Easter Cupcakes

Mike's office is holding a bake sale.  They know how I love to bake and asked if I would like to add something to the sale.  Granted, the sale was the next day.  What could I whip up in one evening/  I just happened to have a cake mix and some already mixed icing from my failed chocolate cake.

So, I made cupcakes.  What is easier than cupcakes?  I also got to try out my grass tip.

Add to that, my left over fondant and new flower cookie cutter set and...

Viola!

Rainbow Cake

When the church decided to deliver food to the Mosaic Center, I thought this would be a good time to try this rainbow cake I saw online.  And I did!

I made the 6 different layers:  Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple.  AND, I even made the marshmallow fondant it is covered in.

Not only was it pretty to look at but it tasted SOOOO GOOD!!!!!!

My plain Chocolate Cake

I made a chocolate cake for my friends birthday.  All she wanted was a plain jane chocolate cake.  Ok, I can do that.  Here is how it turned out.  Not being a major chocolate lover myself, I must say, the icing was very good!

Happy Anniversary

Imagine a sunny spring afternoon where all the white and yellow flowers are in full bloom and everyone is waiting for the preacher to introduce the newly weds.  The bride and groom pose for pictures in front of the living room fire place and then move into the play room to cut the cake.  Two years later, a baby girl is born and then life rolls into a jumble of daycare, dance lessons, homework, and, finally, college graduation.  Just when things start to cool down, a son-in-law and then new grandchild enters the family.  Life is content and ready to begin the journey again with this new little addition.  Oh, how fun it will be to experience everything from the other side as Nana and PawPaw.

Thirty two years in the making, we fine my parents on their way to Paris.  My dad is whisking my mother away on a romantic getaway for two during Spring Break.  In honor of their trip, I baked a French vanilla cake and covered it with white fondant.  Using the purple Wilton fondant, I did my best to attempt a few ribbon roses and a ribbon border.  Buttercream vines and foliage accent the roses for a crisp, clean look they really enjoyed.

Everyone says it looks like a hat because I didn't decorate the cake board.  That works for me too.

Happy Anniversary 
Mom & Dad!

Bon Voyage!

All In One Bake Shop

So, Mike walks in with the mail and hands me a baby pink envelope from the All In One Bake Shop.  Enclosed is a "thank you for participating" note and the JUDGES COMMENTS on my cake!!!  I must admit I thought we would not get the comments at all, so you can imagine my excitement.

Drum Roll Please -

You are the greatest cake artist ever!

Just Kidding...

It actually said...

"Great job! Lambeth Method is hard and you did it well!  Don't cover your board in foil ever! But this was our only complaint.  Great Cake!"

Okay, so I thought this was hilarious when they said "Don't cover your board in foil ever!". Hahahahah!!!  What is the difference btwn foil and that shiny, silver stuff that looks like foil but sells for around $10?  It's even called Cake Board "Foil".  Too funny!

Also, I had no clue what a Lambeth Method was, so let me show you what I found.

The Lambeth Method is derived from a style of decorating that was popular in England where chefs and decorators would use a lot of intricate piping to create 3-D scrollwork, leaves, flowers, and other decorating on a cake.  The Lambeth Method is still popular today and is frequently one of the methods used by wedding cake designers and decorators to decorate ornate wedding cakes. A cake decorated in the Lambeth Method and accented with fresh fruit or flowers is the wedding cake of choice for anyone who wants a traditional looking, elegant wedding cake.

 

So those little rings around the edge of my cake, all 102 of them, are considered the Lambeth Method.  Th big heart in the middle was actually titled "Cushioned Lattice" in my book by Toba Garrett.

Oooo! and by the way, I emailed her to thank her for the inspiration I got from her book and she emailed me back!  Granted, she baically said thanks and then went on into a sales pitch to get me to buy her next book about wedding cakes.  (As if she had to twist my arm!)

1st PLACE!!

Guess what!?  My cake got 1st place in my division!!

I entered as an Adult Beginner in the Buttercream Single Tier.  There were six other cakes.  It's kind of funny because the ones I thought would win didn't.

 

I was able to meet up with my friend, Kelly, and we were totally star struck when we saw all the cake artists from TV.  Here we are hugged up next to Mike McCarey!!!  He has won 3 gold medals and $30,000 from the Food Network Challenge on TV.

  

These are some of his cakes from Food Network.  Mike owns Mike's Amazing Cakes in Washington.  You can actually order his cakes and he will ship them to you.  You know, that would be a totally awesome 30th birthday present...HINT HINT!

We also got to sit through a class with Lauren Kitchens.  She is from Food Network as well.  She owns Fancy Cakes by Lauren in Dallas.  She was so cute and a great speaker.

  

Lauren Kitchens is known for muppetizing Kerry Vincent.  She actually gives classes on how to make a muppet cake of anyone.

I also caught Nicholas Lodge and Michael snapped a picture for me.  Nicholas Lodge is a world renowned sugar artist.  

  

His specialty is sugar flowers.  He also sells how-to books and videos. 

 We had so much fun and saw so many beautiful cakes.  It was a fantastic experience and I will definitely be doing this again next year.