April 2012 Cake of the Month

Easter is right around the corner. Time for spring cleaning and new clothes. This bag and shoe cake was made by Chef Janet Ben-Ami, Hey! Cookie.

Get the Scoop on the 2012 Sweet Treats Cake Competition!

This breathtaking cake was designed by Chef janet Ben-Ami, Hey! Cookie.

Calling all Cakers!  Are you ready to compete in the 2012 Sweet Treats Cake Competition? This exciting event will take place on September 23, 2012 in New Jersey.  Early Bird Registration begins on July 15, 2012. The Cake Competition Rules and Regulations are posted on The Jersey It Girl website.

Sweet Treats also needs Sponsors, vendors, judges, demos, and class instructors! For further information contact Julie Lehmann, Event Planner, at The Jersey It Girl, 732-841-1109. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Colonia Middle School.

Janet Ben-Ami and Melissa Lusk Medal at CT Cake Show!

Chef Janet Ben-Ami and assistant Melissa Lusk with their winning cake. The theme for the Live Competition at the Connecticut Cake Show was "The Great Outdoors". They went from sea to sky in their design and incorporated many different techniques. Janet is the owner of Hey!Cookie bakery and I am also blessed that she teaches various 3D cake workshops for our Meetup.

Summer Fun Workshops with NYC Cake Decorators!

Check out these fun classes conducted by Chef Janet Ben-Ami, owner, Hey!Cookie.

3D Tiered Cupcake Cake Workshop

Yummy Pan Pizza Cake

2D Diaper Bag Cake

Don't miss out on the fun. Contact nyccakedecorators@yahoo.com for information on how you can RSVP for any of the above workshops.  See you there!

3D Dog Cake Class Coming Up!

Photo courtesy of member/instructor Chef Janet Ben-Ami, Hey!Cookie.

Spend a dog day afternoon with NYC Cake Decorators and Chef Janet Ben-Ami creating this cute 3D Dog Cake.  Plans are underway for us to host our very first weekend workshop. We've located a great space in Manhattan and can't wait to announce the date.  Stay tuned for more details!

2D Wine Bottle Class Chef Janet Ben-Ami Style!



Chef Janet Ben-Ami and member Shameeka are all smiles as Shameeka shows off her 2D Wine Bottle Cake created in Janet's class last Sunday.

Shop Till You Drop!

Love to shop? Then you will just love creating your own Shopping Bag cake with Chef Janet Ben-Ami and the NYC Cake Decorators Meetup next month. For details, contact Dina at nyccakedecorators@yahoo.com.  Chef Janet will also be sharing her love of 3D cake design at NY Cake and Baking Distributors  and The Front Street Bakery in Rockville Centre!  Contact them directly for details. Happy Caking!

St. Paddy's Day Cakes

Cake designed by member/instructor Chef Janet Ben-Ami, owner, Hey! Cookie. 

As we enjoy a little luck this holiday, "May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,

May good luck pursue you each morning and night"
(Irish saying)

Janet Ben Ami Wins Cake Competition at Garden State Cake Show!

What did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher, nurse, doctor, cake decorator?  That was the theme at this year's live cake competition at the Garden State Cake Show earlier this month.

This is the cake design Chef Janet Ben-Ami practiced in preparation for the show.  She designed this cake for her sister who as a child dreamed of being blonde and glamorous just like Marilyn Monroe.

It was no surprise when we learned that Janet's cake won the live cake competition! Chef Janet, owner Hey! Cookie,  is the master instructor for NYC Cake Decorators. She continues to WOW everyone with her awesome 3D cakes. We are about to schedule more of her 3D cake classes in the next few days. Stay tuned!

Happy Valentine's Day!

This amazing cake was designed by our member/instructor Chef Janet Ben-Ami, owner Hey! Cookie in Long Island.  NYC Cake decorators are excited to learn that Janet has entered a live cake competition at the Garden State Cake Show this weekend.  She is also scheduled to begin teaching at a bakery in Long Island.  Much Success Janet! It is well deserved!

