Vintage Classes

April 28th, 2012

We have been busy developing a new range of cupcakes for our classes to create yet another option for those wishing to learn new and creative skills.

Our new vintage class is open to all students but if have you have been to a previous Dotty class you’re not going to be disappointed with new skills to learn.
Delictate victorian broach
This class is less about buttercream designs and more about furthering your creativity with sugar paste and producing some wonderful cupcakes to take home that everyone will admire and will not understand just how you did them.

We’ve just finshed a cupclass today, from our first set of lessons, and all of the girls have just re-booked to come on the Vintage class. Very well received indeed!!

Dates will be announced on this site but please do get in touch for more information and to register interest.

Remember fellas – these are great presents for the lady in your life and – if you want to attend and learn new skills – nothing stopping you!

Dawn & Lorraine

2012 Class Dates Announced

February 19th, 2012

We know, we know – it’s taken a while to get new dates organised but we have finally been able to determine new dates from our new venue in the Bilbrough Village Hall just outside of York and just 1 minute off the A64 (very handy).

The Village of Bilbrough is simply gorgeous and having spent far too long getting moved we have finally managed and new dates are below. Of course, it goes without saying, we are very excited and looking forward to more classes.

If this year is as good as last then it will be so much fun. We had a great time last year with the girls that attended and the hen parties have all been so good to work with.

So, new dates…

• 9th of Mar £75;
• 17th of Mar £75;
• 23rd of Mar £75;
• 30th of Mar £75;
• 20th of Apr £75;
• 27th of Apr £75;
• 28th of Apr £75;

We hope to see you all soon!

Dawn & Lorraine.

2012, We’ve Moved & Classes Are Back On!

January 10th, 2012

Well, it’s taken some doing but we have finally moved to our new house in the beutiful village of Bilbrough near York. You know how difficult buying, selling, moving (and all in between) can be so we are very relieved to be on the other side of the whole thing.

The good news is that Cupcake Classes are now back on so do look out for dates being published on this site or ask us for availability.

Hen Parties

A real surprise to us is the popularity of Hen parties. An unexpected direction last year was the number of Hen Parties catered for and just the amount fun to be had on them (for us included!).

These events have become a real favourite and we have hosted a number of groups at Love To Eat in York (where we have joined forces to deliver a fun session from a great eatery).

Bilbrough Village Hall

Now we are preparing the Village Hall (and the Village no doubt) to receive a number of Hens and the lovely village Hall is going to be a great venue. We are very pleased to be able to offer this new venue and it certainly helps create a great space for classes.

Dawn

Cupcake Classes Well Received:

February 9th, 2011

Well January and February have been busy months indeed especially as the first cupcake classes have been delivered!

First three of six scheduled. Phew! the classes are proving to be very popular so I’m looking to schedule more to accomodate the requests.

I must say that each class has been really good fun and my confidence has grown with each. The ladies who have attended have produced some excellent, professional looking cakes and I’ve already seen pictures of their boxed cakes on Facebook.

I’m very proud of what has been achieved and they should be proud of what they have done – all very well done indeed.

Cupcake class

I was very nervous ahead of the first class but everyone was so good, and fun too, that the hours went by easily and all the preparation worth it to see the output. That has been the theme for all the classes so far and I’m pleased to be meeting new people.

Of course I’m learning alongside everyone else, to give a course, but after three delivered I’m much more assured of the course and of myself.

I ask for feedback after each class and so far the feedback has been wonderful. If you would like to attend a future course do get in touch.

To the ladies who have already attended – thank you for making the courses so memorable and such good fun. It’s clear that there are a lot of talented people out there!

Dawn.

Halloween Is Upon Us

October 13th, 2010

ooooooh! Scary xxx

Well, since the Theatre Royal excursion I been lucky enough to get a repeat order – thank you Bec! However, halloween is now upon us for sure and the orders are coming in thick and fast. So fast in fact that we can’t take orders to be fulfilled between now and the first of November.

However, don’t  let that stop you calling us and discussing your requirements.

Dotty holidays have been short lived and hard to come by recently but thats what happens when you have your own small business .  As much as I love Dotty About Cake I started this business to be with my family more and thats what I enjoy most so in that vain no orders will be fulfilled 8th December to the 4th of January – oh how I’m looking forward to that and the diet that we all start on the first day of the New Year!

Love Dawn, oh Finnie says hello too!! xx

York Theatre Royal’s Summer Production “Wind in the Willows” – www.beyondthewildwood.com

August 9th, 2010

Mr Fox (aka Richard Mark) and York theatre Royal's Rebecca Storey enjoying a DottyAboutCake cupcake!

 

I was delighted to be asked to provide 300 cupcakes for the Press Evening of the York Theatre Royal’s production of Wind in the Willows. Good business and a great night as well. 

I received tickets for the evening and my husband I went down to see the show and to see the cupcakes being eaten! 

The show was fantastic, very entertaining and can’t recommend it highly enough and the after show drinks proved to be just as fulfilling. Seeing my creative efforts being appreciated by all was a real treat. 

The cupcakes we’re set up by the catering team at the Theatre so had let them get on with it whilst I watched the performance. Bit nerve racking that bit as I’m the one who normally sets up so I was just a little concerned that my standards may not be maintained. I didn’t need to worry though as they did a great job and for once it was nice to see my cakes being displayed by others and being able to step back a little. 

Mr Fox loved the cakes (Richard Mark) as you can see and so did everyon else. We (my husband and I) watched as the cupcake tower dwindled away and we tried hard to listen into people’s comments which was a unique opportunity for me as normally I would be setup and gone by the time people tuck in.

