Moniques Cake Company - Latest Blog Entries

Our cute Kaelynn

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 09:58:00 -0600

One of my favorite cakes to do will always be 1st birthday cakes! I do love weddings but 1st birthdays...hold the number one spot in my heart <3. For our cute Kaelynn we created an adorable Pebbles Flinstone for her 1st bday and her daddy missed it because he's one of our hero's in the United States Army....but for this 2nd Birthday he came down to Brownsville to celebrate her bday and again they asked me to create a cute cake for her Yo Gabba Gabba theme...Kaelynn I hope Im still around for your 15 or even your wedding...jiji!!

Inspiration.....

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:40:00 -0600

There are times I love to read about artist and what inspires them and what flows through their minds, in Diego Riveras, I think he was his own inspiration. =0)

Diego Rivera

If only I was a "Painter"

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:49:00 -0600

If only, we could paint the perfect world. I would paint the most beautiful face to stare at all day long. If only.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVI4wASoNcc

Peoples Choice Winner!

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:59:00 -0600

The Brownsville Herald came in and told us we won Best Cake Decorators in town...as always THANK YOU GUYS!!!! This one means alot because it comes from our customers!! =0) Mo

Adam & Thea Cavazos

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:01:00 -0600

Being in this culinary world you get to meet other people that share the same love for the art in food...and even if we are in different culinary worlds...we all come together time to time. I remember meeting Chef Adam Cavazos for his baby girls bday cake and right after that he tells me "We need to talk about my Wedding cake" I was pretty exicted to do a cake for another Chef. It almost feels like my team and I are on the right path =0).

On Dec. 9th...both Chef Cavazos and I participated in the Iron Chef 2011 and as I was going at it like a mad woman, I see Adam and by his side this beautiful woman and he introduces me to Thea, his beautiful bride. Not many times do you meet someone, that just by an instant you feel their peace and that was Thea.

So now we sit down and talk cake eat cake draw out cake....I thought these guys are so perfect together...I won't forget what Adam told me about his grooms cake....I asked him "I can do anything 3D, I can go crazy with it, what are you in to, what are your hobbies, what do you love most"......his answer "My Little girl, my wife, cooking".....PERFECT!!! Good answer Chef! I was also so happy Thea thought outside the box and picked such a unique cake, as a cake artist we want to try out new ideas and trends, but not always do we have the honor.....and for that Thank You Thea!! Heres to a friendship and may you be blessed always with Love, Wisdom and Peace!!

=0) Your friend Mo!

One for the "best in" category....

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:04:00 -0600

Coldplay-"The Scientist".....listen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWLpTKBFcU&ob=av2n

David <3 Maday

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:31:00 -0600

David and Maday,

Congratulations on your new journey!! May you be blessed with much happiness and Joy!! David.... ALWAYS treat her like a princess

Maday, may you always be the princess you already are. You guys are the best and Im glad I was a small part of your day =0)

Daniel Avila

‎@ Monique's Cakes, we can not THANK YOU enough for our BEAST cakes! Ha! The brides cake was awesome and my groom's cake was BEAST! Lol! Everyone LOVED the concept of the updating my FB status on my iPhone! Lol! Thanks a million!

...what a fairytale.....<3

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:32:00 -0600

This is a good one....

Yesterday we all rushed, dry cleaners check, shoes check, kids outfits check, pick up kids from school check, backwards outfit check and rush to the courthouse....why, for a little white wedding =0)

When we heard that my mother in law was going to remarry, one thought came to my mind, if one person deserves all the happiness in this world, its her...if anyone deserves to be treated like a princess its her!! After so many years of soul searching and God by her side her journey ended up in the courthouse all dolled up next to a good man that will now take care of her for us. As much as I miss her, nothing compares to her happiness. Though, I do miss her cooking...gosh...yum!!!!

Maria...la queremos mucho y le deseamos la felicidad que a buscado todos estos anos y la felicidad que se merece mas que nadie en este mundo. Un besote mamasota!!

