"Featured Vendor : Cake in a Cup NY"

Long gone are the days when a simple sheet cake was the standard for our special events. Today, cakes come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and flavors. With specialty cakes and cupcakes sweeping the nation, we made it our top-priority to learn more about the cake and cupcake industry first-hand. Read on as "The Amethyst Corner" interviews Roxanne Ferrance, Owner and Head Cake Designer at Cake in a Cup NY.

1. Your cake designs are quite impressive! What led you onto the creative path of cake and cupcake design?

 Thanks so much for the compliment Kisha.  The company actually started as a cupcake only company until one day  my son asked me to bake him a cake....which I did!  The cake tasted so great that I decided to sell my cakes and cupcakes.  As time went along, I started receiving a substantial amount of orders, that is when I decided to hit the internet and learn all that I can about cake decorating and mastering every technique and trick of the trade. 

2. With the amount of talented cake designers in the industry, what sets Cake in a Cup NY apart?


I strive for P & P, personalization and perfection.  I get goose bumps when my clients say “the cake looks so good, they did not want to cut it”…that is when I know that I have not only done my job but I have also exceeded their expectations. I think mainly what sets me apart is the fact that I am self-taught and I love to think outside of the box.  I am a creative person and often when I am excited about a project the ideas come flooding in to the point that I cannot hardly contain them!!  It is extremely important to me to be able to customize a one of a kind design to meet the client's price point, as well as walk each client through the process of designing their show stopping edible creation.  My menu consist of very unique names, created to be playful by incorporating irresistible mouth watering descriptions that would make anyone want to pop one of our baked goods into their mouth. 

3. In addition to designing custom cakes for weddings and celebrations, we noticed that you have  worked with well-known public figures and organizations. Please tell us who you have had the opportunity of servicing?

My first big break into the high profile society came by a referral by the one and only Kisha Kingston of Royale Amethyst Invitations in which  I was asked to cater cakes and cupcakes for the NAACP Presidential Inauguration of the Yonkers branch.  (Photo below)

Not too long after, I was approached by BronxNet to present a birthday cake to the host Dr. Bob Lee of OPEN and 107.5 WBLS FM.  (Photo Below)

On February 14, 2011, I presented 350 cupcakes as favors for Russell Simmons RUSH Hearts Foundation.  (Photo Below)

 

I also created a 3D globe and suitcase cake for Super Model Doutzen Kroes at LAVO NYC for her foundation dance4life World AIDS Day. (Photo Below)

My most recent accomplishment (that I am so proud of), was being hired by Lenox, one of the finest china companies, to create a mini wedding cake for their “Iced Pirouette Collection” ad.  The cake measures 5 inches tall and 4 ¼ inches wide. (Photo Below)

Additional work by Cake in a Cup NY:

·  AKA Cupcakes for a “Meet & Greet” at The Children’s Village, in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

· Corporate Logo Cupcakes for BlueKai.

· Black History Month at Bloomingdale’s, White Plains, NY.

·  Black History Month at Pennington Elementary School in Mount Vernon.

· Equinox Fitness Club – Corporate Logo Cupcakes.

· Designed little diva cupcakes with edible handbags for a book signing of the “Little Diva” by LaChanze, the winner of a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a The Color Purple Musical. 

· The “Transition Dinner” for John Jay College is a big deal as every year Cake in a Cup NY is requested to bake a very special cake and cupcake favors to mark the occasion.

4. What advice do you have to offer anyone that is considering breaking into the cake industry?

I would recommend that you find out what your real strength and unique selling point is. Focus on what you are most passionate about and make a collection of 4 to 6 cakes to begin with. Take as many cake decorating classes as you can, even if you feel that you  have already mastered the technique, there is always more than one way to create the design and knowing a few different ways is a PLUS! The cake industry is very competitive and can be very overwhelming.


5. As we can all see, Cake in a Cup NY is making moves! What should we expect to see from you in the near future?

 At the moment, I am mostly focused on building my corporate clientele and also moving into creating more abstract, out the box wedding cake designs.  Teaching via online web classes is a thought that will be coming to you soon!


Keep up to date with Cake in a Cup NY!  Be sure to follow and become a fan on Facebook!

