Get ready to set sail with today’s helping of nautical inspiration.  I’ll admit it.  I am obsessed with any and all things nautical.  I know many of you are too!  There is something so fresh, clean and downright summery about the nautical look.  The crisp red, white and blue color scheme paired with stripes is always a classic.  And I’m especially fond of decorating with woven nautical rope.  Whether wrapped around a hurricane vase or lantern, a little touch of rope adds charm and texture.  So needless to say, I did a rope-loving dance when I saw today’s cake!  Created by Kristin Kirkpatrick , owner of Fat Girl Cakes in Virginia, this design captures all of the great nautical trends.  Bold wide stripes come together with an anchor that is truly golden.  And ropes that you must see to believe.  Let’s take a look at this Classic Nautical Cake!

Kristin of Fat Girl Cakes gives us the scoop on her design:

“Late last year I met with a couple who were planning a nautical-themed wedding.  Since it was my first inquiry using that theme, I spent several hours researching molds, stencils, and motifs that are out there.  While coming up with cake possibilities for them, the one idea I really hoped they would choose was doing a tier covered in fondant rope.  When the couple chose another baker I was heart-broken, not because they went with someone else, but because I couldn’t make that rope tier!”

More from Kristin of Fat Girl Cakes :

“Fast-forward a few months and one of the venues where I am a preferred vendor contacted me to make them a cake for their bridal open house.  The theme… you guessed it… NAUTICAL!  One of the coordinators sent me a picture of the traditional decor and red, navy, and gold striped table linens there were planning on using, and I knew I was finally going to make that rope tier I had been dreaming of.  I ran it by the coordinator to make sure she was on board, and she said to go for it!”

I’m so glad Kristen had the opportunity to bring her rope tier to life.  Because it is incredible!  And the gold gilding on the anchor is such a great addition, providing contrast and a nice metallic pop.

A very special thank you to Kristin Kirkpatrick of Fat Girl Cakes for sharing her Classic Nautical Cake with us today!  Your seaworthy design is just stunning!

VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake:  Fat Girl Cakes
Photography:  Kitt Creative

You know it’s going to be good when the description starts with bright, white and pristine.  Oh for the love of monochromatic beauty!  Today’s cake is an elegant design that’s all about the white-on-white texture.  Delicate ruffles flow up, down and all around creating swirls of dreamy detail.  While clusters of petite pompoms add another layer of wow-inducing character.  It’s refined, elegant and just down right stunning.  Let’s swoon, shall we?  It’s an incredible White on White Ruffles Cake by Maria Nicoletti of RooneyGirl BakeShop.

Maria of RooneyGirl BakeShop gives us the scoop on her design:

“Two popular fondant techniques have become my obsession and I would apply them to every cake I make if I could.  Recently, the perfect opportunity presented itself and I was overjoyed to put these techniques to use.  This small wedding cake captures these delicate methods.”

Maria of RooneyGirl BakeShop shares her techniques:

“For the bottom tier, I took inspiration from a Sharon Wee Ruffle Rose tutorial.  I applied countless strips of paper thin textured fondant to a white fondant cake.  The strips are applied in a circular pattern to form the roses and in “V” shapes to form the ruffles in between.  For the top tier, I’ve seen and admired numerous artists, including Erica O’Brien, applying a ruffly pompom effect and I wanted to try it.  I cut out small round scalloped edge circles and folded them in quarters, leaving the ends open.  I applied them in a very tight formation to the top tier using a little dab of water as needed.  I finished the cake with a simple satin ribbon.”

Seriously.  Undeniably.  Gorgeous!  The ruffled rosettes on the bottom tier are crazy beautiful.  I love how they gracefully flow from one delicate swirl to the next.  If you’ve ever thought an all white cake is boring, this little gem proves otherwise.  It brings a touch of charm to any wedding or bridal shower.

A special thank you to Maria Nicoletti of RooneyGirl BakeShop for sharing her White on White Ruffles cake with us today.  It is simply divine!

VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake:  RooneyGirl BakeShop

Today’s feature is one of those cakes that just makes you feel happy!  And it’s easy to see why.  Who can resist a charming horse wearing an adorable bandana?  With a tousled mane and infectious smile, this little guy will steal your heart.  He’s the star of this playful 1st birthday cake, created by Peggy Lee of Peggy Does Cake.  Wooden fences encircle a field of sunflowers while ladybugs flutter about.  Silver horseshoes, rope borders and a few red apples complete the delightful country scene.  Oh and let’s not forget the contrasting cow print!  Get ready to oohh and aahh over this Happy Horse Cake!

Peggy of Peggy Does Cake gives us the scoop on her design:

“Designing this simple little cake was actually quite tricky for me!  I was given a list of ‘must haves’ and then granted the freedom to turn that list into any kind of cake I wanted for Riely’s first birthday party.  I really had no clue what to do at first and considered just doing a single tiered cake at one point.  I was just originally asked to create a cake with a western feel and to include a horse, a rope, a fence, a couple horseshoes, etc.  I’ve done the cowboy thing for plenty of adults, but I’d never really thought about this theme specifically for a baby – and to make it more difficult, the cake was to be done in browns, but needed to be ‘bright and cheerful.’  That was the hardest part, for sure.”

Peggy of Peggy Does Cake talks about her technique:

“I think the most fun part of designing a cake is also the most delicate: customizing it just perfectly.  I really wanted to add a splash of color to the brown color palette, so I ran with the ‘horse eating an apple’ idea, and incorporated a few other bits of red with the ladybugs, the number one, and the horse’s bandanna.  It turned out to be just enough to make it a happy cake.  Beneath the fondant finish was a bottom tier of chocolate fudge cake with chocolate butter cream filling and an outside of dark chocolate ganache, and a top tier of white almond sour cream cake with vanilla bean butter cream filling and an outside layer of white chocolate ganache.”

Oh my goodness!  The more you look at this cake, the more you see.  It’s seriously adorable and chalk full of precious details.  From the silver horseshoes to the red apples, and everything in between!  Not to mention the loveable horse topper.  It’s a perfect design for spring and summer birthdays for the little ones.

A special thank you to Peggy of Peggy Does Cake for sharing her Happy Horse Cake with us today!  It is just darling!

VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake:  Peggy Does Cake