake! I think I am going to go with a simple design like the one below. Leaving the sides unfrosted seems to be a new trend and I personally find it very cute. Coincidentally, it also makes the whole process a lot easier. This way I just take circular cookie cutters and cut the cake and stack! All I need to do is cookie cut sheet cakes, frost the sides, top each with a single berry, and place them on super cute teacup saucers and on several cake platters and then out for the guests.

Sounds simple and cute enough, does it not?

(PS: The cakes won't be in boxes like these, but it was the only photo I could find the proved the point!)

Vegan Cupcakes + Gluten Free Cupcakes = YUMMY Wedding Cupcakes

I know how much all of us here love desserts. So today I wanted to show off some adorable cupcakes and cupcake stands. I haven't found a baker for my wedding yet and when I was putting together this post, I saw through The Inspired List that her cake prices are in my price range. I totally love the new site :) Anyways, these mini-cupcakes look so yummy. And guess what, they are vegan and gluten-free! Though a lot more vendors are starting to add vegan and gluten-free treats to their menu, it is still not as prominent as it should be. Amy Bakes Cupcakes offers these tasty little guys and knows how to decorate quite well too.

Amy Bakes Cupcakes is a baker from San Francisco and is a member of The Inspired List.

Browse other wedding vendors in the San Francisco area. Sign up to become a member of The Inspired List.

Dessert For Thought

This comes from an anthropologie-inspired wedding done by Amy Bakes Cupcakes. When vintage meets chic during the spring the product is this gorgeous dessert setting. I particularly love that all the cupcakes are mis-placed giving it a more informal and not so put together look. This got me thinking about my own cake situation. I have yet to find a baker and I have yet to figure out what I am doing as far as the cake goes.

My new thought was to do something like the above. Take a bunch of mis-matched items and create a sort of "scene" on the table. Instead of doing a traditional cake, I could go for something a little less done, mini two-tiered cakes. I could set them up in a few different cupcake stands and add some flowers and other items that are also going to be prominent in other areas of the wedding. Maybe I can add the s'more bar here too? We'll see on that.

Each of my mini cakes would look something like the below cake. Just a simple butter cream frosting layer and then some cute and super small cake topper. Sounds cute right?? Now I just need to find a baker who does these!

Wedding Wednesday Finds

Consider this my version of the so loved "Friday Finds" posts. Truth be told, I quite the folder of "finds" years worth, to be exact! So some of these may be things we haven't seen on the 'sphere for some time now. It's nice for me to dusk off these old photos and it is also funny to see how my style changes. Kind of like when you clean out your closet and can't believe you ever wore that shirt. Same thing, but with weddings styles! So here goes nothing! Enjoy some pretty for the day.

source: Kiss the Groom

I'm highly considering a small cake. One of these little mini beauties. They are so sweet and delicate, I just want to stare at it all day.

Source: (I'm kind of a professional bridesmaid)

A good sign never gets overlooked. I love when people are coordinated enough to create a full style for their wedding. I am glad I have Ian to design everything for me ( really, what would I do without him?) otherwise you would see no paper products at all creative at my wedding!

Source: Yvette

Obsession with this color palette and these shots. Srsly to die for.

Source: I'm Kind of a Professional Bridesmaid

Who's mocking up a candy table? This one is so very cute, and with the pops of blush? Love it.

Source: Yvette

And of course, a vintage camera. LOVE it.

As far as my wedding plans, I am getting somewhere. I realized that I have been freaking out about the design of the space way too much. All my "details" are really small totally personalized things that will make the event ours in every way we look at it. I don't want it to be a "set" like a play would have, but instead, just a bunch of those little things that mean so much to us.

So, I'll let Holman Ranch take the cake in terms of the set (I couldn't have found a better place to do so) and I am going to focus on those things that make Holman Ranch ours and ours alone.

That being said, here we go with the DIY projects. First up: Escort Cards. Everything is in the mail and that will be starting oh so soon!

PS: I still have tons of Baker's Twine, Kraft paper shipping tags, and white 4x4 gift boxes for sale. If you need any supplies for super dooper cheap, just e-mail me! (allison@engagedandinspired.com)

PPS: What do you think I am using this PPS to say? You got it, The Inspired List! We have over 20 amazing giveaways (literally, I'm fully jealous of the prizes) for brides and vendors! Not to mention a site that is going to blow your mind and revolutionize how you find your vendors (while staying totally in budget)! I know, I can't wait either. Only a few more weeks. Oh and send some mental love Ian's way for this site, he is working his little butt off! Again, what would I do without him?

Cake Pop {Round 2}

Over the weekend I made Cake Pops yet again! I think they looked and tasted better than the ones I had at my engagement party. Want to know the ingredients? White cake and whipped cream cheese frosting. Yes, I said whipped! It was the most amazing frosting I have ever eaten.

As for the coating I did a few different things. Instead of getting the chocolate that was suggested to dip the pops in, I just dipped them in the frosting, which I think was WAY better. For the chocolate ones, I melted cream and chocolate together and dipped the pops in that. The pink one in the center is using the chocolate that Bakerella suggests. The clear winner at the end of the night was the white pop.

Oh and those little mini pink things are attempt number two at french macaroons. They tasted good, but they look nothing like french macaroons, I know.

Next time I am going to make red velvet cake pops!

And for more yummy-ness on a stick, check out all these other desserts on a stick!

