Christmas in January Cake

It doesn't matter who you are.  Sometimes your best plans dissolve into .............. where do those plans go, anyway?  Our church operates a wonderful private Christian school (not to mention two of our grandchildren   are students there).  Christmas activities were in full swing, a school program was planned and then we had a totally unexpected turn of events where we could do nothing but reschedule the program.  The cake that was planned was to be a gift box cake with a small Nativity scene inside.  But it, too, had to wait until January.  In January?  Well, of course!  We can celebrate the birth of Christ on any day of the year.....and we DID.  It was such fun!   Like having two Christmases...sorta.  Anyway the children all were fantastic--as we knew they would be!  And the cake made it to the celebration.  Take a peek....

You know, some might think of this as a tent....but it truly is supposed to represent a box--a present.  I may have missed the mark here just a bit.  But the kids seemed excited about it. The "box" is a three layer (white, yellow, chocolate) cake covered in fondant and carefully cut out to make room for the cake board supports and a lid.  The lid is so totally non edible as are the satin ribbons.  But the White 50/50 fondant bow is certainly edible if you'd like to sacrifice a tooth or two :)   Bottom support cake is a 2 layer half sheet white cake with buttercream icing and mini candy cane "hearts".  

Don't you just love the little lighted Nativity.

When I saw it I KNEW where it was going.

But

Did you know...

Nativities were really hard to find this year.

So, So 

sad!

Thank goodness for Christian based Hobby Lobby's!

And stores like them!!!!

Somehow, though, what was in my head didn't quite make it to the cake board.

But I count those kind of experiences as learning ones.

And

after all

it is

just cake :)

Now this was something I'd label

spectacular

...

our students praising the reason for the season..Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas in January!!!!!

It's All in the Month--January!

Do any of you have these months?  The one where you are filling up the calendar with family names on their birthdays?  It's like that for us.  January...must have been a great month for our family!

So let me start

 The new hasn't even worn off the NEW YEAR and already my sweet mother is celebrating her 86th birthday.  To put this in more perspective, she looked at her coconut cake and said something like, "What are we celebrating?"  Age has such a way of bringing the unexpected into our lives.

.....~.....

Next one on the calendar is our piano-cake daughter.  Last year, I can say, I even surprised myself.  And from the number of people who have gone to that post, it must have been a really good choice.  This year?  No piano, no awesome theme.  But there was still cause for celebration!

Yellow butter cake with chocolate mocha buttercream roses.

 

From Momma's kitchen.  Sometimes life is just yellow cake with chocolate icing.  And if it brings smiles

.....it is really okay!

Take time to celebrate family and make some smiles!

~

And yet another family birthday celebration.  This time our John Deere grandson broke away from his annual request of tractors on cake.  Recently, his Papa has taken him hunting.  Yes, at age 9, our grandson bagged his first deer near the end of last year.   I can't decide whether my cake friends need to see that milestone.  Let me think about it.  But for now, let's look at cake and sugar :)

Can you guess what his request was this year?

Rifles and gun racks made from Wilton candy melts. 

Or what about this one?

Rice Krispy hunter cover in camo-fondant coveralls, cap and "rubber" fondant boots.  I formed him around a small gauge wire "skeleton".  I know it wouldn't win any awards, but boy did those elementary art classes at LSU come in handy!    They at least gave me a starting place.

While the hunter has his eyes on the little deer eating corn, the big-rack buck has another rifle stuck in his rack pointed at the hunter.

 I can almost guess what his wish is for....

 I hope all your good wishes and dreams come true!  Glad I found the deer!  Aunt Tiff made the delicious carrot  cake this time and used her new toy to spray the camo icing.  The only thing non edible?  The two deer.  Was he disappointed?  Not a chance!  A true hunter and a very loved nephew and  grandson. Happy 10th Birthday!!!!






That real deer picture?

Here's your warning.  Stop here if you don't want to look.

One happy grandson!

cookie basket's photostream

cookie basket's photostream on Flickr.

My Fainting Turkey Cake

Happy Thanksgiving!

Many of you, my family and friends, have already made lists of people and things you are thankful for.  It goes without saying I am thankful for my family....my husband, my aging Mom, our awesome children and even more amazing grandchildren in addition to others.  I am also thankful for my Heavenly Father and the church where we worship Him.  

