http://www.charmcitycakes.com Charm City Cakes Online Blog Thank Guinness it's Friday! Hope you all are having a super duper week. It's nice and quiet here. Almost....TOO quiet. My Big Fat Bawlmur Wedding Looking for a great excuse to wear your wedding gown again? Or a reason to score one from a thrift store and prounce about town? Have I got the charity event for you. Amp Baltimore is a local non-profit that fosters music and art for local young people and the community. They are throwing a fundraiser with a fun twist - My Big Far Bawlmur Wedding! The... Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:21:18 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2010/01/one-wedding-and-a-penguin/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2010/01/one-wedding-and-a-penguin/ It's a very slow week, cake-wise, so we are all doing some serious spring cleaning, making this place shine like the top of the Chrysler Building. Everything in its place and a place for everything. Fortunately, we can count on decorator Tommy to bring the LOLs, even on a boring cleaning day: Love, Mary Alice... Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:04:49 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2010/01/spring-cleaning/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2010/01/spring-cleaning/ Hallo friends! Did you know that Duff's band, soihadto, is now ON TOUR? They are going all over the place - and to a town near you! Here is the current schedule, but there are still more dates coming so be sure to check out the band's website. Jan 24 2010 9:00P The Frequency... Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2010/01/for-those-about-to-rock/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2010/01/for-those-about-to-rock/ Happy New Year, Kiddies! Hope everyone's holidays were filled with excellence. We've had a lot of snow and a lot of fun here the last few weeks. We are currently filming the Ace of Cakes Season Eight FINALE, which is rather hard to believe. We wrap shooting next week with a very special, top secret field trip which I promise will be (hint) out of this world. Meanwhile, while we are wrapping shooting of Season 8 next week, the season is premiering on Food Network next week. Did I just blow your m... Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2010/01/the-cheat-is-not-dead/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2010/01/the-cheat-is-not-dead/ Happy Holidays, Kiddies! We are knee-deep in a festive frenzy here at Charm City Cakes. Tree selection, hay riding, carol singing, donning now our gay apparel, and the like.We hope all your holidays are extra joyous and fantastic this year. Giving Credit Where Credit is Due! Last night was a repeat of last year's holiday Ace of Cakes episode, which featured Mary Smith's painstaking and amazing replica of a Christmas stocking that our client's wife had cross stitched. This afternoon, I got an... Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:03:34 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/12/cross-stitching-american-history-and-elvis-what/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/12/cross-stitching-american-history-and-elvis-what/ Greetings and salutations, my little birds. We are truly living la vida loca these days. With our book now on the shelves, Duff has been traveling like a crazy man all across the country for book signings and fun events. The decorators have been creating some pretty spectacular cakes, and our Ace of Cakes crew is here filming it all for Season 8 of the show (which is set to premiere on Thursday, January 14th). Here's the lowdown of this week's happenings!Geof will be making two solo... Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:37:21 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/11/events-and-costume-awesomeness/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/11/events-and-costume-awesomeness/ Man alive - yesterday was out of this world awesome. Hard to pack it all into one blog post. Jewel Visits!First, we were thrilled to have the super talented and amazingly beautiful JEWEL come visit us here at the bakery. She kicked off her latest tour last night in Baltimore, and came by to make a cake with Duff and sing us a song. It was so incredible - if you think she's got a gorgeous voice on her albums, hearing it live in front of you from 10 feet away is indescribable. I had goosebumps! Sh... Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:29:54 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/10/a-day-of-epic-proportions/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/10/a-day-of-epic-proportions/ Good Monday, my little birds! Let me be the first to say WHEW! We are having some pretty indescribably insane weeks here at the magic cake factory. Our book came out last week and it's been a whirlwind of events and huge cake orders and late late nights for our intrepid decorators. Atomic Books EventTomorrow (Tuesday) night pretty much every last one of us will be meeting, greeting, and signing our book at our favorite book store, Atomic Books, right here in Charm City USA. Come on down and say... Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:17:54 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/10/book-mania-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/10/book-mania-/ Happy Hump Day, my little birds. Sorry about the radio silence - things are really hopping here on Remington Avenue these days and I barely have time to think. We are in the thick of wedding season in Baltimore, as well as shooting season 8 of Ace of Cakes, and it seems like every week there is a bigger, crazier, more challenging-than-ever project for the decorators. Fan Art of the WeekThis week's fan art is from Jessica Curlee of Brandon, Missouri. She sent us a sweet note wit... Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:49:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/09/dogs-frogs-and-wrecks/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/09/dogs-frogs-and-wrecks/ Happy Friday, one and all! Tickets are still available for the New York Food & Wine Festival's Sweet event hosted by Duff. The party is Saturday October 10th at la.venue (608 W 28th Street) and the champagne and chocolate will be flowing from 9 until midnight! This will be Duff's third year hosting Sweet and he swears it's the best party of the year. A little birdy told me that perhaps Geof and myself will also be there, but you didn't hear that from me. Event details and the link for ticke... Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:15:44 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/09/sweet/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/09/sweet/ Well hello, my little birds! Big news - we are finally on Twitter! We've been asked many times when we're going to get on the bandwagon and create a Twitter account. We've just starting posting, so make sure to put us on your follow list - we'll be updating a lot with pictures of cakes in progress, behind-the-scenes antics, and opinion polls. Our user name is @charm_citycakes - follow us!Fan Art of the WeekThis week's fan art is by the mysterious and talented Priya. Last week she surreptit... Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:32:15 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/09/tweets-doodles-gonzofest-and-puppies/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/09/tweets-doodles-gonzofest-and-puppies/ Happy Friday, Kids! We're back from break and back to cakes and back to shooting (season 8!) and rocking and rolling and feeling great. Wow. That was way rhymey. Ace of Cakes: The BookWe are very excited to announce that Ace of Cakes: The Book is on its way! This book has been a LONG time coming (work was started on it nearly two years ago) but the finished product is really, really cool. The official release date is Tuesday, October 20th, but you can pre-order online now. There... Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:06:31 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/09/were-baaaa-aaaack/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/09/were-baaaa-aaaack/ Howdy ho, my little birds. New Ace of CakesA new episode of the world's favorite Baltimore-based cake show airs tonight at 10PM. I am very excited to announce tonight's ep marks the television debut of my sweet dog, Dexter...AND the return of Geof and Jess's seasoned canine TV star, Cotton. There will also be two cakes with Italian themes and a Star Wars cake. Needless to say, it should be a pretty rad episode. I can say no more, but here's an extreme close-up sneak peak of one of tonight's feat... Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:17:34 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/08/dog-stars-and-dog-days-of-summer/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/08/dog-stars-and-dog-days-of-summer/ After a truly painfully arduous judging experience (seriously, it made my tummy hurt), the Threadcakes cake competition winners have finally been announced! Congratulations to all the contestants - each cake was a winner in its own way, for real. I am so amazed at all of the cakes, and the prize winners are truly spectacular. They are gorgeous. Can't wait for next year's contest! xoxo,Mary Alice... Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:29:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/08/threadcakes-winners-announced/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/08/threadcakes-winners-announced/ Happy Friday, faithful friends! Due to popular demand, here are two photos of the Vera Bradley cake that Katie created back in March, which was featured on last night's Ace of Cakes. Close up of the AMAZING hand cut and hand painted detail - isn't Katie brilliant?While we're posting cake pictures, here are a few more recent creations that my super wicked talented comrades concocted:Mary Smith's ode to Asian culture and candy - for two twin girls' birthdayLauren's retro robot - inspired by the ro... Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:58:04 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/08/purses-pictures-pig-outs-peeps-and-private-planes/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/08/purses-pictures-pig-outs-peeps-and-private-planes/ Happy Monday, kids! We get a lot of really awesome gifts in the mail and at events from Ace of Cakes viewers. Our fans are the most creative, generous, and awesome there are! When Duff was in Atlantic City this weekend, he was presented with three amazing home made t-shirts. Ben, Lauren, and Mary Smith were happy to don them. Ben's especially is pretty fantastic. It's been a while since I posted more cake pictures of recent confectionary triumphs put forth by my redonculously talented cowo... Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:46:48 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/08/t-shirts-cakes-and-pizza-pies/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/08/t-shirts-cakes-and-pizza-pies/ Hello Kiddies! This weekend, Duff will be living it up at the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival. Tickets are selling out fast so if you want to enjoy lots of sun, food, wine, and your favorite chefs, act now! If you'd rather just rock and roll, Duff's band, soihadto, will be opening for Black Label Society at the House of Blues on Sunday night. As you may or may not be aware, we get a lot of email. A LOT. I'm talking hundreds and hundreds a day. It can get overwhelming. Lots of pe... Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:13:15 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/07/inquiring-minds-want-to-know/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/07/inquiring-minds-want-to-know/ Hello my little birds. First and foremost, a great big hug, kiss, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to MARY SMITH! Our favorite source of American Presidential Trivia turns the big Three-Oh today. We heart you, Mary!Speaking of Birthdays, the American Cancer Society has become the Official Sponsor of Birthdays! Duff and the gang recently teamed up with American Cancer Society and the Culinary Institute of America for a cake contest. The goal was to create a healthy cake recipe that is good for you and fabulous... Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:21:07 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/07/birthdays-and-sotw/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/07/birthdays-and-sotw/ Greetings and salutations! Lots of shameless self-promotion this week. Season SieteThe Ace of Cakes Season 7 premiere is on its way! The one-hour premiere will be airing Sunday, July 19th at 10:0pm, and then again on Thursday, July 23rd at 10pm. The season opener features Duff's recent trip to Alaska, as well as all kinds of flying machine cakes : A flying pig, the Hubble Telescope, and Firefly's Serenity ship. It should be pretty rad, set your Tivos. Threadless + Cakes = Crazy DeliciousOn... Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:42:28 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/07/shameless-self-promotion/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/07/shameless-self-promotion/ Well hello there! Long time no see. I was on vacation last week and now I am woefully behind on the old blog. So on with it!For those about to rock, we salute youFriday, July 3rd - tomorrow! - Duff's band, soihadto, will be playing the House of Blues in Atlantic City, NJ. It promises to be a great show and what a kick asser way to spend the holiday weekend. Doors at 7, show at 8. Oh, and there's some other band called "Clutch" that is playing the show, too. I hear they're pretty... Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:01:26 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/07/rocking-caking-mixing/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/07/rocking-caking-mixing/ Zoiks! It's been way too long since I updated. Sorry kiddies, lots going on in cake land. Let's Go Pens!About a month ago, we were invited to create a cake for the Playroom Project, part of the Mario Lemieux Foundation. The Playroom Project helps families that are dealing with a hospital stay by providing safe, creative, and fun playrooms for kids to relax in - whether they are a patient or visiting a family member.Of course, Duff jumped at the chance to give back to such a wonderful cause, espe... Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:22:16 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/06/pens-shrimps-tees-and-geof/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/06/pens-shrimps-tees-and-geof/ Happy Friday, my little birds. Have you ever had a day wherein you start to wonder what is wrong with everyone in the world? I'm having one of those days. I feel beat up by and disappointed and disillusioned with the universe. I won't get into why. However, sometimes all it takes is one little act of kindness to restore your faith in humanity and lift your spirits into the stratosphere. Last week I got a phone call from a guy named Brian. Brian told me that he had been the Best Man in his friend... Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:12:14 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/06/yes-virginia---there-are-good-people-in-the-world-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/06/yes-virginia---there-are-good-people-in-the-world-/ Good afternoon, my little birds. For All You TwilightersOne of our most favorite clients ever has been ordering birthday cakes for her Niece from us for ages. This year the birthday girl is really into Twilight, and requested a cake that imagined Bella and Edward's wedding. Elena took on the task of creating the beloved characters' nuptial scene from the book (full disclosure: she borrowed my copy of Breaking Dawn). The results? I think it's pretty awesome. The feathers were added per the birthd... Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:08:12 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/06/edward-duff-and-anna/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/06/edward-duff-and-anna/ Greetings and Salutations, Two weeks ago we had a very special visitor at the bakery: The one and only Abby Cadabby! If you don't know who she is, she is a very magical and super cool fairy that lives on Sesame Street. Here she is with Geof (we gave her a CCC shirt and she looked so cute in it)She even took a turn answering the phones for me - SO helpful.Here is Abby's handler, Leslie, with Duff - she is as sweet and special as Abby herself!Abby spread her joy all over the bakery and... Tue, 26 May 2009 12:26:55 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/abby-cadabby-and-adam-cadabam/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/abby-cadabby-and-adam-cadabam/ Greeting and Salutations! Now that the Season 6 Hawaiian Extravaganza Finale has aired, I wanted to share with you kiddies some of our behind-the-scenes photos from our amazing trip. Our Hawaii Photo Album! Photos courtesy Lauren, Anna, and Mary AliceThe rowdy and awesome crowd at Schofield BarracksDuff in the Prop room of Lost - holding one of Charlie's Virgin Mary StatuesThe Prop Department was SO COOL - Dharma Initiative EVERYTHINGThe CCC and Lost gang in front of the finished cakeOur c... Tue, 12 May 2009 17:24:03 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/hawaii-photos-sunday-drinkie-poos-and-sotw/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/hawaii-photos-sunday-drinkie-poos-and-sotw/ Happy Friday, my little birds. The sun came out today! I'm so happy. We are so on the edge of our Oceanic Air seats! Tomorrow night is the big premiere of the Ace of Cakes Season Six Finale. That's right - tomorrow - SATURDAY - the new show airs and it's a whole hour long! They couldn't pack our whole trip to Hawaii in just half an hour, no sir. Check out this hilarious sneak peak - featuring puppets! Once you see tomorrow night's show the puppets will make a wee bit more sense, I think. After t... Fri, 08 May 2009 18:49:52 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/lost-doodles-and-mom/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/lost-doodles-and-mom/ Happy Hump Day, kids! Charm City Cakes...it's DOT COMFirst of all, can I get an amen for this AMAZING NEW WEBSITE? The brilliant folks over at Mission Media have completely overhauled our old site design and I know I speak for everyone here when I say that it frakin RULES. We can't thank them enough for this gorgeous online home! Be sure to check out the dizzyingly amazing virtual tour (thanks to our friends at Unique 360 Tours) and the newly streamlined cake gallery. Facebook = FalseA bunch of... Wed, 06 May 2009 13:06:16 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/holy-new-website-batman/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/holy-new-website-batman/ Greetings from Baltimore. It's a rainy Saturday here in Charm City but I'm still smiling because Duff, Geof, Erica and I are here in the bakery are listening to Jimi Hendrix at an ungodly volume. Jimi makes everything better, even working on a Saturday. Saturday Night's Alright for FightingTonight! Duff's band soihadto will be playing a show at Baltimore's 8x10 club. Door are at eight, prepare to be rocked. Get Your Drink on for a Good CauseOn Saturday, May 17th, Duff and I will be guest bartend... Sat, 02 May 2009 10:26:57 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/saturday-morning-update/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/05/saturday-morning-update/ Happy Friday, my little birds! A History LessonFirst of all, I need to apologize for a falsehood I unknowingly said on last night's episode of Ace of Cakes. Duff and I were debating which came first, the Constitution or the Liberty Bell. Well, the answer is the Liberty Bell. I then went on to boldly and incorrectly state that separation of Church and State was "in the constitution". Well, do I ever have egg on my face. This phrase is actually not in the Constitution, as about 5,436 peo... Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:09:30 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/04/constitution-shmonstitution/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/04/constitution-shmonstitution/ Holy bundt cakes, do I have a lot of things to tell you guys. No time for jibba jabba - here goes: This Saturday: Share Our Strength Bake Sale! This Saturday, April 11th, Duff and the gang will be holding a bake sale right here in Baltimore's Inner Harbor! The event is part of the The Great American Bake Sale which benefits Share Our Strength - a non-profit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger. The decorators are all creating cakes that will be raffled off! You can win a cake! And t... Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:40:39 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/04/no-time-for-love-doctor-jones/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/04/no-time-for-love-doctor-jones/ Happy Monday, one and all! First and foremost - Duff is appearing tonight on the Home Shopping Network, promoting Fat Daddio's cake pans. They are great baking pans - we use them here at the bakery. I encourage all to tune in and see Duff way, way out of his element. He will be on at 10:00 PM with the "HSN Cooks 24-hour event" - Check your local listings for channel info. Also, some exciting changes to our online store! We now ship to the United Kingdom! Our good friends across the pon... Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:33:48 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/03/shop-till-you-drop-and-lanie-lana-loo/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/03/shop-till-you-drop-and-lanie-lana-loo/ Happy Friday, everyone! This week we started filming the first episode of the SEVENTH season of Ace of Cakes. I can hardly believe it. The season won't premiere until sometime in July-ish, but I'm here to give you kids as many inside scoops as possible. Kooza-PaloozaEarlier this week, we were thrilled to be asked to create a cake for Kooza, an amazing touring Cirque du Soliel show that is in Baltimore for the next few weeks. All of the bakery kids got to see the show and let me tell you: If you... Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:24:34 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/03/let's-run-away-with-the-circus/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/03/let's-run-away-with-the-circus/ Happy Hump Day, my little birds!Someone just sent us a link to an MSN feature about Anthony Bourdain's favorite food shows on television. We are all rather kirking out because he listed Ace of Cakes among them! The great Tony B is a hero to many of us and a compliment from him is worth its weight in gold. We're truly honored! The most amazing thing happened last week. Something I have dreamed of nearly my whole life and never thought I would actually experience. I got to ride....IN THE WEI... Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:18:50 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/03/bourdain-big-bun-and-ben/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/03/bourdain-big-bun-and-ben/ Happy Friday, Kids! The weather here in Baltimore has taken a turn towards AWESOME and we're about to have our first spring weekend of warm temps and blue skies. Yippie!And now for an important message. Next month, almost all of us here at CCC will be participating in the Maryland SPCA's annual March for the Animals. All of us have had our lives touched by animals, and many of us personally went through the Maryland SPCA to adopt our pets. As a local, private non-profit shelter, The Maryland SPC... Fri, 06 Mar 2009 11:32:59 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/03/please-paws-for-a-moment-and-read-this/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/03/please-paws-for-a-moment-and-read-this/ Bonjour! Since we're on filming hiatus at the moment, I want to make sure you guys still get to see some of the really stupendous cakes we've been making here at the bakery. Two of my favorite cakes from last month were by the lovely and talented Katie Rose. First, for the 100th birthday of Edgar Allen Poe, she recreated his gravestone with a majorly spooky raven on top. And definitely in the running for cutest cake ever, Katie constructed this fantastic Cookie Monster! Aren't his furry little f... Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:13:12 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/02/le-capitol-en-gateaux-et-le-francaise-mignonne/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/02/le-capitol-en-gateaux-et-le-francaise-mignonne/ Happy Friday, my little birds! Looking for a way to spend next Sunday evening among good friends, amazing food, and a very worthy cause? We are all very excited to be attending (and bringing a pretty cool cake) to Neighbors' Night Out 3 next Sunday, March 1st. For those who don't know the story of Zach Sowers, he was a 27-year-old member of the Baltimore community who was brutally beaten to death in 2007. His widow, Anna, has started a brain trauma research fund at Johns Hopkins' Neurological Cr... Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:14:38 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/02/neighbors'-night-out-iii-and-sotw/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/02/neighbors'-night-out-iii-and-sotw/ Well hello, kids! We are back from our super amazing trip to Hawaii. There's no use trying to pretend where we went is a secret anymore, what with the internet spilling the beans and all. We all had an truly once in a lifetime experience on Oahu. We are so lucky to have been able to go. You'll be able to see all about it on the season 6 finale of Ace of Cakes, which is currently set to air on May 9th. A lot of you have written in asking about Laura, the cutie patootie who came in for her Make-A-... Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:35:53 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/02/hawaii-lauras-update-and-harras/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/02/hawaii-lauras-update-and-harras/ It's a blustery snowy January day here in Charm City. But I must admit...the raw and rotten weather is not bothering me too much as in less than 72 hours I and my bakery comrades will be in a very warm but hitherto undisclosed location to shoot the season 6 finale of Ace of Cakes! I can't tell you where we are going...but I can tell you that I am packing lots of sunscreen and my snorkel. If you're looking for a way to keep your kitchen warm on these cold winter nights, how about baking up a Vale... Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:43:31 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/01/the-weather-outside-is-frightful/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/01/the-weather-outside-is-frightful/ Happy new year, kids! Tomorrow night brings the premiere of Season Six of Ace of Cakes! Woah nelly, time sure does fly. The new shows will air Thursdays at 10:00PM (on the Food Network, duh). Wondering what the new shows have in store? I can't tell you everything, but I can promise you Tiki Parties, Kissmobiles, Hank Hill, and Charlie Brown. Tomorrow's premiere will feature Duff the Firefighter. Here's an amusing sneak peak:Since I've worked my way though the entire Ace of Cakes crew, this weeks... Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:46:57 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/01/sneak-peaks-our-staff-of-freaks-and-football-shrieks/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2009/01/sneak-peaks-our-staff-of-freaks-and-football-shrieks/ Hello kids! I hope everyone's holidays were merry and bright. It's been a quiet week here at Lake Wobegone, er, I mean Charm City. Last week, we were off for the holidays and this week we have a smattering of New Years Eve wedding cakes for Wednesday night. Very chill and not busy. Also, the Ace of Cakes crew is off this week, so it's very low-key in the bakery right now. Quiet as a mouse!I am mostly writing just so I can share the hands-down greatest kid's drawing we have ever received at the b... Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:17:12 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/12/mary-smithmas/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/12/mary-smithmas/ Hello from Remington Avenue! First off I must take a moment to send a special message out to our fearless leader...HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DUFF!Hope your Birthday is wicked awesome!In other news, we've had a great couple of weeks here with some fantastic special events and some extra awesome visitors! Last Friday we were so thrilled to have Hairspray star Nikki Blonsky drop by and visit. Duff and I met Nikki last year at the Crybaby premiere on Broadway. She mentioned that she'd love to come see the sho... Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:44:40 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/12/good-morning-baltimore/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/12/good-morning-baltimore/ Howdy, kids! Time sure is flying - we're chugging along with holiday cakes and filming the last 3 episodes of season 6 of "Ace of Cakes". Mark will be getting the bakery Holiday Tree tonight and tomorrow we shall deck the halls properly like. Fa la la la, indeed.This year's PNC Tennis Challenge was a huge success!Erica and Duff delivered two Olympic Gold Medal cakes to Serena Williams and Elena Dementieva. What a thrill! Mary Smith, Jess, and Geof joined them to enjoy the amazing world... Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:19:50 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/12/the-score-and-the-scoop-and-the-stoop/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/12/the-score-and-the-scoop-and-the-stoop/ Hello from blustery Baltimore, kids! Here's all the news from Remington Avenue:MORE NEW MERCH!It's holiday shopping season and we have made your gift giving easy peasy by loading up our online store with even more awesome CCC merchandise. We've got new t-shirt designs, baby onesies, and because the people demanded so, super wicked awesome Chef's Coats! Go stock up now or you'll make Duff grumpy:CHARITY STARTS WITH LOVETomorrow night, Friday November 21st, Duff, Geof, Erica and the gang will be p... Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:08:58 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/11/game-set-match/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/11/game-set-match/ It's a whirlwind of a week here at Charm City Cakes (what else is new?). Tuesday night, Duff, Geof, and Intern-Travis drove up to New York to deliver a birthday cake for Macy's. It's not every day the world's biggest department store turns 150! Tomorrow morning, Duff will be back on the road to Hershey, PA to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Milton Hershey School. Both birthday cakes for these momentous occasions are impressive, but I shant show you any photos as you will have to stay tune... Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:52:56 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/comix-caps-and-cdotw/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/comix-caps-and-cdotw/ Huge news! Apparently we played an integral part in the cake decisions for Andy and Angela's wedding. Does this mean I am on the Party Planning Committee? HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL?We've got a mystery on our hands and I am hoping you might be able to help. About 2 years ago we made this fantastic KISS-Themed cake for an adorable 4 year old named Haley. Her parents sent us this fantastic picture of her enjoying her cake: I need to get in touch with her parents, for reasons that will become known la... Thu, 23 Oct 2008 17:06:30 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/break-me-off-a-piece-of-that-football-cream/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/break-me-off-a-piece-of-that-football-cream/ Hi Kids,Let me take this opportunity to clear up something. Last week's Ace of Cakes featured a trip that Duff and I went on to investigate the possibility of opening up an additional shop in California. The two key words here, folks, are INVESTIGATE and POSSIBILITY. We do not have an LA Bakery. We are nowhere near even making a decision about an LA Bakery. We are in Baltimore, as we always have been, and as of right now, that's it. So please, for the love of sushi, stop sending me emails asking... Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:09:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/west-coast-rumors-and-last-week's-coolest-cake/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/west-coast-rumors-and-last-week's-coolest-cake/ Happy Thursday, Kids! Duff had a swell time at last weekend's NYC Food & Wine Festival's Sweet Event. Don't believe me? Submitted as exhibit A: Pretty girls + Chocolate = Happy Duff. You can see more of the event and an interview with our fearless leader here. This weekend Duff will be at the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival. If you're in the neighborhood, come say hello! I want to give a special shout out to our friends over in the UK. Apparently Ace of Cakes has begun airing across the... Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:50:29 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/mornin'-gub-nah/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/mornin'-gub-nah/ Happy Friday from your pals in Baltimore!Duff is currently running around like a chicken with his head cut off packing up to get on the road to New York City (!) for the NYC Food & Wine Festival. Duff will be hosting the SWEET event tomorrow night, with the world's most gorgeous and delicious desserts, champagne, cheese, and vodka. I totally wish I could go! I wish you could too, but as of now, it's sold out. Since the entire event benefits Share Our Strength (a non-profit dedicated to... Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:12:31 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/sweet-dude-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/sweet-dude-/ Hey you. Yeah, YOU!Are you registered to vote yet?If not, you may not have much time to do so.Please click here to register or to check your registration status.We're not telling you who to vote for, we're telling you to VOTE. If you do not vote, you have absolutely no right to complain about anything. If you do not vote, we think you are so totally uncool. If you do not vote, then you are not our friend. Seriously. THIS MESSAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE VOTERS OF CHARM CITY CAKES.... Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:16:27 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/important-message-from-your-pals-at-ccc/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/10/important-message-from-your-pals-at-ccc/ Happy Friday, Kids! First of all, here's wishing a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our decorator and resident genius, Ben:Mister Turner is a jack of all trades and a total cutie. Happy Happy Birthday, Benah!Next up - we love cake pictures from people - especially hilarious ones. This week we got two absolute winners. First up, this vertically challenged but incredibly earnest effort from Tori and Kiley: They report that regardless of how straight it came out, it tasted delicious. I'll bet - is that a chocolat... Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:14:39 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/09/we-love-your-cakes/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/09/we-love-your-cakes/ Hi Kids! Things are really hopping here on Remington Avenue. First and foremost - New Merch is now available at our online store! Get some holiday shopping done early and stock up on sweet CCC swag. Last week our beloved camera crew arrived back in Baltimore and we commenced filming Season Six of "Ace of Cakes" - holy mackerel! It's truly hard to believe it's been that many. Since our crew is back, it's time to resurrect your favorite blog feature - Crew DudETTE of the Week!Our Crew Du... Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:03:57 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/09/dudettes-weird-science-and-peepers/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/09/dudettes-weird-science-and-peepers/ Hi Kids! Sorry about the delay with posting. With The Dizz opened back up I've been "glued to a bar stool" for a week (according to some) and haven't had time to update. But there's much to report!This week, Duff hit the Big Apple to celebrate the 25th Birthday of Cabbage Patch Kids. The CCC Crew created a huge Cabbage Patch Kid with her own birthday cake. CPK Founder Xavier Roberts was on hand to help celebrate: I can't believe that Cabbage Patch Kids are 25! Man alive, does that make... Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:22:44 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/09/1983-was-25-years-ago-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/09/1983-was-25-years-ago-/ Hi Kids! I wanted to show you a couple of great photos from when the Stanley Cup visited the bakery (as seen on last week's episode of "Ace of Cakes"). We were nervous to touch it. But we wanted proof that we had. Hence, this picture. The custom-made Stanley Cup Carrying Case! How cool is that?A close-up of the engraving of the teamsBen demonstrates how shiny the cup is by taking his picture in it!Having the Cup come here was hands down one of the coolest things that has ever happened.... Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:19:06 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/09/the-stanley-cup-and-the-dizz/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/09/the-stanley-cup-and-the-dizz/ Get those tissues out, kids! The story you are about to hear will definitely bring on the water works. Several months ago I got an email from a nice guy named Cody. He was in the process of collecting photos to create this huge montage to be used in conjunction with his proposal to his bride, Sam. Sam's a big Food Network fan, so he asked Duff to hold up a proposal sign, take a photo, and email it back. I was happy to oblige (anything in the name of love!) and we sent it off. Well, last week I g... Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:40:42 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/08/ccc-involved-proposal-count--three/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/08/ccc-involved-proposal-count--three/ Hey All - I'm back, after a whirlwind of travel. I feel like I haven't been here in a month. Oh wait, I haven't been. Big news from the party boat! We've got two awesome new additions to our merchandise page. First, in conjunction with the good folks at Mrs. Grossman's stickers, we've created a 12-pack of CCC-inspired cake sticker sheets. They are a must for any collector or scrapbooker, for sure! They are really nice, too - everyone is so thrilled with how they came out. Next, we knew this day... Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:39:08 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/08/stickers-and-minimates-oh-my/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/08/stickers-and-minimates-oh-my/ Hi Kids! We're back from vacation. Tanned, rested, and somewhat relaxed. Just when I had had enough coming and going, tomorrow morning Duff, Geof and I will be driving right back to the airport to wing over to Anaheim California. We're doing a bunch of shows at the Celebrity Food Show at the Hilton Anaheim Hotel. I haven't even unpacked from my vacation yet! Needless to stay I'll be up all night doing laundry and repacking my suitcase tonight. If you're in the area, there are still tickets left.... Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:51:31 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/08/no-rest-for-the-rested/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/08/no-rest-for-the-rested/ Hi Kids! The middle of July is birthday central here at Charm City Cakes. What happens when cake decorators make birthday cakes for each other? Last week the gang surprised me with an homage to my pet cockatiel: a beach-tastic birdie, complete with pink bikini and (not shown) a butterfly tramp stamp tattoo on her back. Not to be outdone, exactly seven days later on Mary Smith’s birthday the crew created a replica of her cat, complete with Belle and Sebastian record, signature Mary Smith hu... Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:10:18 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/birthdays-bands-boy-crushes-and-bye-bye/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/birthdays-bands-boy-crushes-and-bye-bye/ Happy Friday, Kids! I have three items on the table. Item number one: Squirrel Bites!Now that you've seen the season 5 premiere of "Ace of Cakes" (if you didn't, shame on you), I am so excited I get to share a little behind the scenes story about the Charm City Cakes building replica cake that was featured last night. John and Andrea got engaged right in front of our building. For their wedding cake, they asked us to recreate the whole moment in cake. Ben and Anna did a super job makin... Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:20:53 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/squirrels-leftovers-and-cdootw/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/squirrels-leftovers-and-cdootw/ The internet is amazing. Last week Elena created a pretty rediculously awesome Millennium Falcon birthday cake. We had barely gotten back from the delivery when Michael (who ordered the cake) had festooned his blog with tales and photos. More internet interest soon followed. Cake news travels fast these days (less than 12 parsecs, for sure). Stay tuned for a future episode of "Ace of Cakes" that will show all that went into it. Speaking of which, set those Tivos, kids - Season 5... Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:14:12 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/what-a-piece-of-junk/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/what-a-piece-of-junk/ Happy Friday, my little birds!Duff, his band, a huge severed toe cake (um, eww.), and most of the film crew left a few hours ago for Lewbowski Fest in Louisville, Kentucky. While they are winging their way southward we're still here, working away on lots of cakes for this weekend (sailboats, firetrucks, and Star Wars, oh my!). I've been lax on my Crew Dude of the Week features. Here's this week!Crew Dude of the Week!This week's Crew Dude is Dan (on the right, in a tank). For a while we was a cam... Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:16:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/thank-gin-tonic-it's-friday/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/thank-gin-tonic-it's-friday/ Holy Apple Pie, Batman! The Towson 4th of July Parade was hands down one of the most fantastic days we have ever had. We got to stand on a float! And wave! Elena was the best at it: There were so many people there - lots of them brought super-awesome hand made signs: (It says "Duff Rocks"...sorry, my cheapo camera washed it out a bit)It was such an overwhelming feeling getting cheered by so many people - even being nearly run over by crazed yet hilarious pregnant momma!After we made ou... Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:04:38 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/america--heck-yeah/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/america--heck-yeah/ This just in! Duff will be bringing a cake down to Louisville Kentucky next week for the 7th Annual Lebowski Fest. "The Big Lebowski", for those who don't know (shame on you), is one of the best movies ever made. It is, without a doubt, Duff's favorite movie of all time. Not only will he be bringing a Dude-inspired cake down to the event, but Duff's band, So I Had To, will also be playing a show. So I Had ToLive at Lewbowski Fest 2008Saturday, July 12 at 8:00 PMExecutive Lawn, 911 Phil... Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:24:10 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/phone's-ringing-dude-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/phone's-ringing-dude-/ Hey Kids! We are all a twitter at the bakery with red, white and blue excitement. Why? The whole staff of CCC has been invited to be Grand Marshals of the Towson, MD 4th of July Parade! My lifelong dream of riding on a parade float and waving is about to become a reality. I can hardly contain myself. Please come on out and enjoy one of the biggest and best 4th of July parades in the area...including a National Guard fly-over, bands, military units and floats, and a bike rush! The parade begins a... Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:43:29 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/happy-birthday-america/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/07/happy-birthday-america/ Hi Kids! We had such an amazing time in Boston, I don't even know where to start. The special premiere of Get Smart raised over 400 THOUSAND dollars for the Zachary Carson Brain Tumor Fund at Dana-Farber Institute...absolutely amazing! We couldn't be more proud to have been a part of this event. After a very, uh, bumpy ride up to Boston (you'll see what i mean soon enough) the premiere went absolutely fantastically. We met so many wonderful people and Get Smart was hilarious! Best of all, we got... Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:08:18 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/missed-it-by-that-much/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/missed-it-by-that-much/ Hey! Oh! I forgot to tell you something this morning! Threadless has put the Cake Is Awesome! T-shirts on their website for all to have! Click on Sweet Licks (below) to get yours now!Everyone who is ANYONE will be wearing the CIA shirt this summer. xoxo,Mary Alice... Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/cake-is-awesome--the-shirt/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/cake-is-awesome--the-shirt/ Hey kids! First of all, a HUGE thanks to everyone who came out to the CAKE IS AWESOME party on Saturday night. What a blast! Threadless fever hit Baltimore and we all had a super duper time. We don't have a moment to catch our breath this week, as Wednesday afternoon Duff, Geof and myself will be hitting the road to Boston for a very special event. We're bringing a super awesome cake to the Boston Premiere of Warner Bros. Get Smart! The premiere will be held Thursday, June 19th at t... Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:33:27 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/well-i-love-that-dirty-water/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/well-i-love-that-dirty-water/ Hi Kids! While you're picking out just what to wear to the CAKE IS AWESOME PARTY tomorrow night, I thought I'd give you a couple of inside scoops on what's going on here today. It's Zoomerang Day! This year's theme animal is the Panamanian Golden Frog. They are pretty spectacular: It's hard to beat Mother Nature in painting! Nonetheless, Sherri is right this second hard at work airbrushing our frog to try to do them justice (with an "Ace of Cakes" camera conspicuously in front... Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:17:56 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/froggy-friday/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/froggy-friday/ Coming next Saturday...the awesomest party ever....Prepare for the awesomeness!xoxo,Mary Alice... Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:03:31 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/cake-is-awesome/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/cake-is-awesome/ Holy blog entry, Batman! It's been such an action-packed couple of weeks I don't know where to start. First of all, after all of last week's Star Trek cake hilarity, I simply must post a photo of the groom's cake we did last weekend. Commence the internet buzz. Oh, and right this second Geof is working on a 3D replica of the USS Enterprise for a birthday this weekend. I plan on posting pictures of that once it is done, but I am kind of scared of what might happen. In other news, we've had some a... Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:18:44 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/this-is-a-disaster/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/06/this-is-a-disaster/ Hey Everyone - Here are some upcoming gigs for the bakery bands.Duff's Band - So I Had ToFriday, June 6 | Armadillos | Annapolis, MD | 10:30 PMFriday, June 20 | Y-Not Bar & Grill | Baltimore, MD | 8:00 PMSaturday, July 19 | The Underscore | New York, NY | 7:00 PMElena's Band - The SquaaksFriday, June 13 | The Ottobar | Baltimore, MD | 9:00 PMSaturday, June 14 | The Red and Black | Washington, DC | 9:00 PMSaturday, July 12 | The Creative Alliance | Baltimore MD | 8:00 PMSee you at the shows!x... Wed, 28 May 2008 14:43:25 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/musical-happenings/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/musical-happenings/ "Star Trek Cake Upsets Nerds".xoxo,Mary Alice... Tue, 27 May 2008 13:32:38 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/best-headline-ever-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/best-headline-ever-/ Happy Memorial Day, Kids! Heads up for all you maki fans: Wednesday night Duff will be attending a Nicky's Week event at RA sushi here in Baltimore. RA is donating a portion of their proceeds to the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. We hear Warren Brown will be there, too. Great food for a great cause? This one's a no-brainer! RA Sushi1390 Lancaster StreetWednesday, May 28th - 7:30 PMStay Gold,Mary Alice... Mon, 26 May 2008 09:03:40 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/got-sushi-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/got-sushi-/ Space - the Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Charm City Cakes. Its five-year mission: To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no cake has gone before.Beam me up, Scotty. I'm ready for the weekend. xoxo,Mary Alice... Fri, 23 May 2008 18:20:05 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/cake-of-the-week/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/cake-of-the-week/ Hey Kids! This bakery has gone to the dogs. Seriously. Wednesday morning, Geof will be bringing a huge Milkbone Dog Biscuits box to Times Square to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the perennial puppy treat. (ours will be much, much bigger)If that wasn't cool enough, we will be using Geof's adorable and brilliant dog Cotton as the model for the Milkbone Box! The cake itself will be on display in the world's largest doghouse - which will be constructed entirely out of dog biscuits. The event is... Mon, 19 May 2008 14:35:03 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/cotton's-big-break/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/cotton's-big-break/ Hi Kids! Set your Tivo's....Duff will be appearing on The Rachel Ray show this Friday. I can only imagine the hilarity that ensued when these two knuckleheads got together!