Cars, not Trains

We finally finished up the last family birthday this year.  By the time I get to October, I'm partied out.  I like making the cakes.  I love it, but when I've got dinner and gifts and table setting and the entire party to throw, even if it's just family, by the time I get to the cake, I'm out of all desire to do anything else.

My son had been asking for a Thomas the Train cake for weeks, but I didn't want to make it.  I knew he'd be asking where is Percy and Gordon and Diesel and James and every other stupid train that's on that stupid show and I didn't want to use 45 different colors of fondant and have to make a dozen little engines and I knew I'd miss one.  Then  he got this great idea for a Paw Patrol cake. (I shut that one down right away)

So, nice mom that I am, I googled a bunch of Cars cake pictures and convinced him that he wanted a cake with Lightning McQueen ("Li-a-queen" as the 3 year old calls it and he argues with me as to the correct pronunciation.  He can actually say the real name, he just thinks it's wrong).  It's a measly three colors - so much less work than a colorful little train engine (or 12).  I patted myself on the back and went to work.  I think he was still a little disappointed that it wasn't Thomas, but in the end, he liked the cake and wanted to watch the movie the next day.

Here's the idea I knocked off from someone...

It was a fun party and he was a little mad when he ate the front of the car because he couldn't pretend to drive it any more.  I didn't feel bad for him.  I was sad that he destroyed my car.

His sister made him a 3D paper car with a sock monkey driver.  We were all impressed.

 Happy Birthday, little guy!  Welcome to 3. 

a very hungry birthday party

I got to make a cake for a super cute themed birthday party for a sweet little boy's first birthday.  Like almost every mom, she wanted to make her first baby's first birthday an occasion big enough to match the love in her heart for this little person who forever changed the way she sees the world (as if that were even possible). To help celebrate the big day, I had the privilege of making the cake and when she told me what she wanted, I was pretty excited.  And it just so happened that she picked my favorite cake: devil's food with cookies and cream filling, topped with super buttery buttercream.

GOOD HEAVENLY DAY, what a fun cake it was to make! (has that expression taken off yet? GHD!)  Here he is!  I introduce to you...

A Very Hungry Caterpillar

details:

She's a Movie Star!

One of my best customers ordered up a fun cake for her daughter.  I could not have been more pleased when she said it was a movie star themed party, because I immediately had a great idea.  She is one of those great people who gives me a theme or idea and lets me fly with it.  When I have that kind of creative freedom, it gives me a desire to go the extra mile.  The painting details are fun to do and take a little extra time and care, but I think it adds a special touch.

So, for you, dear Kate, I've made a devils food cake with raspberry cream filling.  Hope your birthday makes you feel like a star!

The "granite" is black fondant painted with gray, white and silver flecks.

The gold detail was done with a paintbrush and a mixture of gold shimmer dust and a tiny bit of vodka.  The vodka changes the dust into a liquid paint and also dries faster than water.

all "Tangled" up in birthday cake

I can't believe my oldest baby girl is 5 years old already!  We were going to have only a family party, but then decided we would let her have a very small party and allow her to invite a couple friends and her cousin who lives nearby.  It made for a fairly inexpensive affair and she had so much fun shopping for party favors and filling the bags for each person.

I blame my friend Shanna for this particular cake.  She calls me crazy, but she's the one that gives me all my ideas.  I think she secretly is trying to make me go insane.  I emailed her and asked her for any ideas how to make a Rapunzel/Tangled cake.  She said "how cute would it be to make the tower?"  That said, it was one of those cakes that when it was done, I was nearly dancing around the room, and when we cut into it, a small part of my heart died a bit.  So, thank you, Shanna, for challenging me to be crazy.

In case you're wondering, I made the tower out of Rice Krispies (thank you, Cake Boss), and carved a hole in the middle of my cake to add a little extra support.  There you have it.  It was a big project and lots of fun.  It's 99.5% edible.  The only non-food was the embroidery floss I used for the hair.  It was pretty funny when I walked outside to my husband to say, "I'm sorry I couldn't help sooner, honey, I was busy putting hair on the cake." - To which he replied, "Well, that's just gross."

The best part of the project was working on the flowers and grass with my mother.  She taught me how to make butter cream roses.  It's been a while since my mom and I worked on a project together and it was a relaxing and fun time despite the "work" of it.

White chocolate sprinkles cake with blond cookies and cream filling - per the birthday girl's request.  YUM!

And there you have it!  She's a pretty special girl.