Where did January go? It is hard to believe that it is February already! We are into the swing of things for 2009. Valentine's items are out and even many of the Easter items are out too - it is looking like spring in the store!

We have some great new things here in the store - a new rectangular cutter set that can be used for so much more than just cookies - use it to cut doughs, use it as a form - so many possibilities; new brownie items from Wilton - tools and ingredients to make your brownies over the top; sheen airbrush colors from Americolor - silver, gold, pink, green, blue and more - a great way to add shine to your cakes! Look below for a link to see more about these exciting new products.

Valentine's Day will be here before you know it. We have classes planned so that you can get some new ideas for sweet treats for your loved ones. We also have 2 new clear plastic containers in stock - just in time for Valentine chocolate dipped strawberries. One holds 6 strawberries in a circle and the other is like a clear egg carton and holds a dozen.

That Takes the Cake Sugar Art Show and Cake Competition is just around the corner - February 28 and March 1. There are people coming from all over the country - Florida to California and all places inbetween. There are so many events going on with the Show. You will find detailed information below. You will not want to miss this show - there are big name celebrities in the cake world who will be here - great cakes to see, specialty vendors selling hard to find tools and supplies and great classes to learn new techniques. Look at the details below to see all that is going on!

We have lots of supplies to help with your Cake Show competition entries - dummies, fondant, tools, etc. Please feel free to ask me or any of our staff if you need a little guidance for your entry. We love to hear about the amazing entries that people are working on.

I hope to see you at the Show if not here in the store before the Show!

This cake was airbrushed with Americolor brand electric airbrush colors and then topped off with Americolor Pearl Sheen color. These sheens just add so much to a cake - a great shiny finish.

We are also getting in a whole range of tools from the new Wilton Brownie Fun line - cutters, stencils, ingredients and more. Come in to see all that is new!

The 5th Annual That Takes the Cake, Capital Confectioner's Cake and Sugar Art Show and Competition is the end of this month - February 28th and March 1st, 2009!

You can find details about this fun and informative weekend long event at the website below. Be sure to mark your calendar - this will be the best show yet. We have an amazing line-up of demonstrators who will be here including: Debbie Brown, Elisa Strauss, Bronwen Weber, Roland and Marsha Winbeckler, Jacquy Pfeiffer, Nicholas Lodge and more!

The competition portion of the Show includes a divisional decorating competition, special tasting competitions, a special music theme showcake competition and onsite competitions styled like mini- Food Network Challenges.

Other events include a variety of hands-on mini-classes on Saturday and Sunday; a Saturday night demonstration gala where Bronwen Weber, Jacquy Pfeiffer and Nick Lodge will work together to create a music themed showcake; cupcake and cookie decorating events for the kids; a vendor area with hard to find specialty tools and ingredients; the awards ceremony on Sunday at 12:30 and so much more!

Even if you are not entering a cake, you can come and see all of the incredible works of sweet edible art. General admission on Saturday is $7, $4 on Sunday, or a weekend pass is $10. You can get $1 off of admission if you bring a non-perishable food item to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank. Kids under 18 are free with adult admission. General admission hours are 10:30 am - 5 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday. On Saturday general admission includes viewing all of the competition entries, viewing the onsite competitions and access to the wide variety of specialty vendors who will be there. Sunday admission includes viewing the entries, admission to the awards ceremony scheduled for 12:30 pm and access to the vendor area.

We will have a variety of local musicians playing throughout both days - making it a true Austin type of event!

The cake to the left is from Debbie Brown's new book. 'Wedding March' cake design from 'Dream Wedding Cakes' © Debbie Brown. These books along with some of her earlier books will be on sale at the Show, and she will be available to sign your books! Other authors Elisa Strauss and Roland and Marsha Winbeckler will also have books available for sale and signing.

If you are interested in cakes, and I bet you are since you are on this email list, you will want to make plans to attend this Show! Click below for more details and registration!

At the Show on Saturday and Sunday we have instructors from all over the country that are scheduled to teach short hands-on classes. There are so many classes to choose from!