My customers helping me out.....

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:09:00 -0600

Is there such thing as Cake Artist Block.....writers block....Cake Artist Block?!!

So in preparation for this Valentines Day Mayhem here at the shop, I went to my drawing board as I always do...I sit and this blank beautiful piece of paper suddenly becomes something that has been floating around in my mind and I go nuts in my sketching...but this time it was blank!.....I went to my girls for inspiration and they couldn't come up with anything either. Its when we discovered we have Cake Artist Block...lol! So who else to turn to but our faithful and wonderful customers!! Who else is going to tell me what they want to see in a design!!

Everyone knows Im always up for a good competition, so I asked them to sketch a "Giant Cupcake" in the theme of Valentines, and the winners design would be the one sold here at the shop! I was so impressed with all the designs and drawings from them...in my head I'm thinking, why didn't I come up with this I studied and love art, I do this for a living!! AAhh...Lets blame it on Cake Artist Block....its real!! lol

Thank You so much for the drawings you guys posted I loved them all!! It's going to be hard to choose =0( MO

Nelda Solitaire

Josie Rodriguez

Jenny Rohde

Armando and Celia Ramos

Argelia Carrillo

Natali Coronado

Aracely SanRoman

Betty Silva

Manny and Debbie Gutierrez

2012....

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:08:00 -0600

Time for new calendars.....=0)

2011 was one of the years for the books for sure!! Memorable, wonderful, you name it!! Needing to buy a new calendar shouldn't mean a shocking transformation, just means its time to write down more important things that will make each year more exciting!! I want to live well, make my little ones proud, laugh louder with my family and friends, make my dreams into goals, embrace love more and make the man upstairs say "Alright, you've done well".....2012 means we are all one step closer to living the life that was meant for us....=0)

To a great 2011 with friends and family

How too create a 3D bottle......

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:13:00 -0600

A lot of people ask me..."omy gosh how do you do that"...my reply is "i have no idea...by his Grace and alot of patience"...=0)

But if you want me to be specific heres a little demo with steps on how to create a 3D bottle...I created a Corona's Beer bottle....of course having the model in front of you helps, not recommended to drink....well, all of it...but, enjoy!

1. You choose any flavor you'd like, here I used chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream.

2. Cut them in half once you've filled them as to form a rainbow.

3. Here's where it gets tricky.....look at your model...shape it as you see fit...cover it with your buttercream.

4. Important tools you need...Fondant, Rolling Pin, Pizza Cutters, Fondant Smoother and alot of sense of humor...=0)

5. Roll out your fondant a size bigger of your project, then smooth it out.

6. For the effect I did use my airbrush (my bestfriend) I layered it with a yellow, then orange, and covered it with a bit of gold. Without it I would of tinted my Fondant yellow orange.

7. Layer the colors.

8. And...viola....hope Dave had a good time!!

=0)...I made some side little fondant lemons and a salt shaker you can create anything that you set your mind to....always have patience and love for it. =0) Mo

Sharing a little piece of life....

Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:09:00 -0600

I was raised by my Grandma, Mi Mama. My first memory will always be us in Mexico, our garden in the house with papa Mado...our huge pecan tree and for some funny reason Our great grandpa thought it would be genius idea to build homes for all the family in one entire block...yup all of his kids...house to house family to family....well it was an amazing experience for us cousins, because growing up we didn't need friends all we had was each other.....all 20thousand of us =0)...life was good in Mexico. But the states seemed promising, so she sacrificed all she had lived for, all she possessed to move me and my
Aunt over....and life continued to be good, her guidance was always about Faith, Love, and Peace.
Life was 100% devoted to God really truly 100%....she made us look at life with hope for humanity
as long we shared that love and peace.

