Gold Drama Cake: Sequins & So Much More

When you were turning 15 didn't you want a fancy grown up party with a fancy cake?

With all the sugar you could handle?

I'm not even sure I had a 15th birthday party. Last one I can remember is when I was turning 11. Doesn't mean I didn't want it though.

I was quite happy doing this cake. It's what every girl should get for her birthday. Brownie cake with cookie dough and German buttercream.

If you've never had German buttercream I feel for you. It's amazing. Custard base, so it tastes like ice cream. I could just eat it with a spoon.

Although German buttercream and fondant don't really get along I learned. It's like trying to put fondant on a cake covered in whip cream. Not so much with the cooperation and more with the hole having due to weight...

But that's ok. It's a lesson learned and it got covered with quins anyways. And gold luster. Lots of gold luster.

Another lesson: Gold luster does not cover absolutely. Some colour will show through, but don't worry, it looks good, and gives it some more character to the metallic sheen.

Also, don't spend hours trying to do full coverage, it's not worth it. And it makes your not-sticking-on-so-well-fondant wet and less happy.

This is the last cake that will have homemade fondant. Homemade fondant just isn't working. I really wanted it to work, made many many batches and cannot figure out how to make a nice fondant that covers cakes in that nice pretty flawless way.

Gumpaste and I have made friends, however.

Tulips and roses aren't a classic combination, I know, but I like the drama of it all.

I decided not to do any foliage, although a rose leaf or two would not pull away from the flowers, this cake was full enough.

Parrot tulips are very dramatic. They come in all sorts of colours, but this sunburst kinda colour stole my heart. And I had real life inspiration.

Can you tell the difference between the gumpaste and real flowers?

The main give away for me was the stamens.

...I have to work on that.

Additional lesson learned: colour the petals before attaching them to the stamens. Everything became orangey-red. 

I think I've leveled up though. Can I determine that? (Insert Zelda music here.)

So this was cake 5 of 12. It's the end of March and I have 7 cakes to do in 9 months.

Seems like lots of time, right? But I've written off summer. My place gets insanely warm and I usually feel like dying, not baking, during that time.

I do have 2 cakes to be done toward the end of the year. At least I think I do. Things haven't been finalized yet. 

And I'm hoping I can do a big cake for an event in early May. Really really hoping. Cause it would be amazing. And Big. Really BIG.

But don't worry. I'll be doing things in the in between time. And I'll post things here, even if they aren't all cake related.

That is... If you care. If you're reading this... Whomever you are.

Are you just looking for some pretty pictures? 

I can't blame you for that.

In parting, my own personal grumpy cat says, "Leave."

"I was grumpy before Tartar Sauce."
~Boroboro

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.