Diamonds and Pearls with the Two Sweet Sisters
Gumpaste Bunny with Ruth Rickey
Chocolate Showpieces with Todd Champagne
3D Gelatin Flowers with Lourdes Reyes
Henna Designs with Mark Seaman
Gumpaste Critters with Michelle Foster
Whimsy Cakes, Flowers & Bows with Carrie Biggers
Fancy Borders with marsha Winbeckler
Sugar Wedding Cake Decorations with Jacquy Pfeiffer
Gumpaste Baby and Blanket with Nick Lodge
Cowboy Boots with Ximena
Dusting 101 with Ruth Rickey
Tarred and Feathers with Earlene Moore
Writing Made Easy with Roland Winbeckler
Stringwork with Michelle Foster
Feberge Eggs with Steven Stellingwerf
Seashells with Janet Rosebeary
and more!
Go to the link below to see details for all of the classes offered. It is an opportunity to take a variety classes to learn new techniques from some amazing decorators while you are at the Show!

Hands-on classes are being taught by the master decorators who are going to be here for the Cake Show. The classes are scheduled for the days following the Cake Show. There are still a few spots available in these classes. Be sure to sign-up soon so that you don't miss the opportunity to take a class from these great instructors while they are here in Austin.

Nick Lodge is teaching Tropical and Exotic Gumpaste Flowers
Debbie Brown is teaching 2 separate 2-day classes with projects from her books
Elisa Strauss is teaching techniques to make a realistic looking sushi cake
Jacquy Pfeiffer is teaching a baking enthusiast level Classic French Pastry class
Roland and Marsha Winbeckler are teaching a wide variety of short hands-on classes with topics ranging from buttercream flowers to wafer paper uses

Check out the schedule for the classes. And sign-up soon!

As you can imagine, it takes a small army of volunteers to make the Show a success. If you have an interest in helping out during demonstrations, on- site registration, or mini-classes, if you are a video projection guru or an ace at creating signage, or lots of other projects, we have volunteer opportunities for you! You will get to work with the other volunteers and Capital Confectioners Club members along with the demonstrators who are part of the Show.

There are perks that go along with volunteering - discounted Show t-shirts, access to events where you are volunteering and free admission to the Saturday Dinner Demonstration Gala! Contact us for details.

Please let us know if you are intersted in helping out with the Show! Click the link below and complete the Volunteer Contact Form!

Here is a recipe for red velvet cake. Just in time for Valentine's Day - this is a favorite! It has just enough cocoa to have a bit of a chocolate flavor, while having a great red color and the buttermilk makes it very moist with a tasty twang. Ice it with the cream cheese icing - and you will have a true classic!

That Takes the Cake Sugar Art Show and Cake Competition has a tasting competition as part of the event. I am sharing a recipe for my favorite "Jazzed-Up Cake Mix Cake" here. It is so light and refreshing. Great for a summer cake - but it is really good any time of the year. Hope you enjoy! If you have a great recipe for a "jazzed-up cake mix cake", you should enter the tasting competition! Click here for the rules and registration.

We were mailed some recipe cards to promote a new movie that started last Friday. It looks like a good movie - and part of the story line must include cooking - so that makes it an even more interesting movie for me. Below is a link to the website with several recipes. Click on the characters at the bottom to see additional recipes. Blanche's Tapioca Pudding is supposed to play a key role in the movie.

Each newsletter we will put in some of the pictures of cakes that Kristie has done lately. Who doesn't like to look at pictures of cakes? This month we put in puctured of some sculpted cakes. Who knows, maybe you'll get some ideas for your cakes to decorate, or ideas for ordering a cake. If you want to order a cake, you can email Kristie at [email protected] We only take-on so many cakes per week, and we usually max- out, so place your order as early as possible - at least two weeks in advance of your event. Enjoy looking at the cakes - there are some great ones! Click here for more information about our cakes.

Here are the February classes.

Wilton Course 2 with Sallia
February 9, 16 and 23 - 6 pm to 9 pm
Wilton Course 2 with Cathy
February 9, 16, 23 - 9 am to 12 pm
Basic Petit Fours with Michelle
February 5 - Thursday - 6 pm to 9 pm
Cookie Decorating with Jennifer
February 7 - Saturday - 9 am to 12 pm
Valentine Candy with Jennifer
February 7 - Saturday - 2 pm to 5 pm
February 12 - Thursday - 6 pm to 9 pm
Sweet Valentine Gifts with Jennifer
February 5 - Thursday - 9 am to 12 pm

Click the link below to see all of our scheduled classes.

We hope you enjoy this newsletter. Please use the forward link below to send this email to others who you think may enjoy it. As always, we want to hear your feedback...just click on the email address below.