A Haute Blog

The First Haute Stacker Commercial

Posted on September 12, 2018 by Melissa Stephens | 3 Comments

A couple months ago I hired a fantastic local videographer, Nate Gasaway from Goswen Visual Marketing, to create my commercials for Haute Stacker.  Holy Cow! He's AMAZING!  I'm just starting to get some of the preliminary commercials back and couldn't be more happy about how this first one turned out! 

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It's Almost Go Time!

Posted on September 06, 2018 by Melissa Stephens | 0 Comments

 We're hoping to launch Haute Stacker this October! 

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Before I talk about what's it's almost time for...I thought I'd share a picture of one of my first Haute Stacker prototypes.  It's difficult to see, but this is constructed out of plastic writing pens that I cut in pieces using a steak knife, a dessert plate, a cabinet drawer knob, plastic discs, a steel rod I found in dad's garage, and super glue.  The doughnuts are from Dunkin' Donuts and I just snapped this picture while working at The Cordial Cherry.  The stacker is sitting on top of a candle holder from Hobby Lobby...LOVE that place!

Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake tower

Ok...deep breath...

My heart is so full right now...the emotions are all over the place!  Excitement, fear, joy, pride...my goodness!  It's almost time...two years ago I set out on a mission to turn an idea into a product and then try to sell it.  And, now the moment I've been preparing for.  

To be perfectly open and honest...I'm most afraid that I've missed a crucial lesson on how to execute my sales and marketing strategy.  With The Cordial Cherry...I was so naive.  I had no prior business experience...just a recipe that I knew people loved.  It seemed so simple...just make my cherries and turn over the "Open" sign...people will come in and buy things.  Fortunately, among all of my really bad business decisions, I blindly made enough good decisions that I'm still in business (whew!).  I honestly don't feel like I ever had to "sell" my cherries...I just make them as pretty as I can and people buy them!  But, with Haute Stacker...it's different.  I have to actually SELL it!  I have to market and create ads and give demonstrations and present sales pitches...oh geez...selling is NOT my thing...I'm an artist for goodness sake!  

Anyway...I'm going for it!  This summer was a disaster with manufactures.  The new steel tariffs meant unexpected higher costs for the stainless steel post which set me back a couple months.  After reaching out to and meeting with nearly a dozen steel shops, I found one...in my old childhood neighborhood in fact! Long story short...we are preparing to LAUNCH!!!  Here's the hopeful game plan...

1. I think we'll be able to start taking pre-orders by the end of September!  Watch your inbox for an email notification so you can get the Pre-Order Discount and a FREEBIE!

2. I'm headed to New York City!  I'll be conducting demos in front of event planners from all over the world...including corporate event planners from Google, Hubspot, L'Oreal and tons more!  Barbara Corcoran from Shark Tank will even be there!  The event is the first week in October...I'll be sure to post pictures and blog!

3. Planning a LAUNCH PARTY the end of October (date, time, and location TBA).  I'm hoping to have a Facebook live event so that everyone can join in.  I'll share more information as we get closer...(deep breath Missy).

Ok...so that's about it for now...there's so much to do!  

Thank you to everyone who's come in to The Cordial Cherry to see Haute Stacker up close.  Everyone has been so encouraging...I'm so grateful to my customers for all of the support for The Cordial Cherry over the last eight years.  It's because of you that I've been able to live my dream...and now to have your support on this next dream means the world to me.  

P.s.  You'll probably start noticing Facebook and Google ads...please feel free to share and comment and encourage your friends and family to follow Haute Stacker on social media and sign up for the Haute Stacker newsletter!

By for now and more to come soon!

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Blue Ombre Doughnut Cake Tower

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Melissa Stephens | 1 Comment

Create a dramatic cake and floral display with very few cake decorating skills. 

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A No-Baking-Required Cake Tower

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Melissa Stephens | 0 Comments

Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art

Last weekend we had a great turnout for our Mother's Day Chocolate Buffet at The Cordial Cherry.  So many people came out to enjoy tasty chocolates and wine and to support my latest endeavor, Haute Stacker.  With only two prototypes to display, I couldn't show ALL the ways that Haute Stacker can be used, but I was able to at least discuss how it functions and how easily you can assemble a beautiful tower of doughnuts, cakes, cookies, pastries...anything really.  

Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art

People have been stacking towers of cakes for a long time now...virtually every wedding cake is tiered.  I'm always impressed with the incredible artistry (and physics) that goes into creating such an elaborate display.  If you've ever watched a wedding cake get dismantled, you know what I mean about physics.  The construction supporting these grand cakes is impressive.  When I started developing my idea for Haute Stacker, it was certainly top-of-mind the kind of support systems currently available to wedding cake makers, event planners, caterers, and moms who want to create beautiful birthday cakes for their families.  While, initially, I wanted to simply be able to stack doughnuts into a tower without them getting each other sticky or crushing the ones near the bottom, I began to realize all the possibilities.  Haute Stacker can be used to display and serve towering wedding cakes, grand breakfasts, and beautiful pastries too!

Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art

So, last weekend, I tried to give a small glimpse of the possibilities of Haute Stacker, by creating two towers.  One of them showed a simple doughnut tower, using donuts from Dunkin Donuts.  I frosted the sides of some donuts and sprinkled an assortment of candies and glitter, and a few of the donuts, I just tied a simple satin bow around them.  The result was elegant and simple.  This was such an easy doughnut tower to create.  Notice, that the Haute Stacker is sitting on top of a candle holder...you could set on top of almost anything to create a near infinite number of display options!

Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art

For the second display, I wanted to show that you can suspend your Haute Stacker from all sorts of things.  In my case, I hung it from a chandelier to create a very fancy look.  For this one, there are three "cakes"...which are actually, you guessed it...doughnuts!  Again, these are the Old Fashioned donuts from Dunkin Donuts and I simply decorated them as you would any other cake.  For the top one, I frosted the donut with store-bought frosting (Betty Crocker's Whipped Frosting actually), and then wrapped the whole thing with rolled fondant.  I secured the fondant with a ribbon and bow...SIMPLE!  The other two "cakes" were just as easy... The next one was simply frosted and then coated with shredded coconut and finished with a bow.  And for the last one, I just pipped Betty Crocker's Whipped Frosting in little swirls and finished with round candies I found at Target.  

 Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art

For this Haute Stacker display, I wanted to show that you can stack all kinds of things to create a beautiful dessert tower.  I bought some macarons from Whole Foods and Whisk and Measure (an adorable little bakery in Omaha, Ne), Lindt truffles, and Voortman's Wafer Cookies and spray painted them with an edible pearl metallic paint.  Anyone can do this...seriously.  I didn't actually "make" anything in this tower. 

Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art  Haute Stacker doughnut donut cake pastries wedding tower wall art

 

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Satin Powder: Powdered Doughnuts, Raspberries, and Rosemary

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Melissa Stephens | 0 Comments

Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Raspberries Stack

Creating this Haute Stacker display is SUPER easy, takes about 10 minutes, and costs about $12!  That's what I love about the Haute Stacker....you're able to create a beautiful, show-stealing dessert with a tiny effort and expense. 

Here's what you need...

~ One Haute Stacker kit

~ 12 stacker plates: 3" diameter/1.5" high

~ One dozen powdered cake doughnuts from Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, or any doughnut shop really.  If you want to make your own gourmet doughnuts, that will work too of course, but the cost, effort, and time will be different.

~ Hand full of red raspberries rolled in granulated sugar.

~ A few sprigs of Rosemary.

Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Raspberries Stack Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Raspberries Stack  Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Raspberries Stack

Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Raspberries Stack

Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Raspberries Stack

Directions:

1. Sometimes, the doughnuts from Dunkin Donuts are not completely covered in powdered sugar, so if that's the case with your's then just roll them lightly in more powdered sugar.  But honestly, I think this display would look just as pretty if the doughnuts were lightly dusted...I think it would give a "naked cake" look, which is really trending right now.

2. Pick nine of your stacker plates and place a doughnut (donut) on each.  

3. The remaining three stacker plates will be used to arrange your sugared raspberries and rosemary.

4. Slide three stacker plates with doughnuts on first, then an empty one, and alternate in this way until you reach the top.

5. Arrange your sugared raspberries and rosemary on the three empty stacker plates and also at the base.

6. Twist your topper on and place your completed Haute Stacker on a pedestal of your choice.

7.  The red ribbon is optional...I think it adds a Christmas flare to the piece.

 

Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Raspberries Stack
Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Raspberries Stack

I love how versatile this look is...by simply swapping the red raspberries with blackberries and the red ribbon with black ribbon, you create a completely different look!  I included some pictures of this alternative Haute Stacker display.

Let your imagination go wild here...this is where it gets really fun to play with different looks...imagine replacing the berries with strawberries or assorted nuts or candies or truffles or jingle bells...the sky is the limit!  

 

Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Blackberries Stack Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Blackberries Stack Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Blackberries Stack

Haute Stacker Powdered Doughnuts Dunkin Donut Blackberries Stack

 

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The Cordial Cherry * The Shops of Legacy * 16939 Wright Plaza Ste. 143 * Omaha, NE 68130 * 402-679-3011