Sugarlips Blog: The Latest Licks

Hey Nerds! This blog's for you!

2010-06-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

What would life on this planet be without the geeks and their dweebie goodness? Hey it's Steph, taking the wheel of the Latest Licks blog this time around. I can say with sincerity in my heart and "beep-boop-p'cheew-BOOM!'s" going round in my head that life at Sugarlips would be drab if it weren't for our dorky-uh, I mean, "totally normal" techie customers. We're not too hip to the video-game jive around here, but give us a photo and turn us loose and we'll re-create that "little grey thing-a-ma-bobber with words and buttons on it" just for you!

Now you can have your old-skool nintendo controller and eat it too!

And below for your enjoyment we have the XBOX 360. See how it gleams. Notice the detail. Don't try and plug it into the TV. It won't really work. But it'll taste great!

1. Put on and tighten the wrist strap.

2. Hold the wii remote securely and do not let go of it.

3. Allow adequate space around you during game play.

4. Eat your wii remote.

Conagrats, Grad! School's out! Now bust out the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda!

LET'S DO THIS.

Okay so you're uber cool if you have an Ipad, everyone knows that. Add an Ipad CAKE to your repertoire, and you instantly rank with the likes of Captain Kirk, Han Solo, and my personal favorite, Lt. Commander Worf.

Qapla'!

That's all for this installment....stay tuned...we've got a hunka'-hunka' burning blog coming up next!

Twilight...New Moon!

2010-03-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Okay folks, I'm just going to say it now... if you're not a Twilight fan, you may want to leave the building! (Or at least the vicinity of the computer screen) Those Twilighters are

BLOODY CRAZY!

Both the cakes above and below are along the same lines, mimicking some of the aspects of the Twilight series book covers. Both are buttercream-iced with fondant accents, as well as fondant apple and chess pieces. But judging from the fang marks on the cake below, I'd say someone got a bit hungry before the cake was even sliced! (Must have been red velvet!)

CULLEN CREST

This cake emulates the amulets! The ones ALL loyal bloodsuckers, um, I mean Cullens wear... are you wearing your Cullen crest? Or would you consider yourself:

TEAM JACOB

Ahwoooooooooooo!!

Now that is some wolf-y goodness right there.

A REEL-Y FUN PARTY...

This cake was brought to a movie theatre, which was rented out for a big New Moon themed birthday party! So we made a big movie reel cake, with a fondant clapboard on top, and movie scenes piped all around the perimeter.

But you don't have to wait for the next new moon... or full moon, or crescent for that matter. Get your FORKS out right now...Your next special occasion cake is just a phone call away!

Everything's coming up roses!

2010-02-16T21:36:00.000-08:00

It was a very busy Valentine's Day at Sugarlips, so I thought I'd start off with some roses! But the truth is, I only have time for a tiny blog today. So the following highlights five tiny items!

Roses are red...

...hey these roses sure smell sweet! Of course they do, they're made of sugar! These lovely roses and the following fondant pieces are handmade by our cake artists at Sugarlips!

What PAMPERED POOCHIE...

was the recipient of this pawsitively adorable pink poodle cake? (She'd have to be barking mad not to be howling with delight over it.) Don't roll your eyes, I live fur puns, and you know you're just lappin' it up... Throw me a bone here!

UH-OH!

I don't know if this little guy should be monkeying around with his number two, but it looks like that what's about to happen! (I can't watch!)

They're taking the plunge!!

This was a close-up of an engagement cake for a couple that met playing water polo... I suppose you really can find "other fish in the sea"!

Kat's ME-OW!

This cool kitty left her little footprints all the way up Kat's two-tiered 15th birthday cake! What a naughty girl! But I guess she couldn't resist such a tempting ball of yarn...

Can YOU resist one more day without an adorable treat from Sugarlips?? Don't paws...call today! 480-292-8891 Or visit our website for more cool pics and info. Me-OW!

Comin' at ya live, 3-D CAKES! (No silly glasses required)

2010-01-24T09:19:00.000-08:00

Hello again, loyal Sugarlips fans! Today I thought we'd show off a few of our more recent 3-D cakes! These cakes take a lot of time to plan out, sculpt and finish, so they are among the most laborious cakes we make. They are also a super-fun addition to any special occasion!

