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.

cookie basket's photostream

cookie basket's photostream on Flickr.

Swamp-ish Birthday Cake

I was born in Louisiana into the LeBlanc family. With a grandmother who spoke French and a Dad who took us often to the "camp" on The Big Alabama Bayou in the Atchafalaya Basin.

I don't think you can get much more Cajun or swampy than that.

~so~

When a friend asked if I could please do a swamp themed cake and

then sent me pictures of aligators

I could not help myself.

Limited time to get it done... I let go of my visions of cypress trees with moss hanging down and murky swamp water and the flat bottomed boats and the Evenrudes of my youth and kept the cake somewhat simple

As you can see...

I made a fondant wrapped Rice Krispy alligator 

in a gumpaste cat tail swamp.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Cake

Rainbows!  Don't you just love 'em?     Once my husband and I were crossing the Mississippi River way down in the middle of nowhere.  The sky was so dark.  And then the most awesome sight appeared above the bridge.  A DOUBLE RAINBOW!!!  And they were both so vibrant and did I say "awesome"?  That's been at least 30 or so years ago.  And the sight has never left me.  I love rainbows.  When someone wanted a rainbow cake....I thought, Oh, wow, I'd really like to do one.  And I'm so glad I did.  Batter, color gel, piping bags, LOTS OF ICING, an oven  and patience are all that's required.  Here's my rainbow baking journey.  Hope you enjoy!


(I did it again....
I skipped the first part and didn't take pictures, but I think you can get here without much trouble...right?)

Lets get started...Use your favorite white cake recipe.  Divide your
batter evenly.  Either weigh or use a measuring cup...But DO divide evenly.
I started with my first layer, added Ameri-Gel Violet.  It doesn't take much
to make the color you desire.  Mix well.  Bake. and use regular buttercream
to pipe a "dam" around the edge of your first layer.

I added fresh strawberry puree and a little strawberry jam
to some swiss meringue buttercream to make a filling.
This family loves strawberries and I knew that adding
strawberries to the batter would alter the vibrant colors,
so we put the strawberry flavor in between the layers instead.

Then start stacking the different color layers the same way.
Pipe buttercream.  Add filling.  And keep going.
A rainbow is made by layering the Ameri-gel tinted cakes with
violet, blue, leaf green, lemon
yellow,
orange and red-red.  Whether you start with violet at the top
or the bottom doesn't matter.  But follow the colors in order...
or just create your own combinations. There is no cake police!
 I saw some that used
various shades of the same color.  Look at "Ombre cakes"

Please visit Glory HERE to see her pink ombre.  She is SO talented! 

But...please come back and visit with me.  We'll have coffee and cake and exchange stories of our cakes ideas and successes....... and the ones that were disasters disappeared. Okay, I might give you coffee while I drink some tea, or milk or juice.  Sorry, I'm not a coffee person.

Oh MY...now my secret's out.

Hope you're still my friend.

Anyway, go ahead and visit Glory and come back as soon as you can.

I'll be here....waiting........................................................................................................................and waiting........................and........................OH, HI!  Glad you're back.

 ~

Each of my layers is a "half" layer.  I only put half the amount of batter in each pan.

This cake was made with 12" round cake pans.

Yes, yes, I know...a BIG cake :)

I could have made regular layers and cut them in half, but that would have produced TWO rainbow cakes when i only needed one. 

Do you see my "bubbles"?  That's what happens when you beat too long (sigh)

It did not affect the cake taste or texture itself.

But

 just thought you might want to know that leaving a stand mixer going and getting side tracked is not cool!

 Crumb coat with a thin layer of buttercream.  And I say THIN, because this cake will have LOTS of icing on it.  Start with a No. 18 open star tip and make swirl roses.  If your layers are level use the color line to help you.  If you can't see the layers, use a few toothpicks and a ruler to be a guide.  And don't forget to take the picks out :)   If you work it right you will use each color for each layer.  If not.  It's no big thing.  Just try to be consistent.  and keep your swirls going the same direction.  When you go to the next color, make your swirls offset and have their centers lined up with the area where the previous colors in the line below were joined.

  Continue with your color swirls...
   violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red.  I suppose my top layer was a little bit taller than the others.  But I continued with red swirls until the top edge and the top was completely covered.  The top becomes a challenge, but keep working in offset circles and fill in any white areas with partial swirls or stars after you have set the rose swirls on top.

 The rainbow is complete and ready for its party!  This party had rainbow jello, rainbow Unicorn "poop" (you know Unicorns poop rainbows)....No, I didn't know that.....Did you?  Anyway, a rainbow fruit tray, rainbow accessories, large rainbow paper flowers.  It was SO cute.  The parents were SO creative. 

Are you ready for the big reveal?

 I do think this is my favorite part.  Cutting into the cake and finding a rainbow inside!

Now, it's your turn to travel "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

Rainbows make me happy.

And of course they promise such love and patience from God above.

My, my He must love us a bunch to

remind us of such a tremendous love!