Is re-opening better than ever and Gluten Free!

After over 6 months, I have gone through even withdrawals and finally decided that the business is going to re-open.  It will be a gluten-free cake and cupcake business.  The items will be just as tasty as before so anyone can enjoy them but especially my fellow Celiacs!  Changes to the website, including pricing and details, will be coming but for now the best news is...

WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!!!!!!!!!

A sad day...

It is with much frustration and sadness that I officially "close" the business until further notice.  I have been newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  And I am not able, at this point, to bake with wheat flour (a staple in my recipes) in my kitchen.  I hope that I can figure out another way.  But until then...Gwendolyn's Goodies is closed.

Thanks for all of the business over the past year. 

What's New for Spring??!!??!!

Spring has sprung, the birds are chirping and the oven is heating up!

I'm so excited about the upcoming season that I just had to share some new things.

1.  Check the pricing page as new prices will soon be posted.

2.  Gumpaste flowers, bouquets and other embellishments are now available.  I'm excited about my new found skill and ready to share with you.  Below is an example of a recent small bouquet I did.

3. The business cards and other marketing materials have been ordered.  I'm SO very excited to have them to share.

4.  New contest for Spring - keep an eye out for the upcoming contest which will begin later this month. 

Upcoming Price Changes

Things are busy and the oven is hot!  I am excited about the upcoming orders I have to share with my friends and family as they celebrate important days in their lives...birthdays, baby showers, weddings...and so many more!

A friendly announcement to my wonderful customers - I will be increasing my prices as of May 1st.  Please order your cake by April 30th in order to secure the Winter 2011 pricing.  All orders received after May 1st will be priced according to the Spring 2011 pricing list.

Not only can you get current pricing for your order but you can also ensure that your date is on my calendar.

My two favorites so far!

 I am so proud to show you pictures of these 2 cakes.  The first I did for a cool 5 year old, Peyton.  It was so awesome to see all of the kids faces as they looked at and admired the cake.  And I've already received 2 orders for this one for later in the year.

The second one I did last weekend for a special 5 year old, Abigail.  It was a LATE night of decorating and I was at first not sure how it was going to turn out but as the night went on and the cake came together...it was as though I was creating a masterpiece.  I hope you enjoy it too!

We have our winners!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to all who played the Valentine's Day contest.

The winner's are:

Brittany Bonta
Amy Adkins
Brenda Carr
Lorrie Brennan

Thanks for playing...it's fun to see everyone's answers.  Believe it or not, my favorite cake is Funfetti...that's right Pillsbury boxed cake with canned icing!!!!

Ladies - I will get your cupcakes to you...that's right Brittany...they are coming to you in Texas!

A Valentine's Day Contest

As promised, here is the first contest for 2011. 

Happy Valentine's Day

Beginning on FEBRUARY 1st - The first 4 people who can tell me as a comment to this blog post what kind of cake I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE...will win 1 half dozen cupcakes  - Red Velvet Cupcakes with Pink Almond Buttercream and Valentine's decorations.  Delivery will take place on Sunday, Feburary 13th (to those within the Tri-County area) and on a date convenient to both parties for any winner outside of this area.

Allow me to help make your Valentine's Day a little bit sweeter!

Gluten Free Products

I am proud to announce that I am offering Gluten Free products.  It would be a shame not to have this as an offering since my mom has Celiac Disease as do some of my friends.  If you would like to have a Gluten Free cake or cupcakes for your event, please specify when ordering.

I currently offer Golden Yellow G-Free and Chocolate G-Free.  As I perfect other recipes, I will include those as well.

New Year, New Start

Happy New Year!

Gwendolyn's Goodies is proud to announce that we (I) are back up and running!  With 3 cake orders already for this new year, the business taken off after a short break.  Although I am not 100% yet, I am hoping that as time goes by so will the aches and pains.

A few new things for 2011:
1.  Updated princing.  Please see the price list page for details.
2.  Contests throughout the year.  Visit back for details through the year, especially during the holidays.
3.  New marketing materials to come!
4.  I am learning new skills and will be able to offer to products.

I look forward to the year and the excitement to come!

Recent cakes I have one done for friends and family

Here are a few cakes I have done recently.  I thought I would share with you what kept me busy BEFORE my accident.  I am looking forward to feeling better and therefore being able to bake for my wonderful customers again!

 Monster Energey Cake and cupcakes for Tyler's 13th Birthday.  Yellow cake and cupcakes with chocolate buttercream icing.  I had something happen to my icing color overnight so the Can looks tarnished but the birthday boy liked it!

 Full sheet cake for a 40th Birthday celebration.  1/2 yellow and 1/2 devil's food with almond buttercream icing.

 Full sheet cake for the Marine Corps Birthday celebration.  1/2 yellow and 1/2 devil's food with almond buttercream icing.

 Two tiered yellow cake with almond buttercream icing for Mattingly Jane's Christening celebrations.  The icing was almond buttercream with Lace design work.

Devil's Food double layer cake with almond buttercream icing for Gracie's Birthday

I donated coupons for a benefit bake sale.  Jackie called to order a cake for herself for her birthday.  She was so grateful...I think I "earned" a new customer!

A very fun cake to do for a special guy on his birthday!!!  This one is yellow cake with Buttercream Icing...no almond in this one at the customer's request.

 I was honored to help a special family celebrate the holidays.  This is a half sheet cake with 1/2 yellow cake and 1/2 devil's food cake with Almond Buttercream Icing

 Carrot and Red Velvet cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Simple yet fun holiday decorations

Yellow cake and Devil's food cupcakes with Almond Butter Cream Icing

Unfortunate Temporary Bakery Closure

As many of you may know, I was in a car accident on December 10th.  And since that time, I have had increasing problems with headaches as well as neck and shoulder pain as a result of a concussion and whiplash.  Due to this, I am temporarily closing the bakery until after the first of the new year.  I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.  I am sadden to do this especially at this time of year.  I hope to be up and "running" after the first of January.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!!!!

