The Cake Cow

Eagles Cupcakes

2011-11-19T21:21:00.000-08:00

My friend's son recently turned 16. He's a big Philadelphia Eagles fan and she wanted cupcakes for his party so this is what I came up with:

And before I get snotty emails or comments, I am well aware that the Eagles are not affiliated with Dallas. But that happens to be the Birthday Boy's name. :P

Cupcakes are chocolate with my signature buttercream. Decorations are marshmallow fondant, except for the black and white accents - those are buttercream. I got lucky on this one since I have a shirt-shaped cutter and an oval for the footballs. Ended up hand-cutting the Eagle heads but I really liked how they turned out so they were worth the effort.

Solar System

2011-09-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

I made this cake for my neighbor's daughter, who is also one of our best babysitters. The Birthday Girl is interested in all things outer space (here's a previous cake). Lately, her interests have expanded to include the entire solar system, so of course I made it into cake

The base is a chocolate cake, frosted with buttercream. The sun is streaked buttercream. The planets are actually candy covered in marshmallow fondant. (And? These were really fun to make! I might have to convince more people that their cakes need there…"Ya know what would make this Hello Kitty cake perfect? Planets. Just around her face.")

Here's a little closer look. The asteroid belt is made from Raisinettes and the stars are shimmery white sprinkles. I could not believe that my local grocery store didn't carry dragees*! What is this world coming to??

* Don't be too confused. Three years ago, I called them "edible BBs" or "those silver ball thingies."

Toy Story Cupcakes

2011-09-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

"To Infinity, and Beyond!"

These cupcakes were for my friend's baby shower (because they were decorating the nursery with a Toy Story theme, focusing on Buzz Lightyear) but they would be great for a first birthday or even an older Toy Story fan. Hey, 40 is not too old to have an alien cupcake!

The cupcakes were vanilla almond with my signature buttercream piped on top. Toppers are all marshmallow fondant (except for black details, which are buttercream).

I had a lot of fun making these! And the aliens are my favorite. I contemplated not bringing them to the shower and just encasing them in varnish so they would last forever.

Rose Cake

2011-08-24T18:19:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of I Am Baker. Adore her. Worship the spatula she mixes with. Naming my next child after her (which would be huge except that we're done having kids). I am in awe over how she can take a ordinary tip and then produce these amazingly creative cakes. When I first saw her Rose Cake Tutorial, I knew I had to make it but waited for the right recipient. Then one of Boo's friends had a birthday and requested a chocolate cake that was fancy and pretty but mostly chocolate.

While not as perfect as I Am Baker's, it's not too bad and looked rather pretty. I mixed chocolate frosting with pale pink buttercream in the same decorating bag. It took a few tries to get the mix right so the flowers came out like I imagined.

The rose process was easier than it looks - and it looks pretty easy. And if you don't like how a rose turned out? Just go over it again! Next time, I'll make the pink a little darker…the color looked almost ivory when mixed with the chocolate.

Carpet Cleaner

2011-08-24T18:04:00.000-07:00

My friend's husband runs a carpet cleaning business so in honor of his birthday, I re-created a cake brought his work home with him. Because I'm sure he would just love that, right?

A standard 9x13 chocolate cake with buttercream frosting in two different tones: regular chocolate for the "dirty" carpet and light chocolate for the "clean" carpet. The steam cleaner head is also made from cake, frosted with tinted buttercream. The wife supplied the props from the items frequently found on her own carpet: plastic creatures, fruit snacks, building blocks, Mr. Potato Head parts, and crushed crackers.

Tennis Court

2011-07-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

Aunt Denise celebrated her birthday and I got to make the cake! She likes tennis. A lot. So I usually go with some sort of tennis theme.

The cake is her favorite chocolate cake baked into a 9x13 pan, frosted with her favorite chocolate recipe. And then I go crazy decorating the top. With more buttercream as the lines and grass. I used melted almond bark and semi-sweet chocolate to make the tennis net. I might have gotten a little too caught up in getting the lines on the court proportional...it took me nearly an hour to finish those! But Aunt Denise loved it and that's what's important.

Hot Lips

2011-07-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Girl would be spending her Sweet Sixteenth birthday at camp so her mom surprised her with a party, complete with a giant cake.

The main cake is chocolate and vanilla marbled pound cake, with a buttercream filling. It's then frosted in buttercream with Hershey's kisses and drop flowers as the border. The lips are another matter...

I'm still getting the hang of carving cake into the desired shape. This is more of the pound cake baked in an oval, frozen, and then carved to look like lips. I used red marshmallow fondant to cover, then brushed over that with red luster dust. Not perfect, but my toddler could tell what it was supposed to be and that's good enough for me.

Bigfoot

2011-07-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Boy happens to be a fan of Bigfoot, so much so that he's a member of the local research association seeking Sasquatch. Not many people know this. What better way to out your husband's quirky hobby than with a giant cake at his 40th birthday party?

The interior is a marbled chocolate and vanilla pound cake with chocolate buttercream filling. Toes are covered in marshmallow fondant (even the toenails) and the rest of chocolate buttercream fur.

This was also my first attempt at carving a cake, even though there wasn't all that much to carve. I made this on very short notice but I think it might just be one of my new favorites.

Carnival Tent with Popcorn Cupcakes

2011-05-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

My friend's daughter wanted a carnival theme cake. No problem.

The tent is made using rounds with a Wilton Wonder Mold on top. The birthday girl is not a big fan of fondant so I frosted the cake in buttercream and used marshmallow fondant only for the details: stripes and curtains.

Now, the cupcakes were my favorite part! Just bake ordinary cupcakes and frost them with white buttercream. Then open a bag of mini marshmallows. Using kitchen shears (or another pair of clean scissors), snip about halfway down the end, turn 90 degrees and snip again, making four nubs. Slightly squoosh the nubs down and then affix to the cupcake. It'll take you 25-30 marshmallows per cupcake so I recommend gang-pressing your eldest child to marshmallow snipping duty. I finished it off with a spray of yellow food coloring. The cupcakes were baked in ordinary wrappers. I used real popcorn bags, trimmed down and wrapped around the cupcakes. You could also use red and white striped liners with popcorn stickers or labels you make yourself.

