Chef Gio & the Giant Pizza

Last year Gio was interested in the beach and Guitar Hero. Since then, he's found a new love---cooking! His party was a full blown pizza fest with a local pizza chef coming to teach the kids how to throw authentic Italian pizza.

For the birthday cake, I made a personalized pizza box (yellow cake with cheesecake mousse filling) and a stacked pizza (milk chocolate cake with malted chocolate ganache filling). The cake boards were made to look like an Italian eatery tablecloth and a wooden pizza peel. In addition to the cakes, I added a chef's hat made from Rice Krispie Treats and hand modeled Chef Gio holding a mini pizza. Each cake flavor served 20 comfortably.

All of the pizza decorations--tomatoes, pepperoni, olives, green peppers--are hand modeled fondant. The "cheese" was shaved white chocolate. The "tomato sauce" is red buttercream.

The birthday boy loved the cake and save mini Chef Gio to watch over him in the family kitchen.

Wildcats & Buckeyes!

A young lady, who I first met when she was 18 months old, was graduating from Mayfield High School, home of the Wildcats. She'll be attending The Ohio State University in the Fall, where Buckeyes rule.

She requested a cake for her family graduation party that would represent both schools.

The 11x15, 30 serving, cake was marbled white and green (high school colors) with chocolate raspberry truffle filling. All decorations are handmade fondant. The diploma is fully edible and made using pretzel rods and white chocolate candy clay.