Mama battle alzheimer's as we grew up, got married, we had our kids, as life was changing for us too.
Finally her peaceful, elegant life came to an end last November 2010 at 85 years young.
Yea alittle feisty everyone says....but little did you know she would wink and smile at me when
she knew those buttons were being pushed...payasa mi mama. This is our first year without her and I miss her, I miss reading the bible with her i miss her guidance, her positive look in life her wicked sense of humor....and those beautiful green eyes. Oh guess what..you were right you can make a living out of cakes. Fancy huh? Hope you're proud lord knows I try to be like you....never perfect but its all good I wouldn't change it for the world =0)

Lydia Cano, que bella vida haz conpartido conmigo y me haz dejado con Amor, Sabiduria, y Paz. Te quello quello quello munchoooo mama...y se acaboooooo...=0) Mo

RGV Iron Chef 11'

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:42:00 -0600

Aw...so we didn't bring the place home to Brownsville. But the girls and I have to say we had such an amazing time. It was one of those moments you push your body, mind, and heart to the limits in just 3hrs. We got nervous but we felt exicted and in the end we still ended the night with a huge smile just to be there....lil ol us. Thank you to my girls Nikki and Iris, without you amazing ladies this little fun journey wouldn't be as fun...really it wouldn't, who else would make you scratch your head and make you think twice....=0) MONICA welcome back.....back to Black....we missed you from your vacation. Now here we go again, back to work....heres to working at 4am to 11pm.....and all fun projects up ahead. Posting up some pics soon.

=0) Monique

4th Annual Iron Chef Cake off!!

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:15:00 -0500

Earlier this year we participated in a Cake Competition here in Brownsville and proudly won the title of Best in Brownsville. One of our Judges was the amazing Chef Larry of House Wine in McAllen Texas, he approached us and invited us to become part of the Food Bank RGV event "Iron Chef". We said sure of course but didn't realize how big it was. Chef Larry has participated in this event himself and won the title last year....so for him to come up to us was pretty rad. The next call we got a month ago was from one of my inspirations the amazing Pastry Chef the Mrs. Cynthia, she wanted us to participate as well, so we said of cooooourse why not. Now, cutting down to the wire...it's next week and we have to construct an amazing show piece in front of our judges/a live audience in ONLY 3HRS!!!...if we had that piece to construct in a regular order...it would take daaaaays to do...but of course we get 3hrs...naturally right?...this is going to be a fun journey and one for the books. God willing we can bring it home to Brownsville. But like I tell my girls...it's an honor in itself to have these Top Texas Chefs call us and invite us...period.

If you guys want to see all these action fold out in front of you, call us at the shop we have a couple of tickets that are benefiting the FoodBank of the RGV. Or log on to www.foodba nkrgv.com

You know you wanna see Iron Chefs run to a basket with one secret ingredient and only have a few minutes to create his master piece!! And Cake Competition just like on TV! Lets just hope we keep our sanity and don't drop the cake =0)

To my girls, what would I do with out you lovely ladies......no really, what do I do? lol

=0) Monique

Since the begining we were brothers and sisters.....

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:49:00 -0500

....so why not extend our hands to the ones that need us the most. Nikki and I have had the honor to join a wonderful League of amazing powerful women that come together and help out our community for those who need every single one of us that can help out. With their heads held down I want to raise that chin up and just smile...because that is what we were meant to do in this tiny world. Celeste (president) has giving us this opportunity and for that we are truly grateful. Heres to the making our brothers and sisters smile one funny person at a time.....check out upcoming events @ bjsl.org....and see you guys at Boo at the Zoo where we will be spooking people away...=0) Mo

GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD SETTLEMENT HOME

Working Hard...and having fun

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:59:00 -0500

My Ladies and I have been working extremely hard in new and fun projects coming to the shop aside from creating edible art....coming up is:

"Cupcake Camp"....a great way to spend time with your little ones during summer something both of you would love to do!! Classes will begin in July...more details coming up.

