Mr's Baby Ninja Turtle Cake: The Tale of a Love for Pizza

I'm a Liar.

A damn liar.

But in a good way.

See two years ago I arranged a surprise party for Mr's Birthday. I sent him off to watch Roller Derby while I prepared. My excuse was the tickets were sold out and I was making pizza anyways.

Party Pizza.

Most of the surprise party guests were at Roller Derby already, cheering on the E-Ville Roller Derby team. One of the guests arrived early. She drew him a card and I made Party Pizza.

When Mr arrived with another guest I thought for sure the gig was up. The first arrival had never been to our place before and had no reason to just be hanging out at our table. But he didn't get it until the fifth guest arrived.

For that birthday I made a Chocolate Bacon Stout Cake with Maple Frosting. It was as good as it sounds.

Can you see the Bacon? Stout makes for an amazingly moist cake.

Last Birthday I surprised him with Barenaked Ladies tickets. I told him we were meeting my Pops for supper. It was a bit of a walk to the theatre and Mr was getting angry at Pops. When we walked into the theatre, with all the banners and merch about, he still didn't clue in. He had to see the tickets to get what was actually happening.

The concert was amazing. I recommend them to everyone and can't wait to go again.

This year Mr made me promise no surprises.

Can you believe that?

So I made him a little cake.

A very little cake. Six inches on the bottom and a teeny four inches on top.

Baby Donatello (and the pizza toppings) are made with modelling chocolate. He was fun to make.

He started like this:

And ended up like this:

Notice Mr's name on the cake? So he'd know it's all for him.

He shared the pizza part with me. The crust is fondant, and sauce is fondant gunk. Toppings are all chocolate.

Yes, Donatello even has a tail.

Yes... That is a tail.

The cake was what Mr calls "Grape" flavour; which is actually Lavender Honey. Making it purple means it is Grape apparently.

So two cakes down: Ten to go. Next cake will be for my Gram's and Mom's Birthday. I'm planning on making my first gumpaste flower. " 'Cause seriously, speaking for everybody who are me in the car right now, we're very excited." 

Winter Blooms Cake & More: A Winter Wonderland

It was a busy week.

I made things I didn't even need.

Like gumpaste.

But I made lots of things very successfully. In fact I wouldn't write off any part of it. Making fondant, gluten-free cupcakes of the mini variety, and my favourite was the modeling chocolate.

The modeling chocolate made the little flowers on the cake pops. And was mixed with the fondant for the blue tops of the cookies.

The brush embroidery took a long time. One of the cookies took 14 minutes to do the top... Four. Teen. Minutes. But it's pretty. So very pretty. They went nicely with the sugar sparkly ones and the luster-dust painted ones.

The sparkle tied together with the mini cupcakes. And the dragees on the buttercream. Bling-bling. They were gluten-free. and a pretty teal colour.

I loved teal. Although they didn't taste teal. They were just vanilla. With vanilla swiss buttercream. Silky swiss buttercream was also on the cake, also vanilla. Also vanilla (not white) cake.

This was a fun cake to make. I'll be the first to admit that my fondant skills need improving. It took three tries because of ripping issues, but I got it. It could have been easier if I trimmed the cake properly. But it looks good anyways, right?

The top took 4 hours to paint. Then paint on the colour. Then paint on the luster. I thought the sparkle gave it another dimension, especially on the winter roses. I like the middle white one and light red one the best. 

I did learn one thing from this: Let the icing fully dry before putting it in the box.

Some of the snowdrops didn't make it. The bottom two left their main parts on the inside top of the box. But it's still edible at least.

I didn't take pictures of the stand alone. It was textured, and painted, and pretty.

The Mr was responsible for the set up since I was stuck at the market. I think he did a good job. Even though the cookie stand I made broke in the cab. I figured a way to keep that from happening again though. I think. I'll have to test it out first, then I'll share. 

The event went well. Of course I only saw the aftermath. But there were a few still packing up when I got there. There were lots of people in pretty Lolita clothing. 

And the dresses. Oh the dresses.

One day I'll wear beautiful, fun dresses like those.

There were leftovers. Cake pops and cookies and mini cupcakes. My gorgeous and very cutely dressed up client had them to take home. I'm sure they got ate all up.

Cake was won by my friend and worker of Happy Harbour Comics. She was excited. She shared it. She's a good sharer.

So cake one of twelve is done. I'm thinking of the next cake already. Perhaps the next two within the next month or so. I've got a few important birthdays coming up. Mr's, Grandma's (on Valentines day, no less,) and Mum's. February is a busy birthday month.

I should get to the drawing board.

New Damn Year and No Prize

So, all tallied up, I have made 61 new recipes last year. Surpassed my one new recipe a week resolution (but not my learning French one...)

It's a New Year, new resolutions. This time around it will be cakes. Twelve cakes, different designs, techniques, flavours. I hope to cover everything from the down right homey and classic German Coconut to a 5-tiered Sailor Moon and (hopefully) a few wedding cakes.

Bumping it up again this year I'll be blogging my creations, the process, and the hardships. Well, we'll see... I'm really bad at stopping while making something just to take a picture. Also bad at taking pictures. Also bad at completing things, like blog post, right after completing something else, like cake.

So let's get started then shall we? First cake on the roster is a Brush-Embroidery Winter Flower cake. Haven't exactly decided on flavour but I've got some ideas in mind. This one is up as a door prize for a Lolita Winter Wonderland Sale/Swap going down at Happy Harbor Comics on January 10th.

I'm also supplying cookies, mini cupcakes and cake pops (only cause of leftover cake pops from a certain December market. They have been chilling out in my freezer since.)

Dear God, I should get to work and not be drinking coffee and be about to play Skyrim...

A Challenger is near. ~Dremora