Make-A-Wish Ball
October 10th, 2009

The WISH BALL 2009 kicked off Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Central New York's 25th year anniversary!  To celebrate, over 30 bakeries around the region donated beautiful themed cakes for table centerpieces.  This event is a major fundraiser as well as a time to present awards and recognize individuals.  Children attend this event as well.

A committee member from the Make-A-Wish Foundation contacted me to do a cake for one of the tables at this event.  One of my staff, Terri Lynn, came up with "The Mad Hatter" as our theme. 

I had to check out a library book because I could not remember all the characters from "Alice in Wonderland".  I then made a bunch of sketches to include the structural support of such a design.  Once the design was doable we started baking.  The cakes were then filled, crumbed and carved into various shapes. 

I had a fellow chef, Tom Turton, help with tinting fondant, covering the cakes and adding the details.  My other big time helper was my husband, Rob, who even stayed until midnight the night before the event when the unthinkable happened.....

What they never tell you about:  About 9:00pm the night before I cracked the mushroom on top and had to re-make it!!