Stay tuned for more featured vendor interviews from "The Amethyst Corner!"

NAACP Installation-"Presidential Elegance"

In late November, I received the request of a lifetime which was to design a Presidential Invitation Suite for the NAACP (Yonkers Chapter) Installation.

Similar to every stationery order, I was full of appreciation as well as honored to provide stationery for such a prestigious organization at one of their milestone events.

What was most important to me due to the details surrounding this occasion was setting the right tone with the right invitation . During the design process, it was very important for me to be creative and at the same time attract a high level of importance to the event with the appropriate stationery.

This invitation was sent to family and friends as well as public figures in the area, NAACP Officers and last but not least to the address of our Dear President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama. How exciting is that!

I was very selective with the design layout and paper selection, my goal was to stay within the theme of what I would call “Presidential Elegance”. In order to maintain such a theme, I elaborated on the powerful Navy and regal Gold colors that were incorporated in the NAACP logo.

I printed the invitation on Classic White Linen finish and enclosed it in a Matte finish Navy envelope sealed with an official gold seal from the President Elect herself, Tanika Inlaw.

For the ceremony, I wanted to maintain a regal theme and therefore decided to print the programs on a Classic White Linen finish paper. The final product was a scrolled program secured with a champagne satin ribbon which were handed out to each guest. To enhance the event decor, a framed ceremony program was placed on the welcome table (see photo above). I stood in awe as the guest picked up and unrolled their programs amazed by the quality of the paper as well as the content that was printed on it.

In addition, "The Amethyst Corner’s: Links to Love" Vendor Cake in a Cup NY, added a special touch to the event by baking a cake with a custom plaque of the NAACP Logo and delectable selection of cupcakes. Her baked goods attracted a lot of attention and was definitely the "conversation piece" for the night.



Congratulations and much success to the new officers of the NAACP Yonkers Chapter.

Stay tuned for more stationery tips, information and inspiration!

Staying Connected: "Links To Love"

The months of October and November were an amazing month for me because I met four new vendors! Cake in a Cup NY, LLC (Cakes and Cupcakes), Moirae Affairs (Event Planning Service), Events by Missy & Co. (Event Planning Service) and A Secret Garden Flower Boutique (Flower Boutique).

OCTOBER:
I had the opportunity to meet the owner and founder of Cake in a Cup NY, LLC (Roxanne Ferrance) and Morrae Affairs (Jocelyn Tejeda and Sherry Williams) at a networking event that was held at lower Manhattan. An amazing event filled with networking, good conversation and amazing red velvet, carrot cake and vanilla cupcake treats. F.Y.I.: I recently found out that Cake in a Cup NY, LLC and Royale Amethyst Invitations, LLC will be working closely to plan a mutual friend's "Tiffany & Chocolate" Themed Baby Shower; what a small world.

NOVEMBER:
After contacting Melissa Fife from Events by Missy & Co. I had an opportunity to meet with her earlier in the week at a local Starbucks and I must say what an amazing meeting it was. Melissa wears many “hats”; however, has a proven track record of executing amazing events that keeps her business successful through the best form of advertising: word of mouth. I look forward to being a resource for her clients stationery needs.

My meeting today with Blanca Garcia of A Secret Garden Flower Boutique happened quite unexpectedly. After passing this flower boutique and being in awe by its well designed window display, I decided to enter into what anyone can attest to as the “Secret Garden”. I was greeted with a warm welcome and was able to look around at all the floral arrangements that surrounded me. This flower boutique serves an A- list of clients within the Metro Area.

As an upcoming event professional, I find it very important to stay connected in this industry. I look forward to working with all the new vendors and building a long lasting professional relationship. These vendors are now placed on The Amethyst Corner's Blog under "Links to Love"! (Feel free to applaud 8-)

Cake in a Cup NY, LLC
http://www.cakeinacupny.com/

Moirae Affairs
http://www.moiraeaffairs.com/

Events by Missy & Co
http://www.eventsbymissyco.com/

A Secret Garden Flower Boutique
http://www.asecretgardenny.com/

Stay tuned for more tips, information and inspiration!

Photo Credits: http://www.banburyshireinfo.co.uk/networking.html