Busy Week produces many creative cakes.

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Last week was a busy week for Akakery. We had a spectrum of desserts created for birthdays, baby showers and sorority soirees.  Love to share my work on the blog to give you creative ideas for your upcoming special events.   First up:  A birthday cake shaped like a corset.   He wanted to surprise her, it had to be black and red and she had to be voluptuous.  How did the lemon cake come out?

Next up... a Minnie Mouse themed Baby Shower, complete with a "Minnie Bar".  The desserts consisted of a Minnie Mouse Cake, Cheesecake and treats with chocolate, marshmallows and oreos.

 Then the sorority soiree/birthday cake.   She's a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and loves pink and green elegance.  How fitting is this cake for a birthday celebration.  Luckily she is extremely customizable - any flavor of cake, any color combinations and even added symbols specific to your organization.

This week.... taking orders for Thanksgiving.  Over 40 different cake flavors available along with pies to adorn your dessert table.  Give us a call: 770-314-5932 or e-mail akakeryatl@gmail.com to converse about the size, shape and design of your dessert.

Founder's Day Season - a celebration of family ties.

From the name of my business to the quality of my work, I deeply believe in the ideals of my sorority. As such, I share my sisterly bonds with the other sororities and fraternities which comprise the National Pan-Hellenic Council and would like to offer a special to all of my sisters and brothers in making cakes to celebrate Founder's Day observances from November 2013 to September 2014.


I offer a generous discount to the brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha whose special date is December 4th. Black and Old Gold makes a stunning presentation on a cake perfect for a centerpiece of any joyous celebration.















Starting off, let me wish a happy Founder's Day to the women of Sigma Gamma Rho on November 12, 2013 and the men of Omega Psi Phi on November 17th, 2013.


Do you need a cake? Here are some examples for the November birthdays:






















Need more information or have a design idea specific to your chapter? Call me Sharon @770-314-5932 or e-mail akakeryatl@gmail.com

Yes...its a Cake!

A Lemon Meringue Cake!  Here is the tale of how I came to create and how others came to love the unique cake that is both pie and cake and loved by all who taste it. 

Texting, this marvelous, modern invention allows me to talk with relatives I don't know very well but am anxious to grow a relationship with.  Since I'm the baker of the family (I have in my mind my great-grandmother's yeast rolls and so many other recipes) its not unusual for relatives to ask me if I know how to make XYZ cake.  Such was the case with the Lemon Meringue Cake.   The conversation went something like this over the course of a couple of days:

Me:  Hey Cuz when do you want the red velvet?  (that was the first request)
Cousin: Well actually I don't need the Red Velvet yet...
Me:  Aww, but I wanted to at least meet you, maybe there is something I can replace it with.
Cousin:  Do you make Lemon Meringue Cake? (LMC)
Me:  Unfortunately not, what else would you like?

I didn't hear anything in response, so I thought I had discouraged my cousin. I went to the drawing board with the suggestion he said. My daughter likes the pie so I thought she might be a somewhat biased taste-tester but I would at least know if I was in the ballpark or not.  After a few days I texted again, determined to both meet my cousin and now, learn something new.

Me:  Hey Cuz... I know I said I didn't make a LMC, but if you're willing to give me an honest opinion, no matter how brutal, I will attempt it
Cousin: Sure, I have an incurable sweet tooth, and I love lemon, so I'll try it.

Now the challenge had been set before me, meeting a cousin I'd not seen in years and making a cake which I've never accomplished before.   I'd never heard of the cake, wouldn't have thought to combine both cake and pie but I am at a do or die moment and I'm in the habit of doing!  I looked up some recipe's on the Internet.  Some combined store bought cake with lemon curd (the filling, curd is such an ugly word) and meringue on top.  Others had variations of "cake" from what could be flat like a crust of a pie to a thicker cake with curd mixed in so I knew that I would have to make a few amendments to call it mine.  My lemon cake for instance, is not, nor will ever be a box cake.

I made the lemon curd first - zesting and squeezing fresh lemons and preparing the batch for refrigeration.  Call in the pie aficionado to get her opinion.  She tasted it while it was still hot and thought it could use a little more sugar, while yet retaining its signature lemon tartness.  I made the adjustment and decided it was time to let it cool and set up in the refrigerator. 

Next I made my lemon cake, baking and cooling as I would any other.

After a few hours the moment of truth came.  Meringue time. You all know the secret to fluffy shiny meringue don't you?   Here it is... "Cream of Tartar", no, not Tartar sauce!  If I had to be most proud of any accomplishment with this cake I would have to say I was proud of the Meringue - beautiful If I do say so myself.

