Find their happy space and let us know what that is, and we will create a beautiful cake for them to enjoy on their first special birthday. As mothers we are so excited that our baby is turning 1 and often overcome with emotions. Everything must be perfect for the grand occasion. It’s the first of many birthdays and we also need to keep it real. Taking a cartoon character and recreating it in icing can be tricky sometimes, especially if it’s to be carved in cake. The truth is, your child will still recognize the character / animal and will be delighted.

We recently made a cake from a child’s best story book, it looks stunning!  I’ve shown the picture sent as well as the cake we decided on. I’ve added some other  cakes, sometimes you make a cake you are so happy with you don’t want to part with it and just know that we captured the essence of the idea in that cake. And that’s priceless.

Oddly enough, it’s always the last minute late orders that are the problem, they have no problem to call the next day to cancel even after the sponge is baked and the process is following its course already. We bake first thing in the morning, so a late order means we have to re heat our massive 5 deck “iron lady” oven, with the recent electricity increases it’s a big cost for one sponge. Our attention to detail means icing figures of characters must be correct, so we spend time on the internet to ensure Dora the Explorer’s satchel has the correct detail as well as her crazy monkey friend. Google is great, mostly you can eventually find pictures from all angles showing all details.

I struggle with understanding why Nicole Yeats would call to ask if we can please help and make a cake for her at short notice, email 3 pictures of what she had in mind for the look and design, ask for our banking details and request delivery Friday morning. We never did receive the delivery address of her brother in Bergvliet and since Thursday she has not replied to my emails and my numerous calls go unanswered to her mobile. Only a sms Friday to say the cake will be collect. Needless to say, Dora the Explorer did not have a very exciting week end.

When in doubt, tell the truth. People are far more accommodating when we can understand the situation. To ignore someone grows mistrust.

The last week of a school term is often a busy week with all the parties before friends go away on holiday. Looking forward to another creative week.

We recently made a cake with the Philip Treacy designer hat on. Princess Beatrice drab outfit inspired the muted tones of the cake. Is that a doily around her neck or “het tannie se toilet papier houer verdwyn?” We weren’t sure either.

It does make for an interesting day at work and a change from the themed character cakes. Although this hat came very close to pushing the boundaries of gravity, Princess Beatrice must have had a million clips impaled in her head to keep it on. I think we captured the essence of this most odd design.

This week we have a full spectrum, we have a very sexy J Lo butt in hot pants, ever so sleazy looking man’s chest. Opened shirt with dark chest hairs, thick gold chain, you know the look. Coming up on the other end is Slimer, originally the green slime ghost from Ghostbusters, now days just your average slime monster. Dripping in lime green goop, just what little boys dream of. And all boys cakes!

When all cakes are done and ready on a Friday, standing next to each other on a shelf waiting for pick-up it makes for good conversation when people come in to the shop. Standing beside delicate fairy cakes and wedding cakes, all in a day’s work. Interesting to see what next week brings with a public holiday on Monday.

When mothers get it wrong, we’re in big trouble. Especially if it’s the birthday cake for your 8yr old son. We received an email 2 weeks ago for an order for a zip lining theme cake. The mother was adamant that the cake must have an icing figure zip lining from tree to tree. We played around with a few ideas that could work taking gravity into account and the weight of an icing figure…

Friday morning the cake is delivered, later in the morning we get a call from the mother with a child in the background clearly distressed. There is a big problem with the cake! Possibly the worst call to receive, your mind races through all the cakes that were delivered that day and what possibly could have gone wrong. Did the bird on the top of the 3^rd tier fall off and take out all the other decorations? Did the fairies head fall off? You start to panic inside but try and stay as calm as possible to find out which cake and what happened?

Oh the cake is stunning she says, its just, she got the wrong theme!! Her son is having a tobogganing party and the cake should have a child in a toboggan cart coming down a ramp. Her son is distraught and can we please change the cake, now, she’s on her way? We could have made such a great toboggan theme cake and so much less stressful as well.

I think overall we did good in the adaptation from zip lining to toboggan but it could have been so different. Mum’s and Dad’s, you have got to get the basic theme right to begin with, then, and only then is it safe to leave it up to us to make the best possible cake!!

On Saturday 4^th September 2010 St Luke’s Hospice celebrated their 30^th year of caring for the community of Cape Town by setting up a stand at the Foodcourt of Cavendish Square, where beautiful birthday cakes created by various bakeries were on display.

The public were invited to vote for their favourite cake in exchange for a donation to St Luke’s Hospice. One chosen entrant would win the cake they had voted for.

First prize for best cake went to The Chocolate Moose for our amazing detailed 3D design cake of the St Luke’s Hospice House. We are very flattered that our cake won on the day, we took a lot of time planning what we were going to make and how best to showcase their stunning old building which is so well known to Cape Town. The service that st Lukes Hospice provide is much needed and I hope a greater awareness of this was made through their efforts on Saturday.

Congratulations to Monique Brandt, the winner of the house, I hope you have a big family as that was a huge cake. Enjoy, with compliments from the Moose. To the cake shops that pulled out on Friday and guest speaker of the day who didn’t show up, a huge disappointment guys.

http://www.stlukes.co.za/

The Moose are migrating to their cozy beds and having a lie in. The shop will be closing for 3 weeks from Monday 12^th July, we will re-open on Monday 2^nd August.

We’ve been in the new premises two and a half years and its time to de-clutter and renovate. I am so looking forward to clearing out and fixing up the place, feel like a kid again. New stock arrives from Wilton, USA soon and will be ready and unpacked when we re-open.

The staff will be working flexi hours so will still be making your celebration cakes to order. It’s a quiet time of year for business, although the shop will be closed please leave your contact details on the answering machine 021 789-2891, or email cakes@chocolatemoose.co.za and we will be sure to get back to you soon for your cake orders.

While everyone else is watching football, the small people are enjoying Noddy again. We have had a rush on Noddy cakes, the controversy of Big Ears aside, its so good to see kids still enjoying the good old favorites. Making Big Ears house as the cake was a pleasant change from the usual Noddy car cake. Who wouldn’t want Noddy jumping out of their present cake? Happy Birthday to all the little people whose birthday’s are still being celebrated despite the football craze.

This world cup has tuned out like World War 2. The French threw in the towel, the Italians surrendered early, the USA arrives at the last minute and the English are left to fight the Germans!!

Its been a very exciting tournament so far with plenty of surprises. The Jabulani balls are a hit and even though Italy is out, you can still eat cake.

We have limited stock available in the shop so it may be best to call us to ensure we have that special ball available for your special dad. Individually packaged balls are roughly 10cm diametre @ R100 each. Box of 9 x truffles @ R40.