I don't know if any of you have noticed my blog roll lately, but I've really been digging on the cake sites. Cake decorating fascinates me...making something edible into something so colorful and whimsical. The ironic part is that I don't actually like cake. At all. OK...I guess there are a few exceptions...like cheesecake...or pineapple upside down cake...but overall I don't like to eat cake. I can eat the cake part, but it's really the frosting that I hate. But still, I get all excited over cake decorating.
I don't know if any of you have checked out Cakewrecks but it is hilarious! You don't have to love cakes to enjoy this site. I recommend checking it out...especially the favorites.
I've found some other blogs, too...like Cupcakes Take the Cake (Cupcakes are SO fun!) and Cakelava...they are a bakery out of Hawaii that could give Charm City Cakes a run for their money...they have some incredible designs. Anyway, it's this blog that inspired my posting today. I never gave much thought to placing a link to their blog on mine...it makes it easier for me to keep tabs on it, and it's also nice to share it with others...but Cakelava actually gave me a little link-back blogging love by listing a link to this little Stuart blog on one of their posts.
It got me to thinking about the valiant attempts we have made at cake decorating over the years...mostly for birthdays, and starting with our first born's first birthday here:
Cliff made this masterpiece! It actually started out as one cake...but as inspiration struck, the cake grew.
We can't take credit for this beauty...
This one came courtesy of the Slatterys in honor of Coree's first birthday...notice the matching smash cake in front? Aren't they adorable?
We are really proud of these...they were created to benefit our ward's Cub Scout troop. We didn't have any boys of age yet, but I was the Primary President, so we did our part.
Cliff did the tactical cake...and it went for $30...just a stinkin' yellow box cake...but the presentation was priceless!
The chocolate one is a marble cheesecake covered in a glorious chocolate ganache with chocolate leaves and branches (the leaves were pure chocolate and edible...the branches were just chocolate covered and not edible...unless you're a moose, I guess). It went for over $60. Sweet!
We did have some Cakewreckish experiences...I can think of a Deathstar using chocolate syrup that was unrecognizable...and a basketball that looked more like a basket...but let's accentuate the positive here! We did usually leave the work to professionals, so I don't have a large portfolio, but last year for Coree's birthday I got a little crazy for her dog themed party and made this with our lamb cake pan:
Do you like the coconut grass, the fruit roll/chocolate coin collar and the cookie dog bones? Pedestrian...maybe...but I felt pretty clever.
Right before we moved here, I acquired a book that I am nuts over called, "Hello, Cupcake." It is the cat's pajamas and I recommend you go out and buy it now (or just click over to Amazon...it's cheaper). I haven't undertaken any of the projects within it yet...but I did get warmed up with these Valentine's cupcakes for Jake's class party:
Again, nothing earth-shattering, but don't they make you feel good with all their matchy pinkness?
And here's one last extreme, cake-related flashback. This is me...all of 18, at my farewell party before I left for boot camp. I LOVE this cake! The sweet lady who made this used a cruise ship as a model...hence the swimming pool on the deck of the destroyer...and you can't really see it, but there is a cute, little, curly-haired sailor girl floating out in the ocean in the life preserver. Good times!
I don't know if any of you have checked out Cakewrecks but it is hilarious! You don't have to love cakes to enjoy this site. I recommend checking it out...especially the favorites.
I've found some other blogs, too...like Cupcakes Take the Cake (Cupcakes are SO fun!) and Cakelava...they are a bakery out of Hawaii that could give Charm City Cakes a run for their money...they have some incredible designs. Anyway, it's this blog that inspired my posting today. I never gave much thought to placing a link to their blog on mine...it makes it easier for me to keep tabs on it, and it's also nice to share it with others...but Cakelava actually gave me a little link-back blogging love by listing a link to this little Stuart blog on one of their posts.
It got me to thinking about the valiant attempts we have made at cake decorating over the years...mostly for birthdays, and starting with our first born's first birthday here:
Cliff made this masterpiece! It actually started out as one cake...but as inspiration struck, the cake grew.
We can't take credit for this beauty...
This one came courtesy of the Slatterys in honor of Coree's first birthday...notice the matching smash cake in front? Aren't they adorable?
We are really proud of these...they were created to benefit our ward's Cub Scout troop. We didn't have any boys of age yet, but I was the Primary President, so we did our part.
Cliff did the tactical cake...and it went for $30...just a stinkin' yellow box cake...but the presentation was priceless!
The chocolate one is a marble cheesecake covered in a glorious chocolate ganache with chocolate leaves and branches (the leaves were pure chocolate and edible...the branches were just chocolate covered and not edible...unless you're a moose, I guess). It went for over $60. Sweet!
We did have some Cakewreckish experiences...I can think of a Deathstar using chocolate syrup that was unrecognizable...and a basketball that looked more like a basket...but let's accentuate the positive here! We did usually leave the work to professionals, so I don't have a large portfolio, but last year for Coree's birthday I got a little crazy for her dog themed party and made this with our lamb cake pan:
Do you like the coconut grass, the fruit roll/chocolate coin collar and the cookie dog bones? Pedestrian...maybe...but I felt pretty clever.
Right before we moved here, I acquired a book that I am nuts over called, "Hello, Cupcake." It is the cat's pajamas and I recommend you go out and buy it now (or just click over to Amazon...it's cheaper). I haven't undertaken any of the projects within it yet...but I did get warmed up with these Valentine's cupcakes for Jake's class party:
Again, nothing earth-shattering, but don't they make you feel good with all their matchy pinkness?
And here's one last extreme, cake-related flashback. This is me...all of 18, at my farewell party before I left for boot camp. I LOVE this cake! The sweet lady who made this used a cruise ship as a model...hence the swimming pool on the deck of the destroyer...and you can't really see it, but there is a cute, little, curly-haired sailor girl floating out in the ocean in the life preserver. Good times!
3 comments:
I love the puppy cake. We made the caterpiller cake for each and everyone of our girls on their 2nd birthday. I haven't made one in awhile...ahh the memories.
Hi Carrie,
Trying to give Martha Stewart a run for her $$?
A tad too ambitious for me unless of course, you were tutoring me. Thanks for the pep talk. Who knows, when I might just give it a whirl.
Chat soon,
The Lovely Lisa Lamont
Okay, now i want cake! But i just made cookies....huummmm, glad i had cake with you last night! love the flashback pix and can soo see you in the ocean! That cake is awesome!!!! You look sooo 80's!!!! LOL
Post a Comment