What's a day off???

We have had such a great year, but we are definitely ready for some much needed time off. In order to allow our employees and ourselves time to spend the holidays with the friends and families, we will be closed from Sat December 18th until Tuesday Jan 4th. Please know that we will not be able to return phone messages or emails during this time. We are open this week, for regular hours, so please feel free to come by and begin placing your 2011 orders!

Wow, it's been a whole month!!???

It's amazing how quickly November just flew by. There has been so much going on here at Indy Cakes, it has been hard to take a minute to catch our breath.

We do have a few really fun announcements to make. First, we are please to announce that three of our cakes were recently published in the book 1000 Ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies and Cakes. We were asked last year (yes, we've been waiting 12 months to make this announcement!) to submit several photos for submission. We are very proud to be a part of this publication.

While this isn't so much an announcement as an interesting fact, we did a little figuring and determined that in the first year of our offering Cake Bites, we sold over 11,000 Cake Bites!!! How many of those did YOU get to enjoy? If you haven't tried them yet, be sure to contact us soon to place your order before the holidays.

Of course, we wanted to save the best announcement for last. While nothing is definite yet, we have been asked by THE FOOD NETWORK to submit an audition video. The most exciting part about this is that they found us, we didn't contact them first!!! Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page for more details. We also want to say a big THANK YOU to George from Bouquet and Garter for helping us with the video audition tape!

Ok, so that should just about cover the recent going-ons here at Indy Cakes. We will be taking some time off for the Christmas and New Year's holidays, but I'll post those hours in another post next week.

Meet the Cake Artist part 5

This next "Caker" is really a "Caker-in-Training". Please meet Caitlin:

Because of her school schedule, Caitlin helps out primarily on weekends. She often assists in the kitchen with Saturday pickups, and helps carry items for Saturday deliveries. She also is the one who cuts the cakes for our cake tastings on Sunday, as well as prepares the fillings. If there is any downtime between deliveries or appointments, she gets some hands on practice in the kitchen with some practice cakes. She is going to make a great cake artist someday. Until then, we are happy that this hard worker has decided she wanted to work with Indy Cakes.

Meet the Cake Artist Part 4

Today, I'd like to introduce you to Kathy, co-owner of Indy Cakes.

If you've placed an order or sent us an email, you've probably talked with Kathy. If you've stopped by the shop in the afternoon, you've probably talked with Kathy. If you've picked up a cake on Saturday, you've probably talked with Kathy!

Without her, our shop would probably grind to a halt. Not only does she handle the majority of our customer correspondence, but she also handles the office work, bills (we do need lights to decorate!) and other paperwork that keeps our shop going. Lastly, she also holds the closely guarded secret to what makes our buttercream so amazingly delicious.

Meet the Cake Artist Part 3

Today, I'd like you to meet Nicole.

Nicole came to us as an Intern with the Chef's Academy in need of a few more hours to complete her degree. After signing on, it was apparent that she fit in well with the rest of our team and our next decorated was hired!

Nicole started decorating cakes at the tender age of 8 while in 4-H. While in high school, Nicole decided that she wanted to make cakes for a living and applied (and was accepted) to the Chef's Academy in Indianapolis. She enjoys decorating birthday cakes for kids as they allow her to be cute and creative.

Here are just a few of the cakes that Nicole has helped create:

Our new delivery vehicle

A while back, we acquired a minivan for deliveries, but we wanted to make sure that everyone knew what we had on board and why we were driving so slowly. We contacted the guys over at 317 Signs and Wraps, and they made it happen. Check out the results:

Pretty cool, huh?

Meet the Cake Artists Part 2

Today, I'd like you to meet Lisa.

Lisa came to us as in intern with the Chef's Academy. Her cake decorating skills were evident and we quickly decided she would be a great fit for our team.

Lisa originally went to school for architecture, but found that she did not have the passion for buildings that she has for cakes! She enjoys the sculpted cakes as well as making cute kids' cakes, and boy can she make them cute. Just check out a few of her recent cakes:

Meet the Cake Artists!

Over the next 5 weeks, I will be posting a short bio about the wonderful cake artists that work here at Indy Cakes as well as a few of the cakes that they've created while here.

Today, I'd like you to meet Ashure.

Ashure decided she would take on the task of making her son's first birthday cake and quickly found herself obsessed with cake decorating. She watched as many cake shows as she could (and still does!) and took the cake decorating classes offered at Michael's Craft Stores. It was there that she met me (the owner of Indy Cakes). We struck up a friendship and when Indy Cakes was ready to expand, Ashure was a natural choice to be our first decorator.

