Sandra posted the following question recently:

Dear Anne,
I think your cakes are just the most gorgeous things! They look too good to eat–but that wouldn’t stop me! LOL I wonder if you could give me some advice. I’ve been interested in baking for many years now. I tried to sell “cookie trays” for showers and weddings about ten years ago or so, but didn’t do too well. Some people did not appreciate that I used real butter & quality ingredients, and I got pretty discouraged.
Now, after a visit to the CIA in Hyde Park, I am inspired again to take up baking once more. I’ve never really done cakes. What advice would you give someone who might want to do the sort of work you do? How did you get started? Are you able to do this full time? Do you miss advertising? I am in public relations myself, and was formerly a reporter. Anything you can tell me would be very helpful. Thanks!

Hi Sandra,

Thanks so much for your kind words! The best advice I can give you is to follow your dream. I would sign up for some pastry classes to see if you really could see yourself doing this as a career. I know FCI has some ‘amateur’ classes as they call them that introduce you to all sorts of baking basics. I’m sure CIA has many courses as well, but I’m not familiar with their curriculum. Also, we are planning on running our own baking classes starting in ‘07. Sign up here to be notified when the classes are available.

After I started at FCI, I apprenticed with Ron-Ben Israel Cakes in New York City. This type of internship was wonderful experience for me, and solidified my determination to start my own cake business.

At first I had to work at a restaurant until I started getting more business. But now I’m doing this full-time, and no I don’t miss advertising Of course I miss my co-workers and sometimes long for a meeting that I could sit-down in for hours . But the best part of advertising for me was using my creativity …. which is definitely being utilized now! I hope this helps…and best of luck! Keep in touch, I’d love to hear about your ‘pastry’ journey!
Anne

In keeping with the “Mitzvah” theme for the week, I also created a Bat Mitzvah cake with red velvet and vanilla and lemon cream cheese.

This Torah Cake was made with a combination of chocolate and white cake with vanilla filling and covered in buttercream. The cake was decorated with rolled fondant.

Last night we attending a networking event for Brides.com and Brides NJ magazine. The magazine is new - if you’re a bride, you should check it out! We were able to donate wedding cake cookies for the event…which always seem to put a smile on people’s faces! We’re also now listed on Brides.com as a NJ cake vendor…so yippy!

We always pleased when customers send us glowing reviews like the one we received this weekend:

We’ve posted more in our customer testimonial section.

We were recently asked to do a cake for a 59th Anniversary. We used their wedding cake photo from 1947 to create a similar style cake.

It may be difficult to tell from the photo, but the style of our replica cake was similar to the older cake. The top layer is white cake with raspberry filling and the bottom two are chocolate cake with chocolate filling.

This custom built cupcake stand is topped with white cake filled with chocolate and covered in rolled fondant. The chocolate and vanilla cupcakes are topped with lemon and vanilla buttercream. The “MB” monogram are the initials of the last names of the bride and groom.

Chambord soaked chocolate cake with raspberry filling in the top and bottom tiers. The remaining tiers are white cake with oreos and cream.

Completely edible billiards cupcake rack with pool cue, chalk and scorecard for groom. Cupcakes are mixture of chocolate with vanilla icing and vanilla with vanilla icing.

One of our friends and fellow French Culinary classmates has been fighting Leukemia since January of 2003. On Thursday October 5, 2006, Pink Cake Box is going to walk the Manhatten “Light the Night Walk” to help sponsor Team JHF, and our friend Jamie.

Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s nationwide evening Walk to build awareness of blood cancers and raise funds for cures.Walkers carry illuminated balloons-white for survivors and red for supporters-to celebrate and commemorate lives touched by cancer. Funds raised by participants support the Society’s mission: cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

Click here if you’d like to make a donation, or Contact us. Help us make a difference!!