Giant Sandwich

2011-05-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

If you know my family, then you know that the Boy is a picky eater. But not just any picky eater; he's possibly the pickiest one I've ever met. His list of acceptable foods includes most breakfast items, baked treats, and peanut butter and honey sandwiches. And all those articles and methods for getting your kids to eat more foods? Yeah, tried them all...none worked. So when his birthday came around, I knew exactly what I wanted to make for his cake.

I used a square cake pan, trimmed out the top and torted it. While the filling certainly looks like peanut butter, it's actually a light chocolate frosting because he won't eat peanut butter frosting. I just added a little yellow and it look identical to his lunch. The honey is piping gel very faintly colored with yellow and carefully drizzled along the edges. Kinda wish I cut the sandwich into his usually set of four triangles...

Tiered Cow

2011-04-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

Still, the keyword search that brings the most visitors to my cake blog is "cow cake." At least I finally have a cow cake to show them! But one is never enough...

This little cow figurine was tricky and I admit I cheated a little by using fondant for the head. But don't try cutting into the body...that's not all frosting!

I used buttercream because the birthday girl doesn't like fondant (maybe next year I can convince her to try the marshmallow fondant). Inside was my dark chocolate cake with fudge filling.

The Hunger Games

2011-04-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

I loved the book by Suzanne Collins so when my friend Debbie announced a cake contest on her blog with entries inspired by books, I knew this was for me.

I made the mockingjay pin from yellow fondant. The quote on the top reads "I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun." It's a quote from the main character, Katniss Everdeen. The sides are decorated with flames, a symbol of the "girl on fire" and there are the words from a song Katniss sings to a fallen competitor/friend. If you haven't read the book, then this cake might not make a lot of sense but I had a good time making it!

Inside is dark chocolate and vanilla marble. The frosting is also dark chocolate buttercream (because that's easiest to make black).

Results of the contest: This cake didn't win. Actually, it lost to one of my other cakes, the Monster Book of Monsters. :)

Chocolate Ganache

2011-03-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to work with is ganache. It's chocolately, smooth, and so pretty. What's not to love?

Ganache is also pretty easy to make, with only two main ingredients. You've got a filling, coating, or a luscious fondue dip. My favorite? The coating. If you mess up, you just pour on another layer, or add a strategically placed decorations. No worries.

Wanna learn? Here we go...

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup whipping cream

Using a good quality saucepan, heat up the cream on medium heat. Keep on eye on it and stir it regularly, scrapping the bottom. Don't want to scorch it.
Once you have you have a good simmer going, add the chocolate chips and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Using a whisk, mix until smooth.

Now, you've got a few options at this point.

If you're going for a filling, like truffles or between layers of cake, let the mixture cool before popping it into the fridge until it's solid, then beat it in a stand mixture. A hand mixer might not be up to the task. Make sure you keep it cool. If it starts to get too soft while you're working with it, just tuck it back into the refrigerator.

For a coating, you might want to add a tablespoon of corn syrup. It gives it a nice shiny finish and the spreading goes a little smoother. You're gonna wanna keep it warm but not necessarily on the stove. That will cause it to separate and get yucky. Place your crumb-coated cake on a wire rack with a clean pan underneath to catch the drips. Pool the ganache on top and let it spread out over the edge, using a spatula to guide it where it needs to go. Once it's covered, shake the rack a little to help smooth out the drips. Let the layer set up and then go for another coat, if you like.

Fondue is a lovely treat, also. For a simple dessert, slice up some apples, pound cake, and anything else you like dipped in chocolate (which for me is just about everything...except bananas). You can pour the chocolate into a fondue pot and keep it warm, but just turn the heat a little low.

Need more ganache? Double the recipe! Just keep the chocolate and cream in equal parts.

Enjoy!

Team Werewolf

2011-02-02T15:47:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you know that I am slightly obsessed with werewolves, so when my favorite babysitter said she'd love a werewolf-themed cake for her birthday...well, I was all over that.

Cute, huh? I used the Stand-up Cuddly Bear pan and just made a few adjustments. I even gave him a bushy tail in the back. Inside, his furry exterior is chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream.

Tablet Layer Cake

2011-02-02T14:38:00.000-08:00

I made this cake for my father-in-law, a doctor. He had a big birthday while visiting recently so I asked him how he'd like his cake decorated and he said "a pill." We both laughed; funny joke. Then I presented him with this:

The pill is labeled "Grandpaxil" and it's a 60 mg tablet...because I didn't have enough candles. Inside, it's a vanilla cake with my signature buttercream frosting. Now, take two slices and call me in the morning.

Dirt Bike Mountain

2010-11-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

This was requested by a friend's son who has, sadly, left the Lightning McQueen stage. He saw this cake in a Family Fun magazine and insisted this was the one he wanted.

I used donut holes, chocolate cereal, pretzel sticks, pretzel rods, and fruit roll-ups for this cake. And why is it nearly impossible to find solid colored fruit roll-ups? Makes my job harder. Inside is dark chocolate cake covered with my lovely chocolate buttercream.

The red toolkit and gas can came with the dirt bike and rider. Besides those and the two toothpicks holding the bike in place, the entire cake is edible.

Ladybug with Flower Cupcakes

2010-11-27T17:11:00.001-08:00

I made this cake for my neighbor friend who collects all things ladybug.

Chocolate cake frosted with my signature buttercream.

Graveyard Cake

2010-11-27T16:50:00.000-08:00

For her birthday this year, Boo wanted a Halloween party, since her big day is pretty close. No problem! I love that holiday. Now, getting her to decide on what she wanted for the cake was a lot trickier. She wanted ghosts and pumpkins and scary and headstones and chocolate. Oooookay...