It's in the bag!!

This cute-as-can-be purse cake was ordered for a bridal shower, and the wedding colors were taupe and raspberry, with gerber daisies. Other than that, the design of the purse was left up to us! Notice the metallic hardware, and even the "sewn" seam edging. The strap fell casually along the back. Everything you see is edible! It's a shame you have to cut it!

Welcoming a new little princess

This gorgeous 3-D tiered castle cake was ordered for a huge lavish baby shower, to welcome a much anticipated little sweetheart! This full-view pic fails to show the close-up detail, but the castle has diamond-paned windows with wooden shutters, gothic door, and ivy/vines with well over 100 cupped pink flowers. The castle surface was a variegated silver-painted fondant with piped brick-work and gumpaste turrets. Whew! A lot of work!!

You can't help but wonder what's in the bag???

Get your mind out of the gutter, this bag is full of delicious CAKE! We love to make 3-D shopping bags! They turn out so darn cute. Even the tissue paper is an edible rice paper, airbrushed with edible color and luster dust. We also make an edible receipt, totaling up the goods, and adding your special message, often with a pun or two!

Who doesn't LOVE to get a present?

Presents are welcome at ANY special occasion, especially when they contain something tasty. We can take your party's theme colors and produce an elegant, whimsical, or even masculine present cake design, complete with an edible bow and tag. Partygoers can hardly wait for the guest of honor to unwrap this one!!

Aren't you hungry for Sugarlips now?

Making a cheeseburger cake is a blast, however I always go home hungry for a burger. This cake is all buttercream iced, with fondant "cheese", for Leeah's 12th b-day. Don't like onions? Hold the pickles? Hold the lettuce? Special orders don't upset us!!

Ahhhhh, Sugarlips... I'm lovin' it.

The Cute, The Weird, and The Creepy

2010-01-03T22:04:00.000-08:00

...But YOU DECIDE which is which!!

Now, I think you have to be just a little off your rocker to work at a custom cake shop like Sugarlips. Just mildly wacky. So when a customer says they'd like a cake shaped like a yellow Speedo, you just nod and calmly ask what flavor.

And my sincere apologies for the lapse in blogs; it has been beyond busy here at the cake shop! I resolve to get my rear-in-gear, blog-wise! Without further ado...

HEADED TO COUGARTOWN!

Yep, my pal Lesa insisted upon a cougar cake for her BIG 4-0! Although we thought the leopard print might get the point across, if that makes any sense... my favorite part is when she asked for "surprised skulls" on the top tier. Hey, we're Sugarlips, we can handle that. (Rawr!)

TO HAND AND TO HOLD???

I hand some mixed feelings about this request, and I could have really used a hand on hand-modeling these fondant appendages, but I really hand to hand it to myself on the final handiwork. And congrats to Mr. Yee for securing the hand of such a fine young woman. Let's all give him a big hand.

Note: No hands were actually severed during the making of this cake.

I'LL BET THEY WERE LICKIN' THEIR CHOPS...

...when THIS little number was unveiled at the company birthday party. Yes, this was a corporate cake for "November birthdays". That's all the woman said when ordering a porkchop-shaped cake for 40 people, to be delivered to an office building, for a company that has nothing to do with pork. Hey, "don't ask, don't tell", that's what I always say.

ELEPHANTS NEVER FORGET...

And I'll never forget how cute this little guy turned out. Modeled after a buttercream cake our client found on a cake decorating website, where hobbyists send in their creations. Wish you could see his little 'bum' and tail from this shot; almost cuter than the front view.

DRUNKENLY EVER AFTER

I am only poking good-natured fun at this one; I thought this couple's idea was a total riot! Seriously folks, a good sense of humor will get you VERY far in a marriage, and this couple has it in spades. A Halloween Night reception, with a buttercream-iced topsy-turvy cake. Fondant couple has "fallen" from the top where they should be and are now face-down in the icing, little champagne bottles still in-hand.