Let it Snow!

Photo courtesy of member Chef Janet Ben Ami, owner Hey! Cookie.

The blizzard this past Sunday and Monday dumped almost two feet of snow in the New York City Area. Now that most of us New Yorkers have dug out and are about, I thought it would be sweet to showcase one of Chef Janet's amazing tiered cakes.

Chef Janet has Wowed members with her cake wizardry and her remarkable ability to teach others how to create their own great cakes.  Janet is scheduled to teach another series of classes in 2011.  For information contact Dina at nyccakedecorators@yahoo.com.  Hope to see you there!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!

This amazing 3D turkey was designed by our member Chef Janet Ben-Ami. Janet is scheduled to teach 3D cake designs in 2011. Got Cake?

Chef Janet Ben-Ami's Topsy Turvy Class was simply "awesome" according to the lucky members who managed to acquire a coveted seat in her class.

Janet is the owner of Hey, Cookie! in Long Island and her 3D cake classes fill up in a flash! NYC Cake Decorators is so very fortunate to have her as our lead instructor.

Let's Talk About Shoes!

This cake was designed by member/instructor Chef Janet Ben-Ami

Chef Janet Ben-Ami fans, Janet will be teaching a Shoe Box and High Heeled Shoe Cake Workshop
on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at NY Cake Distributors located on West 22nd Street between 5th and 6th.

Each student will create a shoe box cake with edible tissue paper and a gumpaste shoe.

Chef Janet has been the most requested instructor at NYC Cake Decorators Meetup. She is scheduled to teach at NYS Chapter of ICES WOS in October and the shoe box cake class will be her debut with our retail Sponsor NY Cake Distributors. Chef Janet is the owner of Hey! Cookie in Long Island, NY. To register call: 212-675-2253.

Happy Labor Day!

This photo courtesy of cake designer/member Chef Janet Ben-Ami, Hey! Cookie

Members are gearing up for a Hamburger & Fries Cake Workshop in October with our extraordinarily talented member/instructor Chef Janet Ben-Ami. Follow Janet on Facebook or visit her website, Hey!Cookie to check out her amazing cakes! Janet Ben-Ami fans, let FoodNetwork know that we want to see Janet on a Cake Challenge.

July 2010 Cake of The Month

Photo courtesy of member/instructor Janet Ben-Ami

This cute cake was designed by our member/instructor Janet Ben-Ami, Hey! Cookie.

Janet is a master 3D cake carver and an extraordinary teacher. We at NYC Cake Decorators believe that she would blow the socks off the judges at Food Network or TLC.

We are cheering for her and hope that she's gets the recognition she truly deserves. Check out her Facebook Page Hey! Cookie.

Casting Call - Cake Decorators and Bakers

Member Chef Janet Ben-Ami's award winning cake.

NYC Cake Decorators received this notice today:

"NOW CASTING! FROM TLC AND THE CREATORS OF “CAKE BOSS” COMES A NEW BAKING COMPETITION SERIES.

ARE YOU THE NEXT GREAT CAKE ARTIST!

ARE YOU A NATURAL BORN BAKER OR ARTIST? CAN YOU MAKE AMAZING MASTERPIECES, CRAZY CONFECTIONS OR OVER-THE-TOP CAKES? COULD YOU BE THE NEXT PASTRY GURU?

IF SO, THE PRODUCERS OF “CAKE BOSS,” ARE CURRENTLY CASTING OUTGOING AND COMPETITIVE UP-AND-COMING BAKERS WHO WANT THEIR BIG BREAK WITH THE HELP OF THE “CAKE BOSS” HIMSELF!

TLC and Buddy Valastro (The Cake Boss) are looking to launch the career of a promising cake decorator and baker on a new baking competition series. Break into this highly competitive culinary world with the help of Buddy and his team! Do you believe you have the skills and drive to graduate top of your class?

