Thursday, February 25, 2010

Words Fail (a Cake Wreck)

I am by no means professional. I was pretty much self-taught until I took two Wilton classes last fall. I've only made silly/cutesy cakes. I wanted to try something new and classy.



I also decided to try a new recipe at the same time as being new and exciting with the decorating.



I am an idiot.

The cake itself was very tasty. I got this recipe from Cake Central. It was like eating a soft Oreo. The problem was they all broke coming out of the pans. All 4. In the soft cake, I placed a strawberry filling. Then I decided to try a new icing recipe; chocolate ganash. So, new cake, filled with strawberry, & new icing.

All is well, sort of, until I try to ice it with buttercream. The broken parts broke even further. The cakes were leaning. The home made fondant was sticking, the ganache was oozing from under the fondant. ARGH!!!!

I gave up.






I didn't want red icing. I wanted a red ribbon, but the ganache made it impossible.

It's also "bowl-shaped because there was no way to carve this cake level. It tore.

Words failed me. Oh wait. They didn't.





If at first you don't succeed...


pitch a fit, swear you're never trying a fancy cake again and go to bed angry.

Then wake up, breathe and know you will try again.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Hello Kitty Cookies

First, you order some cookie cutters. From Japan. Not kidding. Overpriced but what can I say, I wanted them. :)



The smaller cookie cutter is a set that has feet which are supposed to slide into the body. We baked, cooled and iced the cookies. Here are the feet.











There's that tongue again. :)










Cookies don't bake exactly the same, so you are never going to get the feet exactly the same every time. Getting these to stand was a chore.









When all is done.......Om Nom Nom!!



Sunday, February 7, 2010

Superbowl Party Cake

We were invited to a Superbowl Party. Now, we none are sports fans (except for me, and pretty much only when it involves my Alma Mater, the Florida Gators.) We're going for the food and company.


I offered up a carrot cake, as its been the cake of choice these past two weeks. I decided to add a little fun to the cake.



Say Hello to the New Orleans Saints fan. Cool hair, eh?



This is a ratty couch. Hey, it's my first couch, give me a break. :)



Here are bug-eyed lady and her man, Saints Fan.



At their feet are some snacks, cups and a Colts football cap.













Here is Mr. Colts Fan, standing up, holding his arms aloft. What is he whooping at? Why is Mr. Saints Fan pointing? WHAT are they looking at?
















This.












The frosting's ugly, but I still like it!

Be it the Colts or the Saints, I hope everyone has a fun time watching the game this evening.


A Topper for a Friend

Remember the birthday cake I made for my friend Jose? Click here. I made the cake for him on his actual birthday, which landed on a Wednesday. His wife threw him a 40th birthday party yesterday, Saturday. She had saved the "Jose" topper and gave it to the person making Jose's cake for the party, asking her to put it on the cake.


Jose's wife Nelly calls me on my cell as I am driving home from work on Friday, and asks me if I could please make a figurine of her so she could place it on the cake next to Jose's figurine.

Here she is, without her teeth.







Here she is, almost assembled.







The problem with gumpaste is that it needs more than 24 hours to harden. I had less than that to get it made and to her, so I was very worried.




At the party, we placed the topper on the cake and propped her up because she was stil soft. Nelly loved her!