Notice also, the spooky tree, moon, and bats coming out of the top. I just loved this one. Oh heck, what am I saying, I LOVE THEM ALL!

Halloween is coming!!!

2009-10-26T21:51:00.000-07:00

And oh, how I LOVE Spooky-Cake time!!!

Some brave souls started the celebrations early by theming their special occasions in a creepy-like way...

A birthday AND a new job? That IS scary!!

This cake casts an eerie glow on the whole situation! I can almost hear a cackling in the distance... Oh wait! It's only...

Witchy Barbie?!

Of course! Barbie is everywhere! And today, she's in Marina's magically delicious birthday cake! Looking spook-tacular as always, Barbie!

BOO! BOO! BOO! BOO! BOO!

That's five fondant ghosts wishing Hannah a Happy 5th Boo-day! Oooo, I see some icing eyeballs looking on, in the border.

We appreciate those brave enough to raise the Halloween spirits a week early!

This week we expect much more of the same, and love every minute of creating gory, creepy cookie and cake creations! We sure love this spooky-sweet time of year!

Last but not least...

I simply HAD to add one of my favorite wedding cakes so far this month. This wedding cake was delivered to a gorgeous reception at the Seville in Gilbert. The natural light was divine, and you can better see (in my very non-professional photography!) some of the loving detail we pipe on our cakes.

Read on for more recent weddings and other cakes we had a wonderful time creating!!

Tis the season...

2009-10-26T21:15:00.001-07:00

Wedding season, that is!

In the Phoenix area, brides and grooms are plentiful in the spring and fall, when the weather is just right! So this makes October a prime candidate for a flood of weddings. Here, we'll throw on just a few highlights from last week's lovely weddings...

A Golden Glow...

The way the sunlight hit this shimmery gold and white fondant cake was sublime! My favorite part of this was actually not pictured... if you stood behind the cake, you might notice that the cake ornament bride is pinching the groom's tush! (and she looks so innocent from the front!)

Purple Passion

If you love purples, you can't help but love this cake! Three offset, stacked, square tiers, iced in buttercream, and adorned with fresh mums and daisies. Perfectly sweet in a backyard wedding setting.

Just Plain Cool

The pics just can't do this one justice! Designed by a tattoo artist groom, this cake really fit the bill. Tiny red spiderwebs are piped on the top corners of the quilted middle tier, and a bandana-inspired print is piped on the bottom. Turing this cake so the point was the front makes it extra dramatic, as does the red cake board. Way cool.

Simply Elegant!

Beautiful Stargazer lilies separate and top these four tiers in a dramatically elegant way! The combination of the scents of lilies, freesia, and vanilla buttercream icing was exquisite in another lovely backyard setting.

Happily Ever After!

This is definitely the most delicious sand castle you will come across!

Mother of the bride sketched out a tiered cake to resemble a sand castle...complete with an edible stairway and compacted sand finish! (Brown sugar replicates sand the best, in my humble opinion!) No small feat, but it sure came out dreamy! A gumpaste castle facade was carefully fabricated by our sugar artists. We added royal icing "coral" and white chocolate starfish to help complete the look of something built right on the beach.

This cake was picked up and transported by the customer, so we didn't get to see it with the seashells and cake topper they planned to add, but it looked so neat, we wanted to show it here on the blog! Such a fun idea for a wedding cake!!

Girl Stuff!

2009-10-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

For the love of shoes...

This cake was ordered by someone's very attentive significant other! I'm always pleasantly surprised to see a guy order his lady a cake with such consideration for her interests! He even brought in the photo of the shoe... you've gotta love that! What a gentleman! Heather, you lucky girl! (Even luckier if the REAL shoes were part of the gift!)

Why yes, they DO rock!!

And speaking of lucky, these young girls must have had a rockin girl party to go along with their matching b-day cakes! Rowr!!

China Girl

This one was modeled after a Pink Cake Box cake... those girls in Jersey certainly do excellent work! We get more requests for cakes styled after their creations than I could shake a pastry bag at! Chloe's sweet 16 turned out to be a real beauty!

As always, excuse our mess in the background of these pics... we are a custom cakery, not a photo studio! Hee hee hee!!

Seeing double??