Finally I was able to put all the pieces together, Cake with lemon curd for a nice middle layer and a meringue covering produced a beautiful final product:

I think I had a very successful final product.  My daughter approved the meringue... but she was unable to approve the entire presentation as I wouldn't allow her to cut the cake, I left that honor to my cousin.   After an overnight refrigeration, we struck out the next day to either sail or fail.

Happy to say it was a success and has now been added to my menu of cakes.    My cousin and his staff loved it and when we left, there was a corner still on the cake board.  My daughter even had a slice and she swears it tastes even better than the pie alone.  She says the cake adds substance.   Perhaps they were just making me feel good, so I repeated the process for another crowd the next night -choosing to take this cake as my birthday cake to a celebration.   It was unceremoniously inhaled by all in attendance.  The comments at first were centered around disbelief in having lemon meringue in any other form than pie, to contented grunts after tasting.

Care to try one?   Contact me: 770-314-5932 or akakeryatl@gmail.com

Football Season is back

My favorite time of year is upon us.  Football season 2013-2014 is about to begin.  College football and of course my favorite Dirty Birds are about to hit the gridiron for a winning season.   Because of my love of the game, I combine it with my sweet tooth and always have a cake at a football party.  Below find some of the cake ideas which can grace your game day table/tailgate.

I will do any team, but forgive me if these cakes disproportionately represent my beloved Atlanta Falcons. (If you're coming from the Dirty Bird Nation -let me know).

Contact me: Sharon @770-314-5932 or via e-mail: akakeryatl@gmail.com

Types of Icing

Do you have a preference for the sugary covering to your cakes?  There are many different choices and choosing may depend on the type and occasion your cake will be served.

By far, I think the most popular icing is "Buttercream".   Made with real butter and a mixture of powdered sugar, and vanilla or lemon extract, it is just as it name suggests -buttery, creamy and sweet.    Another variation of Buttercream substitutes vegetable shortening for the butter, and adds milk.  This variation produces pure bright white icing where if you use butter, it will be a little darker in white coloring but not extremely noticeable unless you put something snow white by the cake.   It is a matter of taste which choice of buttercream you choose and the venue in which you are going to serve your cake.   Butter has a low melt point and if your cake is going to be served at an outside affair on a hot day, elaborate decor won't hold up.


Another type of icing is "Cream Cheese".  Made with butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar, it too can be flavored with extracts and juices and is a very popular and quite flavorful icing.  This icing has considerations for the venue and the weather too, but for a cake that is going to be served cold, Cream Cheese Icing has a loyal following of fans.  Cream Cheese Icing can also be crafted into lovely decor as the roses on this cake demonstrate.

Fondant is also a choice for covering cakes.  Fondant is made from marshmallows and powdered sugar.  This type of icing/covering provides for a very smooth surface and provides a lovely decorating medium to create any shape of cake as pictured below.  In order for the fondant to adhere to the cake there is always a layer of buttercream below.  Fondant is an acquired taste to some and isn't usually eaten by "licking the bowl" as the other choices are, but it is palatable.  This cake baker prefers other icing choices but I do like the finished look of a fondant covered cake.

Other types of icing include chocolate - which can be added to all of the choices above but to give a nice smooth finish to a chocolate cake - ganache is a wonderful choice.  Something is noticeably different and extra special when ganache is present.

What is your favorite type of icing?

Contact me: Sharon @770-314-5932 or via e-mail: akakeryatl@gmail.com

Mother's Day, Graduation, Father's Day - 2013

Elaborately decorated, and wonderfully flavored cakes make great centerpieces for festivities surrounding Mother's Day, Father's Day and Graduation (Kindergarten, Fifth Grade, High School, or College) celebrations.  Why not surprise mom and dad with their favorite flavored cakes, made from scratch with the freshest of ingredients decorated with their favorite activities or mementos. School logos and colors, sorority or fraternity logos can also be incorporated for the graduation cakes.   Below are some examples of cakes for all three occasions which might spur you into creating an edible present for the honored recipient.  Also find a list of flavors which are popular this time of year for these delectable delights.

Cakes, as well as their flavors, can be as elaborate as your mind allows.  Here are some new flavors to try aside from the traditional vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, red velvet and key lime.  Think about:

• Butter Sugar Caramel
• Butter Pecan
• Cherry Lemonade
• Neapolitan
• Pink Champagne
• Amaretto Divine

 

Contact me: Sharon @770-314-5932 or via e-mail: akakeryatl@gmail.com