1st Cake of Christmas

I can hardly stand it!  I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning…. waiting…. waiting… waiting… for The 12 Cakes of Christmas!!  This is the second year for this cake series and I am thrilled to see how it has grown since 2011.  Twelve days of festive holiday cake inspiration to make you merry!  This year for The 12 Cakes of Christmas, we’re turning the tables and exploring what inspires those who inspire us!  Have you ever wondered what inspires the talented bakers who appear on the pages of this blog?  Where do they turn for inspiration?  Well we’re about to find out!  Over the next month we’ll be oohing and aahing over 12 marvelous cakes, created especially for this cake series!  Each baker was asked to create a design based on what personally inspires them.  It’s 12 bakers baking…. it’s The 12 Cakes of Christmas!  Ho, Ho, Ho!

The first cake in our series comes to us from Erin Gardner, owner of Wild Orchid Baking Company in Dover, NH.  Erin was a newcomer to this site in 2012.  But over the course of the last year, she has definitely left her mark on the pages of this blog.  You’ve pinned, liked and retweeted many of Erin’s gorgeous cakes (like her rainbow cake and her vintage bunting cake).  Well you better start searching for a ‘LOVE’ button because Erin is about to wow you again!  Inspired by a festive card from Rifle Paper Co, this cake is sending out a greeting full of cheer!  It’s the 1st Cake of Christmas!!

Erin transforms this greeting card into a whimsical cake that feels both nostalgic and timeless.  A woodland garland with branches, holly and acorns… all hand cut and precisely placed.  Flirty flowers and a dusting of gold add an extra layer of charm.  It’s both festive and fabulous!  And full of Christmas cheer!  Let’s take a peek…

Erin of Wild Orchid Baking Company shares the inspiration for her design:

“I created this 3 tier fondant covered cake using a Rifle Paper Co. Christmas card as inspiration.  I loved the modern but retro feel of the card.  My own Christmas decorations are a mix of new and old, but I seem to always be drawn to things with a vintage feel.”

Erin of Wild Orchid Baking Company gives us the scoop on her technique:

“For the cake I added touches of edible gold, which I thinned and sponged on to give the cake a little bit of texture and sparkle.  For the branches and flowers I wanted to keep the colors bright and the shapes simple, to match the clean lines of the images on the card.  The cake is finished with a fondant banner across the center tier with piped royal icing wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!”

What a spectacular start to a month full of Christmas cake inspiration and merriment!  I don’t know about you… but this cake just makes me jolly!  It not only captures the joy and excitement of the holiday season but is simply stunning!  So, so many little hand cut pieces.  Placed perfectly together.  To wish you a Merry Christmas!

Thank you, thank you to Erin of Wild Orchid Baking Company for creating this oh-so-charming Christmas garland cake!  It’s an incredible start to The 12 Cakes of Christmas!!  And to Mark Davidson for the gorgeous photography!

The Christmas cake fun continues tomorrow with the second cake of The 12 Cakes of Christmas!

 VENDORS & CREDITS:
Cake:  Wild Orchid Baking Company
Photography:  Mark Davidson Photography
Inspiration Source :  Garland Christmas Card from Rifle Paper Co.