With Love & Confection: Cake

Thursday, October 18, 2012

My Controversial Cake

Never knew a cake could create such a controversy!

Ever since I published the photo of my "Autumn Baskets" cake it has been the topic of controversy. It has been stolen and posted on other baker's websites. I've been told that I was "inspired by Susan Carberry" (whom, at the time, I had never heard of nor had I ever seen her amazing cakes) and that I needed to give her credit. Others have copied and posted this image to their facebook claiming that they created it and It's been the topic of mile long threads on facebook cake groups. Things like this have been happening for two years now. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that my cake would cause such a stir.

I'm floored and at the same time flattered!

So there you have it...

My controversial cake!

I designed this cake for an autumn pig roast my family was invited to in Pumpkin Town, South Carolina. My good friend, Sandy Stutes helped me put some of it together.

So just for the record, this is an original cake designed by me, Veronica Arthur of
With Love & Confection.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

"You Have Been Featured in Cake Central Magazine!"

"You have been featured in Cake Central Magazine Volume 3 Issue 7!"

Just imagine my joy when I read those words in my gmail! Especially considering the fact that I was, not only the cake artist, but ALSO the food stylist and photographer! I couldn't be happier!

Jackie, of the international Cake Central Magazine, invited me to create a cake for their August 2012 issue and I was thrilled! I knew I would have to style and photograph the cake myself. It's hard to find a photographer in the wee hours of the night (the time the cake was most likely to be finished) to shoot anything. And honestly, I couldn't afford it anyway! A few months ago I bought my first SLR camera and have been trying to learn how to use it. If they declined my photos it wouldn't be the camera's fault. My design was finished around 11 pm the night before the deadline. There wasn't time to prepare the old weathered , distressed wood window that was leaning against a tree in our backyard after my hubby removed it from a 100 year old farmhouse that I was planning to use as a prop, so I just set the cake on a table and snapped a few photos.

They were HORRIBLE!!!

I sent them anyways to meet the deadline. The next morning I was so embarrassed about the images and asked that they allow me to send in a new set which I took with natural light and beautiful props (the distressed wood window with peeling paint draped with a tattered old lace table cloth that belonged to my husband's great grandmother). I'm so happy to say that they accepted my second set and my images were published in the magazine!!! Maybe there is hope for my photography skills after all!!!

There were other obstacles to overcome in the creating of my cake design and making sure it was magazine worthy. Some of which included-- My precious daddy having a heart attack and his recuperation (I was upset that I could't be there the first few days he was home from the hospital), my family and I getting extremely sick with the flu and an unreasonable first-time cake client who expected me to put my life on hold until her cake was done. (That was an extremely stressful experience!)

I'm thankful that my Lord carried me through it all! All the glory goes the my Heavenly Father!

Here is the FEATURED IN CAKE CENTRAL MAGAZINE badge I will humbly display. (Okay, Maybe not so humbly ;)) I just love it!

You can order a subscription to Cake Central Magazine by clicking on the badge above.

Shabby Chic and lilac inspired cake designed and created by Veronica Arthur for Cake Central Magazine. For this design I created a new technique which replicates old weathered wood with peeling paint. It is entirely edible!
The old weathered window prop is from an old South Carolina farm house built in 1914. The tattered lace table cloth belonged to my husband's great grandmother.
Photos and styling by Veronica Arthur.