Maliha Creations

Classically Orange and Blue

2012-01-11T09:50:00.008-05:00

Lindsey and Del were married this past Fall at one of my favorite wineries in Charlottesville, Veritas Winery. I just love how they incorporated UVA's orange and blue in such a beautifully elegant way. The flowers from Joey and Randy at Floral Images were brilliant, and just flat out perfect!

Lindsey was a knockout in her all lace dress and Del looked dashing with his orange tie. For their wedding cake, we used the vine inspiration directly from their invites. It really helped to tie in the whole beautiful theme. Fresh flowers from Joey and Randy completed the look. Their cake was Sour Cream Almond with Maple Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache and Red Velvet cake with Cream Cheese frosting.

I would like to thank Christoper Duggan, of Christopher Duggan Photography, for all of the fabulous photographs! Check out more of Lindsey and Del's wedding here!

Trio of Cakes!

2011-11-22T09:15:00.005-05:00

I just love this way of featuring bridal cakes for your guests! Instead of one large bridal cake, how about 3 or 5 smaller different cakes arranged beautifully with a recurring theme? McKinley chose this option for her gorgeous Fall wedding at Pippin Hill. McKinley's cakes were Sour Cream Almond cake with Chocolate Buttercream and Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting...perfect for the start of the Fall season! After covering them with a marbled fondant we placed seasonal fresh fruit on her cakes...a few silver stands and servers and a unique and beautiful look was created for her wedding!

Just a word about the beautiful images...they were shot by Jen Fariello Photography and I love the ethereal quality of them. In addition to digital photography, Jen is brilliant with film as well. Thank you for the gorgeous images!

Calligraphied Cake

2011-11-15T18:37:00.004-05:00

When Kristen and Jurgen contacted me regarding their wedding cake with their names done in calligraphy, I knew there was only one person to call! Jen Maton of Ifsoinklined Calligraphy creates beautiful art with the written word, from invitations, to enveloped and custom artwork, her skill is undeniably beautiful! Kristen's cake was a Pumpkin cake with Maple Buttercream and a Sour Cream Almond cake with Chocolate Ganache...yum!

Jen came over the night before the wedding and lovingly handpainted their names onto the cake...talk about a tag team. Loved working with you, Jen and I hope we get to do it again soon! Congratulations, Kristen and Jurgen and thank you for choosing Maliha Creations and Ifsoinklined to create your wedding cake at Sweely Estate Winery!

Beautiful pictures courtesy of Julie Napear Photography!

Cosmos on Cake

2011-11-10T09:33:00.007-05:00

Abby and Darrin were married at Pippin Hill late this summer. After spending time in Japan, Abby wanted her wedding cake to incorporate the beautiful fields of cosmos that she loved to gaze at while there. Isn't her cake topper adorable!!! It includes their little one eyed cat. Thank you, Abby and Darrin for choosing Maliha Creations to create your wedding cake. I loved working with you!

Inspiration Shoot on JuneBug Weddings!

2011-09-28T08:43:00.006-04:00

When Jamie, Jessica and Claire of Simply Chic Events and Anne and Bill Holland of Holland Photo Arts came over to tell me about their magically inspired photo shoot at Clifton Inn, I knew it would be a blast and of course, beautiful! Over chai and cake, they filled me in on the inspiration...the modern chevron print, with pops of color in corals and pinks...the gorgeous backdrop of Clifton Inn, real life lovelies, Eric and Lora Kelley (with their own successful business' of their own), florals from Pat and Sherry of Pat's Floral Designs, and of course, the beautiful papers from Rock, Paper, Scissors. I was so thrilled to be a part of this shoot. What fun it was to create 3 small cakes incorporating the chevron design and including the fabulous colors. Thank you for thinking of me to be included...it is an honor. The fabulous pics speak for themselves...for more, check out Anne and Bill's blog...http://hollandphotoartsblog.com/2011/09/29/inspired-shoot-a-garden-reception/

Venue: Clifton Inn

Event Design: Simply Chic Events

Floral Design: Pat’s Floral Designs

Make-Up: Lora Elaine Kelley

Hair: Jennifer with Elan

Stationary: Rock Paper Scissors

Wedding Cake: Maliha Creations

Signage and Calligraphy: Nichole Creative

Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza

Groom’s Apparel: J. Crew

The Best Thank You!

2011-09-08T08:54:00.004-04:00

For a wedding vendor, there is nothing better than receiving a note from a bride or groom detailing their joy with your work. When I opened my email and received the following from a previous bride, I was of course, thrilled that they enjoyed my creations so immensely, but I was also reminded of why I love my job so much. The opportunity to be involved in some of the happiest moments of my clients lives, from new babies, to weddings and everything in between, is a never-ending thrill. Thank YOU, Marjorie, for choosing me to create your wedding cakes!

"Dear Anita,

Ryan, our families and I cannot thank you and your husband enough for our two divine, delicious and highly detailed cakes on May 28th, 2011!! The fern cake was elegant, delicate and perfectly fit into our wedding theme. The UVa football stadium was ABOVE and BEYOND what we ever imagined! The lights? The UVa good old song? The field, the fans and the colonnade? The deep, delicious red velvet? Seriously, it was one of the many highlights of the wedding and many, many people refereneced how fabulous it was. I know that Patricia Lyons will have many photos of it, so we will make sure to connect you.