No, I'm sorry, we cannot recreate the design on your invitations.

OF COURSE WE CAN, YOU SILLY GOOSE!

This was a very pretty girly lil baby shower, with a Parisian theme...

see cookie favors below...

Mmmm, COOKIES!!

Oh, if only I took French in school, I could think of something delightfully witty to say here!

These Eiffel Tower cookie favors were custom cut from our special all-butter, baked-from-scratch sugar dough recipe. And if that doesn't make your mouth water, well, c'est la vie!

Yea October!

2009-10-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

October is in full swing here at Sugarlips, and for Arizona, that means the weather is FINALLY giving us a break and it's time to party! (AND get married!)

That's right, June is NOT the wedding month of choice for AZ brides! Spring and fall are when the weather is perfect around here, and that means, October is busy!!

The Farm at South Mountain

It was a beautiful day this past Saturday at The Farm at South Mountain; the weather was perfect, and the scenery at the farm is so peaceful. This wedding cake was accented with fresh calla lillies provided by God's Garden Treasures, a lovely local florist.

The top and bottom tiers were squares, with the points facing forward; and the middle tier was inscribed with "Lucky to be in love with my best friend"

Tornado Lover!

This birthday cake was for a 5 year-old who LOVES tornados! His mom brought in a photo, which we had printed in edible ink on the cake. Then we decorated around it with airbrushed stormclouds, and blowing sign and tower. I'm sure his party was a real whirlwind!

LICENSE TO DRIVE

Remember when all you could think about was getting your license and driving? We've done several license plate cakes, for veteran plates as well as historic vehicle plates, but I think they turn out so cool, I had to highlight Zach's here on the blog... and hey- let's be careful out there!

MAGIC IS IN THE AIR!

Now, there must be some Halloween magic in the air, because we had two wizard cakes this past week! One was a 1/4 sheet decorated to look like a spell book, and the other was more of a pretty/cutesie style for a young girl. As the Hogwarts gang would say... WICKED!!

That ends this week's blog... keep your thinking caps on about how YOU can celebrate your next occasion with a really cool Halloween style cake!

And make sure you stop by Sugarlips Cakery for some wicked treats of your own! The shop is all decked out with spooky decorations and music, so put it on your list of places to celebrate the season with the kiddies this month!

MUA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!

Your Wish has been Granted!

2009-09-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

WEDDING BELLS ARE RINGING!

They certainly were this past weekend anyway, when we made this elegant two-tiered buttercream cake! This one traveled all the way up to the Prescott area, being carefully transported by the bride's son and his lovely girlfriend. In fact, they came in and ordered the cake too! We modeled the cake off the bride's cream-colored dress, replicating the gold embroidery along the hem.

And the scallops along the tops tie in the scalloped edging on the invitations. Fresh white flowers were added on-site.

I DO... BELIEVE IT'S TIME TO SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Believe it or not, this was not a wedding cake, but a birthday cake! This one was ordered by the brother of the birthday girl... I have deemed this man the Nicest Brother in the World. Either that, or he's making up for all the noogies and wedgies from over the years.

Regardless, it was a real beauty in its simplicity. White buttercream-iced with fresh flowers.

SHAKEN...NOT STIRRED!

This may have been Reilly's 1st cocktail of the evening, but I'm sure it wasn't her last!

This is just a simple example of how you can get an adorable custom cake from Sugarlips for a terrific price. This 8" round was only $40, and feeds 12-15. Now, what would you pay for 12-15 actual martinis at the club???

WELL, SOMEONE'S A SHOE-IN....

...for that next big promotion!! Probably the wonderful woman who ordered this FABULOUS birthday cake for the owner of her company! Okay, to be fair, all the employees were in on it. I suppose everyone should get a slice of the action... or maybe two! This cake was huge; nearly two feet across!

POOF! YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED, MY DEAR...

Yep! It's THAT easy!

All you have to do is call Sugarlips Cakery, and we'll make all your birthday cake dreams come true. This one was for a Cinderella themed party, if you hadn't guessed...

Bibbity, bobbity BOO!...We turned that cake into a carraige!

(Now what am I gonna do with this pumpkin?)

