Have your cake…..

So yes, I’ll be the first to admit that I have badly neglected my little blog.  Sigh…So much for new years resolutions….

But like always I’ve been busy…baking and designing cakes, of course.

What have I actually created, you ask?

In December I was playing with cakes … these little bars are my “just a taste” cakes – when you don’t want a whole cake…but still want the decadence of sweetness.  Hehehe.

I like these cakes the best for their simplicity.  Because I was only trying it out for the first time, all three bars were vanilla and buttercream frosting, but I’m willing to make varieties.

In February there was the Barbie silhouette cake….

And what is Barbie without her accessories?

The Lego cake.

I wanted this unique cake to look like the classic Lego figures had come to life and had decided to cover up a large Lego block in fondant.

Viola!  Lego Cake!

And then I designed the Phineas and Ferb cake for a friend of mine from work for her son.

I had taken the time to paint out the cartoon characters on gum paste.

And I wanted to do the very first episode with the roller coaster….

And of course Phineas and Ferb!

In the lovely month of March, I did a bridal shower cake for a lovely bride-to-be (whom I was honored and privileged to do her wedding cake and cupcakes this past May.)

Which was followed by a Dinosaur birthday cake for another friend of mine, for her little boy….

Yes, Dinosaurs celebrate birthday’s with 3 year old little boys – haven’t you heard?!

Last but not least was a Hiking Boot cake, requested by a gentleman who read my blog (yeah!!!) and simply requested this unique shaped cake for his sister’s birthday.

So there you have the last six months done in up in sweet cakes.

Hoping to bring you more soon.

L

Baby Showers

This past weekend I was asked to create two separate baby shower cakes.  One for an old friend from high school and another for my best friend.  Both blessed with beautiful babies.  A girl and boy respectively.

For my old high school friend, she requested a red velvet and cream cheese cake done up to look like a present in pink and green.  Special Delivery.  Just like her little girl.

Then my best friend, who gave birth to her third child 3 weeks before his actually due date (he really wanted to make an appearance!) was holding a baby shower the same Sunday.  Not only did she need a lot of clothes for this little boy (her previous 2 kids are girls), but she had sold a lot of baby items just previous to discovering her pregnancy.  Hehehe.

It figures, doesn’t it?

I was given free rein on what to design for her.  Knowing that she loves to do cross-stitching in her free time, I happily created a simple cross-stitched center-piece.

After trying to recreate a cross-stitch look of strings on the fondant surface (and helpless flubbing by screwing up the last “e” in Welcome that I tried covering it up with fondant “string”), I have come to the very strong conclusion that I hate cross-stitching and give my best friend a 1000 kudos for her patience in her incredible hobby!

All in all both cakes were well created for two wonderful little individuals, newly arrived in the world.

Welcome!

Chocolate Mud Cupcakes

Hmmmm …. I love cupcakes.  If you’ve been reading my blog, you probably know that already.

So when I came across a recipe for something called CHOCOLATE MUD CAKES … well I couldn’t resist. Could you?  Okay, so the word “mud” in food based items is never an appeal for good eats.  Actually visions of my youth playing in the backyard in muddy pockets of dirt with buckets and pails, pretending to serve up “appetizing” meals come to mind.

I found the recipe through “Planet Cake”

Great book on first time cake decorators with fully illustrated pictures and how-to steps.  And near the beginning of the book is our Chocolate mud cakes recipe.

I used my favourite chocolates for this wonderful recipe:  Cadbury and Ghiradelli.  Yum.

Then assembled all the ingredients together….

Mixing it all together, out came the most incredible chocolate cupcakes I have ever made.  So moist and delicious.

I think the next time I play with these cupcakes – and trust me that will be soon!  I will create a well in the middle and drizzle in some Dulce DeLeche for that extra punch.  MMMmmmm decadence!