From what I know of the nouveau-skinny fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, he doesn't eat a lot. Sure he used to in indulge back in his zafitg fan-flapping days but that was before he fell in love with Hedi Slimane's clothes and dieted himself down to fit them. So you can understand my surprise at the news that Lagerfeld had designed a cake. But lo and behold, he has collaborated with Parisian baker Lenôtre to create a unique Buche de Noel. The holiday log is made of gingerbread with almonds and hazelnuts filled with a compote of sweet orange and apricot and a chocolate coulis. It comes in a mirrored box with a tiny ax made of hard sugar.
Earlier this month I thought the Apple Crate Cake was pricey at $185, but that suddenly seems like chump change when compared to this Platinum Cake designed by a Japanese pastry chef worth $130,000. It's a white cake draped in platinum necklaces, pins, pendants, and even edible platinum foils. The creator's name is Nobue Ikara, and the cake has been dedicated to several famous Japanese women (including actress Rinko Kikuchi) in an effort to encourage more women to wear platinum jewelry.
So is it doin' it for ya? Have a hankering for a platinum necklace?
Nothing says fall like warm cake and a crate full of apples, and this is both treats wrapped into one. This Apple Crate Cake, created especially for Dean & Deluca, features carefully crafted marzipan apples nestled into a bed of white chocolate "straw," all sitting in a "crate" of chocolate cake. And it's not only decorate but every bit is edible, although it must be hard to take the first slice and ruin the illusion! Perfect for fall entertaining, the cake measures 6"x5.5" and usually ships within 48 hours, $185.
Sometimes you've got to wonder at what point a kiddie party becomes more about the parents than it does about the kids. I'm sure they all love their children dearly and have the best of intentions, but kids can only appreciate so much when it comes to extravagance and money spent. Birthday parties have become the new way for parents to both shower their children with love and impress the competition,*ahem*, neighbors, at the same time. Gone are the days of balloons and cake in the backyard, replaced instead with renting entire clubs and candy stores while serving dinner on fine china. These days some people are spending upwards of $30000, $40000, and even $50,000+ on their children's birthday parties.
Ridiculous, or simple displays of affection from those who can afford it? You decide, I'm too jealous.
Designed by Kevin Williams for the Brooklyn design house CAKE, the Node bowl is just as happy in your kitchen as it is being displayed as a simple sculpture. And call me practical, but it actually looks like a great place to keep fruits and vegetables, because I like a bowl stacked high and the spaces will let the pieces on the bottom breathe. But of course filling it up interferes with the "light and shadow effect" the artist was going for, so maybe just one or two pieces, like in the photo, would be better. Anyway, it's made of ceramic, and is available in white only. Measures 3.5"D x 11.75"Diam, $50.
Although the shape might not be quite as refined as that of the Heart Cake Pan we saw just a few days ago, this stunning Red Velvet Heart Cake is sure to stop hearts (and diets!) this Valentine's Day. The rich cake is a deep red-hued devil's food cake with a rich chocolate flavor. It is frosted with decadent vanilla buttercream. The cake sits on top of one of Williams-Sonoma's new pink stoneware cake stands ($29, sold separately). Price: $65.
The Gracious Goods Cake Dome & Pedestal is one of the most elegant ways of presenting baked goods that I have seen in quite a while. The highly-stylized pedestal is made of cast aluminum, so it is lighter than it looks, and is topped with a glass dome with handle that matches the base. While it is easy to see a bundt cake under the dome, it actually seems like it would be the perfect way to present scones or muffins at a spring brunch, where the lid can be lifted and replaced as guests take what they want. It measures 16"H x 14" and is dishwasher safe. Price: $215.
If you're not planning on making the dessert for a holiday party or for Thanksgiving dinner, it's better to go all-out and get a top of the line cake than to buy a less-than-average supermarket pie and try to pass it off as your own. This Autumn Harvest Cake qualifies as over-the-top. Inside the white chocolate Limoges-style box, which has been topped with elegant grapes, leaves, a kumquat and two chocolate truffle pears, there is a Bourbon vanilla cheesecake with a macadamia nut crust. The cake is elegant and the combination of flavors is wonderfully decadent. The oval cake weighs 5.3 pounds and you'll probably get more than the recommended 8-10 servings from It, especially since people are usually fairly full following the main course of a holiday dinner. Price:$150.