Special Events on the Homefront!

2009-09-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

EXTRA EXTRA!

MY TWIN NEPHEWS TURN ONE!!

Yep, this cake was for my twin nephews' first birthday, and they are certainly two of the sweetest little cupcakes around. Happy first birthday to Indy and Jase! Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of them next blog with their SMASHER cakes.

Every "1st birthday" cake ordered from Sugarlips comes with a free 4" "SMASHER" cake, which coordinates with your main cake, and fits easily on your little one's high chair tray. Perfect for that once-in-a-lifetime photo op, and none of your guests have to eat the slice with baby's handprint squished into it!

And yes, if you have twins, you may have two free smashers, triplets three, and so on!

This offer is good for baby's first birthday only!

(We operate on the honor system here!!)

AND SPEAKING OF BIRTHDAYS...

Who could be turning 14 on the same day my twin nephews turn one?? Why it's Jayelin, my daughter, and Sugarlips namesake! Believe it or not, my kids are generally pretty easy to please as far as birthday cakes go; they never ask for anything extravagant... perhaps they have seen it all, huh?

Well, this year, Jaye asked me to replicate a cake-shaped puppet that sings love songs on YouTube, called "Cannibul Cake". Perhaps you've heard of him? So I made a version of him in chocolate whipcream, instead of the dark chocolate buttercream of his natural form.

A good time was had by all... except Cannibul Cake, I suppose.

READ ON, THERE ARE MORE NEW CAKES BELOW!

Cake Fixes Everything!

2009-09-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

OVER THE HILL... LITERALLY!!

This truly is an "over the hill" cake! Brent turned 40, so naturally, he needed a Brently, I mean a BENTLY going over the hill as well. His friends kindly ordered him this reminder that he should be coasting the rest of the way.

Edible fondant car, with a buttercream iced hill.

(back view below)

MARGARITAVILLE

Another Men's birthday cake... so what are his hobbies and interests?

Ahhh, I see.

Well, you can't blame the guy, who doesn't like redheads and booze? Notice the "salt" (large crystal sugar actually!) on the rim of the glass. Happy Birthday Patrick... bottoms up!

I DO! ME TOO!

Victoria's wedding cake was perfect for a small intimate reception; she chose a "Vows" style cake for the top tier, and a quilted pattern for the bottom tier. Squares set askew in ivory fondant, with fresh flowers. Very pretty!

MORE SWEET SIXTEENS!

Savannah and Madison's hobbies and interests were highlighted on their lovingly ordered sweet 16 cakes. Savannah's consisted of a teen wearing a crown (little princess?) alongside her dog and cat, cello, soccer ball, and of course Twilight book!

Madison is more of a beach bum, little clothes strewn around so she can lay in the sun. With her, a soccer ball, volleyball & boogie board... sounds like she could use a little rest in the sunshine after all those activities!

All figures and accessories are handmade with fondant, except the beach umbrella.

Have a specially themed cake in mind? Sugarlips can help. Just give us a call, or stop in; we'll help you brainstorm!

2009-09-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the Latest Licks, highlighting the cakes of the week!

VALLEY HO!

This cool wedding cake was our first to go out to the the awesome Valley Ho in Scottsdale. We were excited about this delivery and hope we end up with more; we love anything retro-inspired, and that entire building is just soaked with the 60's! I took a shot here at the shop of this 3-tiered, square cake, stacked askew, trimmed with silver ribbon, and loaded with over 200 silver dragees, and then carefully transported it, seemingly back in time, to the Tropicana Room. The only thing missing was a beehive hairdo. Awesome.

COOOO LA-LA!

Yes, I did say coo... this was a Parisian themed baby shower cake in ivory and black. We based this one largely off a Cake Boss cake that one of our lovely customers submitted. Too cute, and a refreshing change from booties and blocks, of course!

SWEET SIXTEEN

I absolutely ADORE this color scheme! Who would be so daring to request turquoise and red? Today's generation of teens is nothing if not daring! They pierce their own ears and color their hair blue and pink... leave it to them to present me with "EPIC" design ideas! (Although in MY day I would have said "bitchin!")

