From Childcare to Award-Winning Cake Decorator

What first started off as a hobby may soon turn into a change of careers for Castro Valley local Misti Short.

This 26-year veteran childcare worker recently won first place in the intermediate division for her cakes, sugar art, "Best in Show" and "Peoples' Choice" in the Contra Costa Cake and Sugar Art Society's (CCCSAS) Sixth Annual Show Competition.

"That was a huge accomplishment for an amateur," she said. "That means my cake was picked by the people over the professional cakes! How exciting is that?!"

Last year, there was no limit to how many cakes that could be entered. Her Rapunzel cake had won "Peoples' Choice" and first place in her division.

This year, CCCSAS only allowed competitors to enter one cake into the competition. However, all year long Short planned to make four seperate cakes: a dragon, a ship, a wedding cake and a safari cake. After not being able to decide which of the four to make, Short was able to do all of them by making the theme of the cake reflect her building the cake itself. If you look closely in the photo above, you'll see a tiny "Misti" hard at work.

Molding this dream into reality

Two years ago, she convinced her husband, Brian, to take a cake decorating class with her at Michael's in San Leandro.

"While in the first class, I whispered into my husband's ear and said: I think I'm good at this and he said 'I think so too,'" she said.

After that first class, she went home and made a triple chocolate cookies-and-cream ice cream cake shaped as the Oakland Raiders logo for friends. They were floored over its taste and appearance.

From then on, she was hooked.

She went on to make a bassinet cake (pictured above) after using only a few techniques she learned from the class. Short said she learns a lot of new tricks from searching online. She claims this obsession with cake decorating is constantly on her mind.

"Sometimes I get an idea in my head about a cake and I cant sleep unless I get up and draw my idea. I have so much in me I just need the excuse and opportunity to make my creations."

In January 2011, she took her passion for cake decorating a tier higher by flying out to Chicago for a master course in cake decorating. It was there where she got to learn a lot on piping and sugar flowers.

"My goal is to share my talent, work very hard and compete against some amazing talent and just hope for the best," said Short.

She also hopes to soon share her cakes with others by opening up a cake shop in San Leandro. She was unable to give much detail because it is still in the works, but said she hopes it will open by the end of 2012.

"This is a perfect example of why one should continually try new things," Short said. "You never know where you might find a new talent!"

To see more of Misti Short's cakes, click here to see her Facebook page.

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