KinaCon? What is it you ask? It’s an event that brings fans of the Amazing Artist (Kina Grannis) together, but not just any fans, her Street Teamers.
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This was definitely a very unique cake because I had to travel, not just assembling the cake and driving it somewhere.
I had to sculpt the Characters, sushi, the misc items and make all the sea shells prior to driving down to Southern California, where I was to bake the actual cakes.
I had stayed at my Best Friend House to make the cakes and that went well, after of course, we go to the store twice because I forgot to buy certain ingredients the first time. Thank goodness he didn’t mind going with me both times (He’s Amazing like that), I felt bad though =/.
Then it was the day to assemble the cakes. Where I was assembling the cakes it was about an hour away which is no problem, but I thought i had the whipped cream for the filling at my hotel room, but I must have forgot it at my best friends house >_< {which still as of this day I don’t know where it is} so I had to send him out to get heavy whipping cream so I could make my own whipped cream, which I don’t do often, because I found some amazing whipped cream everyone can eat (non diary). Then I forgot I had to go to the store before going to the venue for Strawberries and bananas (Yeah I had to send him out to the store again) I owe him so much now (but he wont take anything I give him).
So after all of that I finally started working on my cake, and it just seemed like one thing after another started happening no shortening, whipped cream, powdered sugar, the characters/items started cracking or breaking (they had a very long travel to Southern California and all around too), fondant sticking to the table..my spirits were definitely low for decorating these cakes.
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Kind of going off topic, but My Best Friend had been there from the very beginning, From the designing, baking, storing and transporting the cakes, as well as decorating (support). He knew how stressed I was because things were going wrong left and right. He came in the kitchen about every 30 mins to come check how I was doing, give me encouraging words, and that It’ll come out great and that they’ll love it… and a hug. After each time he came in and did all that… I just got the “Can do Anything” Attitude and it kept me going till the next time something happened and then he’d come in and lift my spirits again. I seriously Don’t know what I would have done without him there. I give him a ton A TON of credit for these cakes, because if I did it alone… my stress would probably have overcome the ideas I had when something went wrong, but instead I got the positiveness and feelings that i needed to finish these cakes with success. So THANK YOU! ❤ (not sure if he reads this or not so yeah lol)
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I know this whole Blog is all over the place…I’m sorry…I just want you to know that yes there are obstacles when you’re cake decorating, but you can always over come them with a little help, even if its a quick talk and hug. 🙂
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So Below this is all of the logistics of the cakes:
Cake #1
- Top Tier- Yellow w/Heavy Whipping Cream filling w/Strawberries (Covered in white fondant (it has a texture kind of like sand (I had to use smaller pieces than 1 big piece of fondant because I didn’t have shortening/ powdered sugar so it didn’t stick to the table, so I used Press and Seal {which it didn’t stick to} and it actually worked out, because it gave a nice sand texture). The KinaCon logo was an edible image that I had made {store} I had pipped a pearl/slanted seashell type around the top tier, accented with white Chocolate Seashells (that were hand luster dusted for perfect color) Top had a hand make “Guitar Girl” (Kina’s logo in a way) out of Fondant, accented with a White Chocolate mic painted and an Umbrella out of Fondant, written and detailed with Royal Icing.
- Bottom Tier -Chocolate w/Heavy whipping Cream filling w/bananas (Covered with Golden Yellow dyed Fondant (it has a texture same as above, same technique) Board is just a silver covered board w/ Pipping Gel {I colored myself} and then some accented White Chocolate SeaShells (that were hand luster dusted for perfect color) around the Tier as well as in the water.
Cake #2
- Chocolate Cake w/Heavy whipping Cream filling w/ 1/2 bananas 1/2 Strawberries , Covered with White Fondant (Same Textured technique used as above) Sushi pieces, Guitar and Domo are all out of Fondant (I know I’m crazy) at the time I didn’t have rice crispies so I just made it full of Fondant..It was definitely a heavy Domo… Both Domo and the Guitar took a long time to perfect. but overall it came out ok, for my first time sculpting characters 🙂 The Cherry Blossom design was also with Fondant, except for the Branches were Chocolate Fondant (which actually tastes great, go Wilton for bringing it back!)
If you have any questions on any of the above, please dont hesitate to ask, It’s a lot to take in lol. If you made it through this whole blog… Thank you, I know it was torture reading all the non sense lol! 😛
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Here’s a pic of the Cakes and
Kina Grannis (The person who completes
KinaCon 🙂 ) Photo By: MikeMangooooo!
I’d like to Thank everyone for the sweetest comments about the designs and taste of the cakes…and again a Huge Huge Huge Thank you to my Best Friend (You’re Amazing!!! <3) & a Huge Thank you to Kina and her Family for being our family as well and for bringing us all together! You’ve all made my life even better! ❤
Thank you for supporting me and my Dreams! ❤ Kim
Kims Creations! 