Crossword Puzzle Cake

For Eric Larson

Eric Larson's lovely son Arthur came to me with the idea for this cake. It was his father's 60th birthday and he loves crossword puzzles. It originally only said "Happy Sixtieth Birthday Eric" but it seemed like it was missing more answers. So Arthur texted me other words that Eric is associated with like, being sarcastic, the love of his dog and coffee, and the fact that he's a grandfather. So, even though this might seem like it says "Happy Sarcastic Birthday Dog" -- it's still super appropriate. Arthur also explained to me that his parents are not big fans of fondant, so this was all iced by hand and hand-piped, a little more work, but it was definitely worth it!

Cake: Chocolate chunk raspberry cake with buttercream frosting.

Details: Black piping icing, blue piping icing

Beatles Cake

For Matthew Sanders

My friend Erika came to me and asked if I can make a Beatles-themed cake for her friend Matt's birthday. He's a huge fan and he has a tattoo of this very image, a silhouette of the famous Abbey Road cover, on his arm. We snuck into Erika's empty apartment and waited for him to come for his surprise birthday party -- 'twas a fun night!

Cake: Chocolate cake & brownie, vanilla frosting.

Details: White & black butter-cream fondant, black piping icing.

Save The Turtles Cake

For Gina Caputo

My dear sister, Gina, will be traveling to Greece this summer to live in a commune on the beach and "save the turtles." I decided to make her a comical cake of a turtle in distress. I apologize if you think it's in bad taste but come on, it's funny. He's on his back! And his friend can't help, he has such tiny arms! You have to admit, it has some charm to it. I may be the only one who thinks that.

Cake: Turtle cake (get it?) Chocolate chunk cake, chocolate icing, caramel icing, pecans.

Details: Green frosting, 8 Ring Dings, Rice Krispy Treats, brown mini M&M's, homemade chocolate fudge, caramel squares, chocolate piping, white & black piping icing.

Breast Cancer Awareness Cake

for Breast Cancer Awareness Walk 2010

The ladies walk for a cause, not for exercise, okay? However many calories they burned, they gained right back with this little gem. I was asked to make a Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon cake and somehow incorporate "boobies." This is what happened.

Cake: Fresh strawberry cake & chocolate chunk chocolate cake.

Details: Vanilla frosting, pink piping frosting.

Funfetti FOF Cake

(Fof is on the right.)

For Bryan Francis

Bryan Francis' birthday fell on the same day we were having a party at my apartment. So he so generously celebrated his birthday the night before, so he can attend our party, as well as all our friends. So I made him this cake. It's a somewhat impressionist drawing of his girlfriend, Stefanie Garcia, or "Fof" as we call her. She's awesome and stunningly beautiful. So making this cake version of her was a treat!

Cake: Funfetti cake with vanilla frosting and a layer of multi-colored chocolate chips inside.

Details: Black, red and yellow piping icing.

Everything Ashley Loves Cake

For Ashley Casparie

It was my best friend Ashley's birthday and even though I've been her friend for longer than 5 years, I have never been able to make her a cake. We were either apart, in school or abroad when it was her birthday. So, to make up for it, I made her a cake of EVERYTHING she has ever loved.

Including, but no limited to:

HER BED

Cigars

Toast

Tiny Pies

Candy Corn

Her Adidas Tracksuit

Mushrooms

Babies (she wants a boy)

Michael Buble tickets (she had requested as a present)

Sour Cream

Big Gulps

Cake: Chocolate chocolate chunk raspberry cake. White chocolate vanilla frosting. With a layer of fresh raspberries inside. White fondant blanket.

Details:

2 giant white chocolate bars. 4 vanilla cookie straws.

Candy Corn

Baby, mushroom, tickets, tracksuit: multi-colored fondant.

Toast: fondant, one yellow Starburst

Big Gulp: Rice Krispy Treats, fondant, sugar candy letters, vanilla cookie straw.

Sour Cream: Chocolate chip muffin, fondant, black piping icing.

1 bubble-gum cigar

1 tiny pumpkin pie

Bounce House Cake

For Chaz Petruzzi

Chaz, my nephew, had his 5th birthday party at a place called Bounce U. It was a UNIVERSITY of bounce houses. And pizza. Pretty much the coolest birthday party ever. My sister RoseLyn asked for a bounce house cake with a slide. I had a lot of trouble with this one, I even bought another cake to replace it because I thought there was no way it was going to work. However, when I brought it to the party, Chaz was just so happy I made him a cake. And that made me happy. But no more pudding!

Cake: Chocolate cake, vanilla pudding. Multi-colored fondant.

Details: Red, green, blue, black and purple icing. Blue, green and white Airheads. Multi-colored gumdrops. Teddy Graham crackers, candy corn, chocolate wafer cookies. Fruit roll-ups, marshmallows, chocolate bars.

Vintage Sewing Machine Cake

For Joe Vitrano

Joe Vitrano took over his family's tailoring company over fifty years ago. I was hired to make him a replica of the sewing machine he used long ago for his surprise 80th birthday party (everyone was okay).

