Notice : Outstation from 5 June to 20 June 2012

Please be informed I'll be outstation on the above date. If you could not contact through my mobile, please e-mail me at habsahmohdyusof@yahoo.com, especially client who wish to book dates for wedding cakes and hantaran/gift cakes. Thank you.

Congratulations Cake

A lady requested me to do a special cake for his son who had an excellent SPM results recently. ( In Malaysia this exam is very crucial in determining a student whether he will be getting a place in overseas/local universities also acquiring a scholarship from the government or private sector). He scored 9A's and wish to pursue his study overseas. This was a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache fillings.

Hantaran Cake - Figurine With Traditional Attire - Maya Hamdan

This was a 8 inch cake for hantaran. Vanilla cake with vanilla fillings.

Wedding Cake Reception - Mr Mikael's

This cake was also ordered by Ms Shalieza for Mr Mikael's wedding reception. Again she gave me freedom to create. This was a two tiered chocolate cake, chocolate ganache fillings, chocolate fondant adorned with chocolate roses. It was quite difficult to shaped these roses during a hot humid day. I had to delivered to a restaurant at Subang Parade, Subang Jaya. It was difficult to find a parking space during the weekend, especially after 7 pm. I just parked illegally (hoping I will not get any summon ticket) quite near to the location of the restaurant. I am very grateful with the restaurant's staff in expediting the receiving of the cake and setting up of the cake for me, and thank god no summon ticket on my windscreen.

On Monday, I received an sms from Ms Shalieza "......the family of the bride and groom was very satisfied, your cake was cute and delicious........" ( well something like that...).

Mr Mikael and his bride

 

Boxes of Flowers -Mr Mikael's

I was commissioned to make a hantaran cake for Mr. Mikael's wedding. Actually his friend, Ms Shalieza who ordered or I presumed she sponsored the cake. She went through my blog and not really sure what she wanted, end up, she gave me freedom to create whatever I fancy, she just gave her budget and the theme color. Since she gave me more than 2 weeks lead time, I have ample time to plan what I wanted to do. All these gum paste flowers, the roses and the hydrangeas, were handmade.  Actually, I'm quite surprised myself, the overall decoration of the cake was absolutely magnificent.........( Soon I'll post Mr. Mikael's wedding photo)

Cake Pops - "Aqiqah" and "Cukur Jambul" Ceremony

These Cake Pops still under experiment stage. The recipe is more suitable for temperate countries than tropical. Therefore, at this stage I'll only do for only families members. Below cake pops were for my niece's aqiqah ceremony. Below the finished products.

Setting of the Dessert Table link to my niece's blog - http://hamsterhamsap.blogspot.com/2012/05/aryas-aqiqah-cukur-jambul-ceremony.html

Cake Pops were individually packed

Chocolate Cupcakes with Pink Baby Booties - "Aqiqah" and Cukur Jambul" Ceremony

It's been quite sometimes I did not do these baby booties, so I had to look through my old notes on how to pipe these teeny weeny baby booties. You have to held the piping bag on certain angle otherwise you will not get the baby booties you wanted. Since I'm using no 10 tip, the length of the boots must not more than 0.8 inch, otherwise it will look like Charlie Chaplin Boots instead!!!.

 

It looks so cute when the cupcakes were placed in the container.

Rainbow Cake - "Aqiqah" and "Cukur Jambul" Ceremony

My niece ordered a rainbow cake, cupcakes and pop cakes for the "aqiqah" and "cukur jambul" ceremony. Most of the design ideas came from her, I just try to implement/execute her ideas. Actually this ceremony was held for 3 babies, since their birth date were very close to each other, Arya - my niece's daughter, Arfan - her sister-in-law's son and Adilya - her husband uncle's daughter.

She wanted the cake to be 7 full spectrum of rainbow colors, covered with white fondant with 3 babies figurine on the cake. It was quite tedious because you have to bake each layers separately, ensure each layers must have the same height, meaning each color batter must have the same weight, and once fillings of blueberry...oh yummy, were done between each layer, the cake must be leveled at all sides, I succeeded the execution.