"MCC days"...we will be recording some of our days at the shop and we will show you and have little talks with you guys on how to do what we do...also a big give away will also be featured...we'll keep you posted. So exicted about this big giveaway....and it will involve most of you...=0)

Orginazing a charity that will involve the shop and our community to bring smiles to the kids and elderly of the Valley.

More Charities and getting involved with this beautiful community is what I most look foward too...together we can and we will make a difference. So exicted this evening with all the plans I really wanted to share it with you!! Gooooodnight =0) Monique

What is a Hero? Military...

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 10:16:00 -0500

What does Bravery stand for? It is defined as a stand of not having fear in any circumstance. Last time I checked we are not brave at all compared to our men and women in the military. These brave soldiers are asked to leave home, to leave their families, to leave what they hold dearly to risk their lifes...not just something simple like a hot homemade meal, but their lifes...for freedom. A life is so much worth anything that can be giving in this earth but all they ask for in return is the most simple thing we can give them..."light me the way home". A life is something that can not be replaced and yet they stand, fearless, brave, honorable and hold our hands and say "I need to do this for my country, for the families that need to be protected at night from evil, dont worry it's ok".

I have my family I have my friends in the military...Ive been standing in that bus that takes them away and been in the waiting line to receive them home...Ive sent care packages, Ive sent letters and received letters, nobody ever told us it would be this hard to let them go. I lay in bed looking at my ceiling while my family lays in a iron bed looking up at a wooden ceiling, eager to get that care package or letter.

No matter how you support a troop, by a simple "dang man you rock" or by their favorite goodies in a care package, even a letter telling them how awesome they are...remind them...over and over again....over and over again!!

"Never have I seen a more disgusting species that is the human being...sitting with their greed and selfish ways, will there be a hero amongst us"-MV

To the Brave men and women in our Military we support you...and admire you for your BRAVERY!!

To my Father...(Ret.) General Mexican Military

To my Checo...US ARMY

To our Alex Lira...USMC

To our Fred Jaramillo..USMC (currently overseas)

To our Chuck Valles...USMC (currently overseas)

To our George Garcia...USMC (RIP)

To our Nora Losoya...USAF

What a night!! Winners!!

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:32:00 -0500

We had an amazing time last night at the BJSL Fundraiser we participated in. Thank you to Sonia President of this organization and to Celeste the cutest person ever....I admire you ladies for all you have done for the charities in Brownsville...you ladies are my heroes!!!!

We started planning this and at the end of the night we realized we had worked for 3dys straight and felt how exhausted a body can feel, but we didn't realize it because we were just having so much fun...=0)...Before I thank anyone...i have to give an enormous thank you to God, because of his grace I stand with these hands and create these pieces of art. I also want to thank Monica for the cheerful little person she is and how she always kept us laughing, Iris, your sweet and tender voice kept us calm and happy....and my Nikki...well best friend...what can I say just thank you for everything you always do and for being you. To my hubby...thank you for being my safety and my having my back..you always believe when my hope is down for that I adore you. I had the time of my life and I hope we have many more adventures like this with my ladies by my side.

=0) Monique

We've met a True Angel...Valeria Garcia

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:38:00 -0500

She sits in my shop spunky, happy, beautiful, full of courage, humble, and ever so faithful. Who would of thought this amazing little teenager fought for her life battling cancer....she took cancer and life by the horns and fought with the help and grace of God. Valeria, thank you for coming into our lifes and flipping them right side up...you make us see life with a sigh and a smile =0).

