Graduation Cakes

I was lucky enough in the last two weeks to be able to make two graduation cakes for a wonderful person. The first one I told you a little about before.  It was the newspaper design that I came up with.  The graduation girl loved it and even asked if I was making the cake for her party that was on a later date.  So, that is where Cake #2 comes in.  First here is the Newspaper Cake:

It is a red velvet cake with buttercream icing.

This cake was actually very fun to make, except for the red food coloring.  (Anyone who has worked with red food coloring in anything should know what I mean.)  It was very exciting to see what I had sketched on paper come to life.  All the decorations on the cake are done in icing except for the graduation cap which was done in yellow chocolate.

The second cake was much simpler.  It only needed to half the size of the first one and didn't need to red velvet.... (thank god!)  Did I mention, red food coloring and I are not getting along at the moment?  Anyway here is the second cake....

This is a Vanilla White Cake with buttercream icing.

As you can see this is a much simpler cake then the first.  Just like the first one, I made the cap and diploma of out white chocolate.  To make the cap black while the chocolate was still melted I covered it in black sugar crystals.  I also got play a new toy that I bought.  It was the letters.  I know my writing is not the greatest, so I knew I needed some help in that department.  I bought a letter press.  I am able to create any word with the letters and then just press them into the icing.  Then use the impressions as a guide to your writing.  I think I did pretty well, if I say so myself.  I can't wait to try it out again.

My next big project will be for my daughter's 4th birthday.  I still have several ideas running around in my head, so I can't really tell you much yet. But, I promise I will tell and show you all.

Until next time....... Happy Baking!

Snoopy Cake

All went well with the Snoopy Cake for the most part.  After two different cakes and two different icings, it was finally made.  Here is the finished product:

The cake was a vanilla white with buttercream icing.  

I know you must be wondering what happened.  Well, I like to think you are wondering what happened.  Even if you aren't I am going to tell you anyway.  I ended up making  two cakes and two different icings.

The first cake came together very well and baked with no problem.  So, I didn't think much of it.  Well, even the best bakers have goofs.  I turned the cake out of the pan to finish cooling on the rack.  Let's just say half the cake didn't want to leave its warm home of the pan.  The cake tasted great, it just wasn't in one piece.  So, my daughter's teachers got vanilla cake pops dipped in milk chocolate as an end of the year thank you gift.  Hey, I couldn't let a good cake go to waste. Back to the mixer I went.  The second cake was nice and came out its home.  So, I am thinking.... Phew, all good..... WRONG!

I thought I would make a whipped icing instead of my normal buttercream because I wanted Snoopy to be a brighter white.  Stupid me.... I need to learn to stay with I do best.  For whatever reason, the whipped icing did not want to set up right nor no matter how much sweet I added to it, it never tasted right.  Needless to say, I ended up making my buttercream icing instead.  

In the end all was good and Snoopy went to a good home.  He was loved by all.

As a small side note I did start writing this entry on May 30.  Sorry I got a little side tracked with another cake I was making and forgot to finish.  But, it is here now.  And very soon I will have two cakes to write about.

Until next time....... Happy Baking!

Transformer Birthday Cake!

I was lucky enough to make a special little boy his birthday cake.  He wanted a Transformer cake.  So, I got to buy a new toy, a Transformer shaped cake pan.   Here is the final product:

The cake was a white cake with buttercream icing.  The entire cake was done with a No. 3 star tip.

I was told by the mother that the boy was very happy and thought it was very cool.  She also informed me that every one kept asking her where she got the cake, so she was great PR for me that day and handed out my business cards to everyone.  Keep you fingers crossed for me that I start getting more orders.

I also found out today that the Italian Cream Cake were also a big hit.  One woman said she loved it and she doesn't really care Italian Cream Cake. I was very happy to hear this since this was my first time making it. 

Until next time....... Happy Baking!

My Latest Creation

This past weekend was a friend of mine son's birthday.  She asked me to make the cupcakes for his party.  I, of course said yes.  The request was for a white cake and Iron Man theme.  This was my first time making a white cake from scratch.  I think I did pretty well.  I was also asked to make a icing that was not as sweet, so I went with a cream cheese icing.  I was able to find both Iron Man paper cups and cupcake picks.  I decided to have two different color icings.  One was red and the other was golden yellow.  Here is the final result.......

Everyone was happy with how they looked and tasted. (Hopefully, I'll be able to do her daughter's birthday cake next month.... hint hint)

This weekend I have several things going on.  I have Mom's Night, Breakfast with Santa and a work holiday feast.  I have decided to make a strawberry margarita cake and apple enchiladas for the Mom's night.  I am making a quiche for the breakfast.  And lastly the work holiday is still up in the air.  I have a few ideas, just not sure which to do yet.  I'll let you know when I do.

Until next time..... Happy Baking!