Luckily, I found a cake posted on CakeCentral.com that was perfect.

Headstones and ghosts are marshmallow fondant. Trees are melted chocolate (and were surprisingly easy to make!). Inside is marbled vanilla and dark chocolate cake.

Chocoholic Birthday

2010-10-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

I made this cake for a sweet young lady whose only request was that it be chocolate. I might have taken that to the extreme...

Inside, this is a dense, fudgey chocolate cake, filled with a healthy dollop of milk chocolate buttercream, frosted in the same buttercream and then coated twice with dark chocolate ganache. The curls are also dark chocolate. The initial is marshmallow fondant (not white chocolate, because white chocolate is an abomination). The next time I make this cake - because there will be a next time - I plan to alternate the two layers of ganache between dark and milk chocolate.

A tall glass of milk is highly recommended.

Python

2010-09-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I was pretty excited when a friend said her son was having a reptile party. Of course he wanted a snake cake. Since Scale and Tails put on the show, I attempted to model the cake after one of their actual snakes: Squish, a Burmese Python. It's not a perfect match, of course. I claim artistic license...cake is art, right?

Originally, I thought I would use a smooth buttercream frosting but decided to use stars instead, hoping it would look more like scales.

Inside, we have Magic cake in vanilla, chocolate, and green. Outside is my signature buttercream frosting. The entire cake is edible. (Missing from this picture is the red forked tongue I added just before delivering.)

Assorted Cupcakes

2010-07-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

I tried to come up with some simple to fancy cupcakes with a turquoise/calla lily theme.

Clockwise from the top: star tip with fondant initial, star swirl with green sugar crystals, round tip, white marshmallow fondant with marshmallow fondant lily, marshmallow fondant with fondant and buttercream initials, marshmallow fondant with cornelli lace in buttercream.

Elmo Round

2010-07-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

I know I totally bucked the trend by not making Elmo's face into the usual oval-ish shape. Considering how I had a very short amount of time to pull this cake off, I think he looks just fine.

The eyes are made from giant jawbreakers. Everything else is cake and buttercream frosting. And yes, I made my own red frosting without completely losing my mind. I think I might be getting the hang of this whole cake thing.

Firetruck

2010-07-03T22:28:00.001-07:00

How have I decorated cakes for friends for some many years and never made a firetruck?!? I made this one rather quickly for a party the Co-ed was having. Unfortunately, I was in such a hurry to get it delivered that I neglected to bring my camera.

Inside is dark chocolate cake, covered in my signature buttercream, with Oreo cookie wheels and Dots candies as the sirens. There were some pretty cool accents on the back of the truck to resemble all the knobs and dials on a real firetruck.

Tennis Ball

2010-07-03T22:24:00.001-07:00

I made this cake for a tennis fanatic. And when I say "fanatic," I mean that in the truest sense of the word!

This seemed a fitting tribute for her birthday. Inside is a lovely chocolate cake, covered in my signature buttercream.

Here Kitty, Kitty

2010-05-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

I made this cake for a friend's daughter. They originally sent me a picture from one of my favorite cake-inspiration sites, Coolest Birthday Cakes. The Birthday Girl wanted a cat cake. I had a few additional ideas up my sleeve.

Although the directions said the ears would be held on by frosting alone, I wasn't convinced and opted to use a little toothpick support. But everything else is edible. White accents and pink collar are marshmallow fondant (MMF). Black accents are regular fondant. The rest is good ol' buttercream.

Are you wondering what kind of cake was inside?

Another version of my Magic cake!

Lego Bricks

2010-05-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

The Boy is more than casually interested in all things Lego so it was pretty easy picking a theme for his birthday party. The big problem was figuring out how to make the cake.

Before I started, I used a couple of the actual bricks to make a model of what I wanted with the colors I intended to use (and it was really fun playing with them). Then I used a mini loaf pan to make the individual bricks, frosted them with buttercream, popped on a couple smooshed mini marshmallows, and then covered it with marshmallow fondant (MMF).

Serving the cake was pretty easy, too. Inside, the cake is chocolate chocolate chip.

Read the post about the party here.

Moo Cow

2010-04-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

Did you know the number one search phrase that brings folks to my site is "cow cake" from any search engine? It's true! And despite the fact that I call myself the Cake Cow, I've never made an actual cow cake...until now!

Ain't she sweet? I used the Stand-up Cuddly Bear pan and then carved down the ears for the horns, trimming off the face to make room for the cow's nose. The ears are made from black fondant and attached with toothpicks. I think I'll add more black spots on the next one and change the eyes. Poor thing looks a little freaked out.

Inside, she's dark chocolate cake with my signature buttercream frosting.

Footprint Cupcakes

2010-04-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

I made these for a baby shower for a good friend who, after three beautiful girls, is having a little boy! I originally saw these in Wilton's Cupcake Fun book and then tweaked the design.

These are dark chocolate cupcakes with vanilla marshmallow fondant (MMF). The original design called for using the smaller ends of icing tips to cut out all the toes but with three dozen cupcakes, that's a LOT of toes! After slaving away over the blue ones, I opted to use buttercream frosting for the white toes. And I may just insist on doing it that way from now on!

Super Mario Cupcakes

2010-04-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

In my efforts to post more of my cupcakes, I decided I needed more cupcakes worth posting. Then I saw a set of cupcakes made by Lorie at Be Different...Act Normal (one of my favorite sites to get lost on the Internet). And it just so happened that my friend's Wii-obsessed son was having a birthday!

I had a little too much fun making these! I used marshmallow fondant for the toppers. The smooth look is so pretty to me. Now I need an excuse to make more...

The cupcakes are Naturally Nora's Surprising Stars.

Dinosaurs!