As well, on Sunday May 29th, it was so lovely to run into your husband and your daughter to get to discuss the amazing depth of engineering that went on to get this cake to perfection. It was really a family effort and we utterly appreciate your time, energy and creativity!

More photos to come!"

Cobalt blue...

2011-08-30T14:49:00.004-04:00

Kally and Ben were married at the gorgeous Veritas Vineyard this past summer. Kally's inspiration was beautiful cobalt blue glass. There were hints of cobalt blue throughout their wedding...from the bridesmaid dresses, to the flowers, to backdrop lighting on the sheers surrounding the ball room. We created this cake for Kally and Ben by forming dozens and dozens of hydrangea blooms. After the blooms had dried, we airbrushed them with a cobalt blue edible food coloring. Once dried again, they were artfully placed on the cake. Their yummy cake was Vanilla Butter cake with Raspberry Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache...a classically delicious combination! A special thanks to Meg Runion Studios for beautiful images.

Scott Stadium...in Cake!

2011-08-15T08:49:00.019-04:00

When I met Marjorie, her mom, and her fiance, Ryan last year we had a great time tasting different cake options and mixing and matching until we came up with the perfect wedding cake for Marjorie and Ryan. She had decided on a cake decorated in a fern motif...easy, peasy, I knew I could handle that!

Then she mentioned that she wanted a cake in the shape of Scott Stadium..."uhhh, no problem," I answered. And with that we were off. As her wedding date neared this cake was on my mind, morning, noon and night! I had to get blueprints from the University (it had to be 100% to scale and accurate), licenses for the logos (we wanted to keep everything Kosher) and I must have driven by Scott Stadium dozens of times (to get a feel for the real thing!). We spent hours online looking for lights (oh yes, this stadium had real working lights blazing over the field) and a way to play the University of Virginia fight song (it played back with the push of a button).

This cake had to be one of the largest undertakings I have had to date. Over 18 sheet cakes and 12 batches of buttercream...this cake fed over 300 people! The sheer size was just to provide all of the detail that we wanted to incorporate.

Some of the biggest challenges I knew I was going to face were the pergola at the entrance, as well as the fact that Scott Stadium is at street level on the student side and below ground on the opposite side.

So without further adieu, here are pics of the Scott Stadium. I will be blogging about some of my trials and tribulations and some pics of the process soon, but here is the finished product so expertly photographed by Patricia Lyons Photography Thank you Patricia, for capturing the Scott Stadium so perfectly. When I heard you were photographing it, my worries were washed away!

Adventurous Cake for an Adventurous Couple!

2011-08-08T08:17:00.004-04:00

When Natalie and her mom came in for a tasting, I knew we were in for a fun time. Natalie and Michael are both adventurous spirits...they love the outdoors...whether skiing, surfing or something in between, they are happiest outside. Natalie saw a cake in my tasting room and fell in love with the design...an all white number with differing height tiers and lots of texture. We decided to incorporate a wave pattern on one of the middle tiers to bring in her love of the ocean. It was very subtle and it went perfectly with the cake. Natalie chose wonderful flavors for her wedding cake...Sour Cream Almond Cake with fresh pitted cherries and Vanilla Buttercream and Vanilla Butter Cake with Vanilla and Lavendar Buttercreams!

Here are a few pictures of their cakes. Beautiful pics courtesy of Jody Miller Photography.

A few weeks before Natalie and Michael's wedding, I received a call from Judy (Natalie's mom)...turns out Natalie's birthday is on her wedding day! She wanted to surprise Natalie with a custom surfboard and a birthday cake. We decided on a ski mountain with 2 kittens surfing down. The cake was a Vanilla Butter Cake with Coconut and Lime Buttercreams! Their lovely wedding took place at Montpelier, home of James Madison.

Bloomin' Magnolias

2011-07-27T09:44:00.009-04:00

I have been so behind on my blogging this summer! I have lots of fabulous wedding cakes to share...bear with me! I met with Katie and her mom early this year for a tasting and consult and I adored them both immediately! Katie is such a delight to be around...warm, sweet and she has the loveliest smile, which she flashes often! Katie decided on a clean style for her cake and wanted to include large magnolia blooms. The week of her wedding, while driving around Charlottesville, I noticed the magnolias on the trees outside were in FULL bloom...it was so perfect! Katie, thank you for choosing Maliha Creations to design your wedding cake. It was such a joy to work with you and your family and I wish you and Steve a lifetime of wedded bliss!

For more details of this gorgeous wedding check out Aaron's blog!

Here are some images of their special day captured by Aaron Watson Photography. I have gotten a chance to do several weddings with Aaron this summer and I am always thrilled with his images. Thank you, Aaron!

Gorgeous full blooms to match the beautiful day!

Aren't they adorable!

Katie's shoes were the same bright red as Steve's tie...perfection!