Book a place to see the show which runs until the 21st of August. You can get tickets and more information from the website www.beyondthewildwood.com

Some of the lovely pics from the night…

What a sight at the end of the show (and a relief to see it set up so well)Large selection an ddifferent types to reflect scenes in Wind in the Willows

 

Some of the artwork I produced to tie together the cupcakes and the production.

 

Weddings, Weddings, Weddings

April 23rd, 2010
Cupcakes are the perfect partner xxx

Weddings, Weddings and Weddings.

Well we can really tell that the wedding season is starting to come upon us. We’ve had a number of special days to arrange and be a part of.

Actually, to be part of someone’s day and to know that we have in some small way helped to make it special is something that rewards us at DAC immensely.

We have been providing a number of sample tastings for brides recently to see the designs, colours and of course taste.

Not sure lots of tastings are a good idea mind if you’re looking to fit into the expensive dress or suit.

We have always believed that the prices of our Cupcakes should not be increased just because they are for weddings and that may explain why we are seeing the rise in orders recently :-)

Dawn

Easter 2010 – A Cupcake Break for DAC!

March 31st, 2010
Easter 2010 at Dotty About Cake

Easter 2010 at Dotty About Cake

Easter 2010 already! This is our first Easter as Dotty About Cake and what a busy one it has been.

So busy in fact, with existing orders (and a holiday) we can’t take any more orders until the 19th of April. A well deserved break has been factored in and it will be our first bit of ‘downtime’ in quite some time. We’ll come back nice and refreshed and ready for more!

As well as focusing on the business it’s Finnie’s fifth birthday this weekend and I’ve strayed from the cupcake path to providing a ‘Ben 10′ cake. Fin is watching out for any design imperfections (he knows all of the characters so well) and it is taking quite a lot of effort – needless to say he is worth it.

Live & Love York Advert!

We’ve been working with Love York who have recently launched a brand new magazine into York. It really is very good and our paths crossed when we did the White Stuff’s first birthday – we have a mention on page 23 and you can read the online version by clicking on this link – http://www.loveyork.org/the-magazine/

Diamonds Are Created Under Pressure ;-)

We have had a few ‘emergency’ orders come through this month, against a full order book, and we delivered these as well as existing orders and we’re really pleased that we’ve been able to respond and to the exacting quality we, and our clients, expect. Maybe we can handle more than we thought!!

Finally….

We want to thank all of our clients new and old who have supported us so far and especially for the warm comments and testimonials we’ve received.

If we don’t get to speak to you before – have a wonderful Easter and don’t eat too much chocolate (unless it’s on top of a Dotty About Cake’s cupcake)!

We Support The Cupcake Break (Ovarian cancer Action)

March 6th, 2010
The Cupcake Break

A great, great charity and initiative

At Dotty About Cake we are donating 15% of proceeds of all cupcakes ordered when you support thecupcakebreak.org.uk March Cancer Awareness month. Quote ‘BREAK’ to us to support a great, great charity. 

www.thecupcakebreak.org.uk have designed a wonderful initiative and we support it whole heartedly.  In case you didn’t know, March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month and they have set up a unique way to raise money.

You can either go directly to their site and organise your own coffee morning (with cupcakes of course) , have a good time and raise money and awareness.

Alternatively, we can cook all your cupcakes, for your coffee morning and set them up at your party and of course we will donate 15% of our sale to them. Any further donations will be forwarded on too!

This applies only to cupcakes ordered directly to support Cupcake Break.

Please, take a look at their website and take part. It really is something fun for a worthy cause.

Dawn

White Stuff’s First Birthday

March 4th, 2010
Array of cakes in the Store

Dotty About Cake cupcakes and cakes set out in the York Store

The kitchen has been like a production line this week with a lot of orders coming in and going out again.

However, busy as we’ve been we we’re delighted to be asked to provide cupcakes, and cakes, for The White Stuff’s York Store to celebrate their first birthday and importantly to sell for the charity Snappy – http://www.snappyyork.co.uk/.

The staff at White Stuff we’re all lovely and welcomed in the cakes and cupcakes and help set up the display for the charity sale.

White Stuff CupCake Toppers

Ready to placed onto the White Stuff cupcakes

Tuesday night was all about the toppers. 100 of them to be precise! Doesn’t sound a lot until you have to decorate each one – glass of wine at the end was enjoyed I tell you!

The topper was made from blue and red sugar paste, cut to shape with simple cutters.

The lettering was a labour of love as they needed placing upon each topper with piped royal icing but, as you will no doubt know,  it’s all in the prep and they were left overnight to be ready to place onto the cupcakes in the morning.

Charity Cupcakes
Made up and ready to go

The cupcakes baked whilst the toppers set and with all the cupcakes ready they were promptly covered in a layer of poured fondant.

These are very simple cupcakes to make but the quantity of hand crafted cakes will always be a challenge but as White Stuff had chosen Snappy as the charity to support we had to add our own support to them.
The real joy of baking cupcakes and cakes for a living is when you see the end product being displayed and enjoyed.
The White Stuff team bagged up slices of my Lemon Drizzle cake (which no one in our team and family can resist) and provided their customers with tasty treats to leave the shop with.
 The final display in the store was really pleasing to see – sticky fingers are not a good combination with clothes but the event went off without a hitch and as you can see the display was great.

Happy first birthday White Stuff and fingers crossed you raised a good amount for Snappy.

Love

Dawn