This new baking competition series, hosted by Buddy and team will feature weekly lessons, challenges, and eliminations. 10 hopeful contenders will vie for cash and prizes. No culinary experience required!

If YOU or someone you KNOW can OUT BAKE the competition apply now! Email: jjenkins@highnoontv.com with your story and recent photos".

Janet Ben-Ami's Workshop Rocked!!!

Member/Instructor Chef Janet Ben-Ami shows members how to carve their designer handbag. Janet's classes have been extremely popular in NYC Cake Decorators Meetup. When not teaching, she bakes and decorates amazing cakes and cookies at Hey! Cookie in Long Island.

Janet is a master at cake carving. Shown here is her beautiful designer bag cake in progress.

The proof of Janet's talent and teaching ability is this awesome cake created by member Ines in Janet's workshop! Wow!

Janet is scheduled to teach a Hamburger and Fries Cake workshop, a Chocolate Modeling class, and we have our fingers crossed that she will do an encore Designer Bag Cake class for NYC Cake Decorators in the fall. To obtain more information about Janet's upcoming classes or NYC Cake Decorators Meetup, contact Dina at nyccakedecorators@yahoo.com. Happy Caking!

Member Spotlight: Janet Ben-Ami, Hey! Cookie

Janet sculpting a life-size lion cake! Photo courtesy of Janet Ben-Ami, hey-cookie.com

Member Janet Ben-Ami, Pastry Chef/Owner of hey!cookie has a strong art background but she began her journey in sugarcraft as a culinary chef, working for a caterer on Long Island. Chef Janet would frequently be called upon to "fix" the local baker's wedding cakes. Janet took the Wilton Method of Cake Decorating classes and fell in love with cake decorating. She took additional classes, read books, and practiced every free moment. Janet even taught herself how to bake just so she could decorate! Fortunately for Janet, her boss was extremely generous and let her create desserts for their events so she could practice and perfect this new art. Janet decided to make cake design her career when she realized that instead of reading a novel, she would find herself reading cake decorating books and thinking about cake all the time!

Photo of Janet's leopard cake, courtesy of Janet Ben-Ami, hey-cookie.com

Janet fell into sculpting quite by accident. In fact, in art school, Janet never thought she had a knack for sculpting; she thought of herself more as a painter. Janet began sculpting cakes at the request of her customers and now she looks forward to those 3D cake sculpting projects. In fact, Janet has been called the master of purses, cars, and animals cakes!

Photo of Janet's cute frog cake, courtesy of Janet Ben-Ami, hey-cookie.com

Janet's most difficult 3D cake project was constructing the 5 foot, 3D lion depicted in the first photo. The lion cake had to be transported to New York City from Long Island and delivered to a boat!! YIKES! Needless to say, the cake was the hit of the party! Whew!

Sonic the Hedgehog cake photo, courtesy of Janet Ben-Ami, hey-cookie

Another awesome cake design project was the Sonic the Hedgehog's 15th birthday cake contracted for the Digital Life convention at the Javit's Center in 2007.

Janet's philosophy is always to give each project 100%. Every detail matters. Never sell out. Her mission is to make each customer feel that the success of their event is as important to her as it is to them. One of the obstacles Janet had to overcome in opening her business was the fear of failure. However, the strong and unconditional support of her dream by her family gave Janet the confidence she needed to overcome her fear.

Janet sees more and more requests for sculpted kids' cakes in her business, and she believes that we may see a trend towards more ornate piping and icing work on wedding cakes. The scrumptious confections made at hey!cookie are certified Kosher Dairy (Parve upon request). Hey!Cookie is located at 3264 Hemptead Turnpike, Levittown, New York 11756. You can place an order at 516-796-3033. Good Eating!

Janet is scheduled to teach her amazing cake sculpting techniques at NYC Cake Decorators "Best of the Best" Meetup.