SWIMMING WITH STYLE

Another retro thing I lovey-dove! This new nursery pattern for babies!! How cute is this, and calming too. Apparently, sold at Target, this bedding, etc. looks like a million bucks. I was glad to make a matching cake. This one is a half-sheet, iced in buttercream, and accented with fondant. If you're wondering, the "X" is for Xavier, the lil' guest of honor.

CUPCAKES? COOKIES?

If you can't decide, get the best of both worlds. This is really just to remind you that we make super-cute decorated cookies. They make perfect party favors, and everything is custom. No more party favors that your guests will get home and throw away. And it won't end up in their next garage sale either. As my dad would say, "Every bite a delight!"

PURSE-ONALITY!

Okay, let's not forget actual cupcakes! PURSE-onally, I often cannot decide which I like the best. One day I'll CLUTCH a cookie, then I'll BUCKLE down and have a cupcake instead. If I'm not too STRAPped for cash, I'll have both. Okay, I'm ZIPPING it for now.

2009-08-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

HI THERE! and thanks for checking in! Every week we make many notable cakes, and it's going to be difficult to pick which ones to highlight! We'll try to keep it diverse... to hold your interest, since you can't actually smell or taste from there at your computer desk.

I do feel terrible for you... just try to

hang in there!

THERE ARE Bs EVERYWHERE!

Nobody panic... they don't sting! Handmade fondant monogram pieces top buttercream-iced cupcakes for a modern bridal shower. Very cool!

SHE'S NUMBER ONE!

This was a teeny-tiny order, but one I couldn't resist due to it's extreme cuteness. These were prepared for a 1st birithday; cupcakes iced in pink buttercream and trimmed with white non-pareils, with a pink flower piped in the center. Awwwww.

For just $2.50 a piece, both of these custom cupcake styles are a major score!

CANONBALLLLLLL!!!

Caryn and Tim had a Pool Party style wedding reception, and wanted something fun, modern and whimsical in a wedding cake. I think they hit the nail on the head with this design! Iced in white buttercream, and covered with random fondant dots and circles in hot pink, bright blue and black, this one was a real eye-catcher! We finished it off with a black and white polka-dot trim, to really make it pop!

Want something different for your wedding? Want to go classic-traditional? Hey man, we don't judge! Get in here and browse thru our albums; you're sure to see something that floats your boat! If not, we'll design a cake just for you.

Until next blog!

2009-08-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

Next up, is a really cool cake for an Engagement party. Kristyn and Brandon met in San Francisco, so it was a no-brainer to theme their cake accordingly! We started out with a hand-made trolley sculpted in edible fondant sugar dough, and placed it upon a buttercream-iced cake. The cake was hand-piped on every surface with assorted San Francisco scenery. Here we show the front and back view, highlighting the bridge (of course!) and assorted other landmarks, including Chinatown, Pier 39, Fishermans Wharf, and a little hippie action with peace signs and Ashbury & Haight Street signs.

Welcome to our New Blog!

2009-08-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hello, and WELCOME to our new blog for

Sugarlips Cakery, "The Latest Licks"!

We'll be blogging about what's going on in the custom cake world, and what we're up to as far as events/bridal shows, our favorite businesses and party/wedding vendors, and of course, THE CAKES!!

Every week, we'll feature some of the fun/outrageous/sentimental cakes we've designed for our lovely customers, and occasionally, the stories that accompany them. If you love those crazy cake shows, you'll love our blog.

And we love feedback, so let us know what you'd like to see more of.....AND AWAY WE GO!!!

First up, is a mention of The East Valley Bridal Show, held at the Mesa

Convention Center, which we participated in this past Sunday the 16th. The show had a wonderful turn-out; we met a lot of beautiful blushing brides-to-be, and a great time was had by all. We prepared the blue wedding cake to display, and we also handed out

samples of our awesome Pink Champagne cake to 200 lucky tasters.

And BTW, "We DO" sell the mirrored care topper ornaments that spell out "I Do", as shown on our display cake, as well as one that says "Mr. & Mrs", and also a Chinese character for Double Happiness. These are a beautiful and unique way to crown your wedding cake.