Well, I'm back from my Thanksgiving Vacation and the "bakery" is booming!!!  Delivery my first December order tonight with two more this weekend.  And...I just secured a HUGE order for next weekend...and I"m looking forward to sharing my goodies with a wonderful family for their holiday celebration.  So, unfortunately that means that next weekend...I probably won't have time or energy for any other orders. 

Just remember that if you would like something for the holidays...please call me ASAP so I can get you on the books.  I want to try to meet everyones needs but somethings that isn't possible. 

I hope you all are enjoying your holidays thus far...and I wish you many more happy times as the next days and weeks go by.

Holiday Notice

I, as many of you, are gearing up for the holidays.  While looking at the calendar earlier today I was reminded that there are not enough hours in the day or days in a week!  Thanks to all of you, my wonderfully supportive family and friends, business if good and the days are getting booked quickly.  And so, as a courtesy to you all, I would like to let you know that if you would like a cake or cupcakes between now and January 15th, please let me know ASAP.  Even if you don't know exactly what you want but know the date needed, please tell me so I can place your name on the calendar.  Because of the craziness of the holidays and the time it takes to make a quality cake, I wil do not more than 2 orders per week.  Also, if I do not receive orders with at least 10 days notice, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to complete your order.

I appreciate your cooperation with this request and I look forward to sharing my love for baking/decorating with you during the holiday season.

I've been a busy lady

To celebrate Charlotte Hall Veterans Home Employee Banquet, I made an American Flag cupcake cake.  250 cupcakes made up the display.  It took 6 hours to complete and my kitchen was a TOTAL mess by the end.  The finished product turned out great and that's what matters!

And this week is just as busy...two 1/2 sheet cakes...one for a retirement and one for a housewarming.  I enjoy celebrating happy events with friends and family even if my contribution is the love I bake into my cakes.  I've got birthdays and Christenings coming up to so stay tuned for lots of pictures!

First Birthday Smash Cakes

I am proud to announce that Gwendolyn's Goodies has partnered with Bay Breeze Photography to offer "First Birthday Cake Smash" sessions.  For complete details on the photography session, please contact Alicia at Bay Breeze Photography (alicia@baybreezephoto.com). I will be offering a mini tiered cake as pictured below for the "cake smash" if parents so desire.  The cakes can be any color scheme or theme, assuming that it fits on a 5 inch cake :-)

I'm looking forward to sharing in your child's birthday celebration!!!

Another Busy Week

Here's to this week...

Monday - baking and decorating cupcakes for Lyn's Birthday (Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing)

Wednesday - made 6 pounds of Almond Buttercream Icing

Thursday  - baked one 13x9 golden yellow cake, one 9 inch round golden yellow cake, one 8 x 8 Devil's Food chocolate and one golden yellow cupcake

Friday - Decorated two girls for two special Birthday girls

Happy 16th Birthday, Abbi!

Happy 1st Birthday, Mina!

Another busy week...worth it all!  Thanks for the support! 

Logo Premiere

I am proud to debut the logo for Gwendolyn's Goodies.

And for another version for somethings...

I would like to thank Courtney Stansbury for putting her creative mind to work and coming up with an amazing logo to start my business venture.  Love you girl!  And thanks again!

Cream Cheese Icing...not a favorite of my boys :-)

I'll start by saying...HAPPY BIRTHDAY LYN!

Last night I took a stab at Red Velvet Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Icing...all from scratch.  And I learned three things...

1.  Red Velvet cake is simply a devil's food cake with ALOT of red food coloring
2.  Everything becomes red after 1 fluid oz of food coloring
3.  My boys don't like cream cheese icing... but that's ok, because then I don't have to share the beaters:-)

I think I'll add another flavor to my specialities.

A long but successful week

So this is how this week went...

Tuesday - make 6 pounds of icing

Wednesday  - baked cupcakes for Gayle's going away party

Thursday - after soccer practice, baked cakes for Hayley's present cake and decorated the cupcakes

Friday - after the boys haircuts and the county fair, decorated Hayley's present cake

I'm very pleased with how it turned out and I hope Hayley's family is too!  I tried out a few new techniques courtesy of the lovely Mrs. Young and they were ok.  I definately need to practice more and more but not bad, I think.

And let me tell you that the top "present" is Devil's food...a new recipe and by far my favorite.  I'm not a chocoate lover but man oh man is that one good piece of cake.  I had the carve it, you see, to make the smaller present cake and had to try it out.  Lucky for me, there was extra so I froze it for a rainy day!

Welcome to Gwendolyn's Goodies

So about 5 years ago a friend of mine was having a baby and I volunteered to make the cake for her baby shower.  It was a team effort and what came later was truly the funniest thing ever.  And I hoped to never make a cake with pink flamingos again (but recently ate my words).

And after that, it seemed that I became "the cake lady", making cakes for family and friends' kids' parties and other occasions.  My very supportive hubby kept telling me to "do something" with my cake interests.  And so, I took a class and learned nothing except how to make roses.  Then I spent an evening with the very talented Mrs. Young and learned A TON (and that I could have saved my money on the cake decoration class).  After that night realized that I had what it takes to "really do something" with my interest and love for cake decorating.  And so "Gwendolyn's Goodies" was born!

This blog is going to be slow going.  I"m a cake decorator not a web designer :-)  Check back periodically for updates.  I hope to have a full gallery up soon as well as logos, contacts, prices, etc.

Please email me if you have an interest in a cake or cupcakes.

jennifervoorhaar@hotmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you!