Christmas Gift Box Cake

I know it is well past Christmas....but better late then never. I've been dealing with illness after illness and trying to transition to a new computer. Fun stuff!

Shalonda, one of my co-workers, asked for a cake for a Christmas party. She wanted to really knock her Juda classmates socks off with a cool cake. At first, I suggested a fun topsy turvy with snowflakes protruding with wire, but ....turns out....not everyone likes topsy turvy! Go figure.

Anyway, I mentioned doing a gift box cake, and she was sold. I was so excited because I always wanted to decorate one of these. I love the minimilistic look of this cake, yet is really makes a statement. I hope I get to make more of these in the future.

My Birthday

My birthday was this past week....January 9th. Wow ~ I turned 35. I made myself a Chocolate Cheesecake, but in all the commotion, I forgot to take a picture of it. It was probably a good thing, because I didn't have time to really "dress" the cake the way I wanted. So, I plan to make another one of those really soon. Hopefully I can get a great picture of it and post it for all. I may be dropping by with slices of cheesecake, 'cause I don't think I can eat anymore!

50th Wedding Anniversay Cakes

So back in November, my friend Lisa asked if I would make her parents 50th Anniversary cake. I was really excited to do it because I was asked to make a cake similar to their original cake. How cool is that.

First off, I was touched by the longevity of her parents relationship and the beauty of the memory. As we talked about the cake, Lisa shared her Mother's wedding pictures with me. They were amazing! They were married in the late 50ths, and seeing all the style and elegance of that period was awesome. Lisa shared her idea of "recreating" her parents wedding day thru pictures, wedding day memorabilia (like displaying her mothers wedding dress and one of the bridesmaids dress on antique wire mannequins, and thru the cake. I was hooked....I had to make the cake!

Lisa also asked that I make a two tiered chocolate cake....similar to a grooms cake, even though her father didn't have one at their originally wedding. Everything would have gone off without a hitch....had Bo not eaten the Chocolate cake (see previous Blog entry). Despite that little hick up, the cakes came out very nice and Lisa was very happy with the finished product. Lisa was excited to report back that when the party guest saw the cake they were amazed that it was just like the original cake.

I only wish I had better pictures of both cakes. The picture of the white cake was prior to delivery, so the finishing fresh flowers were not in place. I hope to get a picture of the "finished' cake from Lisa soon. The chocolate cake did not photo graph well. The black back drop just did not work for this cake. I need to buy a light neutral colored drop for darker cakes.

My Dog ate my homework!

This is actually from an e-mail i sent one of my friends about one of the cakes she ordered for her parents 50th anniversary party. This happened in November.....Friday, November 21st to be exact.....sometime between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m..........


You know the old excuse....My dog ate my homework.....


How about my dog ate your cake! No seriously. Bo...."the canine tank" ate 1/4 of your chocolate cake! How do we know it was Bo you ask? 1) 'Cause he is ALWAYS the one that does this kind of thing....counter surfing, etc.... 2) 'Cause I found chocolate cake pieces in his spot on the bed just a few minutes ago. 3) 'Cause he is looking at me like ...."what did I do!" and Pi is not (she usually cowers or hides when she knows she did something.

I already called the vet and we walked thru what I need to watch for and what I need to do. It is probably going to be okay because there is not enough Unsweetened Bakers Chocolate to be lethal for his size....125 lbs. Plus, I am sure Pi shared a little.....whatever Bo dragged to the floor that is.....and the floor was a mess.

Okay....off to force a dog to vomit.....yuk!!!!! oh, and no worries...I'll have your chocolate cake ready for the party. Just had to share this crazy story with you!

After all was said and done, I got the anniversary cakes finished and delivered on time. The craziest part of his ordeal was actually not that Bo ate the cake. It was that he never got sick. Not even after I tried to induce vomiting. He did get very very hyper later that night. That is a whole other story, though!

Needless to say, I do not leave anything on the counter anymore. Not even for an hour!

Pomegranate's: Who knew!

Well, I am sure a lot know......but I didn't! These are the weirdest fruit. I've always been "afraid" of these things. They looked awful to me, so I never tried them.

I finally broke down this year, because I keep hearing wonderful things about the fruit and keep finding neat recipes. Needless to say, this is me, opening my first batch of Pomegranate's. They are the most unusual, yet yummy tasting things ever! I never expected the interior fruit to be like seeds......nor did I expect them to be so sweet. How can something like this be so good. It looks like an over sized radish, for goodness sakes!

While these things were in season, I made a few Pom Cheesecakes! Interesting and popular, but not personally my cup a tea. I like my cheesecake best plain or with strawberries!