Periwinkle Takes the Cake!

This weekend was Montreal's first annual cake show. To see what I was up to on Saturday, check out my last blog post. On Sunday, they announced the winners for the cake expo entries. It was insanely nerve wracking, but it turned out much better than I expected. Aside from the cupcake challenge (where I won Finest Looking Cupcake!), I entered 3 other categories in the expo. Overall, I ended up taking home prizes for 3 out of my 4 entries! Amazing results! 

As Halloween was on its way, and I was way too consumed with my caking to do our usual candy giving madness, I needed to get my zombie fix elsewhere. So, for the sculpted cake category, I decided to enter a zombie cake. I had so much fun making a zombie head for an order a while ago, so that was  obviously what I had to make again! I was super excited... until I reread the rules and realized my cake had to stand at least 24" tall and be made entirely of cake. Yikes! As scared as I was, I changed my zombie head to a zombie body, and went ahead with it. Being so huge, no part of making this cake was easy. Not the carving. Not the masking. And definitely not covering him in giant pieces of fondant. What a nightmare! 

He turned out great in the end, but when we brought him in to the expo, and looked for our number on the tables, my heart sank. Right next to our spot was this beautiful, multicoloured owl sculpture that totally drowned out my zombie. Chef Zombie looked dull and unimpressive next to THAT! So, when they didn't call out my name for 3rd place, or 2nd place, I really didn't expect it when I got called for FIRST! I was stunned! AMAZING! Chef Zombie look home the GOLD in the advanced sculpted category! 

My last winning entry was my Valentino inspired shoe. It's something I've made a couple of times before, and I keep getting emails, and comments about it. Its something I was very confident making, and knew I had to enter into the sugar shoe category. So I did, and of course, it came home a winner too! 

So there you have it! My winning entries! I also entered a wedding cake, but with all the amazing talent in that division, my cake didn't win :( But that's a-okay... I'm already planning my cake for next year ;) I'll share pictures soon! 

Montreal Loves Cake!

Forgive the insanely long post, dearies! I just have so much to talk about this week! Crazy crazy week! So many different cake events, so much fun!

Let me start with Wednesday evening, when I was invited to attend a super cute fashionista event. The exclusive "Baking in High Heels" event was filled with high heel workshops, martini making, hair and makeup, and of course, featured the Food Network SugarStars. All this, at the perfect location, the PRFKT Boutique, completely decked out in cupcakes, cookies, chocolate heels, and cake. It was so much fun, and I got to chat with the SugarStars about the craziness of cake making!  

They are SUCH cuties! <3

Next, over the weekend was Montreal's first annual Cake Show. Could you imagine how excited I was?! Montreal is finally opening up to its cake potentials, and I am beyond thrilled! Before this, we had a couple of cupcake camps, and even that was cancelled this year... But you all know how much I love cupcakes, so I wasn't all that disappointed about that. :P Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed cupcake camp, but cakes are SO much bigger, better, and awesomer! So, here I went, being insane as usual, and signed up for way more than I should have. I entered the wedding cake category, the sculpted cakes category, and the sugar shoe category. As if that wasn't enough, there was a cupcake challenge, and the organizers called me several times asking that I join. What choice did I have!? ;)

SO, enter four nights of very little or no sleep whatsoever. The house is a disaster, and I'm still slowly recovering from all the lack of sleep. Oh you know, the usual scene around here! But as always, it was all worth it in the end!

Saturday night was the cupcake event. All the entrants were asked to make Montreal themed cupcakes, and sell minis with proceeds going towards Dans La Rue. As always, I have to mention how beyond amazing my sis-in-law is, and how she set up a beautiful assortment of cake stands and vases for my table at the event. What an amazing lady! <3

For the cake flavour, I decided to with something tried and true. I made some chocolate cupcakes with a dark chocolate ganache center, topped with a fresh raspberry italian buttercream. You should have seen people's faces as they devoured these babies! Mmm mmm good! And obviously, they kept coming back for more! Best feeling ever! 

For the cupcake topper, I went all out! I love making mini decorations! I made the Orange Julep in the middle, surrounded by Fairmount bagels, poutine, and a Schwartz's smoked meat sandwich, with a pickle on the side. I completed the design with hand painted signs for each of the eateries. Super cute, super tiny, super detailed!

Tada! The winner of Montreal's finest looking cupcake! 

That's all for now! Stay tuned for pictures from the expo, and the rest of the goodies I went home with the next day!