OKAY...serious, but true feelings aside...I saw a picture of a turkey cake a year ago and have been waiting all year to bring him to life.  One little problem.  I can't find the picture.  I looked...a lot...well maybe not a LOT, but I looked...in all the obvious places but no turkey cake picture.  He was an adorable turkey coming to the realization of his fate with wide eyes and a look of somewhat panic.

Well anyway we had a church Thanksgiving meal on Tuesday night and that was all I needed to motivate me to try to make the cake from memory.....A Surprised Turkey CAKE.  One that would go down as a memory in the church history books.  (My head was a wee bit swelled-don'tcha think?) 

Here is a peek at his head and his toes...

He was on his way to greatness! Yeah, in my dreams.  My husband and I arrived at church and brought our other dishes and "the cake"--all ready to put his head on and wait for all the oo's and ah's.  

But my Surprised Turkey decided to take one look at the people and then he...ummm...he kinda just "fainted".  Yeah, his head was  a wee bit unstable and big and heavy and he could do nothing but fall back on his fondant feathers and just faint from all his awesomeness.  (This did bring more smiles than the original turkey plan)  My church family just loved me anyway....Did I tell you that we have some of the most amazing cooks in South Mississippi?  Well, now you know.  It's true!  And they are so encouraging.  Wish you could come be with us!

Anyway...here he is in all his glory and thankfulness.  Maybe the turkey cake idea that still flies around in my head can come to life on another Thanksgiving or maybe you can bake your own turkey cake and share your pictures with me.  

Another reminder to smile and just be thankful for all blessings, both the expected and hoped for as well as the unexpected...for they make up the very being of our lives.  And it's ok.

~

Cake body was a carved 8 x 3 inch round vanilla butter cake covered with chocolate buttercream, and the base was a marble cake also covered with BC.  TOM's head is fondant covered RC treats and all other turkey "parts" (beak, legs, feet, feathers and wings) are fondant as well as the Happy Thanksgiving  plaque.  

And one last word to all of you...I wish you the very best of the holiday season with the hopes that each of you can find a sense of joy and thankfulness in knowing that in all ways and in all situations you are loved dearly by a God that formed even the lowly turkey and much more formed YOU.  

Bridal Shower Tier Cake

How can this be??? Wasn't it just yesterday that my husband and I spent hours looking into those tiny eyes? Softly kissing those pink cheeks and all ten toes? Each time our grandchildren were born, this amazing love rose up and came to live in our hearts and souls. But only one was the first. His name is John. And we can't (and probably don't want to) kiss his toes anymore. No, the hands on the clock spun around and before we knew it our tiny firstborn grandson wasn't measured in inches but in feet...Six feet something. And here we are at the end of the day of a wedding shower for John and his soon to be bride. Wedding shower! I'm still shaking my head. So what does a MiMi do? She bakes and decorates a shower cake, of course!

 

All layers  are vanilla cakes with homemade White Chocolate Swiss meringue butter cream filling.  Each tier is covered with fondant tinted in the bride-to-be's colors.  Dots and scrolls with tinted royal icing complete the sides and beads are rolled fondant pieces.  The cake was topped with two handmade gum paste lilies and a Best Wishes fondant banner.  This was my first attempt at a tiered cake.  I stopped hyperventilating when I set the cake on my mother-in-law's table. (Not really, but I think my heart did get a workout)  I'm such a wimp.  I wonder how many of these stacked cakes one has to do before a little confidence inches its way into the heart? Beautiful shower with family and prayer for a happy marriage! 

 

 

We both wish for you the best that God has to offer!

 You are dearly loved!!!

 

A Little Fun for Boss's Day

October ...Cooler breezes, falling leaves, pumpkins, and Boss's Day! And let me tell you, I have the most fabulous boss. She has managed to have a big heart for the special needs students of our school as well as the individual personalities of her staff while providing, to the best of her ability, a productive educational environment.  This is all serious.

NOW, let the baker in me have a little fun...

Hidden inside all this spidery-ness is a neapolitan-style cake and icings... chocolate cake, chocolate buttercream; strawberry cake, strawberry buttercream,  topped with vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream.  The only thing missing is a spoon.

I do appreciate my boss, and yet I just had to have a little fun.  As my husband often says, "A day without a little laughter, is a day wasted."  

Life's little twists and turns, affect parents, students and teachers and staff; and I want to say "thank-you" to our principal for her efforts to keep the "cobwebs" away--those things that get in the way of a positive, productive school.