My Wedding Cake Inspiration

Pretty sure this post couldn't have been any later! OMG, these days have been a bit much for my taste. But, it is all in good fun, so I can't really complain. And now, speaking of taste, let's talk cakes! Finally, the fun and tasty part! I get to go meet some amazing bakers and create an amazing design and yummy tasting cake. I think this is going to be incredibly fun! These are some of my favorite cakes and as you can see, I like something a little more modern and unique and a little less dumb looking. ( my words) As you can also see, I have a love for ginormous flowers. That will be a recurring things throughout the wedding, but as far as my cake goes, I plan on treating it like a couture dress. I want it to be classy and chic but totally unexpected and amazing. It needs to have a definite "wow-factor".

As a quick side note to any bakers out there, us brides appreciate really amazing websites and really amazing photography. A lot of people need a redesign on their site fast!

My fave of all faves is that one on the lower right, with the massive flower over taking the cake. It is just gorgeous. And I am looking for that butter cream or more textured frosting, none of this fondant stuff (unless it looks phenmon!). And definitely doing a white cake with berries, none of this chocolate-lovers stuff.

Recently, I was totally drawn to Hilary Duff's wedding cake though. No frosting and so chic! I would totally go this direction if I was not a frosting fan, but the fact of the matter is, I like the frosting more than the cake!

Amazing right??

And last but not least, I am not planning on leaving my gluten-free friends hanging. It may just be that I want to create my own mini dessert bar at the wedding, either way though, I am going to take care of them (which is actually over 20 people!) with some cute little cupcake tiers on either side of the cake. This way I get the best of both worlds, cake and cupcakes, I get to create an amazing dessert table, AND they will be happy and fed and just as fat as the rest of us that had regular cake!

Homemade Cookie Placecards

I have been searching for the perfect table numbers recently. It is one of those small details that could just be pretty generic and no one would know or care. But, if you do something special, that will be noticed. This Bakerella proposal was amazing. So of course I followed along with the gal's wedding to see what she was up to! When she posted her place cards, I was in awe. This is insane, she is seriously super-bride! Just days before her wedding she baked and wrote each guest name and table number on a personalized cookie. Insanely amazing.

LOOK AT THESE! OMG. Crazy town :)

All wrapped up and ready to go :)

Check out the whole process and how-to on her baking blog.

{Sweets} Dessert Must-Haves

First off, thanks to everyone who has entered the giveaway so far! Remember, there is a prize for one bride and one vendor! So get going with those entries if you haven't already! Now onto some devilish fun....as we get to sit and look at all these desserts that we want to be in our mouths! But instead, we are dieting until the wedding. Shucks. Well, at least we get to look at the amazing shots of yummy desserts, right?

I know I have posted before about macaroons, and what can I say, I just can't seem to get enough of these babies. The colors, the shapes, the taste, there just isn't anything wrong with macaroons. I'm trying my hand at making home-made macaroons in a few weeks. I don't know how it will go, but I'll definitely have an update after I am done.

{Source} Macaroon Favor, Macaroon Cake, Macaroon stand, Macaroons

Whether you are making a macaroon cake, plan to use these as your favors, or are just offering them on your dessert table, french macaroons will just add that something extra for your wow-factor wedding. I should probably figure out how to add these into my wedding, or maybe my bridal shower??

{Source} Milk and Cookie Display, Milk Bottle, Milk and Cookie Glasses

Cookies and Milk. If you can make cookies and milk look like a gourmet dessert, then props to you. This simple, childhood dessert has really come up there to become such a unique idea for a wedding. Oh and milk bottles! You could do so much by adding milk bottles! So amazing :)

{Source} Small cupcakes, Tiffany's Treat, Cupcake Stand

And of course, cupcakes! These little mini cakes can be the most amazing thing ever! The options of decor are insane, and you could pretty much add them to any event and make them look epic. And is that "Tiffanys Treat" photo not the greatest thing ever?? It was for a bridal shower. The whole idea is just amazing!

Bridal Shower Sweets

Yummy yummy yummy! These mini treats go perfectly with showering a bride with gifts, don't you think??

I love that cupcake bouquet! I have to figure out how to make one of those to give to at least the bridesmaids! How cute would that be?

Source: Style Sweet, Cupcake Takes the Cake

Other options if you aren't into these mini treats-small 2 layered cake. These are grogeous and oh so cute! If you are doing cupcakes for you wedding, maybe you can switch it up and serve a mini cake at your bridal shower.

Source: Twiweddings and a dog, lauren Ratliff

{Treats} Desserts on a Stick

Remember the cake pops I made for my engagement party? Well, I made those myself! Turns out there is a whole slue of "pops" I didn't even know about! I was obviously quite excited for all the possibilities and all the new recipes I could try! Which ones should I try next? Since everything is better in mini sizes, these little treats are perfect for bridal showers, engagement parties, or just a Saturday night :)

{Source: Bakerella}

I happen to be a pie person, so I am super excited to make these pie pops. I think mini-macaroons would look just darling on sticks :) Definitely on my "to bake" list. Maybe I will expand out to all these items for my bridal shower, make it a continuation of the cake pops I did at the engagement party.

{Source: Bakerella}

Have you ever made any of these or tried them?? What flavors are the best and what did you make them for??

Psst: Let's connect up over twitter or facebook! I'm an April 2011 bride planning my Holman Ranch wedding in Carmel Valley. Thanks for visiting!