Ashure enjoys the creativity and uniqueness of making cakes for occasions and especially enjoys the challenge of making non-cake items out of cake, such as hats, cars and turkeys!

Here are just a few of the cakes that Ashure has helped create during her time here at Indy Cakes:

Last Day To Vote!!

Ok blog stalkers, today is the last day to vote on the WRTV 6 A-List and we need to make sure that everyone knows that Indy Cakes is the best! If you haven't already, please take a moment to put in a vote for us. If you have already voted, please forward the link to your family and friends to have them vote for us too!

Click here to place your vote. Results should be available in about 1 week.

A change in hours this week

This week, Sept 6th-Sept 10th, we will be closing our doors at 3:45pm instead of 6pm. This is only temporary and will only last for this week. We hope that this does not cause any inconvenience. Please feel free to call or email us with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for understanding.

Wow, what a busy weekend!

We had a great time at the Bridal Jubilee Expo. A big thank you to Pipers for providing a great venue, to Indy Wedding Ideas for hosting the show, and a special thank you to Debra from Jameson Creations for pulling it all together.

We try to have a new display for each show we do, so without further ado, here is our newest display cake. It is a fall themed cake complete with scarecrow topper and a TREE TRUNK cake base!!

It's almost here!!!!

We're very excited that the Bridal Jubilee Expo is almost here!!! Please take a moment to pre-register to ensure that you have a chance at the $5,000 CASH prize! And, just in case there aren't enough exclamation points, we'll have Cake Bites!!!!

We look forward to meeting all of the brides and grooms-to-be. Also, be sure to stop by our booth to register to win a bag full of day-of goodies. You know all of those little things that are so helpful on the day of the wedding, well we put them all together in a cute little Indy Cakes tote bag.

So many updates, so little time.....

There has been so much going on lately in our little shop, that we've hardly had a chance to breathe, let alone, update our blog! We've been creating some really cute cakes lately, preparing for the Bridal Jubilee Expo, covering a TON of Cake Bites (and trying hard not to eat the extras-job perk!), getting some new cake stands, as well as working on some new display cakes. Whew, I'm tried just writing that!

We also want to take a moment to thank everyone who has already voted for us on the WRTV A-List. If you haven't had a chance to go out and vote yet, please take a moment to make sure the whole city knows that Indy Cakes is the best.

If you aren't familiar with the Bridal Jubilee Expo event, you should definitely check it out. It will be held on the south side of town at Pipers Cafe and Grand Manor. While there is a cost to get in, we do have a few free tickets, so just stop by the shop and ask for one. One ticket admits two people. We will give these away on a first come first serve basis. We will have display cakes, samples as well as Cake Bites! Aside from great cake, there will also be a chance to win $5000 CASH!!! We will also use this event to showcase one of our newest and most unique cake stands yet. Be sure to check us out.

Now, since this has been long, we'll reward you with some cute cake pics:

Because what is on the inside matters to...

Don't you just love the little booties?

Such a cute bridal shower cake...

This cake was for a dear friend's daughter. Both mommy and daughter love horses, so what could be better for a birthday than a pony cake?

We've been nominated again!

We are very pleased to announce that we've been nominated for the WRTV A-List in the Best Cakes category. We would love it if all of our past customers would take a moment to place a vote for us. (It wouldn't hurt if they asked their friends and family to vote for us too!)

http://wrtv.cityvoter.com/indy-cakes/biz/89609

Also, if you haven't had the pleasure of one of our cakes, please place an order and see what all the fuss is about....then you can vote for us too!

And, since its been a while since we've added a few cake photos, and who doesn't love cake photos, here are a few of our latest creations:

This cake was created for a little guy's first birthday. We even made a fishy smash cake for him to make a mess!

This cake is a slight twist on the traditional white wedding. While it is all white, the sculpting and detailing give it a modern feel. You can see where the couple has already enjoyed their first slice.
Lastly, this cake helped bring the Irish heritage into the wedding. It's always nice to bring elements of your ancestry into your wedding, and it is especially nice when it is the form of a yummy cake!

Bridal Jubilee Expo!

Indy Cakes is pleased to announce that we will be participating the Bridal Jubilee Expo hosted by Jameson Creations and Piper's Grand Manor on Sunday August 15th. The show opens at 12:30, but there will be a special private screening and brunch that will begin at 11am. We will be participating in the private screening and brunch. We will have cake displays, cake samples and Cake Bites samples! Free cake all around!!!

