THREE RIVERS AREA — Years ago, Sam Parsley requested more from her son’s cake decorator, and the reply sent her down a different career path. She was told if she wanted the kind of cakes she envisioned, she’d have to create her own. Parsley decided to try her hand at cake decorating, and the world of cakes has never been the same.
Parsley is the pastry guru behind the multi-award-winning Cakes by Sam in Cabot. Glowing comments pepper the Web site her husband, Todd, created to launch a thriving online cake decorating and equipment supply business, as well as to represent the bakery side of the business. The accolades continue to stream in.
To date, Cakes by Sam has been featured in People magazine, Mailbox News and several times in the American Cake Decorating magazine and the I.C.E.S. (International Cake Exploration Societe) newsletter.
She has served as the I.C.E.S. representative for the state and published “how-to” articles, including “How to Dye Gum Paste Flowers,” and an article on decorating with bows, lace and pearls.
The demand for customized overthe-top cakes has fueled Parsley’s imagination. In fact, the company motto is, “If you can imagine it, we can create it!”
Bedecked with incredibly lifelike edible flowers, sugary swags and impeccable lettering and patterning, each wedding cake featured on the Web site is a stunning masterpiece. Not surprisingly, an online feature is the customer testimonials.
“The Food Channel has certainly helped us in our business,” Todd said.
“Most people never know how elaborate cakes can be decorated until those shows, and folks are always surprised they can get whatever they desire locally.”
Arkansas brides voted Cakes by Sam the 2009 winner of the Brides Choice Award.
Cookies and cupcakes are also offered, some displayed in multitiered centerpieces. Jumbo cupcakes and mini wedding cakes are unique works of art, and birthday cakes provide other opportunities for Parsley’s skills to shine.
“We just love to see the face on the child when they come in to pick up their birthday cake or cupcakes,” Toddsaid. “And we especially love creating that first birthday cake.”
Both Sam and Todd have memories of childhood birthday cakes baked by their mothers. “Although they were baked with love, they were nothing out of the ordinary,” Todd said.
“Sam has just always had an artistic flair, and in this business, it helps that she’s a perfectionist.”
Some of the creations are nothing short of engineering feats. One of the popular 3-D cakes is The Razorback Cake, and one couple ordered a female and male razorback on a football field for their wedding cake.
“These cakes are hand sculpted,” Todd said. “There is no mold.”
The C-130 airplane cakes are always a challenge, too, Todd said, “but Sam loves challenges.”
Since 1995, when the Parsleys - former day care owners - founded the business, they have reshaped how their customers entertain, often making suggestions on overall planning.
“One of the things we recommendfor entertaining during the holidays,” Todd said, “is to keep a drawer filled with inexpensive toys from the Dollar Store, and every time a child comes to visit, let him pick a toy from the drawer.”
Another tip from the Parsleys is to plan an uncomplicated menu and cook as much as possible in advance.
“Mix ready-made food with homemade,” Todd said, “and use tried-andtrue recipes.”
Don’t forget the holiday music, he said.
“It helps to set the mood,” he said.
And plan ahead. Last month, TLC (The Learning Channel) contacted Cakes by Sam to participate on The Ultimate Cake Off.
“Unfortunately, we were already booked solid on the date they had in mind,” Todd said. “We already have 250 cakes booked for 2010.
“Maybe next time,” he said.
Here are a few Parsley-family favorite holiday recipes:CAKES BY SAM’S HOLIDAY MEATBALLS Ingredients: One bag of Italian meatballs, thawed 1 jar Heinz chili sauce Medium jar grape jelly
Directions:
Place ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Serve with toothpicks.
CAKES BY SAM’S RUM CAKE Ingredients: 1 Duncan Hines yellow cake mix 2/3 cup water 1/3 cup oil 3 eggs 1/3 cup Bacardi rum (80 proof) 1/2 cup chopped pecans Handful of maraschino cherries Glaze: 1 stick butter 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water1/4 cup rum
Directions:
Grease and flour Bundt pan. Add pecans and cherries in pan. Mix remaining ingredients and pour into pan on top of nuts and cherries.
Bake at 325 degrees for about one hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Ten minutes before cake is done, prepare glaze.
Mix all ingredients in sauce pan. Bring to boil for one minute and pour over cake. Turn oven off and leave cake in oven for five minutes.
CAKES BY SAM’S BROCCOLI CORNBREAD Ingredients: 4 eggs 6 ounces cottage cheese 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 1 (10-ounce) package chopped broccoli, thawed 1 stick butter 5 dashes of Tabasco sauce 1 package Jiffy cornbread mix
Directions:
Beat eggs. Add remaining ingredients, adding cornbread mix last. Mix well. Bake in greased pan 35 minutes at 400 degrees.
CAKES BY SAM’S EGGNOG TRUFFLES Ingredients: 1 pound white chocolate, divided 4 ounces (half a package) cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/4 teaspoon McCormick ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon McCormick imitation rum extract
Directions:
Melt 8 ounces of the chocolate as directed on package. Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, nutmeg and extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Add melted chocolate; beat until well mixed. Cover.
Refrigerate four hours or until firm. Shape into 24 (about 3/4-inch) balls. Place on wax-paper-lined tray. Refrigerate until ready to dip.
Coat only 12 truffles at a time. Melt 4 ounces of the remaining chocolate in small microwaveable bowl on medium for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after one minute. Using a fork, dip one truffle at a time into the chocolate. Place on wax-paper-lined tray. Sprinkle truffles with nutmeg. Repeat with remaining 4 ounces chocolate and remaining nutmeg.
Refrigerate one hour or until chocolate is set. Store truffles in refrigerator up to one week.
Makes two dozen.
Three Rivers, Pages 51 on 12/24/2009