2010-04-13T19:13:00.000-07:00

I attempted another Frozen Buttercream Transfer. The cake was ordered for the day after we would be returning from our Spring Break trip. Birthday Boy adores dinosaurs (this is the third dino-themed cake I've made for him!), specifically Stegosaurus and T-Rex, and asked for a chocolate cake.

This time around, I used thinner frosting to fill in, more vibrant colors, and more detail. After the image was on the cake, I added the tree and plants for more dimension. Looks better than the first attempt, I think. There may be hope for me yet!

The cake is dark chocolate with chocolate buttercream.

Chocolate Roses

2010-04-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

It was the Co-ed's 21st birthday! And in the years past, I've made some rather silly cakes (including a pickle-inspired (but not flavored!) cake that didn't make it on my blog). I decided this year, I should go for pretty and sophisticated.

The roses I made using chocolate marshmallow fondant. Covered in marshmallow fondant, the cake inside is my strawberry cake.

Sleepy Head

2010-04-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

I made a birthday cake for the Co-ed's BFF, who we've pretty much adopted while she's in college. Whenever I asked her to name her favorite things, she would answer "my bed" or "sleep." So I made her bed and let her sleep in it.

The green blanket is marshmallow fondant, over pink buttercream sheets. Inside is a marbled vanilla/chocolate cake.

(I cleaned up the green blankets a little better but didn't get a better picture, sorry!)

Wii Remote

2010-03-13T21:40:00.001-08:00

I made a birthday cake for a boy turning 13. When I asked him about what he'd like, he said "Video games." Well, hey! I could handle that!

The inside is chocolate chocolate chip with marshmallow fondant.

Read the blog post about the process here.

Noah's Ark

2010-02-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

Every now and then, I make a cake that I just hate to give away. It pains me to know that it's going to be cut up and eaten, even if that's what a cake is for. Well, my first Noah's Ark cake was like that...I had to quickly leave the house after setting up the cake because I was already fighting the urge to yank off the hippos and run away.

See what I mean? Those hippos are just too cute! I didn't want to give all the girl animals pink bows (and eyelashes were beyond my skills - believe me, I tried) so the girl hippo is clutching a tiny pink rose in her mouth. I miss her.

But those giraffes gave me fits. The next time this cake is ordered, I am charging extra for giraffes!

This is the back of the cake. Maybe I've been watching too many Food Network cake challenges but I've started adding little personal touches to the backs of all my cakes.

The cakes are chocolate chocolate chip with a fudge filling. The ocean layer is frosted with buttercream. Animal occupants are all fondant. The ark is covered in marshmallow fondant. This was my first time using the marshmallow fondant and I think I am in love! Finally, a fondant that you don't have to peel off in order to enjoy the cake!

Magic Cupcakes

2010-02-23T12:58:00.000-08:00

I make a LOT of cupcakes and for some reason, I never post them. My most recent batch was definitely worthy of a blog entry!

They look innocent enough. Lovely shade of blue. Simple enough sprinkles in either green or purple. You might be thinking, "Swell cupcakes there, Jessica G. Now let's see some real cake!" But no, my friends...take a look inside:

Pretty cool, right? I may never go back to solid color cupcakes ever again.

Balloons

2010-02-15T15:53:00.000-08:00

I made this cake rather quickly for a little boy turning three. His only birthday request? "Balloons."

The balloons are fondant (because I figured that was the easiest way to get them smooth) and the rest is buttercream. Inside, I used Naturally Nora's Surprising Stars.

Jungle Monkey

2010-02-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

All the birthday girl wanted was a jungle cake, maybe with a monkey on it. Such a simple request that of course I had to go all crazy on the cake...

It's a vanilla cake with vanilla almond buttercream frosting, an oval set on an 8-inch round. The weird little monkey on top was made from softened Tootsie Rolls. I've used those for smaller, thinner structures but be warned! A large mass like the body has a tendency to slump. I was constantly remolding that thing, even hours later. The head, arms, legs, and tail were no trouble, thankfully. But I have to say, I love the back of this cake the most:

I had such a wide open space, it called out for something a little different. The sections of the banana trees are softened Tootsie Rolls. The bananas and other fruit are Runts candies. And - as usual - everything is edible.

*Thanks, Cheryl, for the pictures!

Another version with more jungle animals for a baby shower (the back was the same):

Very Merry Go Round

2010-01-04T15:17:00.000-08:00

Since Baby is essentially a Christmas baby and will hate the lack of year-round gifts for most of her life, I chose a completely seasonal theme for her birthday now, since she won't remember it enough to hate me for it later. And really, what can you do at a party for a one-year-old?

We had a Cookie Swap!

In lieu of gifts, friends were asked to bring 2-3 dozen cookies to share. The invitations were adorable (because I designed them) and were inspired by gingerbread. So I thought it only fitting that the cake should follow suit.

And I will say this: there is a shocking lack of Christmas cookie-themed cakes on the Internet.

Then I found the Very Merry Go Round cake on Wilton.com. It was perfect!

But with all those cookies, I didn't think too many people would really want cake so I made it miniature in scale, with the top tier a 4-inch round over a 6-inch round. And what sort of smash cake do you serve with a cake like that? Why, another gingerbread man, of course!

Cakes were dark chocolate with a lovely chocolate buttercream.

Butterfly Fondant

2009-12-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite babysitters had a birthday and I got to make her a cake! She loves butterflies and really liked my Pink Fondant cake. I combined the two ideas to make something just for her.

The top tier is four inches on a six inch tier; tiny by normal standards but the petite scale added to the effect. And a big THANK YOU to my parents who sent me those tiny butterfly cookie cutters for my birthday! They were perfect!

Vanilla fondant over dark chocolate cake.

Princess Dora Transfer

2009-12-10T22:52:00.000-08:00

I wanted to learn a new method I saw on my buddy's blog that she called a Frozen Buttercream Transfer. It looked fun and just might speed up the decorating process.

