Happy Birthday Paloma!!

Yesterday was my boss Paloma's birthday, so I surprised her with a cake! When you are a cake maker for a living, you either don't get a cake on your birthday or you have to make your own cake (which is no fun!). Paloma owns Coco Paloma Desserts in Austin, TX and is a great designer and pastry chef.  I work as her assistant and have learned so much from her.  Check out her blog, http://cocopalomadesserts.blogspot.com/, to see some of her most recent creations. 

The buttercream ruffles piped on this cake is a technique I just learned.  The owner of http://www.mysweetandsaucy.com/ shared this technique on YouTube.  It's so easy and creates a great shabby chic look.

I used various sized flower cutters to make the fondant flowers and attached pearl dragees in the centers with royal icing.  I then dusted the flowers and initial "P" with super pearl luster dust.  

I made one of Paloma's favorites, Coconut Cream Pie.  It's a yellow cake soaked in coconut rum syrup and filled with pastry cream and coconut.  Yummy!