Prince Michel Vineyard Wedding

2011-06-25T16:26:00.005-04:00

After a few bumps in the road, Rachel, Jeff and I finally had a chance to enjoy a chat over some cake and coffee. Their vision for an elegant, lovely, and most of all, fun, wedding was achieved at Prince Michel Winery a few weeks ago. They chose a cake with gumpaste grapes, as well as a gumpaste plaque with their names on it. I enjoyed working with both of them so much. Their easygoing and fun-loving personalities were evident in throughout their wedding...from custom m&ms to Qdoba for catering!!! Aaron Watson Photography photographed their wedding and sent me this FABULOUS picture of their cake. Love the way the sun is bursting behind the cake...what a great shot, Aaron! Check out his blog for more!

one little word...trust.

2011-05-30T08:47:00.009-04:00

When Courtney and Troy contacted me to create their wedding cake for their intimate wedding at King Family Vineyards, we knew there was a possibility that we would not be able to meet before their wedding. This meant that they would not have a chance to sit down and see if our personalities meshed, nor would they be able to try my cakes to see if it suited their tastes. Instead we hashed out everything via phone and email to create the perfect combination of cake and design for their big day.

One thing I do not take lightly is the fact that wedding cake is often the first bite of food shared by a newly married couple...in fact, this first bite should symbolize the sweetness of marriage and the sharing of food. So though Courtney and Troy would not be able to taste their cake before the wedding, they chose a Red Velvet Cake with Raspberry and Chocolate buttercreams...a fabulous combination! All of this to say, Courtney and Troy, I appreciate you trusting me to create your wedding cake. I really enjoyed having a part of your special day.

A huge thank you to Mostardi Photography for these fabulous images. They took so many amazing images, and I just could not choose one, so they sent them all! Thank you, Heather and Carver!

Featured on Style Me Pretty!

2011-05-26T10:02:00.012-04:00

Claire and Praveen's beautiful wedding merged their two backgrounds and cultures in a magnificent backyard wedding! Thanks to Style Me Pretty for featuring this lovely wedding nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge!

Check it out here...

Here are some lovely pics of the cake from the wonderful Jen Fariello...thank you, Jen for your beautiful images!

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let your hair down!

2011-04-19T14:02:00.007-04:00

Once again, another girly, sparkly cake...I never tire of them! From the newest Disney hit, I was requested to make a "Tangled" Cake...the inspiration was the tower and this is what I came up with.

Now, as a cake decorator, I often am asked to create children's cakes with "Insert Copyrighted Character Name Here", and am not able to re-create the characters in cake or fondant, due to copyright licenses held by "Insert Large Corporation Here." In order to do cakes like these, I often design a cake with the theme in mind, and then place the purchased licensed character on the cake. This satisfies my creative outlet, as well as the law of copyright. I do take this very seriously and completely understand and respect the rights of the copyright owner and am thrilled that my customers give me creative license to create cakes for their children under the rules of law.

Disclaimer: Any copyrighted characters using cake pans on my website have been for my home use only and no sale was made on those cakes.

Buttercream Delight!

2011-04-13T21:34:00.005-04:00

I was thrilled to be asked to participate in the Art of Photography Workshop by Jen Fariello and Robert Radifera. There were many talented professionals who worked hard to make this day a success and I was excited to be among them! Shawn Cossette of Beehive Events requested an all buttercream cake with texture...it was fun to try a new technique and I was very happy with how it turned out. Thanks for including me and I cannot wait to see all the fabulous pictures!!!

Photo Courtesy Robert Radifera

A cake for a Virtuoso!

2011-04-10T15:37:00.004-04:00

When my friend, Priya, asked me to design a cake for her daughter who was entering her teenage years, I knew it had to blow her socks off. Those of us who spend time with teenagers, know that it is harder and harder to impress them these days! I knew that the birthday girl was very skilled in the fine arts...dancing and music are her life loves and her equally talented mom encourages her along the way while indulging in her own art form via her vegetarian fusion blog, Priya Now Serving.

So, perhaps, while Priya was expecting a tiered confection with musical notes, I was dreaming of creating a life size version of a violin. After studying many images online, this is what transpired...

Happy Birthday, Samyuktha!!! I hope your teenage years rock :)!

Once again, this would not have been possible without the help of my amazing husband. So, thank you, dear Uday for your patience and expertise!

Ecuadorian Delight!

2011-03-24T10:36:00.005-04:00

My latest wedding cake was created for a lovely couple who recently married at Veritas Vineyard on one of the most beautiful days in March. This was one of the rare occasions that I did not meet with the bride...our tasting was with Alex, the groom, and both moms....and boy did we have fun! I could feel the comfort and familiarity of their relationships with each other and I knew that this marriage was starting off on the right foot.

Alex chose a Lemon Cloud cake with Mango curd and Raspberry buttercream with fresh raspberries embedded in the buttercream layer. The whole cake was covered in fondant and finished with a peacock ribbon and adorned with fresh flowers from Pat's Floral Designs.

This was also the first time I worked with Sasha Rothwell of Rothwell Photography and needless to say, I was blown away with her images! The stunning ballroom at Veritas was awash in a purple and blue glow and each of Sasha's images captured the lighting, the mood, and of course, documented the emotions so beautifully! I leave you with one of my favorite shots from Mary and Alex's wedding...check out more at Rothwell Photography Blog.