Valeria sent me a message if we wanted to participate in a cake competition to help raise money, not for her, but for The Cancer Association. For children and parents that do not have to financial support to fight just like she did. I was eager to meet this little girl so we asked her to come in and tell us about the fundraiser. She walks in with her mom, as soon as we meet her...we fell in love. This cute little Angel with her short pixie hair (she lost her hair due to chemo) is sitting next to her mom and they tell us about the fundraiser, I say to Mrs. Garcia, "She is a true blessing isn't she, a true angel"... then we all stood there & cried. Mrs. Garcia tells us in a brave voice and loving stare at her little Valeria, how they fought how they cried, how Valeria was never in doubt she would fight this with a smile...she even told her mom..."I have faith"....wow, was all i could think..how brave of her....really, how did you get so full of courage...."with the Grace of God"...another wow. We thought to ourselfs man i will never complain about a long day of hard work, I will never complain when small things make us frustrated! She tells us how on the day of "The Surgery" that was to define the rest of her life...the Dr.s walk in and start singing...she says "Okay...can we stop singing and focus on me please I don't want you to mess up"...jaja...even then she found humor. Her Dr. calls her "tremenda"...yes, yes she is, that's what makes her the light of our lifes. Valeria Garcia, thank you for walking into our lifes, thank you for the impact you had in our lifes. We adore you "tremenda"!!

"WE NEED YOU THERE TO MAKE 2011 RELAY FOR LIFE HAPPEN!!! April 1-2 2011 Brownsville Sports Park For more information contact: Dolores Hernandez 956-280-4882 or Patricia Villasenor 956-682-8329

"Out of the night that covers me,Black as the Pit from pole to pole,I thank whatever gods may beFor my unconquerable soul."

Valeria Garcia's mom thought she was just getting fat when she saw the lump in her daughter previously flat tummy."She told me I needed to start doing crunches," she laughs. "We didn't know." One day towards the end of her 7th grade during lunch, a terrible pain hit Garcia's stomach, and her mom picked her up and took her to a pediatrician who upon touching her bloated stomach, automatically sent her off to get scans and tests, and within the week she had already been sent to a
Houston hospital, M.D. Anderson and had her first surgery.Garcia was told that the cancer was in her ovaries, however,it was only 3 % malignant." I walked in to the pediatrician that day, and walked out within three with a scar on my stomach [from surgery].,"
Garcia said.

Upon another examination, more cancerous cells were found, and this time in her liver. Garcia was airlifted back to Houstonwhere they did another surgery, finding nothing. Back at home, Garcia had more and more tests run on her proving otherwise.The doctor opened her again, and still found nothing."We were upset," Garcia said. "He pretty much just cut me up and sewed me back, just like that." Garcia was still in school, and while she had to hold back from some of the activities she most enjoyed like dancing and gymnastics, it soon all turned to dust. "I can still remember how I felt," Garcia said. "Time stopped. I couldn't move, and my world felt like it was destroyed." Upon a third examination, Garcia's oncologists found that the cancerous cells had spread all throughout her diaphragm, and in to her liver. And they were a lot more than 3%
malignant.

Her parents unable to tell their daughter had the oncologist deliver the heart wrenching news."I was sitting in my hospital bed watching tv when my mom came in and turned it off," Garcia said. "Confused, I asked her why she had turned it off, they were probably just going to come in with some tests or something. Then my dad walked in, and he was crying. He never cries." Garcia was then put through four rigorous months of chemotherapy, a feeling she says with an excruciating sigh, "You just can't even describe. It's tough, very tough." "I didn't want chemotherapy, I was completely against it. I
loved my hair," she says, stroking her now bare neck. "I told them they couldn't make me, that who were they to force me." The anger can be still be heard radiating in her voice. "That was the hardest part of everything, I'm never going to forget that. When I lost it, I was like oh God- no. It was the punch that brought me down, I couldn't take it."

Garcia slowly lost her hair over the course of the summer, and didn't want to return to a new school to face 3,000 curious faces. The chemotherapy also, hadn't worked. "Sometimes I think, 'Why did you do to this to me,' when I found out it didn't work, I thought 'why- maybe people wouldn't always be staring at me, why did you do this to me.' " "I even had my homeschool forms ready, but my mom refused to sign them, she wouldn't let me shy away from everything because of that," Garcia continued. "I honestly thought I would have no friends because of my hair, that they'd back out, but the true ones stayed. I didn't know how to tell them. I was so ashamed," her voice breaks. "I didn't want a wig either. I'd try them on, they were pretty, but everytime I'd look in the mirror- I'd cry. I knew it wasn't mine." Garcia says the experience was humbling, "Honestly, I'm nothing like I used to be, I was fake," she motions to herself, "I didn't appreciate what I had. Everyday now, it's like what if I don't make it tomorrow. That's something nobody can answer for you, and it's the same question I ask myself every day. You don't know when the day will get there, but I really wish and hope it will be in a
long time so I can enjoy what I have ahead of me. I'm going to keep fighting."

