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!

One John Deere Loving Boy Birthday Request

If there ever was a fella who loved John Deere more, I don't know who that could be.  This young man has lived, breathed and admired John Deere tractors and equipment ever since he could toddle up and say "tractor".  Most every make, model and their uses have  been brought up in nearly daily conversations.  It doesn't help that his uncle owns a large equipment repair shop or that he lives surrounded by fields that get plowed on a regular basis!  "He" is one of our three grandsons. And he is posing in front of his cake at the park.

But as with all things cake, it didn't start out this way.  If you want to take a walk with me, I'll share this cake "journey" with you.  Or you can just keep me company.  Come on.....

Here is my journey to make a wish come true...

"MiMi...if it's not too much trouble, could you make me a cake with a tractor?"  "Sure"    "And could you make the tractor in a field?"  "I think so"  "And could you use Oreo's for the wheels?"  "Uh Huh"  And if it's not too much trouble could you make some pigs?"  "I will do my best"  "And....."       "Jackson!  That's enough! (his momma)"   "oh...ok....that's cool"

So we first worked on the tractor.  Obviously, I began work before I did my current research on actual tractors.

Rice Krispie Treats

I do not know who decided to package these homemade jewels, but it was a brilliant idea!

They cut, they mold, they shape, they are not heavy...and fondant covers them well!

Shape the tractor and cover with green-colored fondant, smooth and whala!

I did not use the big Oreos.  Because I was in the store and saw these marshmallow pinwheels (picture above) and almost skidded to a stop.  "Tires!"  So, a bag of "tires" came home with me.  But I did get mini's and regular oreos as well....Spare tires?

AND THEN I

Made my first pig and fell in love...

Just could not stop until I had 3 little piggies.

Complete with curly tails and  piggy snouts.

Every farm has dirt and every tractor has to plow, don't they?

This one might have a little mud, but that's just going to be ok!
The plow discs are Murray Sugar Free Mini Cookies.
The rest of the plow is a hardened strip of fondant painted green with food gel and water  and a little floral wire.  It will have to be assembled upon arrival....if the hail storm doesn't  make its appearance....(All the rain held off  until they had played and ate.)
Thank you Lord for your mercy!

Many times we have plans...."a"   "b" "c"....

Leaving the house we had plan "a" until my sweet husband wanted to help.

"Wait a minute and I will open the doo...r"

And in an instant with a door bump and a tummy touch

we are already planning how to mend...

Up to plan "b"
ALWAYS carry a 911 box!!!!!

Then there was this farming accident:

   Now we are up to plan "c"

Isn't he pitiful?

I wasn't going to show him, because I thought I was still in mourning...Nah

So...I needed another driver!

Piggy volunteered.  He had been secretly hoping to be molded into a people anyway.

AND Beacause I hurt his brother's feelings...

He decided to run and jump in the muddy rows.

Dirty, silly piggy!

It's official

The pigs can play

And so can the birthday boy and his friends :)

I almost forgot...the fence is piped with melted Wilton Candy Melts.  Just in case you were curious, ya know. 

 I believe Jackson was very pleased!

HaPpY  bIrThDaY!!!!!

A Baby Shower Firetruck....

Don't you just love different ideas?

My (baker) daughter has a friend.  Her friend has a sister who is expecting her first baby.  So put those two thoughts together and you still might not see the connection.  But the father to be is a policeman...still a bit confused?  Now when I tell you that the mommy to be is a FIREMAN...or fire woman.....maybe fire person, everything should begin to click (except what do you call a lady fireman?)

Being as my baker-daughter bakes awesome pastries, cookies and cakes, but does not feel any warm, fuzzy feelings when it comes to decorating them with anything but frosting and a few swirls...she asked me if I would decorate it.  (Now I'm like a decorator wanna be in training--but I said YES)  I do love to try!

Then came the first request...a sugar baby cradle.   SURE!  (Now, mind you, I had already agreed to make and decorate the cookies, which we did for the first time with a candy monogram)  You'll see.  But back to the cake...a few days before...."Mom do you think you could make a firetruck to put on top?"  (cough, sputter, gasp, time to think...................................) "Why sure!"  The wheels had already begun to spin.  I just wasn't sure I could get the mental picture into sugar and fondant.  But here 'tis:



First the cookies...
bake, outline, flood, dot and then...all for the sake of flavor, and because we have a gracious friend who doesn't mind our "experiment",  pour candy "B's" one at a time to the tune of 50-ish.  But it was WORTH it.  Tasted so much better than the fondant letters I've cut out before on the logo cookies.  AND IF I HAD a tray of "B" molds it would have taken no time!  <clearing throat> That IS something to look into!  I know, I know, I could have just piped B's.  But then we would never know, would we?