(Photo by David Russell courtesy of the Rachael Ray show)To check your local airtimes for the show, click here. Also, for those of you who have emailed asking about Geof's Dog Cotton...stay tuned to this blog for some very exciting news!xoxo,Mary Alice... Wed, 14 May 2008 11:59:19 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/this-friday-duff-and-rach-yum-mo/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/this-friday-duff-and-rach-yum-mo/ Hey Kids! This weekend is chock full of super sports action! First, Saturday is the opening bout of Charm City Roller Girls' third home season. Come on down to DuBurns Arena (new venue! in Canton!) to see two full wicked bouts of all-girl roller derby action! Click here for all the deets: Then, Sunday, after you've recovered from all the derby madness, lace up for Hockey Fights Cancer! This huge event promises to be pretty much the most awesome hockey extravaganza ever, in the history of all t... Thu, 01 May 2008 10:20:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/the-greatest-weekend-on-wheels-and-ice/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/05/the-greatest-weekend-on-wheels-and-ice/ Tonight at 9:00 PM...Find out how this adorable little muffin......turned into this loud, hairy, decorating crazyman!Duff's Chefography premiers on the Food Network tonight at 9:00 PM and we are all a-twitter to see it. The entire staff was interviewed, as well as members of Duff's family and the Ace of Cakes crew. It should be very, um, different from other Chefographies! Keen watchers will get a glimpse at my living room sofa, as well. I know...you can't wait. If anyone out there is a Mi... Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:54:52 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/04/duffography/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/04/duffography/ Hi Kids! Things are extra crazy (for a Tuesday) here at the bakery. We are frantically getting ready to send Duff to New York with a huge replica of the legendary Crayola 64-color box. You all know what box I am talking about...the one with the sharpener in the back! Crayola is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary 64 and tomorrow morning, Duff will be at the Toys-R-Us in Times Square with one huge cake to celebrate! Here are our fondant crayons, in the works:...and Mary Smith puttin... Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:55:59 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/04/mmmmmcrayon-smell/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/04/mmmmmcrayon-smell/ Happy spring, everyone! March has certainly come in like a Lion here in Charm City. This week we commenced filming our fifth season of "Ace of Cakes". Holy cow, it's hard to believe. We're so happy to have the familiar faces of our crew back in the bakery, and already there are some pretty amazing cakes on the docket. This weekend Duff and Geof will be traveling to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota where they will be participating in the Great American Bake Sale to benefit... Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:08:42 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/03/spring-is-here/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/03/spring-is-here/ Hi Kids! It's a cold and blustery night here in Baltimore. My chilly toes are comforted by the fact that in 48 hours we will be off to sunny Miami, Florida for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival! Huzzah! Duff, Geof and I will be there taking in all the eats and drinks we can handle. If you're coming to the festival, please say hi! And don't laugh at how pale I am. Click here for event info:More after Miami!xoxo, Mary Alice... Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:07:29 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/02/grey-skies-are-gonna-clear-up/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/02/grey-skies-are-gonna-clear-up/ Hey Kids! Happy Valentines Day from cold, rainy Baltimore. Those of you who are within driving distance to Baltimore (and heck, those of you who aren't!) have GOT to come to this Sunday's All Star bout of the Charm City Roller Girls!For those who don't know, we are a PROUD sponsor of Baltimore's only flat track all-girl roller derby league, the Charm City Roller Girls. And this Sunday is a going to be an AMAZING and entertaining bout...our All-Star team, the Mobtown Maulers, will be skating agai... Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:09:17 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/02/sunday-sunday-sunday-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/02/sunday-sunday-sunday-/ Dear Detroit:On last night's show, I made a less-than-sweet comment about Detroit. Several of you have written in to admonish me for my thoughtless and unfounded criticism. I remember when we had that meeting, and as soon as I said that Detroit comment, I just KNEW if it ended up on the show I would catch so much slack. I wanted to rewind and take it back immediately. It was a stupid thing to say. Unfortunately, we have video cameras here all day long catching EVERY stupid thing we say. Please a... Fri, 01 Feb 2008 10:45:12 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/02/an-open-letter-to-detroit/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/02/an-open-letter-to-detroit/ Hey Kids! I forgot to tell you earlier that Duff will be appearing Friday at the Washington Auto Show. Click here for all the info! Vroom Vroom!xoxo,Mary Alice... Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:51:12 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/01/friday-in-dc/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/01/friday-in-dc/ Hello and Happy New Year from Charm City! Sorry it's been awhile since my last post...due to a broken arm I have only one hand I can type with right now, which has slowed me down a bit...but certainly not stopped me! As I sit here, pecking away with one hand at the keyboard, we're shooting our last week of Season 4 of "Ace of Cakes". Even though we're wrapping filming, the season premiers this Thursday at 10:30. We are all super excited to see this week's show, which will feature a hu... Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:24:56 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/01/calling-all-muggles/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2008/01/calling-all-muggles/ Hey Kids! Just wanted to let you know that after months of repeats, a brand new episode of Ace of Cakes, "A Charm City Cakes Christmas", airs this Thursday night at 10:00 pm on the Food Network. It's time for holiday cheer here at the bakery, as we make a cake for Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular, and spread all kinds of merriment around Baltimore and beyond! We've also gotten official word that our fourth season will premiere on Thursday, January 24th...so set those VCR's... Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:33:27 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/12/shameless-self-promotion/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/12/shameless-self-promotion/ Big news from the party boat! The good folks at Lucas Films interviewed Duff about his obsession with Star Wars, some of the Star Wars-themed cakes we've done, and lots of other good stuff. Check out the interview, and may the force be with you!... Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:24:50 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/these-are-not-the-cakes-you-are-looking-for-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/these-are-not-the-cakes-you-are-looking-for-/ Hey Kids! I think all the turkey this weekend has slowed by brain to a halt. I can't for the life of my think of what to write about. So I have decided to put the pressure on you, instead! One of the reasons we started this blog was so that we could answer people's questions about the bakery, the show, decorating, the meaning of life, anything...so I ask you: What do you want to know? Hmmm? Email your most inquisitive inquiries to info@charmcitycakes.com (please note "Blog Question" in... Mon, 26 Nov 2007 13:23:13 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/your-turn/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/your-turn/ Hi Kids! We have received several amazing photos from kids and grown-ups alike who dressed up in homage to Charm City Cakes for Halloween. We can't tell you how flattering it is to become a Halloween costume! Here are the best ones...enjoy!-M.A.Sophie, Jack and Audrey - Duff and his Cake-ettes!Annabel and Jack as Mary Alice and Duff (the clipboard is a particularly nice touch!)Close-up of Jack's "BAKE CAKE" tattoo - perfect facial expression, too!Madison wins the "PRETTIEST DUFF&q... Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:29:35 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/a-charm-city-halloween-/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/a-charm-city-halloween-/ We’d like to take a moment to pause from our hectic crazy day to let you in on a little-known secret: the man behind the baking here at Charm City Cakes. Our very own Chef extraordinaire, Adam, spends his days in the kitchen baking cakes. All of our cakes. All day long. This may not seem like glamorous stuff, but when you consider how much tireless work he puts into this place, it’s about darn time someone gave him his props due. Most people don’t realize that for every t... Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:17:03 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/the-man-behind-the-baking/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/the-man-behind-the-baking/ Hey all you Ohioers (er, Ohioans? Ohioites?)...this weekend Duff and Geof will be appearing at the Fabulous Food Show at Cleveland's International Exposition Center. They will be demonstrating cake decorating techniques as well as meeting and greeting. Personally I am completely jealous I am not going, as Alton Brown will be there too, and he's my Food Network favorite (sorry, Duff!). Duff's promised me he'll get his autograph for me. He better, or there will be heck to pay. Come on out, it look... Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:31:16 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/cleveland-rocks/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/cleveland-rocks/ Hey kids! Check out this cool new video from Push Pause:... Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:21:08 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/this-guy-is-a-baker/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/11/this-guy-is-a-baker/ Duff & the gang are working on a fabulous cake for the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland's Green Carpet Event this week. We are creating a big cake covered in Girl Scout cookies, and a bunch of cakes to serve at the event that will incorporate cookies into the flavors (can you say THIN MINT?!?). The good people at Little Brownie Bakers have sent us boxes and boxes of the oft-imitated but never-duplicated delicious cookies. There are boxes and boxes of them sitting around, only we must wait unt... Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:10:25 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/an-exercise-in-self-control/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/an-exercise-in-self-control/ Hey all you Illinoisians! (Er, Illinoisers? Illinoisicans? Illinoisites?)Anyway, those of you in the great state of Illinois, listen up! Duff will be appearing at the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford tomorrow for a cake competition, demonstration, and lots more fun. Click here to get all the details. If you're in the area, you should come by...it'll be a swell time. Bring us back some deep dish pies, Duff! (and not one made out of cake, like this!)- mary alice... Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:17:59 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/duff-live-in-rockford-illinois/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/duff-live-in-rockford-illinois/ Some of our most frequently asked questions are about specific tools and techniques we use for decorating cakes. While we certainly wish we could answer every single email, unfortunately there are just too many to send thorough responses to every one. That being the case, in an effort to help, we present to you:Your top six decorating questions…ANSWERED! Mary Smith shows Duff how it's doneWhat type of airbrush do you use?We use a Paasche airbrush. You can get them at most art stores. We h... Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:27:21 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/top-decorating-questions-answered/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/top-decorating-questions-answered/ Duff recently sat down with the good folks at his alma mater, the Culinary Institute of America, to talk about all things baking. Listen to the podcast by clicking here!It's a quiet week here at the bakery...we're taking a short break from filming season 4. We are using the time by scrubbing the bakery from top to bottom and getting organized...spring cleaning! It's a little late, or a little early, depending on how you look at it.- mary alice... Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:23:04 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/duff's-podcast-spring-cleaning/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/duff's-podcast-spring-cleaning/ Hey kids! Our very own decorator especial, Elena, and her band The Squaaks have a brand new video out! Check it: Check out this video: Squaaks - Everything Twice You can scope out the band's profile on myspace by clicking here. Come see one of their upcoming shows, because they are awesome. - mary alice... Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:02:21 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/elena's-squaaks-video/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/10/elena's-squaaks-video/ We get a ton of letters and emails from people. Our favorite mail is from kids - especially the letters that include drawings. Here are some of our recent favorites!Abigail, Age 10Dana, Age 9Kyle, Age 8Keep the awesome art coming! - Mary Alice... Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:15:21 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/09/kid-art/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/09/kid-art/ Greetings from Baltimore - - inside the bakery at Charm City Cakes! Well, we've finally done it and expanded our site with this new blog. Not only will we keep you up-to-date on all our latest cake creations, but we'll also be showing off exclusive behind-the-scenes pictures from the past, present and future of our show, Ace of Cakes. We're especially excited as we have just begun shooting Season 4 of the show for the network, and have thirteen new episodes on the way! With... Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/09/new-blog-new-sign/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/09/new-blog-new-sign/ Hey kids! Thought you might like to see these funny out-take pictures from the night we filmed the staff shot at the end of the opening credits of the show. Enjoy! That's it for the moment... back to the cake grind for me. -Mary Alice... Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/09/out-takes/ http://www.charmcitycakes.com/blog/2007/09/out-takes/