In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance, My head is bloody,but unbowed.

Garcia experienced no side affects except those of the chemotherapy and her growing stomach, and by the end had received 10 surgeries. "In surgery, I'm most afraid of anesthesia. I can't stand it," she says. "I'm never sure if I'm going to wake up, and when I do- it's a huge relief. I may have the biggest pain in the world, but, I woke up."While the lack of sympathy in the doctors she has come across at M.D. Anderson don't help her anxiety much before surgery either, hersurgeons often referring to her by her insurance number instead of her name, she describes her ward in the hospital as a "party every day.""They make your suffering seem a lot less, they treat you like you're totally normal. You look around and all you see is people like you," Garcia said. "You don't feel as left out, or reminded of how you used to be. Oncology floor is the funnest floor. Day and night you hear laughing and fun, and if it's your birthday- omigosh, forget it!" Garcia places her hand over her heart, when she speaks of her religion. "It keeps me up," she says. "I go to church every Sundayand pray,pray,pray hoping that this year, the biggest birthday present I'll is for me to be okay.""Sometimes I do ask Him why though," she continues. "'Why me?' When there are tons of other people who have done bad things and are in jail, I haven't done anything. But I realize it's a test, another obstacle I have to overcome. God is just trying to make you learn from what you go through. Once you see that you can make it over, you understand, 'Why should I give up?' I have a whole life ahead of me and I know that."

Beyond this place of wrath and tears, Looms but the Horror of the shade,And yet the menace of the years, Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

"I can think I'm going through the toughest thing ever, but a lot of kids are worse. They have no hope, and the doctors tell them so. I've seen people pass away, I've seen them take them out," Garcia said. "I wonder if I'm going to be the one laying down in that bed and not waking up. But, whenever I have those days, I take a nap and wake up and go -slap, slap-Valeria, you have so much to live for."

It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll.

Garcia refuses to take a liver transplant from her mother, "I'm not going to take the life of someone elses to help mine," she says. "I wouldn't be able to live like that." "My faith is here with me, 24/7," she continued. "I never say I'm not going to make it, I'm going to make it. My doctors tell me I am, my faith tells me I am, and I believe in that so much.I want to look at myself in the mirror, with my hair back and getting a call from the doctor saying 'Hey- your check up was great!'- that's what I dream of, of being a cancer survivor. I'll be there one day, and I'll be proud of myself. I have not lost anything from this. I've only gained strength."

At the very end of the interview, she looks me in the eye, and tells me she knows she's going to be okay, and hopes to someday be more academically involved- "I hate sitting around not doing anything," she says. "I want to write an autobiography after all this." She giggles on about her obsession with fashion, and penguins and her love of writing. Then just before the check is taken, smiles a toothy grin: "I'll give you a call when you're in New York and a big writer,and I'll say, hey! Remember me? The one you asked all those questions?!" I write this article and pray to God that I'll
hear that phone ringing some day.

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul

A special Thank you!!

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:55:00 -0500

2 years ago we met a special litte cake elf that was in it to win it, our dear friend Monica Hernandez. Like all in our journeys, she took a much needed vacation and we truly missed her, but now that little elf is back joining nikki and I in our madness creating these incredible pieces of art!! Now, just to find the mute button once in a while...juuust kidding...no not really. Little ol Monica we love you and thank you for coming along for this amazing ride.

Your Friend,

Monique =0)

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to

speak out and remove all doubt.-Mark Twain