Next, the babies figurine, it was a challenged to do the tiny weeny faces, feet and hands. My first attempt on the baby head, does not turn out well, it looks like Smeagol, a character in the Lord of the Ring ".........bless us and splash us, my preciousssss........". However, I decided to put only one baby figurine on the cake, in my opinion, it would be overcrowded with 3 babies on a 8 inch cake. So below was the finished product.

The Three Babies

Doll Cake - Dania

This doll cake was made of sponge cake with blueberry and fresh cream fillings. The height of the skirt was 6.5 inches and the base diameter 9 inches.

Photo courtesy from Ms Celina Tan

Bridal Shower Cookies - Bridal Gown

It seems now Malaysians have every reasons to celebrate anything. During my time (gosh that was ages ago), we only celebrate birthday or "majlis kesyukuran" if you scored flying colors during your exams. However, now, that is, my nieces and nephews eras, they celebrate end of exams, celebrate prior to a marriage, celebrate when you been left by your boyfriend/girlfriend or get jilted or dump, celebrate when the "syariah court" granted a divorce and the list getting longer and weirder. In my opinion Malaysian society is getting more affluence with higher purchasing power.

Now back to my cookies. These bridal shower cookies ordered by a group of young ladies who wanted to celebrate a friend who soon getting married. The cookies were in the shape of bridal gown.

This bridal gown shaped cookie cutter was given to me by my brother who used to travel quite extensively. He's been buying me cookies cutters and cookery books during his travels, so my collections of cookies cutters are quite comprehensive. Recently, in April, I was in London, went to Portobello Road, Notting Hill, I managed to find a small kiosk that sold cookies cutters, mixed of plastics and copper cookies cutters. I went through it and most of the shaped I had already owned.

Two Tiered Topsy-Turvy - Ms Dahlia

However, the two tiered cake overall appearance was not to bad, even though there's an inclination for me to use RED to enhance the overall look of the cake but I would feel guilty if I did not comply with her requirements. The cake was adorned with dropping dahlias with baby booties toppers.The baby booties was brushed with edible pearl pink luster color, it looks really cute and very pretty.

 

Chocolate Cupcake - Ms Dahlia

After pipping the first tray of pink dahlias on the cupcake, I needed a break and go for a swim for nearly one hour. It was not the pipping of dahlias made me mentally tired, but I think the colors really effected my brain??? Pipping consistency is utmost important, so my dahlias will not turn up to be a chrysanthemum!!

Baby Shower Cookies - Ms Dahlia

I received an order from a "hard core" regular customer, whose organizing a surprise baby shower party for Ms Dahlia, requesting me to do 3 inch cookies, chocolate cupcakes and 2 tier Topsy-turvy cake. Why do I said "hard core", well, I have known her since she was in kindergarten, very firm on her decisions and stubborn in a positive way.

She gave me a lengthy e-mail indicating specifically what she wanted. On the color section "......only pink and white, you can go different shades of pink but there MUST NOT have any RED, PURPLE or PEACH (these are complementary colors of pink).

Ooo, yeah, I'm going bonkers with pink!.......perhaps light red is not equal to pink??

 

Topsy Turvy , Wedding Cake - Carnival Theme

I was commissioned to do a wedding cake with a carnival theme. My first impression it must have bright primary colors, like a funfare. The client e-mailed a few photos to have some ideas what were in their mind. Some of the  photos shows more like a children party cake. I wanted to do something that colorful, yet it also looks like a wedding cake.

A few sketches been e-mailed to the client and there’s a few minor amendmends need to be done. There should be no floral motifs or curlie shapes on the cake.

Eventually, I finalized the sketches and basically was satisfied with the outcome.

During the decorating process, I have to made a few more minor adjustment. To make it more elegant I added edible gold dust and painted on sheen colors on a few areas to enhance the overall look of the cake.

The dress code for the guest were black and white.

The cake was placed on a bale of hay.

 

 

Hermes Birkin Bag Cake

 

This cake was for my nephew’s engagement, my elder brother’s son, the function was held in Taiping, the distance 258km, around 3 hours drive from Kota Damansara. My sister, her two daughters and I, go into one car and supposed to met my brother at Taiping at a specific designated area.

We reached earlier at the meeting place, I suspected my niece drove the car more than the speed limit, but as usual she would not admit it.