 Cookies all packaged, ribboned, boxed and ready to travel :)

Out of box and into display basket for guests.

I'm telling you this was the cutest setting to host a shower.

All in a rustic cabin decorated in period furniture.

NOW, back to the cake :)

Rice Krispy treats are just the neatest things...stack, smooth a bit, shape/cut and cover in fondant.  Oh, and most importantly don't forget to do that math.  I THOUGHT I was doing it right...and it did work out, but it was close!

I've got to get better at picture taking the important steps so I can actually POST them.  You see, I first made the road. And, of course, NO PIC.  Well, just envision measuring and cutting two pieces of cake board, "gluing" them together with edible gum paste glue or similar.  Coloring fondant and covering the "road". Add stripes and  let it dry a bit---

Then continue with the truck.  I looked through LOTS of images on Google.  And had to find a pic that helped me simplify such a complex piece of truck.

like these...

HERE

(loose interpretation, huh?)

Then the idea hit me...a trailer with a baby cradle being pulled behind.  So exciting, these random thoughts.  In fact so exciting that I began to picture myself making the mom wave from the window and the police-dad either leading them in a squad car or .... oh Brenda get real!   And I of course told myself  "Self, you just don't have the time to get all that together for tomorrow"  Yeah, that's right...has nothing to do with skill level  (cough, cough)

Anyway, I already had a few cradles I had been saving (never picturing them behind a firetruck) but it just got "funner and funner"  and late into the night you sometimes get that way.... crazy or I mean creative.

And another note to self  "Brenda, bring your camera"  It just makes sense.

The location was just as cute as a button.

A rustic tea room on the north side of town.

And If I remember the name of it I will put it here.

AND...if I would have taken  pictures, I would've posted HERE.

But anyway, here is a photo taken via cell phone while assembling the cake. 

Chocolate (to die for) cake with Heavenly frosting by my daughter with a firetruck on top!   

Oh, and I almost forgot, the wagon wheels are those mini sugar-free Murray's on the trailer and Oreos on  the fire truck. 

The truck has white candy-piped  ladders, fondant "windows" and a bumper complete with  gum drop lights (just roll out and cut)  And AGAIN, my  pictures would have shown that, wouldn't they? Anyway, it was a "fun" cake to do and friend and sister/mom did enjoy.

Maybe you've already done a Fire Truck

PLEEEZE let me see. 

Congratulations to Mom, Dad and Baby "B"!!!

Making a Piano Keyboard Cake

Making a piano keyboard cake...

 Coming up with ideas for cakes can sometimes be a challenge...but not this one.  Our daughters are all blessed with musical abilities and there was never a question!

~

Obviously a cake to feed less than 10 people needs to be a smaller cake, but I'm going to make a keyboard for a grown daughter who LOVES the piano.  I already know I will make the white keys out of fondant, but the black keys????

Then it came to me....KitKats!  Could they work????

Next, color the fondant.  Do NOT forget to wear gloves.  That's important...unless you would like to add color to your body.  I used Ameri-Gel Super Black.  Many times for cookie icing I start with a brown and add black.Because adding a lot of black usually makes a bitter icing...almost medicine tasting.   But this time I just went straight to the black and a relatively small amount made a beautiful dark color today.

I rolled out the fondant a medium thick and began to find the measurements for covering the candy "key"

 The size was obviously altered and then wrapped gently around the Kit Kat.

Make sure you put the remnants in a bag or under a small bowl so that it does not dry out.

 The first key was made and smoothed and left on the rack to dry a bit.  Isn't it cute?

 Cake was trimmed, stacked and crumb-coated  the night before.

The day is BEAUTIFUL and COLD !

And I was excited to see the picture in my head come to life.  Would it really work?

 Now, I admit I had to measure to find the ratio of the key widths.  It was almost 2:1

Who knew...butter, sugar, cake and math!

I am always amazed that so much math can be involved !!!

The other thing that constantly makes my heart flutter is to see how all the little touches make such a difference.  One of these days I'm gonna learn how to make sharp edges.  I truly have watched U-Tubes and gone to blogs and practiced...promise.  My skills are improving...slowly.  Just how many cakes do I have to do before I get those edges?  But hey...shells are really okay!

A few gum paste roses, leaves and writing...

a MINI keyboard!

I think this is my favorite  part...the part where those you love and bake for finally get their cakes.

Why is that?  I'm not a pro, but some cakes take all that time in the  planning, the baking, the decorating, the  anticipation.  Then that moment of completion, where utter relief washes over you.  And last of all the "reveal" where you feel such a sense of accomplishment and joy....all to have it cut and eaten and turned into crumbs...all in a matter of minutes. 

In what other medium do we take so much effort to make something only to have it destroyed in moments and yet think that's a good thing?

