Buddy's Sketchbook
The Harrison Fire Department requested a cake as a thank-you gift for the retired firefighters at the NJ Firemen's Retirement Home.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Fire Truck CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was made of pound cake and fondant. The sculpted people/figures were made out of modeling chocolate.
What's memorable about the cake?
The cake had working lights, siren and smoke (created using water vapor).
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
The Hoboken Family Alliance requested a cake for its annual Easter egg hunt.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Easter Bunny CakeHow was the cake made?
Daniella made the mouth and nose out of modeling chocolate.
Mauro and Sunshine made the Easter eggs out of fondant and royal icing.
Remy made the base of the cake out of vanilla sponge cake layered with chocolate icing.
For the standing bunny figure, they cut holes in the cakes and slid the cake rings down onto a dowel rod for the legs. They screwed a board on top of that to be the base of the body, and spread a layer of buttercream frosting on it to act as a glue. A smaller board was screwed above that with a dowel to hold the head. Buddy says, "That bunny was screwed and glued."
The crew added piping with royal icing that dries stiff, to give the bunny some fluffiness. They added bunny ears and arms made out of modeling chocolate on chopsticks that was dipped in coconut, and they made an Easter basket out of pound cake covered with a basket weave made of fondant.
What's memorable about the cake?
The icing literally fell off the cake over night in the cooler and had to be scraped off and reapplied in the morning before the delivery!
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
Some businessmen who play cards at a local social club requested a cake as a surprise for "The Boss."
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Roulette CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using pound cake, fondant, modeling chocolate and gum paste.
What's memorable about the cake?
The cake had a real, spinning roulette wheel!
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
St. Joseph's Children's Hospital requested a cake for a fundraiser for sick children.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Bi-Plane CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using pound cake and fondant.
What's memorable about the cake?
Buddy didn't want to take the order due to the busy week, but when he found out it was for children, he couldn't say no.
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
Jason and Christina Meehan, organizers of the The Asbury Park Zombie Walk, requested a cake for the 2nd annual The Asbury Park Zombie Walk themed "Prom of the Living Dead."
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Zombie CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using pound cake, fondant, modeling chocolate and crushed cookies.
The tombstone was made of ten layers of shaped pound cake held up with dowling rods. The team used three layers of red velvet cake for the ground, and covered the whole thing with "dirty ice," which is a layer of buttercream under the fondant.
What's memorable about the cake?
Buddy has NEVER made a cake like this for clients like these but really ended up getting a kick out of it in the end.
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
Alesia Benedict and Frank Visconti, a couple about to be married, requested a cake for their wedding.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Wedding Cake With BirdsHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using vanilla sponge cake with chocolate fudge between the layers, white fondant, buttercream, sugar flowers and ivy vines, and a plexiglass bird cage.
What's memorable about the cake?
The cake had live doves put into a plexiglass enclosure (with air holes) as a tribute to the groom's parents who had a cake with live doves in it at their wedding.
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
The American Museum of Natural History requested a cake for the opening of their "Extreme Mammals" exhibit.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Mammal CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using vanilla pound cake for the majority of the body, rice cereal treat bars for the underbelly and legs, fondant mixed with modeling chocolate for the skin and buttercream. Royal icing was used for the green grass and piping gel was used to create the rivers.
What's memorable about the cake?
This cake looked SO much like the real animal! Buddy called it one of the best cakes he's ever done.
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
Anthony and Christine DiAmbrosio requested a cake for their twin sons' birthday party at FAO Schwarz.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
FAO Schwarz CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using chocolate cake and vanilla cake for the piano, truffle fudge filling, fondant and buttercream. The soldiers were made with rice cereal treat bars, and the toy figures on the cake were formed with modeling chocolate.
What's memorable about the cake?
FAO Schwarz is one of the largest and most famous toy stores on earth. The bakery team was excited to take a field trip to the store to get inspiration for the cake.
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
The Metro Athletics Dragon Boat Team (MAD) requested a cake for a kick-off party for their 2009 racing season.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Dragon CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using vanilla and chocolate sponge cake, fudge filling, buttercream, white fondant, edible gold beads and gold food coloring. The dragon heads and body were made with rice cereal treats, and modeling chocolate was used for the dragon heads.
What's memorable about the cake?
Lots of things kept going wrong with this cake! The cakes were not baked and ready on time, and the decorators made the dragon heads too big to fit on the original sketch of the cake. However, in the end the cake turned out even better than Buddy's original plan.
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
Luis Salas, a regular bakery client, requested a cake for his annual birthday party.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Tiki CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using chocolate and vanilla sponge cake, cereal treats, royal icing, fondant, buttercream and chocolate fudge filling. The volcano was made of pound cake.
What's memorable about the cake?
Luis wanted the cake to shoot fire. Buddy had never made a cake that spit fire but he made it happen, without burning up the cake!
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
Kevin Reiman and Liza Ciminelli requested a cake for their wedding.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Leaning Tower of Pisa CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using pound cake and buttercream filling. Fondant was used for the bricks and modeling chocolate was used to sculpt the scooter and riders and the columns. Pedal dust was used to create an antiquing effect.
What's memorable about the cake?
This cake was four feet tall and had to lean without actually falling over. Buddy created an inner support system out of PVC pipe and cake boards, which allowed the cake to lean without falling over.
Image Credit: DCL
Buddy's Sketchbook
Donna Grucci and Felix Grucci Jr. of Grucci Fireworks requested a cake for the Grucci patriarch's birthday memorial.
Here's Buddy's sketch of the cake.
Click "Next" to see how the cake turned out and how they made it.
Grucci Fireworks CakeHow was the cake made?
The cake was created using chocolate sponge cake for the base, fondant, pound cake, buttercream and candy. Cereal treats were used to make the Statue of Liberty and modeling chocolate was used for the sculptures.
What's memorable about the cake?
This was one of the largest cakes Buddy has ever made. It was an entire cityscape with nine five-foot-tall buildings, the Brooklyn Bridge, a stadium and the Statue of Liberty and it all had to be wired to shoot fireworks at the delivery. Each building had a pipe running through it to hold the wires for the Gruccis to add the fireworks at the end.
Image Credit: DCL