We decided to go to the Changkat Jering wet market. You just imagined, we were properly dressed for a function went to the wet market?? Fortunately we brought extra flat shoes. When we entered the wet market, I felt a few eyes were “fixed” onto us, or I just imagined it? (there’s a Malay word call “perasan”). Since my nieces seldom go to the wet market, they were very excited.

There’s an array of traditional malay kuih and it must be very tasty by just looking and the aromas of the kuih especially the “cakoi” in the kuali was invigorating. We reached one area that sells sort like stonewares and tinwares. My niece pointed at the mortar (lesung batu) which is small in size  and very cute. She asked whether my sister wanted to buy it. My sister informed she had bought it but its a bigger size. The seller thought we were discussing about what the mortar used for. The way he treated us like we were “jakuns”, he said with an annoying intonation, “ Hang tau tak ini apa? Ini la blender traditional”. (Do you know what is this? This is a traditional blender), while holding the mortar.

We went to the dried fish area, the ikan bilis were very good quality, at the vegetable area the pucuk paku (special type of edible ferns) was “enam kupang” (RM 0.60 sen) per bundle, at Lembah Kelang the price will be twice than that. We also bought a few kilos of Ciku and Mempelam (Mango). Basically, we really enjoyed shopping at the wet market and the car boot was quite full with our unplanned shopping spree.

Back to the cake, this hantaran cake consisted of chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and covered with chocolate fondant.  I have to check it several times in the car boot to ensure its still in good condition and the chocolate fondant does not melt.

When everybody (other relatives on my sister-in law’s side) had gathered, we proceeded to the girl’s side. I asked my niece to carry the cake. She’s complained it was heavy, I try to convince her to just hold it for a while and she was very relieved when it was placed at the hall area of the girl’s side.

After placing the cake at the hall area, at one glance it really look like a real Hermes Birkin bag!!!!.  After the discussion between the girl’s side and my brother ended, my brother started to introduce us to the other party. My brother informed to the other party I’m the one who do the bag cake. They were impressed, especially one of the them ( I guessed it must be the uncle on the girl’s side). We ended up discussing on the cake, he said the cake bag have such a good details on it. He started to point at the back of the bag and the strings through the front with the lock and the crocodile textures on the cake.........A very observant man. 

Cookies for Token - Potong Jambul & Aqiqah

This order had been postponed for soo many times. The lady who ordered the cookies had twice confirmed the date, however had to be cancelled because her baby had to be hospitalized due to illness. Eventually, the baby was getting better and she managed to confirm the order. These cookies were token for guest during the potong jambul and aqiqah ceremony.

Cookies individually pack and ready to be delivered

Cake Competition 2011

The Cake Competition was held in September 2011. I don't know why I've forgotten to put into this blog. My submission piece was very "lame". At first, I informed the organizer there's a possibilities I won't be submitting my piece because my beloved mum had just past away, that was one week before the competition, by then I've completed only 25% of the competition piece. 

However, I was informed by the organizer many participants had pulled-out due to unforeseen reasons. So, the organizer persuaded me to bring the piece to the competition venue. 

Hantaran Cake - Figurine With Traditional Attire

The overall look of this cake looks clean due to the colors, white and blue.

Valentine Cookies

Usually Valentine Cookies the design would be very simple and usually red in color. I can't do a lot of details due to the demand on that particular week. However, I received a special order from an embassy requesting a special design which is very time consuming and a lot of detail works.  At first, I declined the order due to time constraint and informed I won't be able to deliver before 14 February. Thought it was over and done with, I received a call from the embassy again and they informed they don't mind if I delivered before 20 February and also they agreed on the price I quoted.

Tennis Bag Cake

I was requested by a lady to do a "hantaran" in the shape of a tennis bag. Initially, I was quite skeptical, this was out of the ordinary. Later, I've been told the groom played tennis and she wanted to give something different. First and foremost, none of my family members play tennis, so I have no idea how does a tennis bag look like. 

The client e-mailed a photo of the bag and specified the color she wanted. Since the photo in 2D, I've to figure out how it's look like in 3D. I browsed through the internet and indirectly I acquired other knowledge on tennis. The second problem was that I've to scale it down to a 14 inches board. I have to make sure the dimensions were right, if not the tennis bag will look stumpy and weird, sketches upon sketches, until I'm satisfied and confident with the measurements.