Please take a moment to register for this fun event and we look forward to seeing you there.http://www.jamesoncreations.com/Bridal-Jubilee-Expo.html

New website photos!!!

This week, we will be adding some additional photos to our website. We've gotten just a little behind on some of these, so we appreciate everyone bearing with us. We should be adding approximately 3 pages of wedding cakes and 3-4 pages of occasion cakes.

If you'd ordered a cake from us in the past and have a great shot of your little one with a face full of cake (or your new spouse for that matter!!), we'd love to see it! We might even create a page of satisfied customers if we can get enough photos.

DIY vs Professional

I thought I'd step out of my normal blog posts to address something that has been discussed frequently when planning a wedding: DIY or do-it-yourself items.

First, let me say that I am all for saving money. The problem is, so many DIY projects don't actually save you money, but rather cost you extra money and time (and let's face, your time is valuable!)

While there are many DIY projects out there, I'd like to address the DIY cake. I have outlined below a few things to think about when considering making your own cake :

• Have you decorated cakes before? (and been happy with the results) -- If not, I'd strongly suggest sticking with a professional. If you have, check out the next few items.
• Do you have recipes that will work?
• Do you have room in your home to mix, bake and store the cakes while cooling? Some homes do, most do not. Think about how many cooling racks you will need as well as where you can put them.
• Do you have pets or kids that will get into the cakes while they are cooling?
• Do you have the proper tools? Most kitchens don't have bowls big enough for all of the icing needed to fill/cover a cake for 150 people. Also, how much will you spend on new cake tools to roll/cut/pipe decorative pieces?
• Do you know how to stack a cake? If not, do you have the pillars/stand needed?
• Who will help you deliver the cake?
• Will the venue allow a cake that doesn't come from a licensed kitchen?
• When will you deliver the cake? Keep in mind, many venues have specific times for deliveries and may not be willing to accommodate you dropping off the cake before your hair appointment. Also, you'll need to plan for at least 2 hours for delivery. You will be driving slowly, taking a while getting the cake into the venue and getting set up.
• Will you be able to enjoy your wedding without worrying if you did a good enough job on the cake to ensure it stays upright during the day?

The bottom line is that there are some brides (or groom's) who can handle a DIY cake, but for most people, it is best to let someone (like me!) who has done hundreds of cakes do what they do best, make your day special.

Getting ready for 4th of July!

Here at Indy Cakes, we've always believed that the inside of the cake should taste as good as the outside looks, but what if the inside could LOOK cooler than the outside?!

Well, we've found a way!

We are offering a unique cake option for 4th of July. Behold, the flag on the inside!:


This is what the cake will look like when it is on the plate.

This is the inside of the cake.

This is what the outside will look like. This is an 8 inch round that will provide approximately 20 servings. The cost will be $45.00 for a cake decorated as shown. If different decorations are requested, there may be additional costs.

Tragic Accident

Indy Cakes would like to take a moment to send our sympathies to the family and friends of James Douglas who was tragically killed this weekend in a car accident just hours before he was to act as a groomsman. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you.

CONSTRUCTION!!!!!

As you know, our shop is closed on Mondays, however that doesn't mean that it is a day off. That is typically the day that we get the shopping done for the week, some prep work, cleaning and occasionally some paperwork. As I approach the shop on Monday morning, what am I greeted by but ROAD CLOSED signs!!!

Yep, the city is working on removing septic systems and connecting the local houses to the city system, so there are a lot of roads here on the south side that are being torn up to provide access to these systems. If you have been by the shop in recent weeks, you have noticed that the lot next door has become a staging area for the heavy equipment being used for this project.

What does this mean to you? Well, luckily it is still pretty easy to get to us. The best way to access us is to use SR 135 and turn west on Epler. Since we are just 1/16th of a mile west of the intersection, there is no actual construction in the way, however you will have to go around the ROAD CLOSED sign.

If you are coming east on Epler from SR37, you will need to turn south on Bluff Road, then make a left onto Edgewood. This will take you back to SR135 where you can head north to Epler and make another left.

If you are trying to get to us and get lost, please just give us a quick call at 840-1562 and we can steer you in the right direction. Luckily, all of the surrounding streets connect in a grid-like pattern, so it is pretty easy to get back to us if you get off track.

We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause anyone and we appreciate your patience while the city finishes this project.

Bridal Show!!

Next weekend we will be participating in the Bridal Show at the Fountains in Carmel! We will have displays, cake samples, information as well as Cake Bites! Here is a link to directions to the show:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=502+East+Carmel+Drive,+Carmel+IN&om=1

Fun Colors

This week we had the pleasure of making some very colorful cakes. Some were for baby showers, other birthdays. We also had a wedding cake with hot pink and black incorporated into the color scheme.


