Not Triplets

Angela requested a cake for her daughter, and two other children in her family who were all celebrating birthdays around the same time.  Elliana and Madison are both gymnasts and Tyler is a soccer player.  She requested that I incorporate something about each of them into the cake.  

Challenge accepted.

I opted to do Pink and Green for the coloring of this cake so that it wouldn't look like a baby shower cake.  Many of them are pink and blue.  Pink and green seemed more lively and ready to take on the 6 and 8 year-olds that would be celebrating their special day.

I also liked the idea of using silhouettes to represent each of the special birthday kids.  

This cake was vanilla cake with raspberry puree, vanilla buttercream and raspberry buttercream filling, topped with more vanilla buttercream and fondant.  All decor items are done in fondant and/or gum paste.

I hope that Tyler had a Happy 6th Birthday and I hope that both Madison and Elliana had a fantastic 8th Birthday celebration!  

A Spa Party

Elliana was have a SPA party at Snips & Giggles in town.  What a FUN party idea!  Last year, you may remember the totally rainbow unicorny cake I did for Elliana's 7th birthday?   Well, this had to be right up there with color and fun.   Her mom, Angela, suggested that I keep the colors similar to those from Snips & Giggles, which are teal, pink and green with polka dots.  I was game!  That was a fun color combination and I really love the way it turned out.  

Elliana's cake was vanilla cake with raspberry puree, vanilla buttercream and raspberry buttercream filling, topped with more vanilla buttercream.  All decor items are done in fondant and/or gum paste.

I hope that Elliana and her lucky friends had a wonderful SPA party and got to relax and get all beautified!  Happy 8th Birthday, Sweetie!

A Different Ombre for Chelsie

Chelsie knew what she wanted for her birthday.  And fortunately for her, I had the time!  Her request: A chocolate-flecked cake filled with one type of vanilla buttercream and topped with a boiled vanilla bean buttercream.  She really didn't care how it was decorated, so I got out my Wilton tips again and played some more.  Another Ombre cake for Chelsie in a similar color-scheme as her last birthday cake, but a different design.

If you look closely enough, you can see the flecks of vanilla bean!

Chelsie, I hope you had a wonderful birthday celebration!  I'm happy I got to be a part of it!

A Cake For a Sister

Erin requested a cake for her Great-Aunt's birthday celebration.  This wonderful woman happens to be a Dominican Nun.  I was so honored to make a cake for such a special lady!

Per usual (with most cakes Erin orders), I was given full reign to do what I wanted, so I tested out a new piping technique for the sides of the cake.  This is ruffling is done with Tip 104.  I started on the bottom of the cake and worked my way to the top of the cake in a zig-zag motion to make the rows. I've seen this all over Pinterest, but decided to try it out myself and I love the way it looks!  

The cake is a chocolate cake with creamy vanilla buttercream.  I topped it with fondant flowers in the shape of a cross.

Here's Sister enjoying her cake.  How sweet is she?

I hope she had a wonderful birthday celebration!!  

Cookies & Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

 Laura requested some cupcakes for her husband's birthday celebration.  She asked for chocolate cupcakes with some sort of Oreo filling or frosting.  I thought that sounded delicious and started off with the cupcakes.  When it came time to do the filling and frosting, I realized that it would be a really big challenge to get a cookies and cream filling inside the cupcakes by piping them in (which is my preferred method) because the cookie chunks would be hard to manage.  So opted to do a buttercream filling and topped them with the "cookies and cream" buttercream.

Yes, sometimes there is an extra cupcake from time to time.  And yes, I do get to sample my baking from time to time.  And yes, these were delicious.  

I hope that the birthday boy had a great birthday!

Doctor Dash Turns One

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law and nephew, Dash, live in California.  There was a time when I thought that he would be the one nephew that I wouldn't be able to make a cake for.   So, when we made plans for their visit this Christmas, I was so excited that a birthday party for Dash was included in the plans.  He was born last year, right in the midst of all of the Christmas celebrations.  And this year we'd celebrate this wonderful milestone all together.  AND!  I got to make his first birthday cake.  Life is good.  

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are fans of the show Dr. Who and expressed the idea to have a Dr. Who themed party for Dash.  I've already made a Tardis cake (back when I had to Google "Tardis" because I had no idea about who this Dr. Who was), but since then, I've seen 3/4 of an episode and am even more qualified to make a Dr. Who cake.  

So here's what I made for Dash.  The top tier is a chocolate cake with buttercream frosting.  The bottom tier is a chocolate-flecked cake with buttercream filling.  Both cakes are topped with fondant.  And the cake topper is a UK Lego-type toy that I thought was perfect for the cake.  

 Uncle Dave came AS the Tardis for Dash's party.  What a great sport!

Cousin Josie had fun playing inside the Tardis.  It's much bigger inside that you'd think.

Dash's piece of cake....

Oh my... I think he liked it!

My Maren needed some quiet time in the Tardis as well.

It was great fun to celebrate with everyone here in Wisconsin.  It was even more fun for me to make Dash's cake.  Mission accomplished.  

Happiest of Birthdays to you Dear Dashiell.  Auntie Ann loves you!