Owen and Helen's Wedding Featured...

2011-03-01T12:45:00.005-05:00

...on Charlottesville Weddings today! Thank you to Danielle Freedman for featuring this beautiful wedding shot by Jason Keefer. There were so many fabulous vendors who helped to create Helen and Owen's special day. And what a lovely wedding for a lovely couple...may you both enjoy a blissful married life! Check out their wedding here!

We love our schools!

2011-02-25T09:03:00.006-05:00

Latest cake for a Chancellor Street Co-op parent who won a custom birthday cake for the school's Fall auction. At Maliha Creations, we love to support our local schools, teachers, and students!

Looking for a bakery in Charlottesville, VA? Contact us today!

Nick and Lori's Wedding in The Knot!

2011-01-11T09:52:00.005-05:00

I am so thrilled that Nick and Lori's wedding at the beautifulVeritas Vineyard and Winery, in Afton, Virginia, was chosen to be featured in the Spring/Summer 2011 issue of The Knot! This beautiful affair was orchestrated by Jennifer Carroll and documented by the talented Jen Fariello. Pat and Sherry of Pat's Floral Designs handled all of the lovely florals. Lori and Nick's cake was created by yours truly. I had such a wonderful time with their cake since everything coordinated so perfectly, but I had an especially fun experience in making Nick's grooms cake. Lori sent me his cowboy boot and asked me to replicate it in cake. What a fun adventure that was! Luckily it was in the summer, so hopefully he did not miss it!

'Tis the Season...for Dessert!

2010-12-29T10:17:00.014-05:00

I had the oppurtunity to work on something a little different a few weeks ago and I was thrilled to be able to collaborate with Ami Smith of Embellish Interiors and Jen Maton of IfsoInklined Calligraphy. The event was for the annual holiday party for the Community of Charlottesville Wedding and Event Professionals. With Ami's eye for detail and design she was able to create a beautiful backdrop and tablescape and with Jen's lovely calligraphy we were able to pull together a cohesive dessert table without sacrificing taste!

Dark Chocolate Cognac Truffles dipped in pearlized white chocolate...

Of course, a dessert table is not complete without a cake!

The hottest rage in dessert...Whoopie Pies!

Eggnog Cupcakes with Bourbon Buttercream and Pumpkin Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ginger Buttercream...complete with White Chocolate Ginger Bark.

My favorite part of the dessert spread...Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Pops...just add hot milk (from sterling silver carafe) to hot chocolate pop and stir until melted...sprinkle on marshmallows and enjoy!

Jen's beautiful calligraphy...

One last look...

Beautiful photography courtesy of William Walker Photography and Tod Cohen Photography! Thank you both for your amazing talent and lovely works!

We would also like to thank Festive Fare Rentals for the beautiful farm table and the lovely hot chocolate mugs!

Thankful for Abundance...

2010-12-03T11:18:00.010-05:00

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving. As we move into December and the weather cools down considerably, I thought it would be fun to warm up with a snapshot of our Thanksgiving dessert table.
A Maliha Creations dessert table is of course, not complete without a cake. Simple and elegant and does not compete with the other desserts on the table.
Chocolate covered apples from Co Co. Sala in Washington DC.
Chipotle chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting, topped with a chocolate leaf brushed with edible gold.
Fresh fruit to balance the sugar, and add a new dimension of color. Also, check out the turkeys on the champagne glass. The signature cocktail was a pomegranate and cardamom spiked champagne!
In the back on lollipop sticks are apple pies and pumpkin pies...affectionately known as pie pops. In the front we have pumpkin whoopie pies filled with ginger buttercream...YUM!

The entire display!

Princess Tea Party - Part 2

2010-11-22T13:08:00.011-05:00

Today, I would like to share with you some of the details from Sahana's princess tea party. If you have not yet seen Part 1, check it out here.!
Each little princess needed her own seat...

Only the finest tea scones and pastries for these princesses...
Sahana's princess cake, complete with gumpaste tiara and her first initial...

A marshmallow topiary allowed me to add more pink and a simple, yet lovely way...

Cupcakes with princess themed wrappers add another touch of pink...

Each princess had her own teacup which made the perfect favor when filled with a cupcake at the end of the party. Tea pot cookies were ready with frosting and sprinkles for each princess to adorn.
And, lastly, a sparkly flowered chandelier finished the room...

Thanks for looking!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...

2010-11-18T08:48:00.010-05:00

...is what little girls are made of! For those of you who know me, it is no secret that I love all things girly, frilly and pink...so when my daughter requested a princess tea party for her 5th birthday, I was definitely on board. Part 1 will include the overall pictures of the party and Part 2 will include all of the details in how it came together.

The whole room as you enter Sahana's tea room...

The dessert table with all things pink and sugary...

Each table had its own pom pom chandelier and two tiered server with finger sandwiches and fruit skewers...

Airplane Birthday

2010-11-15T14:53:00.012-05:00

So as I get back to blogging, my goal is to share some useful cake tips, party ideas and cake troubleshooting!