Here's the finished result:

I liked the colors and the overall look is nice enough. Unfortunately, I'm far too slow when it comes to decorating so this process did not make a difference. (And I think it looks like a cake from Costco.) I can only see myself using this again if: a) the client begged me or b) my schedule was slammed and I could make this a couple days before the cake was due.

Double chocolate chip cake underneath all that yummy frosting.

Name this Cake

2009-11-11T19:40:00.000-08:00

I made a cake for a good friend who was celebrating a big birthday. She didn't really want a decorated cake but maybe something more on the fancy side. We've all seen those cakes in magazine and bakeries that use rolled cookies all around the sides for decoration. I wanted to try one of those.

Inside, there's a dense chocolate cake. The filling is chocolate hazelnut (like a fluffy Nutella spread). Chocolate buttercream covering the cake is almond flavored (because I am addicted and would put that stuff in my cereal if I thought it would make it taste better). The cookies are the Chocolate Hazelnut variety. And, of course, dark chocolate shavings on top (although I think I might go with milk chocolate in the future to give it more of a curl).

On top, I sprinkled a little gold luster dust for some sparkle but I thought it ended up looking more like graham cracker crumbs. Also, I had planned to tie the cake with a gold-edged ribbon but it seemed to fade into the cookies so I opted for burgundy (also because it was the only other wide ribbon I had, besides zebra-striped).

So what do you think? What would you call it?

Cookie Ring doesn't quite fit.
Nuts for Hazelnuts was another suggestion.
Hazelnut Heaven is kinda cute.

Tiny Cake

2009-11-10T20:51:00.000-08:00

My Boo is a tiny little girl. No worries. Dynamite comes in small packages, right? So when it came time to plan her birthday party, Martha Stewart's Tiny Party seemed a natural fit.

Since a tiny cake isn't going to feed everyone, the Birthday Girl got her own cake and the guests could select a cupcake.

Per the Birthday Girl's request, this is a 4-inch dark chocolate cake, frosted in buttercream with royal icing flowers.

Birthday guests got mini cupcakes with the same flowers. There were also Mini Oreos, Mini M&Ms, Baby Goldfish, and scoops of ice cream made with a melon baller.

Read about party games and other activities here.

Police Car

2009-10-19T23:06:00.000-07:00

I made this cake for a neighbor friend.

Actually, the Boy gave me the idea for the sirens. He brought home a bag of candy from preschool (a typical "snack" there...don't get me started) and proceeded to divide out the pink, blue, and green candies. He gave me the blue ones (because blue is my favorite color), he ate the green ones (because green is his favorite color), and when his sister got home from school, he gave her the pink ones (you get the idea). However, she didn't much care for the cherry-flavored tootsie rolls and gave them back to him. While I worked on the car cake, he carefully unwrapped each candy and then handed them all to me in one big sticky clump.

"Here, Mommy," he said cheerfully, "maybe you can use this for your cake!"

At that point, I still hadn't decided how I was going to do the sirens. I didn't want to use all frosting so I though I'd frost a Kit Kat, then use decorator gel to get a shiny look but I was out of that candy (soooo unlike me). I had been weighing the pros and cons of waking up Baby to make a run to the store when I got the Boy's little gift. The right color, already shiny, and easy to mold into shape. Perfect!

The "spare tire" was for the Birthday Boy's candle.

Rock the Cradle

2009-09-22T14:39:00.000-07:00

Background story (because it's my blog and I like to talk!): I met this amazing woman through blogging who is adopting a baby boy. The baby will be born soon so it was time for a shower! I was so excited to make the cake but like I said, she's completely wonderful so no ordinary shower would do. The shower hostess - of comparable fabuosity - selected a Rock the Cradle theme. My cakes are "cute" and she wanted something that was more along the lines of "awesome." And in fondant. I really tried not to panic.

Everything is edible, except the baby booties on top. It's hard to tell from the photos but the cake was a sparkly metallic silver. And I have to say...I think I am in love with these roses!

Inside, the cake was a new combination that I call "Neapolitan," made from one layer of dark chocolate cake and one layer of french vanilla with strawberry filling. It was nice enough but I might tweak it a little.

The Monster Book of Monsters

2009-09-22T14:27:00.001-07:00

I loved this cake! It was hard to part with it.

Inspired by the fierce textbook from Harry Potter, there are plenty of cake versions online. Very few of them were furry, which I found odd. The Birthday Boy's parents sprinkled shredded pieces of paper around the cake as part of the display.

And as if that weren't enough...check out the inside:

Pretty cool, eh? I've seen this done online a couple different times but never with any directions. I happened to be feeling a bit adventurous while designing this cake and decided to try it. I call it "Magic Cake" (possibly "Rainbow" if it's for a girl) and I'd love to hear your feedback. Would you (or your kids) be more interested if the inside looked like this? The flavor is a mild vanilla.

Shooting Star

2009-09-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Inspired by another cake, I made this for one of my babysitters. She loves moons, stars and the colors blue and yellow so I thought it was a good fit. Lately, I've felt like I was in a cake rut, always making the same things in the same colors. I wanted to try something new, something from fondant. And of all the fondant cakes I've made to date, this one was covered the best.

Inside is Naturally Nora's Surprising Stars cake mix. Of course.

Beaver Cake

2009-07-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

Made for a history teacher whose curriculum includes teaching about the Mountain Men and beaver pelts. Entire cake is edible.

It's not a red velvet cake, although that's certainly a popular flavor when making animals. And no, the teeth are not marshmallows.

Beach Party

2009-06-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

Because a party just isn't a party without jell-o!

I was really looking forward to this cake. Seems like so many people I know - non-decorators - have made these so I wanted to give it a try. Despite the many different recipes for this cake assuring me that the jell-o wouldn't just soak into the cake, I was still a little worried, but it worked just like they said it would! Had to add a couple of my own touches...

