Isselin Cakes

20 Years Ago

2009-03-15T23:55:00.000-07:00

Back when, I created a replica of the St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church for their opening/dedication ceremony - entirely edible.

And now...twenty years later...for their mortgage burning celebration, I've been asked to create it once more - complete with the two Jewel Box side cakes.

Lights, Camera, Auction!

2009-03-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight...it's "Lights, Camera, Auction!" for Lynden Christian Schools ~ a glamorous fundraiser tailored after the Emmys and the Oscars. I was given the privilege of creating a gourmet cake for the event's dessert auction ~ a Celebration Spice Cake with Chocolate Satin Icing.

Chocolate spice cake with a cream cheese filling, covered with milk chocolate buttercream and topped with a dark chocolate satin glaze...

...and adorned with seven gumpaste calla lilies.

Tomorrow...

2009-03-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

it's a replica of the St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church...check back tomorrow!

It's That Time of Year!

2008-07-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy time with cakes & more cakes (consequently, the blog hasn't been updated in awhile). I have much to share with you - so, stay tuned!

When planning a wedding cake, my wife & I always enjoy getting together with the bride and her fiancee (and her family, too, if they choose to come along) - and the planning session with the bride for this cake was no exception. Designing a cake can be fun!

This design turned out to be a culmination of different ideas to achieve a delicately decorated cake. The pale golden yellow fondant set off the white embroidery-like piping - and then to further add to the character of the cake, two different heighths were used for the four tiers.

The bride wanted a garden-like feel to the flower decorations and opted for a gumpaste flower arrangement to adorn the top - consisting of white Iceland poppies, stephanotis, buttercups, baby's breath, and ivy.

What kind of cake and filling, you ask? Each tier was made out of one of my favorite chocolate cake recipes - a moist, fudgy cake - with two layers of cream cheese filling.

A Special 5th Anniversary

2007-11-23T14:30:00.000-08:00

Celebrating your 5th Anniversary is a special time, but for Mike & Julie, it was extra special. Mike went out of his way to help make a dream come true for Julie, and the cake you see here - adorned with a handmade gumpaste arrangement of yellow & red roses and stephanotis - was a part of that wonderful evening - to find out more, click here.

White on White

2007-11-23T14:03:00.000-08:00

The perfect setting for a wedding! For those who are familiar with Mt Baker (outside of Bellingham), and in particular, The Firs Chalet - this was the perfect spot for Tiffany & Brian's wedding. The bride looked beautiful and the backdrop of the mountains was stunning! The bride wished to have a cake that was both simple and elegant, adorned in nothing but white calla lilies. Each calla lily I made by hand out of gumpaste. Underneath the smooth fondant covering each tier, were three layers of a moist, delicate white cake with two layers of tayberry buttercream filling.

Oh, Baby!

2007-11-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

Jonah is on his way and this cake was made to celebrate his upcoming arrival. Notice the baby carriage on top - I piped it out of royal icing, which dries hard, but is very fragile - a very delicate piece to make.

The Real Thing?

2007-10-26T00:51:00.001-07:00

They look real, but are they?

The answer is no. These realistic looking flowers are made out of what is called gumpaste - a sugarpaste mixture. And yes, the petals and leaves are edible. I make each delicate flower by hand, using cutters to achieve the shape of each petal and leaf, and then painting each one with colored petal dust to give it its realistic look. Even though, an arrangement can take numerous hours to make, I enjoy watching my efforts blossom (sorry, couldn't resist) into a unique creation, and I love the challenge of creating new flowers.

More Icing on the Cake!

2007-10-26T00:37:00.001-07:00

This particular cake design is a favorite of mine - the Fan Cake. It is a great one for anniversaries and birthdays and can be done in any color. It is a design by one of my favorite cake decorators, Cile Bellefleur-Burbidge - she is the one who has inspired me through the years as I have pursued my love for cake decorating.

Icing on the cake!

2007-10-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

Above (left): I had some fun with this one for my wife's birthday - her favorite lemon cheesecake topped with a special arrangement.

Above (right): Made to order! This was no ordinary high school graduation cake. Take a closer look and you will see the next step in this young lady's future plans. A very special custom cake for a special high school graduate!

Out of Africa

2007-07-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

I made this cake for Steve and Stephanie Allen to celebrate and send them on their move to Zambia, Africa. I traced and cut out the shape of Africa on a piece of plywood and built the cake on top of it. This is the largest cake I have ever made.

Celebrating a century!

2007-07-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

I created this display cake for the Whatcom Museum's 100th Anniversary! Made to scale, even down to the bricks - and all out of frosting on a styrofoam core.

I love weddings!

2007-07-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

Here is an assortment of wedding cakes I have done through the years. I love developing different cakes, and the more creative the better!

I enjoy creating new, original designs. Because I only work for myself, I can more personally create what you are looking for!