I thought I would start with my son's 2nd birthday. My little man is obsessed with airplanes, so with that theme, and a cake airplane in mind, the party ideas took off ;)! With inspiration from Amy Atlas, I was able to figure out how to suspend the cake in mid-air!

A cake table with the airplane cake was the main attraction. Large paper lanterns are an inexpensive and whimsical way to frame the cake table.

The plane...

Simple touches like airplane jello jigglers, airplane cutout sugar cookies, and a dash of blue food coloring to ordinary rice krispies, added to the theme in a simply fun way.

Happy Birthday, to my favorite little man!

back to blogging???

2010-11-15T09:20:00.002-05:00

So, when I started this whole blogging thing, I promised myself I would not be a blogger whose posts would be about apologizing about not blogging...and here I am doing just that. I did want to start blogging again, since I have been working on so many fun things! So, here I am am...I have some dessert tables to share with you, hopefully some tips and advice, and of course, lots of cakes. Stay tuned and I promise (hope!) to be a better blogger in 2011!

Giving....

2010-03-11T13:27:00.006-05:00

Every year Maliha Creations is honored to be asked to contribute to local schools, charitable events and silent auctions. To date, Maliha Creations has given away dozens of cakes and gift certificates for custom cakes to schools like Chancellor Street and Johnson Elementary, all the way to organizations like Potentials Foundation, American Cancer Society, and the March of Dimes.

I will continue to participate and donate to local schools and organizations with free custom cakes, but I also wanted to tell you about a donation that will be a little bit different. This year, the Hospice of the Piedmont has asked Maliha Creations to provide an auction item for their 30th Anniversary Gala on Friday, April 23, 2010 at the Ash Lawn-Highland Hilltop Pavilion. So get your tickets and bid on "A Day in the life of a Custom Cake Designer." In this unique opportunity you will get the chance to spend a few hours with me learning how to frost and fill a cake, make it structurally sound, cover it with fondant, and decorate it. The winner of this auction prize will leave with a finished cake that he or she created!

So check out their website and learn more about this wonderful organization, and buy your tickets today at the Gala Website!

Maliha Creations has a new website!

2010-03-05T15:58:00.008-05:00

I am excited to announce the launch of my new website. Please check out www.malihacreations.com for more information about me, my cakes, and a new and improved gallery! I would love to hear your feedback!

A sailor gets his due...

2010-01-08T08:53:00.011-05:00

This cake was created for a gentleman who was retiring from the U.S. Navy after twenty years of service. His fiancé, Rolonda, was in charge of the surprise and worked with me to make a cake to honor his achievements. We decided to go with a HUGE sailor hat...and decorated it with different Navy sayings that Joe and his buddies used. The cake was double chocolate with Amaretto-mocha buttercream. The entire cake is edible...from the brim, to the anchor.

After the event, I received this lovely note from Rolonda.

Anita,

I know, I know...it's been a whole month since the retirement party, and I haven't had a chance to write you to tell you how wonderful your cake was at the retirement party! We plan to send you pictures as soon as we get them downloaded.

The sailor hat cake was a huge success!! Everyone took pictures! Since the party was held in local location, we ended up sharing your masterpiece with everyone who requested a piece of the cake. Although the cake was supposed to feed 50, I think that we ended up feeding over 75 people (and that's not including seconds!). We had a couple of chefs who told me that they could tell that this cake was made from scratch and were very impressed with the cake (taste and design). They had thirds! :)

As for Joe, he was so surprised! He couldn't believe the cake. Since he ended up driving us to Virginia Beach, he knew that there was a cake in the back. He said that he didn't know that it was that great! He just couldn't stop looking at the cake. It was so unique that he wouldn't let us cut it until he had enough pictures. We are really appreciative of the time and care you took to make his retirement cake. It was definitely memorable!

Thank you so much!

With all my regard,
Rolonda

Thank you, Rolonda, for choosing me to create Joe's cake. But mostly, THANK YOU, Joe, for your service to our country.

An artist gets her cake...

2010-01-06T23:43:00.022-05:00

I met with Nicole, Matt and BOTH of their families for a tasting last year. What a fun bunch it was...they all had a great time mixing and matching and creating their own flavor combinations. When Nicole mentioned that she wanted to use my services after seeing a monkey cake on my website, I have to admit, I did wonder where we would go with her wedding cake! Turns out, both Nicole and her mom are very artistic and had an appreciation for the zany nature of that cake.

Nicole and Matt eventually chose a cake in traditional ivory fondant, draped with a shimmering drape and decorated with dozens and dozens of hand made edible gumpaste grapes. The effect was striking and worked so well at Veritas Vineyard.

Their cake flavors were Double Chocolate Cake with raspberry buttercream and fresh raspberries and whipped cream cheese frosting and Vanilla Butter Cake with dulce de leche filling and chocolate buttercream.

Congratulations, Nicole and Matt! I look forward to seeing you next year on your first anniversary!

Photos courtesy Jen Fariello

Argentine Delight!

