I paged through the book and found the cake I most wanted to make for Samara's party. A three tier cake - a beautiful stack of presents... frosted with fondant. I kept thinking... I like to bake, I know how to follow directions, the book said this was easy... I can do it!
After a few emails and a phone call to my friend, Emily, whose family owned a bakery for a long time, and an expensive trip to Hobby Lobby, I felt ready to go. Sure, I was a little nervous about the fondant... people kept telling me that was tough stuff. And I was a little confused by cake baking instructions (the pans the book told me to get - apparently - don't exist in West Michigan). The cake decorator that I met in the aisle of Hobby Lobby seemed a bit amused with me when I showed her the picture of what I wanted to do. She said, "You know, there's some piping tips here... where is it, oh yes, #12, #21... if you just use these and start on the outside of a cupcake and go in, it looks great! It will look so professional!"
I didn't want to make cupcakes with swirls of frosting on top! I wanted to make the gorgeous fondant three tier present cake!!
I documented this process...
All the stuff I bought:
Trying to bake a tiny cake in a baked bean can on Thursday night after Samara was in bed (it took three tries):
Finally, all the cakes are baked and wrapped up and ready to be iced tomorrow...
I rose early on Friday morning to start making the fondant... Look! I'm following the directions:
I got home from work, and after realizing that I hadn't made enough fondant, I went through several phases of wondering how in the world I was going to save this situation...
And only at the very, very end did I give up entirely. Here is a picture of the cake that wasn't.
And here is what I thought I was going to end up with:
After saying "I told you so" in the nicest way possible (and thanks to all of you who didn't tell me so at all), Tim reminded me that the main point of tomorrow's birthday party is not the cake, but Samara.
So, I've salvaged the wreckage of my first cake-decorating attempt... and frosted the mess with some yummy butter frosting (the only thing that book was any good for)... Tomorrow there will be two little non-tiered cakes-- and some cupcakes. But most importantly, there will be Samara... beautiful and one.
10 comments:
I used to love to do Mandi's birthdays. I plan and get things started weeks ahead of time. Then when she turned five, the time when she'd actually start getting excited about her birthdays, I kind of pooped out. We still always did a lot and always had lots of fun, but I dont think anything ever went according to plan. :)
While looking up "stuff" on the net, your blog came up. I am now done with my treatments for breast cancer and back to normal life I hope..lol Hope your daughter is doing well now...rosebud
It looks like you stuffed some sliced ham in between layers of cake.
Mike
eeik!
Better luck next time.
Still planning on Monday? Hope so... I've been looking forward to it all week :)
oooh...good attempt though! It's the thought that counts, right? ;)
too cute...
Samara looks gorgeous in that dress!
Jenna
Hey, I didn't even put the cake up on my blog. While I didn't start with any fondant-dreams, my idea of what it would look like was a whole lot different.
It's a great cake. Almost s good looking as Samara!
Dear Heidi, I laughed until I cried when I saw the cake and then the pic of what it was to look like. Only on the cooking shows is life perfect on this side of heaven. You are an incredible writer, so realistic even I can identify. I can remember when you were born in Bunde, MN - now, I know why I am old. Belated Birthday Blessings to Samara
Colette
Oh Heidi! I can so relate.I had big visions of this huge baby einstein caterpiller cake........needless to say many crazy supplies later and a husband in stitches, we took the picture to the bakery the morning of Quinn's birthday. Tom said the same thing to me, it was about Quinn, not the cake. (that and a funny story to tell him when he is older)
oh heidi, the cake is still so cute, and your ideals are just right for the for the first birthday, aren't they...such a monumental occasion! And that perfect cake CANNOT be real...in any case, your efforts are touching and your daughter is lovely in her oneness.
miss you, shelly
What else can I say except that I definitely enjoyed a great giggle out of this one! Heidi you crack me up.
Still chuckling,
Chris
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