At first, I tried making a sand castle but it wasn't working so I buried one of the bears instead...any ideas on the sand castle?

Mickey Mouse Ears

2009-05-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

This cake was made for a little boy who LOVES Disneyland. The design has a few flaws so I'm not sure I would attempt this cake again until I can figure it out a little better. Didn't help that it was a nice, sunny day causing the icing to start melting off the cake! The Mickey Mouse ears cap is yellow cake and the round is chocolate.

Here's a picture of the detail on the back, just like the Birthday Boy's own Mickey ears.

NASCAR

2009-05-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

This cake was made for a big fan of race cars. He also loves anything chocolate. His mom wanted a combination of the two.

Inside, it's dark chocolate cake. The spare tire is for a candle.

Tiki Mask

2009-04-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

The Boy's birthday was a luau. I've made more volcanoes than I care to count so I wanted something new and fun. I found plates at the party supply store that supplied my inspiration:

Since there was no way this cake was going to feed the 30+ people we had invited, I made cupcakes to go along with it.

Cake was made using Naturally Nora's Surprising Stars mix so I made my dark chocolate recipe for the cupcakes, giving guests a choice. Hardly any cake left over and that was a good thing!

Read the blog post about the party here.

Updated: I recently made another version of the Tiki Mask using primary colors.

The Birthday girl is not a big fan of chocolate. Since the main cake was vanilla with chocolate buttercream, I made pineapple lemon cupcakes with coconut frosting. I thought it tasted better than it looked.

Dinosaur Island

2009-04-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

This was created for one of my favorite clients. I'm not completely satisfied with the waterfall but love the collection of dinosaur toys. Inside the cake is dark chocolate...Mmmmm!

Updates

2009-03-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

Normally, I don't post pictures of every cake I've done since I make several cakes that are already featured. I've lost track of how many chocolate teddy bears and pandas I've made, even though only a couple are shown here. However, sometimes I update a cake with pictures in a another color or a slightly different style, or even just one I'm particularly proud of when it was finished (because I've never been accused of being humble). I've made two such updates recently and don't want those to go unnoticed:

Daisy w/ Ladybug
Brassiere

Motorsports Mountain

2009-01-07T16:31:00.001-08:00

This cake was made for a little boy who loves all kinds of motorized sport vehicles. His mom wanted a way to show all of them. Originally, she found this cake. It's a little out of my skill range - not to mention gigantic - so we went for something a bit smaller.

Everything is edible except the vehicles and the supports. I tell ya...that little snowman gave me so much trouble when he was made out of frosting. I finally got smart and just made him out of fondant.

Mack Trailer

2008-11-24T20:57:00.000-08:00

I have a "Cars" fan as one of my regular clients. Last year, I made him a Lightning McQueen cake. This year, he requested McQueen's buddy, Mack.

You might notice that Mack is not wearing his hat...let us all have a moment of silence for the hat, as it met a grisly end on my kitchen table...

Since red icing is such a chore, I opted for fondant. While I was coloring it, I looked like an extra from a horror movie. I'm just glad the color came out of my skin!

Stand-Up Penguin

2008-11-14T19:28:00.000-08:00

I made this cake using the Wilton Stand-Up Cuddly Bear pan. To get the shape right, I trimmed off the feet and ears, then used the ears as the base for the feet. He has a "Happy Birthday" sign made from brown fondant but it was still too fragile to attach for this picture.

Hint for other newbie cake decorators: When transporting a cake on a night that might be a little chilly, make sure to turn off your car's heater that points directly at the back of the cake...Lesson learned!

Brassiere

2008-11-14T19:21:00.000-08:00

The Co-ed's roommate is getting married so the Co-ed asked me to make a cake for the Bridal Shower. We had fun brainstorming about different cake ideas, ranging from elegant to ridiculous. This is the idea that won:

All decorations are buttercream. And here it is from another angle:

Slightly different version featuring a green shamrock and pink ribbons on the side for a breast cancer survivor:

Presidential Ballot Box

2008-11-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

I was asked to make a cake for a little boy who celebrated his 1st Birthday on Election Day. His mother themed the party as a campaign: patriotic colors and even campaign slogans. My task was to make a cake to fit the theme. It was tough!

Once again, I attempted to work with fondant. Everything is edible (except the toothpick that is helping to hold the lock onto the box).

*Not pictured: Star-shaped smash cake with frosting slogan.

Build-A-Bear Workshop (Mini-Bear with Logo)

2008-11-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

My daughter celebrated her sixth birthday with a party at the Build-A-Bear Workshop. Perhaps I was feeling generous (or delusional) so I let her design her own cake.

I used the Mini-Bear pan with the BABW face and colors. The fluff coming out the back and around the cake is the stuffing they used to make the bears. It's cotton candy. By the way? Virtually impossible to find white cotton candy. Oh, and don't put it on until you're ready to serve the cake...it melts into little sugary mounds that might cause your six-year-old to pout until you add more.

Tribute to Cake Wrecks

2008-09-23T21:32:00.000-07:00

While I am utterly terrified that I'll see one of my cakes featured on the site, I still cannot resist Cake Wrecks! A friend was having a deck-warming party and for some reason, we started talking about the Cake Wrecks website. She thought it would be really funny to have a recreation of one of their classics: It a Gril! So of course, I offered to make it.

All mistakes you see are absolutely intentional...no, really! I even thought about setting the second layer on slightly hanging off, just for the full effect.

Barbie Fairytopia

2008-08-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

This cake was made for a four-year-old who loves all things Barbie, especially the fairies. I tried to keep the cake as close to the actual movie character and ended up using an actual Barbie instead of the usual doll pick. Normally, I don't use Barbies because their legs are too long for the cake. But this time, I took the legs off and voila! Barbie fits!

Wings, pedals and letters are fondant. Flowers are royal icing. And you can't really tell from the picture but the whole thing is pretty much drenched in sparkles.