2010-01-06T00:17:00.010-05:00

When I met with Elena and her mother, I was a bit nervous at the prospect of recreating an Argentinian specialty. After all, mother knows best...but with her guidance and confidence in my abilities, a lovely and truly delicious cake was the result.

The cake Elena chose was lemon cloud. Her cake consisted of a layer of cake, which was then layered with dulce de leche and topped with crushed meringue cookies, another layer of cake, and then a sinfully delicious layer of fresh strawberries and cream, another layer of cake topped with more dulce de leche and meringue cookies, and finally a last layer of cake...phew! The whole thing was covered with vanilla buttercream and vanilla fondant and decorated with swiss dots and beautiful fresh orchids from Pat's Floral Designs. I think this is my new favorite flavor combination!

Elena and Drew are such a lovely couple as you can see from the amazing pictures from Jack Looney Photography. I wish them a blissfully happy married life! Thank you for choosing Maliha Creations to bring a little bit of Argentina to Charlottesville!

Eat Cake and Be Merry...Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T09:41:00.020-05:00

Before I venture into 2010, I must take a moment to acknowledge the wonderful memories that were afforded to me by my clients. There was no end to the vision and taste of cakes I was asked to create for each special occasion. No matter the celebration, I was honored to provide the sweet moment to celebrate the arrival of a new baby, the start of a new life together, the accomplishment of years of hard work and everything in between.

But I also sat back and took a look at these moments on a broader scale as well…in every culture, tradition and religion, whenever there is a celebration or joyous moment, some sort of sugary confection seems to be involved. I am thankful to be asked by my clients to be a part of it. Whether pushing the envelope for a daring groom’s cake, or providing a simple “smash” cake for a one year olds first taste of the fluffy yellow goodness, cake is simply a celebration of family and food…my own true loves. And cake is a lot like family…a mouthful of sweetness, a dash of salt, and occasionally a little nuttiness ;).

From my family to yours...Happy New Year and may your 2010 be filled with laughter, joy, and of course, cake.

2nd Annual Tee It Up For Conner!

2009-10-27T13:49:00.005-04:00

I had the priviledge of creating another cake for the annual Tee It Up For Conner tournament. Last year, we created a golf bag cake for the event...this year we changed it up and to a classic tiered cake, we added golfer's argyle, a putting green, and edible images created by Conner's brother and sister.

Thank you, Kim, for thinking of me to do this cake for your event!

Tropical Paradise

2009-10-22T10:06:00.010-04:00

When I met with Desiree and Mike, I immediately knew we would have fun with their cake. The bride had a discerning and elegant eye and the groom was involved in the whole process...from tasting to design! Desiree wanted to incorporate touches of her Filipino heritage into their wedding and, of course, the cake! Desiree and Mike decided on a vanilla butter cake with a deliciously tropical mango curd filling and Navan vanilla cognac buttercream...utter decadence! Their cake was then covered in a mango colored fondant and draped with a fondant drape. The absolutely breathtaking Vendella roses were provided by Shawn Cossette of Beehive Events.

These amazing pictures were gracisouly provided by Robert Holley, of Robert Holley Photography. I had a hard time choosing from his wonderful shots...be sure to check out his blog for more pictures.

I know, I know...

2009-09-28T17:00:00.008-04:00

...I have been busy...REALLY busy. I have not had much time to blog lately and hopefully in the next few postings you will be able to see why. The start of my Fall has been happily busy with lots of weddings and other events. Living here in one of the most beautiful places, I can see why people would want to marry here...the weather has been phenomonal, so many lovely venues, and the most fabulous backdrops courtesy of Mother Nature. So, with that said...let me finish up the summer weddings.

This next cake was a blast...you all know how I love surprises. Groom's cakes are usually sculpted or carved or pay homage to the grooms hobbies or interests. When Dickie Morris from the always amazing Easton Events crew contacted me for a VT lunchpail cake and a hardhat, I knew we were in for some fun. I love the amazing pictures that Will Kerner, of Will Kerner Photography, captured! These pictures say it all...check out the surprised look on the groom's face! Note the red velvet cake with alternating chocolate and vanilla buttercream...what a striking combination!

More Cupcakes!

2009-09-17T10:25:00.003-04:00

I met with Anjali and her lovely family for a tasting last summer. They were interested in bringing in Anjali's Indian heritage to their east meets west wedding at Keswick Hall. The wonderful, Jennifer Hamlin, of Events with Panache helped bring their inspiration to life!

Note the adorable cupcake wrappers in pink and orange. This is a fun way to add an unexpected splash of color to your wedding. Cupcake wrappers come in many colors and themes...I can help you find the perfect ones for your event!

Happy 4 1/2 Birthday, Molly!

2009-09-04T18:05:00.003-04:00

This cake was done for a dear friends daughter...her birthday falls on Christmas Eve, so this lucky lady gets to celebrate her birthday TWICE a year...once in the winter with family, and once in the summer with friends. Usually the summer party is spent basking poolside. I repeated the under the sea theme...perfect for a pool party! Happy Birthday, sweet Molly!

Happy Birthday to a Wonderful 6 year old!