Cake: Chocolate & vanilla marble cake, choclate chip cannoli cream filling, vanilla buttercream icing, dark & light brown fondant.

Sewing Machine: Chocolate cake, chocolate icing, rice krispy treats, black fondant, silver food coloring. One black & white cooke and Smarties candies.

Details: Necco candies, Smarties candies, melted chocolate, Rip & Pull Twizzlers, pearl sprinkles, red, green, peach & white fondant, red & glitter blue piping icing.

"Happy Girthday" Penis Cake

For Lauren Cicitto

A friend, Kelly Hawkins called me up and requested I make her friend a big chocolate penis for her birthday. I couldn't attend the party but I hear good things. I hear good, crazy things.

Cake: White chocolate chip devil's food cake and fudge brownie. Dark chocolate ganache frosting.

Design: Chocolate, vanilla and cherry Tootsie Rolls. Chocolate sprinkles.

Going Away Cake

For Joe Matoske and Sasha VanHoven Going-Away Party

Joe & Sasha were moving out west to Denver, Colorado from Port Chester, NY. This cake documents their travels.

Cake: Chocolate chip vanilla cake. Vanilla buttercream frosting. Red piping icing.

Design: The wagon consists of, vanilla poundcake. Black and white fondant. Four glazed donuts. Two chocolate covered pretzel sticks. Two plastic horses and two uncanny plastic characters.

Oatmeal Raisin Sardine Cake

For Jordan

A friend, Sydney messaged me and asked me to make a cake for her boyfriend. She told me his favorite foods include this specific brand of sardines. He also mentioned that he'd be interested to see a cake that was oatmeal raisin flavored. Done and done.

Cake: Oatmeal cinnamon raisin, cinnamon vanilla icing.

Design: Little Debbie oatmeal cookies. Red and black buttercream fondant. Black piping icing. Vanilla icing. One chocolate cookie sprayed silver. White pearl sprinkles. Green and black gel icing.

Neil's Revenge Cake

For Neil Fridd's Birthday

Three months earlier when Neil got his license he asked for a cake where he runs over Sam Branman, who requested the "Neil failing his road test" cake.

Cake: Chocolate Raspberry with chocolate raspeberry chocolates baked inside with chocolate icing.

Design: Smashed raspberry guts, a plastic car, and an uncanny Sam doll dressed in a hood and sequined booty shorts.

Picture Credit: Carol Crumlish

Iron Man New Element Molecular Structure Cake

For Neil Fridd's Birthday

Neil Fridd saw Iron Man 2 and requested the new element be made with a big top cupcake pan for his birthday.

Cake: Blue funfetti with blue vanilla icing.

Design: Blue Sour Straws, blue gum-balls.

Picture Credit: Carol Crumlish

Chocolate Mocha & Red Velvet Cupcakes

Sold at Coffee & Tea Market Cafe

1. Chocolate coffee cupcake with mocha buttercream frosting, a cappuccino tea biscuit and espresso flavored sugar sprinkles.

2. Southern red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting.

Twilight: Eclipse Cake

For Lauren Casparie's Birthday

The Casparie family hired me to make their daughter a cake of her favorite Twilight book of the Twilight Series, the film opened on her birthday.

Cake: Chocolate brownie with marshmallow butter-cream frosting.

Design: Black butter-cream fondant, vanilla icing, vanilla piping icing and two strawberry Fruit Roll-ups.

Tarot Card Cake

For Adrienne King's Birthday

Adrienne is one of my best friends and she recently learned how to give tarot card readings after a lifetime of her curiosity with the tarot. I forced her to come over and give me an emergency reading, where I asked her what her favorite card was and which did she see in herself. She told me the Star card. I then stole it and made this cake for her, using her favorite ingredients. **I gave the card back**

Cake: Ice cream sandwiches, hot fudge, peanut M&Ms, strawberries, bananas, Cool Whip, vanilla Pitzelle cookies.

Design: Vanilla icing, white sugar paste, food coloring, black & yellow icing piping, blue piping gel and pink heart sprinkles.

Steve's Artwork Cake

For Steve Compton's Birthday

Steve's friend Adrienne hired me to make a replica of one of Steve's many city-scape paintings. She discreetly took a picture of his work with her cellphone (on the left) and sent it to me. We gave it to him at a show called Hillstock at Shea Stadium in Brooklyn.

Cake: Neon rainbow cake.

Design: Vanilla frosting, numerous flavored Fruit Roll-ups & black piping frosting.

SQUID CAKE

For Dan Regelski's Birthday

Dan's nickname is Squid. He's always been an aquatic kind of guy.

Cake: Double chocolate-chip cake.

Design: Vanilla pound cake. Vanilla Icing. One huge chocolate bar. 7 giant vanilla Tootsie Rolls. Apple Jax cereal. 2 yogurt Dot candies.

Everything Bagel w/ Lox, Cream Cheese & Coffee

For Dan Regelski's Birthday

Dan Regelski's favorite morning dish is an everything bagel with cream cheese and lox. We would get this meal and coffee every Sunday morning at a bagel place called Lenny's.

