ICCA Annual Cake Competition 2010 - A Flashback

With the Annual Wedding Cake Competition 2011 being just two days away, it is time for me to take out my photos which I have been keeping for one year. A flashback on last year's inaugural event to set the mood for my cake decorating friends who are either competing or attending.

The cake on stage is done by the ICCA team.

As part of last year's committee (though I did not contribute much due to distance), it is an opportunity to be able to watch the event as it unfolds from the beginning. 

Late at night...can't remember what time, because the set-up can only start when the mall is closed. I like it at this stage...the calm before the storm.

The arrival of the first few cakes... 

 ...before you know it, the tables are full!

Final touch-up.

Below are close-ups of some of the cakes, individually.  

Don't they look great? Can't wait for this year's cakes...I bet it will be all over Facebook and blogs...maybe I should keep my photos for a year again?

That's me with Shahril's cake, the winning cake last year. I look like a kid...but trust me, I have grown, am still growing, non-physically that is. This is the end of Day 1, but I shall do everything in one long post, more pictures, less crapping... 

Day 2 is just 'happening'!

 Competition for kids held at the concourse area.

Teens' category.

Kids' category.

Final pieces from teens category...

...and from the kids' category.

Demonstrations held throughout the 2 days. 

Day 3...that is when I had to leave, therefore no pictures. It was prize giving so I bet you can imagine lots of activities going on. This year, I'm just contributing a demo on Pressure Piping on Cookies, but I bet the event is going to be bigger and better. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Angry Birds Birthday Bash at Tower Regency, Ipoh

An Angry Birds theme for a 1 year old birthday party held at 17th Floor, Sky Lounge, Tower Regency Hotel...a hotel which is in operations for only 2 years. All planning and organizing was done by May, my customer, the mother of the birthday boy. May and her family is from the Philippines and has been staying in Ipoh for the past 5 years. 

Backdrop done by hotel's in-house artist.

This is a non-violent Angry Birds cake, therefore no slingshot needed. That's because these are smart Angry Birds who have placed their eggs on a higher ground where the pigs can't get at them. Besides, birds outnumbered the pigs. And they are real mean looking so that the pigs would think twice before trying to get the eggs.

A better picture of the cupcakes. Off course, all pigs can only be placed at the bottom tier. Everything I do has a meaning or reason...I'm weird like that.

That's May and her sister, who came all the way from Philippines, making adjustments to the balloons.

Handmade Angry Birds paper bag, by May. They are filled with Angry Birds merchandise. 

These came all the way from Philippines. Angry Birds are concurring the world!

More Angry Birds merchandise!! Bear with me...

Angry Birds piñata...done by May. A customary game to have during birthday celebrations in the Philippines as well.

The layout of Sky Lounge is L-shaped. So this is the other side of the room where the buffet line is set-up...also in an "L" shaped line.

Here's Migo, the birthday boy in his Angry Birds T-shirt. He has the longest eyelashes ever. May he grow to be as smart as the Angry Birds on his cake!

Jessinta & Jagdesh at Royal Perak Golf Club (10th September 2011)

Let me take you through the wedding set-up for Jessinta and Jadgesh at the newly renovated banquet hall at Royal Perak Golf Club. Thanks to Jessinta for allowing me to share her photos on my blog. 

The reception area, backdrop decorations from an events company in KL.

Similar backdrop for the stage area. A 7-tiered cake in pink, cream and gold. For more story on this cake, click here .

The main table located at the side, below the stage.

An advantage of this venue, a floor to ceiling screen on stage.

My first dessert table.  

Banana Chocolate Cake Pops

Royal Iced Sugar Cookies 

Raspberry Cheese Tartlets

Three flavours of macarons in three colours. Not forgetting Cupcakes with Blueberry Fillings in the background.

Wedding favors by The Wedding Cottage

Here's wishing Jessinta and Jagdesh

"A Wonderful Journey Ahead" 

A Case Study : Seven-tiered Dummy Cake

A seven-tiered dummy cake for the purpose of cake cutting on stage. Theme colours are to be beige, gold and pink. Design inspired by Sedona Cake Couture. 

The sizes are, from the smallest 6 inch, gradually increasing by 2 inches, to the bottom 18 inches. Firstly, the covering with fondant. Notice the slight difference in beige tone for the top 4 tiers, compared to the bottom 3 tires. Two types of fondant brand were used (unintentionally), Snow Ice (our local brand)for the top, and Pettinice (from NZ) for the bottom. So, we can conclude that the same colouring recipe (1kg fondant : 4 drops Americolour Gold) used on different brands of fondant would not produce the exact colour. The colouring was done by hand kneading each kg of fondant individually. In total, top 4 tiers used 2.5kg, and bottom tier, 4.5kg...excluding drapes and bead borders.

The cake was left in its 2 forms (meaning top 4 and bottom 3 not joined) for easier transportation to wedding site. 

Fabric flowers were assembled on site. The centre of the roses were dusted pink. It is difficult to find the required flowers, in its suitable size, in the required colours. Which is why making your own gumpaste flowers is best. Unless there not other choices, fabric flowers would come second for me.

A wedge is done at the bottom tier to place the real piece of cake.

Celeste & LB at Overseas Restaurant, Ipoh (3rd September, 2011)

The wedding of Celeste and LB, Ipohans working in Singapore who comes back home nearly every weekend. That much I know about them, and off course where they stay. Celeste is so sweet, offering to get me Precious Moments figurine from S'pore if I ever need them.

 

A 5-tiered cupcake tower in light blue, light pink and white. Design given by the Celeste in the form of a 2-tiered cake. Something along the lines of Made in Heaven or Love in the Heavens...dreamy sort of look. So I convert it into cupcakes and gave them a blue swirl using a round tip...keeping it rounded and fluffy.

The Precious Moments figurine given as an ROM gift to the couple...they used it for their wedding cake. Isn't that meaningful? You can see the dummy cake belonging to Overseas Restaurant in the background. This Overseas Restaurant is the new building in Jalan Datoh. What you will see in the next few pictures are only half the banquet area, approximately 30 tables. There was another birthday celebration on the other side.

Here's a closer look. A total of 9 tiers and full of white roses...about 200 white roses?

Rarely do I get the opportunity to see briefings nowadays. That's what goes on before the arrival of guests. A briefing session done by the captain on the food menu, service sequence and any special requirements for the event.  

Following that is the rehearsal for food presentation, first course only. They could do better with the use of props though. 

 That's part of the 2-piece band tuning and rehearsing for the night.

The main table setting.

 Centrepiece for the main table. Cute ya? I was told everything belongs to the venue, so the set-up is by them.

Setting for a normal table. You can see the individual door gifts in light blue and light pink. These are the only thing matching the wedding cupcakes. A this point of time they have switched on the yellow lights, everything looks yellow on camera.

As I leave, there were already guests waiting outside...must start setting up time earlier in future if I want to take more pictures. Hope you enjoyed all the pictures...it's everything you see here, and more, that makes a wedding...A Wedding!