Wimbledon Round

2008-07-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

This cake was made for Aunt Denise, a tennis fanatic who happens to celebrate her birthday during Wimbledon.

Traditionally, she has a chocolate cake. I didn't want to break with that so I used her favorite recipe and made two 8-inch rounds, frosted with her favorite frosting (Gasp! Not my usual frosting!) but then I got a little crazy on top. I actually used a sort of stencil to get the circles right and was pleased at how much that cut down on my decorating time.

Hello Kitty with Cupcakes

2008-07-01T22:03:00.000-07:00

Made for a 4th birthday party for one of da Boo's friends. Boo helped make the cake batter and couldn't have been more thrilled.

Once again, trying fondant. I frosted and rolled the cake the night before. When I went to bed, I thought it looked smooth and fairly flawless. However, the harsh light of morning showed me otherwise. Anyone know why a crease/wrinkle would appear near the edge of the cake?

Pink Fondant

2008-06-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

This cakes was made for a baby shower where the Guest of Honor said "I don't really care about a theme...as long as it's pink." So pink she got! All the decorations and food were pink, down to the napkins and plates.

So this is my first fondant cake that I made outside of a classroom. Yes, there are flaws and the bow is lopsided but I learned a lot about this stuff. Maybe fondant and I can be friends, after all.

Here's another one with a better-looking bow:

Logo Cake

2008-05-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

I made this cake for a preschool graduation for my daughter's class, using the preschool' logo as the main design. The kids loved that their names were on it and each one got their "personalized" piece.

I was horribly embarrassed when the teacher announced to everyone that I was a "professional cake decorator" and had made a cake for the evening. If only she knew about the problems I had with that darn thing! I tried using a logo that was about the size of my thumb. Not working so well. I asked the teacher for a larger one when I pick up my daughter from school and she gave me a great one, nearly the size of the entire page. Then it was too hot in my kitchen and the frosting was melting, colors were separating, kids were screaming...oodles of fun. I did not feel very professional at all.

Fishbowl

2008-05-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

Made for a little boy obsessed with fish, it went together very fast! This is made on a giant cookie but it would easily translate to a round cake.

The Birthday Boy's mom brought over the cookie and filled my house with the wonderful smell of chocolate chip cookies (which I've been craving all day, now) while I decorated.

Brown Bunny with Rubber Ducks

2008-05-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

This cake was made for a baby shower where the Mom-to-be had a pet rabbit for years and years. The baby's room was decorated with ducks so I tried to work that in, as well.

These cakes were meant to be stacked BUT someone...and I'm not gonna say who but her initials are me...forgot to check for dowels. Sure enough, I was completely out. Had to keep the cake separated, which worked out well, because the Mom-to-be refused to let the bunny cake be cut. :)

Excavator

2008-05-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

Made for a Construction-themed party. The cake idea came from Family Fun and was pretty easy to put together, just takes lots of different kinds of candies. Also, the excavator itself was pretty small so I made a pile of "dirt" for it to work on. Tasty, tasty dirt!

Sand Castle

2008-05-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

I made this for my son's birthday. It was by far the easiest cake I've ever done (besides frosting a regular sheet cake still in it's pan). Anyone can make this! Find the instructions on the Family Fun website. Or you can read about our party here.

Stegosaurus

2008-04-13T22:27:00.000-07:00

I had a request for this case clear back in November. I've never been reserved that far in advance...kinda made me nervous about doing a good job.

The Birthday Boy wanted a dinosaur and Stegosaurus is his favorite. And he loves chocolate. My mom helped me by dipping stick pretzels in chocolate (she made extras for snacking because she loves me).

Treasure Map

2008-04-04T19:42:00.001-07:00

Made for event where the theme was Pirates. I had carte blanche on this one so I had some fun. You can't really read the writing from this picture but I have Mermaid Rocks, Dead Man's Beach and Pirate Cove labeled. Hardest part? Getting those dang crumbs out of the water!

Read the blog post about this cake here.

And here's a smaller version, made with an 8-inch square:

The Birthday Boy's little sister was convinced the water was made from toothpaste. No, it's just tinted piping gel.

Salad Bowl

2008-03-30T22:35:00.001-07:00

This cake was made for a health nut. However, it is by no means healthy...same chocolate-saturated calories in the cake and gooey frosting on top. Still, don't you feel thinner just looking at it?

Read the blog post about why I made a salad cake here.

Mini Bear Tea Party

2008-03-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

This was made for a baby shower where the only stipulation I got from the mom-to-be was that she's like it to be pink. She also mentioned she loved my bears and wanted to try my strawberry cake. I tried to accommodate her. The round cake is strawberry, although the bear and table are vanilla.

Isn't the tea set adorable? Took me about an hour to sculpt. I haven't done much figure sculpting and wanted to try it a little more. Fondant and I aren't the best of friends but I am trying to improve the relationship.

Dinosaur - Boy

2008-02-25T20:48:00.000-08:00

Made for a First Birthday, I had to come up with an idea for a smash cake. What else goes with a dinosaur besides an egg? The patch of leaves in the corner is for a candle...or for someone who really, really likes icing...

Baby Bunny

2008-02-24T23:10:00.000-08:00

Made for a baby shower with a bunny theme. I used the bear cake pan, shaved off her ears and changed the arms. Originally, I planned to use marshmallow rice treats, molded to the shape of floppy ears but the icing proved to be too heavy and they broke. So after eating them to console myself, I opted for cardboard shapes and attached them with toothpicks.

Scrumptious Strawberry Cake

2008-02-15T16:04:00.000-08:00

This is an amazing Strawberry cake! Even the frosting has pureed strawberries. It is the most popular request when I am invited to dinner and offer to bring something.