Cake & Design: Cinnamon-swirl bundt cake,a java chip muffin & a chocolate chip cookie. Peanut butter buttercream icing. Vanilla & chocolate Icing. Orange & pink Starbursts. nuts, cookie crumbs, and coffee flavored sugar sprinkles.

Giant TPDR Album Replica

For The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! Album Release 2010 at Silent Barn

This cake was a request to make a replica of the album "I love you! I love you! I love you and I'm in love with you! Have an awesome day! Have the best day of your life!" for the album release show.

Cake: Vanilla, chocolate, funfetti, marble cakes.

Design: Chocolate & vanilla icing. Red Airheads. Pink sugar crystals, chocolate sprinkles, yellow flake sprinkles and gold dust!

COOKIEPUSS! (replica carvel ice cream cake)

For Tim Quackenbush 30th Birthday

Tim Quackenbush is our quite older friend who remembers the days when there were only two Carvel ice-cream cakes: "Fudgey the Whale" and "Cookiepuss" -- he talks about them a lot. So I made him Cookipuss for his birthday.

Cake: Chocolate & vanilla ice cream, chocolate crunchies, whip cream.

Design: 2 chocolate chip cookies, white, black and green piping icing, 1 ice cream cone and shredded coconut.

Pizza Cake Take 2

For Christian Fritz's 10th Birthday.

The Fritz family hired me to make their son a cake that looks like his favorite food. Not to brag but, they also ordered a "pizza cake" from a nearby bakery for triple he price and I was told it looked and tasted like crap. Win.

Cake& Design: Vanilla cake, raspberry frosting, white chocolate, fruit leather & green flake sprinkles.

Fried Fish Sandwich with Steak Fries!

For Sam Branman's Birthday

Every fast food joint we step into Sam's always asking if they have a fishwich. He can eat four of them in ten minutes easy. So I made him a giant cake that looks like one!

Cake & Design: Vanilla cake (a lot of it), Peanut butter cream frosting, green Now & Laters, red Airheads, Vanilla icing with green chocolate chips, the fries are burnt slices of pound cake.

Neil Failing his Road Test Cake

For Sam Branman's Birthday

Sam's friend Neil was looking forward to taking his first road test when Sam requested Neil failing, in cake form, for his birthday. Neil frequently describes things as being "the coolest" -- so that's where that came from.

Cake & Design: Chocolate cake, vanilla icing, blue food dye, candy letters, one dollar store car that lights up and plays the theme song to Beverly Hills Cop, and one uncanny anime action figure cut in half.

Flannel & Glasses Bear

For Joe Matoske's Birthday

Joe is frequently told he looks like a bear wearing glasses and a flannel shirt. His face was my inspiration.

Cake & Design: Funfetti cake with chocolate, vanilla frosting and peanut butter.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

For Friendsgiving at Fuxity

A bunch of friends had their own Thanksgiving and I made these appropriate cupcakes for everyone.

Cake & Design: Brown sugar cupcakes with cinnamon apples inside. Sweet cream cheese frosting with caramel topping.

Turkey & Pilgrim Hat Cupcakes

for Friendsgiving at Fuxity

A bunch of friends had their own Thanksgiving and I made these appropriate cupcakes.

Cake & Design: Vanilla cake, chocolate icing, vanilla icing, candy corn, fruit by the foot, ice cream cones, banana starburst and chocolate sprinkles.

Sea-themed Cupcakes

For Youth Film Program Students 2009

I taught two sessions of a children's film camp and I thought they deserved some cute cupcakes at their final screening.

Cake & Design: Chocolate and vanilla cake, Twinkies, Fruit By The Foot, Swedish Fish, Mallowmars, powdered mini-donuts, graham crackers, ice cream cones, Dum-Dums, gummy Dots, pretzel sticks with vanilla and chocolate frosting.

Spaghetti Cupcakes

For Youth Film Program Students 2009

I taught two sessions of a children's film camp and I thought they deserved some cute cupcakes at their final screening.

Cake & Design: Vanilla cupcakes, vanilla frosting, cocoa powder, raspberry jam, Ferrero-Rocher chocolate candies.

Corn on the Cob Cupcakes

I got that book that everyone wants to buy but they don't because it's expensive. Dan got it for me!

Cake & Design: Vanilla cake, vanilla icing, various flavored jelly beans, rock sugar and chocolate.

The Biggest TPDR Cake EVER

For Adrienne King's birthday & Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! show at Silent Barn.

The grand finale at Silent Barn was Dan popping up out of the cake after Adrienne blew out her candles. People still ate it.

Cake: Vanilla, Chocolate, Funfetti, Marble, Strawberry & Carrot Cake

Design: The most slippery homemade Crisco icing EVER courtesy of Dan Regelski. Colored icing design by Me, Neil and Dan. Cake mix stirring by Ashley Casparie.

Salt Shaker Cake

For Mollie Muise

Mollie puts salt on everything, no matter what. So I got her a salt shaker necklace and a cake in the shape of her favorite seasoning.

Cake & Design: Vanilla and chocolate cake, Vanilla frosting, black piping icing.