I LOVE baking!

Christmas Cakes Revisited

I have two more cakes to share.  Such a busy time of year!  But I had the privilege of baking two more Happy Birthday Cakes to celebrate the season and here they are:

Vanilla butter cake with buttercream icing, lightly sprinkled with green sanding sugar (You would know, I left the jar of white about 60 miles away :(--     )    with gum paste/fondant leaves.  Oh, and the holly berries are those yummy Sixlets.. love those!

Baked with love for our little church to enjoy after a wonderful children's Christmas program...AND...

 One last time, but for our family Christmas dinner

 I made a coconut cake.

It's my Mom's favorite

as well as a family tradition

BUT....this time I added a surprise

Tinted layers !

All in all we have enjoyed an extremely blessed season, celebrating many times over the birth of our dear Lord.

Now we are looking toward a new year...untouched, unlived.

May everyone who reads enjoy a safe and prosperous 2012!

For those who can, enjoy the remaining 2011 with family and friends.

For they are indeed a gift

From God :)

Happy Birthday Jesus~The Reason to Celebrate

In this day and time of political correctness and short fuses, I believe it is refreshing to just go back to your roots.  My roots are grounded in a traditional American Christmas...you know....the one that's been around for a while.  The one that say unabashedly "Merry Christmas".  The one that celebrates with a tree, lights and Santa.  The one that displays a nativity scene...Yep, that's me.

So it comes as no surprise that our Grandson's Christian Academy Principal would ask my daughter and I to bake a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake for their refreshment time after the Christmas program.  The SURPRISE was the size.

Will you bake a cake?  Why, sure!  Then later came the details...like "just a pretty cake"  "one that says Happy Birthday Jesus" and "just a double full......"

Double Full????  I don't even believe I've even touched a double full sheet cake, but here it is:

It all started with leaves.....50/50 fondant/gum paste was colored and combined.  Leaves were cut for holly with my mini cookie cutter and then I thought.....I have a bigger fondant cutter that I think would make a good poinsettia leaf.  Veins and detail were added and then they were left to dry.

 Next, more fondant was taken out with less than a 50/50 of fondant/gum paste, was tinted pink and then red with Super Red gel by Wilton. The ropes were made and twisted, then left to dry. 

These actually were made first. Red poinsettias from royal icing....days before the baking. Centers are yellow sugar pearls.

Carefully, carefully...mix, prep pan, pour, bake,....bake......bake....did I say bake?

Cool in pan, turn out on rack, cool more and then when it is completely cool, store in the freezer for an hour or two.

This is probably old hat for you guys, but I'm gonna tell you...it was NOT easy to do alone. Lots of time for prayer and conversations with the Lord and after a mistake  several mistakes (learning opportunities)....cakes were stacked, and crumb coated. Do I have enough icing? Why NO. Mix, mix mix mix more and more.

Foam core board...which I FORGOT to wrap in the decorative food paper.  It did work fine, but the covering on the foam core will show "grease" spots.  The icing contributed.  But it was almost unnoticeable.

Don't think this cake can go it alone...so a piece of plywood (covered in a Christmas table cloth) was a MUST!

I really do believe that I baked ALL day! My daughter did come to help and stayed for as long as she could...but only one half-sheet could bake at a time. Each sheet held about 4 - 5 cake recipes....and a total of 45 cackle berries. I'd never heard eggs named by an other name until I came into my husband's family............so "cackle berries" Ha! Ever heard that one?

 It was somewhere about this point that I began to breathe again.

Why is it that the final touches just make the cake?

Flowers that can't be eaten....even though some try.

But I stepped back and began to feel some relief.

Then the transport help arrived and heart palpitations increased again.

And you know what?  In the end, it's just cake folks.

But somehow it doesn't feel like that until it is finished and on display.

Final touches at the fellowship hall and the cake came alive. 

 One minor transporter repair and final piping, attach the rest of the flowers and the "J" 

I look all serious and.....

There...is that better?

I am breathing again.

AND....

I could never have done it without the help of my daughter in the kitchen and as my mental, moral and spiritual support...

My "coach"

Now, we know that Jesus didn't get a piece of His cake, but the whole room sang Happy Birthday and gave Him a little bit of the honor He deserves.

So, Dear Lord I hope you were pleased, with more than a little cake.

I trust our attitudes and lives reflect you SWEET SPIRIT daily, but

this is the reason for all the celebration.

One little child born more than 2000 years ago,

Promised thousands of years before His arrival,

Lived a perfect life (God came to us in human form to experience our trials and pains)

Gave His ultimate sacrifice

Arose

Is coming again for those who put their complete trust in Him.

YES!  Happy Birthday Jesus!!!!!