2009-09-02T14:46:00.003-04:00

On June 8th 2003, we were blessed with the arrival of our first daughter, Asha. On the last day of school in June, we celebrated her birthday with her classmates and two of her buddies, Elijah and Hugh. Happy 6th Birthday, to 3 great kids :)!

I love you, Asha Maliha...may your life be filled with as much joy and happiness as you bring to your family!

With an under the sea theme, we accomplished the goal of being able to use pinks and purples, as well as greens and blues...making the birthday girl AND birthday boys happy!

Jefferson's Rotunda - SURPRISE!

2009-08-27T14:29:00.003-04:00

In early April I received an email from a lady who wanted to surprise her daughter and son-in-law with a cake in the shape of the Rotunda. The bride and groom both went to UVA, as did many of the attendees of the wedding. I worked with the always fabulous Jessica Sheffield of The Event Company to make sure the bride and groom would have no idea about the cake. The lovely pictures are courtesy of Rob Garland from Rob Garland Photographers. Thanks for the pictures, Rob and Meg!

Back to blogging...

2009-08-26T13:13:00.003-04:00

...After we had our third child last October and enjoying a few months with him, I kicked back into high gear with the 2009 wedding season in April. It has been pretty much non-stop since then and I have not had much time to blog.

The season began with an adorable couple, Elizabeth and Scott. They are such a fun-loving and carefree couple, so I knew we were going to have fun with their wedding. Elizabeth wanted to do away with the ordinary and chose cupcakes to treat her guests. We created 200 cupcakes in 3 different flavors...chocolate cake with white buttercream frosting and sprinkled with chocolate shavings, almond sour cream cake with light pink buttercream frosting and slivered almonds, and lemon cupcakes with raspberry frosting, topped with a fresh raspberry on each. Elizabeth gathered dozens of vintage cupcake stands for display and the effect was brilliant (I will post pics from the photographer). Their guests were able to indulge in one, two, or all three of the flavors of cupcakes! To top it off, we created a GIANT cupcake for Elizabeth and Scott to cut.

Thank you Elizabeth and Scott!

A Cake for a Cause

2009-01-25T15:19:00.003-05:00

Early last summer, I received an email from a sweet woman, Kim, who wanted Maliha Creations to donate a cake for a golf tournament to benefit Potentials Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds for primordial dwarfism (MOPD II) which is a very rare type of dwarfism. This type of dwarfism only affects approximately 200 in the world. When I saw a picture of Kim's son, I just had to come up with something special. This sweet little boy had the cutest face and the most beautiful eyes. His sister and brother created drawings that were going to be used for T-shirts for the event, so of course, I had to include them on the cake.

Only a golf bag to serve 200, would be fitting enough for a golf tournament.

Thank you, Kim, for choosing Maliha Creations to be a part of your special event. I hope events like this continue to raise money for the cause.

Playing Catch Up!

2009-01-25T15:15:00.002-05:00

Phew...it has been a whirlwind of a winter for Maliha Creations. At the end of October our family grew to include a sweet little boy. With three kids underfoot, life has been crazy to say the least. I do look forward to getting back to baking for my wonderful customers in the next few months! In the meantime, I would like to post about a few of the cakes that I did before I went on maternity leave, but never had a chance to write about.

It's A Boy!

2008-12-03T13:54:00.002-05:00

We were blessed with a baby boy, Ayaan, on October 29th, 2008. Ayaan and his big sisters are all doing well. Thank you for all the well wishes during this magical, yet exhausting time!

Maliha Creations will be on maternity leave until April 2009, but will be accepting orders for events after that time.

Also, I have not had a chance to update my blog with all the fun cakes I did before our son was born...I hope to get time to do so!

Thanks for your patience and understanding!

Fancy Nancy!

2008-08-24T21:01:00.006-04:00

I have been waiting for months to get an order for a Fancy Nancy cake. So when I received a call to do a cake in this theme for a five year old's birthday party, I just had to do it! If you have a little girl and have not yet read this book, run, do not walk, to the nearest bookstore to pick it up. It is a hoot!

My inspiration for this cake came directly from the book...some quotes....
"A princess is supposed to keep her tiara on."
"My favorite color is fuschia. That's a fancy way of saying purple."

The tiara and bow are hand made out of gumpaste and dusted with luster dust to make them extra fancy!

Happy 5th Birthday, Austin! I hope your day was especially fancy!

Tatiana and Justin are married!

2008-07-24T15:09:00.013-04:00

When Jennifer Carroll brought Tatiana and Justin in for a tasting early this year, I just fell in love with them. They were both so excited about their wedding day, but also just seemed to be so content that they were spending the rest of their life together. After going through the many designs that they were drawn to and learning of their wedding colors of chocolate, lavender, sage green and ivory, we came up with a few designs. Tatiana AND Justin chose their favorite...I just love it when the groom-to-be has so much interest in the planning. In addition, I also wanted to add a few additional pics of this absolutely gorgeous wedding created by Jennifer Carroll. The breathtaking pictures are courtesy of Jen Fariello. Usually I have heard that the pictures do not do beautiful weddings such as this any justice, but Jen's pictures will change your mind!