Pictured is an 8 inch round cake. For another decorated version, look here. And because this particular cake was made for a birthday party, I had to make a smaller (6 inch) one for the Birthday Boy (who was turning 31):

Chocolate Cloud Cake

2008-02-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

This flourless chocolate cake tastes amazing! Topped with fresh whipped cream, raspberries and dark chocolate flakes, it is as wonderful to look at as it is to eat.

ADCOMA Cake

2008-01-22T09:12:00.001-08:00

A very fudgy cake with milk and dark chocolate frosting.

Why is it called something as weird as Adcoma? Well, when my daughter was younger, she was very excited when Aunt Denise came over for dinner. I would usually make a special dessert and this cake was a favorite of Aunt Denise's. Da Boo started calling it "Aunt Denise Come Over Make A Cake." Hence, ADCOMA Cake.

Zebra Cheesecake

2008-01-19T13:07:00.000-08:00

Behold!

And to really get you interested...

This is a dark chocolate/white chocolate cheesecake that takes a few hours to make properly. Don't ask for the recipe because I don't give it. You have to marry into the family to get it (my baby brother is single!).

Winter Wonderland with Snowman Smash

2007-12-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

This cake was made for a First Birthday. The theme was "Winter Wonderland." I had just gotten a new pan for Christmas and it looked like this:

Of course, I was dying to use it and thought it would make a pretty cool snowflake. I added iridescent cake sparkles on it to make it a little more special.

Can't have a first birthday without a smash cake for the Birthday Girl!

Yule Log with Mushrooms

2007-12-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

Traditional Yule Log chocolate cake with meringue mushrooms.

Could not get a decent picture of the mushrooms because I have a lousy camera. Read the blog post about it here.

Ballerina Bear with Mini Bear

2007-12-02T22:55:00.000-08:00

I wanted to try something new with the teddy bears. I've seen this bear in the Wilton Yearbook and thought it would be perfect for a first birthday.

I made the smaller version for the traditional First Birthday Smash Cake.

Lightning McQueen

2007-11-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

I think this is the first time I've made red icing that it didn't give me complete fits!

Read the blog post here.

3D Pony Cake

2007-11-04T21:28:00.000-08:00

This was made using the 3D Rubber Ducky pan. Decent for a first attempt but next time I'll pay more attention to proportions.

Little Ducky - Girl

2007-10-20T15:27:00.001-07:00

Slightly different version of the Little Ducky cake, made specifically for a girl.

Max's Train

2007-10-01T13:29:00.001-07:00

Made this for a baby blessing. It would also work well for a birthday party.

The colors and design come from a fabric sample the mother gave me:

Pink Monkey

2007-09-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

This cake was made for a little girl's party where the Birthday Girl was completely obsessed with monkeys!

Boy's Ball Cake

2007-09-08T22:13:00.000-07:00

The party had a "ball" theme so this just seemed like the right cake!

Read the blog post about it here.

Transformers

2007-08-18T19:39:00.001-07:00

This cake is "more than meets the eye!"

I did the flames around the bottom because my usual borders are kinda girly (and I couldn't find my #12 tip to do anything else). Inside, it's a swirled cake (that I ended up improvising because I purchased the wrong cake mix). I made the emblems from print-outs I enlarged and then traced onto the cake through the paper using a toothpick. And maybe I shouldn't be telling you all my trade secrets...

Bewitching Cake!

2007-08-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

I made this for a birthday but it would obviously be great for Halloween, too.

Read the blog post here.

I think I finally got them all...

2007-07-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I finally got all the pictures of my cakes up here! Took me a while...sorry about that!

The only ones I know for sure that are missing are the three wedding cakes I've done. That is because I don't have pictures of two of them and I don't have that great a picture of the other one. If you want to see it, comment here and I can arrange something. Most of you have already seen it (made for my brother, Chocolate Wedlock from the Death By Chocolate cookbook). And if I ever get pictures of the other cakes, I might consider posting them.

From here on out, all the cake posts will be ones I just did.

Enjoy!

Baby Dinosaur

2007-07-14T22:54:00.001-07:00

I supposed this could be a dragon but the mother had asked for a "dinosaur" and this is what I did.

Basket of Strawberries

2007-07-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

This cake was actually my first attempt at the basket weave technique. Of course, I didn't tell the Birthday Girl that...

Coo Coo Clock

2007-07-14T22:47:00.000-07:00

This is possibly my favorite cake that I've ever made! It was ordered for an 80th birthday for a sweet lady who happens to own a coo coo clock. All of her great-grandkids know her as Grandma Coo Coo. She loved the cake and refused to let people cut into it at her party. Instead, she saved it in her freezer for weeks. I love it!

Train Sheet Cakes

2007-07-14T22:44:00.001-07:00

Made with Evergreen Trees.

Made with Palm Trees.

Smiley Face :)

2007-07-14T22:41:00.001-07:00

The cake was a little too easy but what else am I going to do for a Smiley-face themed birthday? So I tried to make it a little more labor intensive and cause me more stress by adding all the smiley babies.

Birthday Girl loved it! She even wanted to keep a row of the smiley babies.

Katamari Damacy Cake

2007-07-14T22:35:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the game, where the Prince of All the Cosmos tries to make new stars by rolling around his super-sticky ball, collecting items (like candy, toy cars, etc.) as he goes.

Ghost Cakes

2007-07-14T22:33:00.000-07:00

These were made for a Halloween party. It was inspired by a cake my mom made for my little brother's birthday many, many years ago. I tried to make the cake inside into candy corn layers by coloring vanilla cake but the batter was too heavy and kept swirling instead. Might have to try this one again...

Flower Box

2007-07-14T22:31:00.001-07:00

My first experience using Wilton's Color Flow icing. Not too bad...and the finished effect is rather pretty on the cookies. It was made for a baby shower where the turn-out was much larger than expected so the hostess gave away the cookie pops as game prizes.

History Book

2007-07-14T22:29:00.001-07:00

Made for a History Teacher! I think you would have to have been her student to understand the images on this cake.