You can buy all the pumpkin-shaped pans that you want and spend all day in the kitchen, but the odds are good that no matter how much time you put into it, you will have difficulty getting a cake to come out as perfectly as the this Harvest Pumpkin Cheesecake. We know we would, which is probably why we like this one so much. The 3-pound, handmade cake is entirely edible, including the realistically twisted stem. The cheesecake beneath the white-chocolate "skin" is swirled with an addictive pumpkin hazelnut toffee crunch and has a crispy cookie crust. With some judicious cutting, you'll probably get about 10 servings from this cake, making it a good choice for Thanksgiving, as well as for Halloween. Price: $100.
For the luxury brands bridal show this weekend at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Mimi So Jewelers teamed up with cake designer Nahid La Patisserie Artistique to create what might be the most expensive wedding cake ever made. With a price tag of $20 million, the cake is covered in diamonds and will be surrounded by a team of security guards throughout the event. It won't get eaten even after the event is over, as the beweled frosting is not exactly tooth-friendly, but the cake is certainly eye candy!
Now that it's October, it's time to start thinking about upcoming holidays, like Halloween. The holiday revolves around sweets, so what could be more appropriate than a decadent,seasonal treat. The Gourmet Witch's Hat Cake from Perfect Endings is a chocolate cake with a chocolate-caramel truffle filling, all wrapped up in a white chocolate fondant hat. One more reason to think about this cake this early in the month is that there is a lead time of 3 weeks on orders, so if you want it, you should plan ahead. It weighs about 4-lbs and should serve 10-12. Price: $99.
If you're looking for a wedding cake topper that is a little bit different than the standard bride and groom figurines, Swarovski Crystal Cake Jewels can add a lot of sparkle to the presentation. The cake jewels can be customized to many designs in just about every color you can imagine. Popular patterns include butterflies, flowers, hearts and the initials of the happy couple. Initials really make the cake unique, as you can see on Law and Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay's cake, but she also used a variety of the other designs offered, including flowers and dragonflies, on her cake. See the full price list for details, but letters start around $150 for a small size.
Fourth of July celebrations call for a perfect ending, whether it is a bold fireworks display or a show-stopping dessert. Since we like to get the best of all possible options, we're inclined to try and combine our dessert and fireworks experience on the 4th. These patriotic cakes clearly rival most red, white and blue displays and are made by Sam Godfrey, who is apparently Oprah's cake designer. One is a Star Present Cake ($69) and the other is dressed up a large Uncle Sam Hat ($99). Both cakes are chocolate caramel flavored and serve 6-8 guests.
I Dream of
Cake is a bakery that excels in producing the most exquisite cakes you can imagine. Of course, many of the cakes are
intended as wedding designs, but there isn't a single occasion that can't involve a cake of some sort. Mother's Day, for
example? Some of the very unusually shaped cakes done by I Dream of Cake are actually made to look like purses - designer purses, no less. They have done Louis Vuitton more than once, Chanel and manyothers.
Prices vary and all the cakes are made to order, so if you're interested, you'll have to call for pricing.
For the
Mom who is not only a fashionista, but a chocolate lover, you cannot go wrong with handbag-shaped chocolate
truffles. The Choco Choco House is run by an
exceptionally talented pastry chef who produces some delicious truffles in traditional and unusual flavor combinations.
It's hard to say whether eating them or simply looking at them is more pleasurable, but I'll wager that Mom will opt for
eating them.
Individual purse designs are sold in sets of 6 for $20 and 12 for $40. They can also be packed into cute
vintage boxes, to make the gift even more special. This is the Spring Romance box, with milk chocolate truffles
filled with lightly flavored almond and vanilla ganache. The bags are adorned with a candy violet and sugared pink
lilac petal and are packed in an adorable matching box. If you cannot make up your mind, you can pick out your own
assortment or opt for Choco's Choice, a premixed
selection.
The Gracious Goods Cake Dome & Pedestal
For the 
I Dream of
Cake