Tatiana and Justin's wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty as well today. If you have not yet seen this blog, head over to find the word in inspiration for today's weddings! I am truly honored to be included with such a fine cast of wedding vendors!

C-ville Unions is Out and Maliha Creations is featured!

2008-07-17T12:19:00.008-04:00

Pick up the latest copy of C-ville Unions this week and read about local vendors for your upcoming wedding! Featured are local jewelry makers, locally made favors, and local honeymoon spots right here in Virginia. In our family, we have tried to commit ourselves to buying more locally, by joining a CSA and patronizing local stores. What we have found is that in addition to feeling good about our purchases, we actually find some pretty wonderful and unique items.

Also, in this issue Maliha Creations was honored to be asked to provide three different cakes for three different types of weddings...casual, traditional and whimsical. I was up for the challenge and the three cakes are featured below...also here is a link to the article... http://cvilleweddings.com/misc/unions_content_cake.html

Thank you, C-ville Unions for featuring us!

Local Press

2008-06-26T14:00:00.009-04:00

We get wonderful support from our local community and wanted to say thanks for recent press in The Hook Weddings edition. Thank you for recognizing our work!

A Surprise Wedding Cake???

2008-06-25T13:30:00.016-04:00

Yes, you read that correctly...I never even met with the bride or the groom!!! This was a first for me and I loved every minute of it. The bride's sister called me a few months ago wanting a cake that was made fresh (check), all natural (check) and with no trans-fats (check)! She gave me some details about the bride, Kathy, but what I got most from our conversation was that the bride was fun-loving and carefree...obviously, since she gave so much of the planning over to her family. I was really touched by the love and trust in their family.

I met with Kathy's Dad, Eric, and friend, Jessica, a fabulous event planner with The Event Co. After filtering through the many designs that Kathy's sister sent me and utilizing the lovely linens that Kathy had chosen for her special day, we came up with a fitting design. All the cakes are carved and fitted together to create a unique puzzle-like design. The cakes were Vanilla Cognac with Navan infused buttercream, Chocolate Fudge cake with Amaretto Mocha buttercream and Yellow cake with berries and cream.

The lovely picture is courtesy of Marie Dennis of www.sweetlightphotography.net. Thank you, Marie, for brilliantly capturing the contrast of the red and white in the cake!

I also have to say that this family did not forget anyone on their special day...they made sure to include cupcakes for the littlest celebrants and even had me make a coordinating birhtday cake for those guests celebrating their birthdays on the day of the wedding...how thoughtful!

Erin and Joel

2008-05-27T15:24:00.000-04:00

I met Erin and Joel late last year as they began their wedding planning. They are both artistic and creative and had definite ideas about their wedding and cake. Over the months we emailed back and forth and finally ended up using the delightful design from their wedding invite. They chose square cakes for a unique look, and we also offset the tiers. The cake had a simple, yet striking quality with the green branches against the white background. Congratulations Joel and Erin!

Amber and Charlie - TJ would be so proud!

2008-05-27T14:39:00.000-04:00

I first met Amber and Charlie in February of this year when the fabulous Jennifer Carroll brought them in for a tasting. To say their wedding would be unique would be an understatement. They had requested a wedding cake in the shape of The Rotunda and I was thrilled to do something beyond the "traditional" wedding cake. To further challenge me, Amber wanted to surprise Charlie with a penguin cake...not just any penguin, but one that was wearing a "barong," the traditional formalwear of Filipino men. She emailed me a picture of what Charlie would be wearing and I took it from there. Meg Runion of Rob Garland Photographers, photographed all of the festivities...check out her blog for more pics of Amber and Charlie's special day. Thank you, Meg, for making my cakes look so great!

Henna Cake

2008-05-16T13:45:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of working with a bride and groom who wanted to incorporate the ancient art of henna into their wedding. A picture of the cake was brought along to the tasting and this is my version of Gail Watson's Henna Cake. The cakes are Double Chocolate with Amaretto-Mocha buttercream and Madagascar Vanilla Cognac cake with Navan infused buttercream. Sherry of Pat's Floral Designs supplied and arranged the beautiful fresh flower topper. Thanks, Sherry!

Susy's Cakes

2008-05-07T13:55:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to post a few cakes made for one of my favorite customers! Susy clearly has a zest for life and loves ordering unique cakes for her children. She sends me her thoughts and then gives me the creative freedom to whip up special cakes for her family. Thanks, Susy...I love working with you!

My sweet niece

2008-05-05T14:05:00.000-04:00

This cake was designed for our very good friends daughter...I call her my niece because we are such close family friends...it is a delight to see our children grow up together. Her mom gave me a picture of a dress that the birthday girl would be wearing and told me to take it from there. No matter how many "girly" cakes I do, I never tire of them.

Welcome to my Blog!

2008-05-01T23:49:00.000-04:00

Well, I finally decided to jump on the bandwagon and start a blog. I decided to start writing in honor of my wonderful clients who have put their trust in me on some of their most important occassions. I feel so blessed to be included, if in a very small way, in these often monumentous celebrations.

Please bear with me as I figure all of this out..hopefully in the next few weeks, I will have a blog that is semi-coherent and somewhat enjoyable to read!