This cake was for a couple who are using a monkey theme to decorate the baby's room. What's cuter than a baby monkey hanging from a tree? A baby monkey you cake eat!

This colorful creation has 32 servings, which is the perfect size for a party! Best of all, the gerber daisies are edible.

This wedding cake featured hot pink and black piping. The reception was decorated with hot pink and black as well, so the cake fit right in!

Every princess needs a crown, and this princess got hers in the form of a white chocolate crown on top of her birthday cake. The crown and the slipper both shimmered in the light.

This little ladybug served double duty, both as the top tier the cake and as the smash cake for the birthday girl. The gingham ribbon was handpainted.

Be sure to stay posted as we delivered a Zombie themed wedding cake, however I'd like to get the pics from the photographer before I post.

Cake Flavor Testing!!!

While working on some cake decorations today, the conversation in the kitchen turned to interesting cake flavors and combinations. The result, we whipped up a few new combos and are eagerly awaiting the results. We tried the following cake flavors:

Raspberry Cake

White chocolate and Raspberry Swirl cake

Strawberry Cake marbled with Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake marbled with Raspberry Cake

Raspberry Cake marbled with Chocolate Cake

The cakes are cooling and will be sampled tomorrow with lunch (where else is cake for lunch a job requirement!!! ) We'll keep you posted on the results, however if you are in the area and would like to stop by for a sample, and to provide feedback, feel free to drop in.

Also, if you happen to have any good name ideas for any of the above flavor combos, please let us know.

Did you miss me?

I knew you did :)

Wow, it feels like its been forever since I last posted. We've definitely been keeping busy. While we did not win the cover contest, we definitely appreciate all of the votes and well wishes received.

We've been spending the majority of the past few weeks getting ready for the tax deadline tomorrow. But that's the boring part of owning your own business, now onto the fun part, CAKES!!

There have been a few really cool cakes being ordered lately, and here is just a few examples:

This cake was very simple, yet elegant wedding cake. The bride decided to surprise the groom with the extra tier!

This birthday girl's daughter wanted her to turn 50 with style, so we used the invitation as inspiration. The butterflies are black with teal sparkles on their wings.

This was for a couple enjoying a small, intimate wedding. The monogram and flowers are a deep purple. The cake was topped with a pair of chocolate covered strawberries upon arrival at its destination.

While this cake just looks fun, the best part was that the birthday girl's BFF designed it! The bottom tier matched the invitations, while the birthday girl's name sparkled in front of the zebra print. How can you not love this cake?!

Our final cake of the post is a more traditional cake for a milestone birthday. To celebrate her 80th year, we made a cake with basketweave sides and a cluster of spring flowers adorning the top of the cake. All of the flowers are made of sugar, so they are completely edible.

Who wants free Cake Bites?

Well, obviously EVERYONE! Here's how to make it happen:

1. Follow this link to vote for Indy Cakes to win the cover of the next issue of Indy Wedding Ideas: http://www.indyweddingideas.com/VOTEFORBESTWEDDINGCAKE.html
2. Send everyone your know to vote for Indy Cakes as well!

Its just that easy!

So, how does this result in free Cake Bites? Well, if we get the cover, then we'll set up two weekends where you can stop by the shop and pick up a bag of 4 free Cake Bites to enjoy! We'll even have a variety of flavors available for purchase if 4 just won't be enough.

The contest ends April 5th, so we'll keep you posted.

(on a more serious note, our thoughts go out to the Cake Girls in Chicago whose studio was destroyed by a fire this morning. If there is anything we can do for you, please just let us know)

Do you make cupcakes?

YES WE DO!

We can make cupcakes to accompany the main cake at your next event. This can be a great way to make up the extra servings that you need without increasing the cake size. It can also be a great way to accomodate small children at a mostly grown up function. Basic designs start at $15.00 per dozen. We can also make intricately decorated cupcakes. These would be priced based on the individual design.

We can also make mini-cupcakes. These are perfect for a finger food type party or where a full sized cake/cupcake might be too rich. They are also great for office pitch-ins, kids school parties or just having a BBQ!

Call us today to order your cupcakes!

Happy St Patrick's Day

While we are busy today working on a wonderful wedding cake for this weekend as well as several other occasions, I thought I'd take a moment to wish everyone a little luck of the Irish!

