Join Bake Sale at Etcetera, Etc. this Thursday for a Valentine’s trunk show featuring Tess Dress. Peruse the latest trends in women’s fashion while sipping a signature cocktail from Republic Tequila and noshing on miniature versions of our classic treats. Shopping never tasted so sweet.
With The Cream Event less than a week away, we are in the throws of some major baking and crafting at the Bake Sale kitchen. Though we can’t show you what’s up our sleeves just yet, we couldn’t help but let you peek into our workshop to get an idea of what we’ve got brewing. Hint: fun vintage items from Loot, loads of antique cake stands, and a crazy amount of our classic tasty treats.
If you want to dance like crazy, eat tasty food (yes, Bake Sale will be there!), sip yummy drinks, smile for the camera and take home a goodie bag loaded with mind-blowing awesomeness, then snag yourself some tickets to The Cream Event here! In less than two weeks, you too can party like the rockstars in this video: The Cream Event by Bash, Please via Sharkpig. Do it.
2011 was the year of rustic weddings. It seemed like we were constantly swimming in a sea of burlap, twine and pies of all shapes and forms – which is why we were so thrilled when Emily of Bird Dog Weddings called us up to bake for a mod-inspired shoot. She pulled together an amazing team of vendors including Ava Baird, Paige Newton, Lo Boheme, The Byrd Collective, The Creative Parasol, and Trophy Boutique. This creative group jumped at the opportunity to switch gears from the usual rustic-chic to a fun kitschy 60’s vibe. We had a blast whipping up chocolate bundt cakes, an angel food cake, pineapple upside-down cakes, mini strawberry shortcake trifles and, of course, neon-colored jello molds. These snapshots truly don’t do the scene justice so be sure to check back for detailed images from the talented photography team!
Posted in: Blog, Cake Stands, Events, Photo Shoots
I Live Here, I Give Here is Austin’s champion nonprofit organization on a mission to promote personal philanthropy by connecting citizens with charitable organizations. Their annual fundraiser, The Big Give, was held in late September, and we had the supreme pleasure of participating in the overwhelmingly successful event.
Over 300 attendees sipped cocktails, danced to live music, bid on amazing silent auction items, and applauded fellow givers for jobs well done. The W Hotel provided fabulous finger food, while a host of other vendors photographed, and fed everyone throughout the night. We set up a fun retro-picnic dessert bar loaded with Oreos, snickerdoodle blondies, mini strawberry pop tarts, caramel corn, blueberry bundt cakes, and plum-coconut tarts. The display was embellished with antique wooden crates, vintage glass and tin cake stands, and hand-stamped signs. Our friend Liz at The Nouveau Romantics provided the florals, and Katherine Fan of Ikigai Photography documented our set-up before the hungry guests made it all disappear.
Strawberry Pop Tarts and Lemon Blueberry Bundt
Mini Oreos
Snickerdoodle Blondies
Join Bake Sale and a slew of other fantastic Austin vendors on September 21st at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden for a night of Spanish music, food, and fun. We couldn’t think of a more beautiful location for a flamenco-themed fete, and we’re already dreaming of fresh-fried churros, creamy gateau basque, and cinnamon-scented arroz con leche.
“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness” ~Jane Austen
In the dead heat of summer (110 degrees in my car, people!) I tend to abandon my stovetop and oven, gravitating instead toward tangy Mexican paletas, cool fruit sorbets, and mint ice cream sandwiches. I also begin to daydream about the crisp autumn days ahead, filled with apple cider, scarves, and – most certainly – lots, and lots of pies.
As September sneaks up, it has come to my attention just how many brides want to replace traditional wedding cake with pie. Classic pies exude rustic charm, and fit beautifully in our Hill Country setting. But what many clients don’t realize is just how versatile pie can be when you think outside the crust.
If traditional is the name of the game, I love filling a whole table with whole, hand-made pies. Mix and match classic, and non-traditional flavors such as rosemary-blackberry, bourbon-pecan, or cheddar-apple for a surprising twist.
Green Wedding Shoes and Salt Harbor Designs
Tarts are pie’s elegant cousins. Fill a flaky crust with lemon curd, or layer fresh figs into almond pastry cream as a refined pie alternative.
Cook Like James, Nourished Kitchen
While pies are almost always a home run at parties, they are not the easiest dessert to serve. To solve the slicing dilemma, try miniaturizing your favorite flavors. Apple pie in mason jars, blueberry hand pies, and key lime cookies are delicious hand-held options.
Goosie Girl, The Pastry Affair and Let’s Get Cooking
For years, friends have told me of Marfa’s quirky, small town vibe, its vibrant art scene, and massive film festivals – which is why I jumped at the opportunity to cater a wedding in the middle of the desert with Patrick Hieger of gastroGIANT.
After a 7-hour drive, we got to work at Building 98, a former officers club from WWII. The low-lying building was once used to house German prisoners of war, who passed the time by painting intricate murals of the surrounding landscape on the interior walls. With a full-size bar, two courtyards, and several spacious rooms, the historic site is now a popular event location for locals and visitors alike.
Patrick and I lucked out with an extraordinarily friendly, and easy-going couple. Courtney and Carl wanted their food to match their fun, bright, and lively event, which was decked with colorful ribbons, Mexican banners, and strings of lights. GastroGIANT wowed the crowd with a table of grilled, local pork tenderloin, blackberry cornbread, watermelon terrine, and roasted corn in a cup. The use of entirely Texas/organic ingredients made for a gorgeous, fresh meal on a sweltering July night.
I played off the “Texican” theme for Courtney and Carl’s custom dessert buffet, and mixed in retro touches to jive with the display on General Patton’s old bar. Warm bittersweet chocolate tamales, freshly-fried sopapillas, and toasted coconut puddings were served on vintage cake stands, while dishes of Mexican hot chocolate cookies, coconut butter cookies, and alfajores were scattered throughout. The table was pulled together with Courtney’s funky, green table runner and a rustic, vanilla-on-vanilla cake.
This event was beyond fun to plan, and a thrill to pull off! Check out some photos of our Marfa adventure below.
While Bake Sale promises to continue delivering tasty treats to your homes and offices, we’re excited to announce our entrance into the world of special events! Whether you are planning a birthday party, bridal shower, wedding, or private get-together, our staff will help you make the customized dessert buffet of your dreams.
We’ve been fortunate enough to meet many talented vendors around town who have been amazing collaborators and sounding boards. This past April, we worked with the fabulous Liz from The Nouveau Romantics, on a photo shoot at The Wild Onion Ranch where we created a bountiful dessert buffet stocked with caramel corn, almond financiers, strawberry shortcakes, mint Oreos, and a poached pear tart. Liz’s unique floral/event design, combined with rentals from Loot Vintage, table settings from Antiquaria, and photography by The Nichols, landed the fruits of our labor on Style Me Pretty. Check out our spring shoot below, and stay tuned for special events menu updates and info on cake stand rentals.