Also, if you have't already, please take a moment to go out and vote for us on the Indy Wedding Ideas cover cake contest! We'd love to be featured as Indy's Elite wedding cake designer! http://www.indyweddingideas.com/VOTEFORBESTWEDDINGCAKE.html

We're in a Contest!!!

Indy Cakes has entered a contest that would feature our cake on the COVER of the new Indy Wedding Ideas magazine. Please take a moment to follow this link to place your vote: http://www.indyweddingideas.com/VOTEFORBESTWEDDINGCAKE.html

Also, please tell your friends to vote too! We'd love to be featured.

Making the most of your cake

One of the differences between a custom bakery and a grocery store bakery are the serving sizes. Many people are used to cutting the sheet cakes from the grocery stores. These are usually 2x2x2 squares. The grocery store cakes are typically only a single layer, with no filling.

Our cakes are very different. All of our cakes include two layers of cake and a layer of filling which make our cakes just over 4 inches high. That is a tall cake! Because the cake is so much taller than a grocery store cake, you don't need a 2x2 square. Instead, you should cut a 1x2x4 piece. This not only provides you with a piece that offers the same amount of cake (8 cubic inches), but also provides for a prettier presentation on the cake plate.

Below I have provided a cutting guide. This is representative of an 8 inch round. While the pieces may not look as large as you are used to, keep in mind that they are 4 inches high.

Facebook update

In our never ending quest to understand Facebook, we are claiming a victory! Our Fan Page is now active and the address is easier than ever www.Facebook.com/IndyCakes Please check us out today and become a fan!

The Taj Mahal Cake!

A few weeks ago, we had a former bride, Mary Ann, come to us to see if we can help make her dad's birthday party a little more special. You see, her dad was stationed in India while serving in the military. He would tell his children stories about the Taj Mahal and how beautiful it was. Naturally, Mary Ann decided this would be the perfect centerpiece for his birthday celebration!

Now, being a man of a few years, her dad has garnered many friends and family, so Mary Ann was going to need a LOT of cake. Also, since her dad is a huge chocaholic, the entire cake is Chocolate.

And, without further delay, I present the Taj Mahal...in cake form!

Now, just to provide you with a bit of scale for this photo, the board on which the cake sits is 2 feet wide by 3 feet long! It took two people to carry it and we definitely had to rest when all was said and done. The end result was a happy birthday boy, so it was definitely worth it! Happy Birthday Jimmy!

In addition to making a well known landmark, here are a few other cakes that we worked on that week.

Facebook!

When Indy Cakes first setup our Facebook page, it was set up as a personal page. We have now create a Fan-based page. Please take a moment to become a fan of Indy Cakes on Facebook. We will be making a few more updates and posts in the coming weeks. http://www.facebook.com/search/?ref=search&q=indycakes&init=quick#!/pages/Indy-Cakes/334033731683?ref=search&sid=1492497840.1215341433..1

Stay tuned for pics of some of our wonderful cakes from the past two weeks, including the Taj Mahal!!

Bridal Show this weekend!

For all of you brides-to-be we will be participating in the Community Life Center Premier Bridal Event this Sunday, Feb 28th from 1pm-4pm. We will have displays, cake samples as well as some of our delicious Cake Bites.

Please visit the Community Life Center website for additional information: http://www.clcindy.com/

We look forward to seeing you there!

I would like to take some time to post some of the cakes we had the privilege of making this week.

First, Raquel asked us to help make her son's first birthday party special with a carnival themed cake. Even if you have a fear of clowns, you have to admit that these guys are pretty cool. The best part, the clowns are totally edible!
(A very special "Hi!" to Raquel's family in Puerto Rico!)


Next, we have our foray into the Tapered Tiers look. We have had a few requests for these types of cakes lately. Notice how the top of the tier is slightly wider than the bottom. Also, we've been making a lot of baby booties lately. They are just so cute!

Ever wonder what kind of cake your shoe-loving/cake-loving girlfriend would like? How about a cake that looks just like the shoes you got her as a gift? That is what Kyle asked us to do. He brought us the shoes and we made the cake!

For every princess, a castle! This castle is especially cool because the second tier is actually a king sized cupcake that doubles as the smash cake for the little princess.

Speaking of smash cakes, we often make a little cake to coordinate with the main cake. We find that Chocolate cakes tend to make for the best first birthday photos!

We'd also like to make a special request: Any of our customers who would like to have their child's photo displayed on our blog, please email us a photo of them either with their smash cake, or after they've made a mess of themselves. We'd love to have a post with our happiest, youngest customer!